What characterizes job order costing?

Job order costing is characterized by its focus on assigning costs to specific production batches or jobs. This system is particularly useful for companies that manufacture distinct products or provide customized services, where each unit of production may have different costs associated with it. In job order costing, direct materials, direct labor, and overhead costs are tracked and allocated to individual jobs or batches, allowing for precise cost measurement.

This method ensures that the total costs reflect the actual expenses incurred for that specific job. As a result, it provides management with detailed insights into cost behavior, profitability for each job, and helps in pricing decisions. In contrast, the other choices describe methods that do not align with the principles of job order costing. For instance, allocating costs evenly across all production or averaging costs over time does not provide the granularity needed for customized work, which is essential in job order costing.