Implementing Activity-Based Cost Management: Moving from Analysis to Action : Implementation Experiences at Eight Companies (Bold Step Research)

Implementing Activity-Based Cost Management: Moving from Analysis to Action : Implementation Experiences at Eight Companies (Bold Step Research) by Kaplan, Robert S.. hardcover edition. ISBN: 9780866412063.

By now, most companies know that activity-based costing, that innovative accounting system that breaks down overhead far more precisely than old-fashioned systems do, can be used to trim waste, improve service, and make better product-mix and pricing decisions. Yet the actual design and implementation of a successful ABC system remains largely a mystery for many companies. Implementing Activity-Based Cost Management demystifies the process of setting up an activity-based costing system. The authors analyze the experiences of eight real-life companies that took on the challenge of implementing an ABC system, revealing the mistakes, successes, and ultimate triumphs that resulted in each case. What emerges is a set of generally accepted principles that every financial manager can use to steer by when considering how best to implement ABC, without sacrificing vast amounts of time and money. This collection of case studies helps managers: understand the real value of ABC (including how it benefits nonfinancial managers and even shareholders); learn to identify good design decisions, in relation to their own organizational dynamics; and realize the importance of taking action based on the insights gained through ABC analysis. Financial managers, management accountants, analysis, and financial consultants will find this award-winning book a reliable resource for helping them understand the process of implementing an ABC system. It provides valuable insights from a wide variety of companies that have actually made ABC work.