Integrating Activity-Based Costing （ABC） and Theory of Constraint （TOC） for Improved and Sustained Cost Management

Implementing effective cost management approaches has recently gained momentum due to intense competition and increasing customer demands. Moreover, effective cost management approaches have contributed to firms＇ competitive advantage in relation to cost leadership strategy. Consequently, firms have implemented contemporary cost management systems, such as activity-based management, business process re-engineering, life-cycle costing, target costing, and theory of constraint （TOC）, to enable them to become low-cost producers and compete effectively and sustain their performance. Furthermore, focusing on cost management to improve profitability has led to the integration of activity-based costing （ABC） and TOC. Therefore, the aim of this study is to review literature and discuss how integration of ABC and TOC can result in improved and sustained cost management. While these methods have different approaches in addressing cost management, treating them as complementary cost management approaches can result in improved cost management due to improved product costing, improved cost reporting, improved product-mix decisions, and improved cycle-time management. Improvement in cost management will then result in sustained cost management. Sustained cost management is further enhanced with the investment in information customer and shareholder value technology that supports cross-functional decision making to continue creating to remain competitive in the market.

An improved activity-based costing model for product cost estimation applied in a complex manufacturing environment

In order to evaluate and estimate me cosEs oi prouuct~ plt, uu^u e vironment properly, an improved activity-based costing （ABC） model is presented. By utilizing the input-output analysis method, the complex consumption relationships in a complex manufacturing environment are first expressed. The consumption characteristics （mainly presented by the activity rates） of all production activities are extracted by solving these relationships. Then with the con- sumption characteristics and operating parameters of these activities, the detailed cost consumption of a product in its manufacturing process is estimated. A case study is finally given based on the compressor products of a manufacturing company, and its effectiveness is shown. As the cost influ- ence of complex consumption relationships is fully considered, the limitation of traditional ABC method is overcome, and therefore a high accuracy in product cost estimation under the complex manufacturing environment can be achieved.

Activity-Based Costing of Library Services in Universities——A Case Study of a Private University

An organization’s costing system is a system that helps the management with the strategy planning while the system plays an important role in providing accurate cost information about the products and customers.In other words,the costing management system is important to provide timely and quality information to help managers in their decision-making process.Producing quality graduates is the main objective of any university and the cost of quality or the cost of poor quality is one that is often difficult to measure in higher education.This can be partly attributed to the fact that most accounting systems are not structured to capture important cost-of-quality information.In order to succeed,many organizations tend to shift from conventional or traditional costing system to Activity-based costing(ABC).ABC provides both higher education administrators and policymakers with better information on which to base decisions.The use of multiple cost pools and drivers under ABC leads to more detailed and accurate product costing than that provided by traditional cost systems.This paper attempts to investigate the possibilities and limitations of implementing ABC in universities.More specifically the study makes use of the case study method to illustrate the implementation of activity-based costing of library services in a private university in the Kingdom of Bahrain.The research methodology of the case study is a combination of both descriptive and quantitative analyses.The study identified six categories of cost pools which are related to the activities of the library as well as 17 relevant cost drivers.Accordingly,ABC should lead to a better understanding of what drives costs and,by extension,what changes are necessary to reduce costs.Unnecessary activities that do not add value to services can be identified and eliminated.Further ABC is feasible in an academic library and that much can be gained from the process of analyzing activities.However,more work needs to be done in terms of designing accounting and other information systems to capture cost and activity transaction data in a more routine and disaggregated form for ABC analysis.

A Study on Cost Control of Agricultural Water Conservancy Projects Based on Activity-based Costing

Based on the theory of activity-based costing and the idea of value chain,activity optimization and cost control are carried out on the whole construction process of agricultural water conservancy projects. Through the use of literature review,case analysis and statistical analysis and other methods,with agricultural water conservancy projects as the research object,and comparing activity-based costing with the traditional model of cost accounting,the writer carries out the corresponding value chain analysis,and comes to the following conclusion: the statistical calculation and analysis of the entire construction process based on activity-based costing can accurately and effectively control the costs of water conservancy projects. Through the use of activity-based costing,the cost data of agricultural water conservancy projects is more detailed and accurate,and cost management personnel can also find non-value-added activities,optimize the enterprise's value chain and achieve cost control objectives through the analysis of the activity chain and value chain of agricultural water conservancy projects.

Modem Cost Management in the Transport Company Through the Activity-Based Costing （ABC） Method

Road transport is a flexible mode of transport and its importance in era of globalization increases. Management of road transport companies is, in this turbulent environment, exposed to many technical, legislative, and economic problems. Especially, the growing economic pressure leads to an urgent requirement of the manager and control system improvement. Activity-based costing （ABC） method is a very powerful tool to improve products, services, processes, and market strategies. ABC allows company management to understand what causes costs and how to manage them. Company under this scheme may get a glimpse of how efficiently a company converts the source value. The main objective of our research was to assess the possibility of application of the ABC method in a transport undertaking. ABC method as a fundamentally different view on the cost in the transport business helps to find the reasons of cost and thereby influences their levels to make better use of resources.. New managerial accounting methods aim to show management what information is needed, how and where this information can be obtained, and how they can be useful for the management of the company＇s proper planning, decision-making, and control. Information provided by management accounting is often a key factor in the analysis of alternative ways of solving problems. This article focuses on the transport enterprise management and helps to decide on the use of this method in business practice.

The Effect of Executive Management Support and Cost Accountant Competency on CMS Design Effectiveness and Its Consequences： An Empirical Research of Manufacturing Business in Thailand＊

The objective of this research is to examine the antecedents and consequences of cost management systems （CMS） design effectiveness of manufacturing businesses in Thailand. The effect of CMS design effectiveness on cost information quality is investigated. Moreover, the effect of cost information quality on business success is investigated. Furthermore, executive management support and cost accountant competency are assumed to become the antecedents of CMS design effectiveness. Electronics manufacturing businesses in Thailand are samples of the research. A mail survey procedure via the questionnaire was used for data collection from accounting controllers. The results indicate that CMS design effectiveness has a positive significant effect on cost information quality. Moreover, cost information quality also has a positive significant effect on business success. Additionally, both executive management support and cost accountant competency have a positive significant effect on CMS design effectiveness.

Study on human resources cost accounting based on standards and general rules

The issue of the new standards for employees＇ salary and general financial rules that include employees＇ salary and relevant expenditures, have a great impact on human resources cost accounting. This paper performs a specialized study on human resources cost and employees＇ salary, accounts setting and accounting treatment for human resources cost accounting, human resources cost report, etc. on the basis of relevant provisions in the new Chinese accounting standards, the general financial rules, international accounting standards, and relevant academic research findings.

Costing and Pricing in Healthcare Private Firms

This article analyzes the development of an activity-based costing （ABC） system in a private Italian healthcare firm. Findings shed light on the role of the cost accounting system in price assessment： It outlines new opportunities for the identification of the service mix offered as well as for price optimization. Because private companies provide services both within the public system--where the National Health System （NHS） provides fixed reimbursement fees--and within the private system--where prices are defined by each company. Accurate cost information is extremely important to support managers in the analysis of the service mix profitability offered in each system. For the business segment in which companies do not have flexibility in setting prices, cost information enables managers to identify services which may present profitability problems. For the business segment where price flexibility exists, cost information supports the identification of pricing errors so that charges can be better defined.

Linear Programs in Cost Accounting： A Linear Cost Model

This paper aims to find unit cost of a product for firms. It establishes a linear cost model to find unit cost. Linear goal programs assume a direct relationship between independent variable and dependent variable. Dependent variable of linear model is unit cost. Independent variables are cost accounting variables. They are supply cost, labor cost, and administration cost. This study assumes a direct relationship between supply-labor-administration costs and unit cost. Therefore, it establishes a linear cost model. The major research question of this study is to apply linear goal programming to cost accounting. The goal of this linear program is to find unit cost of product. This study uses quantitative method and human capital method. The main research result is linear costing model itself.

Developing Public Sector Cost Accounting Systems Case Finnish Defence Forces

This paper addresses the relationship between ＂new＂ and the ＂old＂ public performance management; the dialogue between imported idealistic designs and the inherently stable existing （performance） management systems （Carmona ＆ Gronlund, 2003; Hyvonen, Jairvinen, Pellinen, ＆ Rahko, 2009; Scapens ＆ Ter Bogt, 2009）. We see the co-existence of imported and traditional, both idealistic and realistic models of performance management as problematic. Such performance management models are based on different institutional logics that are the taken-for-granted rules guiding behavior of field-level actors, and related practices that predominate in an organizational field. These logics help to explain connections that create a sense of common purpose and unity within an organizational field （Scott, 2001; Kitchener, 2002）. The purpose of this paper is to analyze and illustrate how institutional pressures for management accounting change are formed. Most studies on change and stability of management accounting pay little attention on how institutional pressures for accounting change are formed, especially on the political field level. Our study demonstrates how various actors at the political field level participate in creating institutional pressures in diverse and sometimes contradictory ways. Drawing on archival data and 20 interviews with public officials, we seek to illustrate how different organizational field-level actors＇ views on implementing cost accounting differ, and how these views have influenced the outcome of cost accounting development in the Finnish Defence Forces. Our results suggest that contradictory institutional logics exist in relation with Finnish central government management-by-results, performance management and cost accounting systems. A value-for-money ideology in the armed forces sector （see e.g., Gr6nlund ＆ Catasus, 2005） at times seems to challenge and even contradict the ＂legalistic＂ tradition of developing cost accounting that conforms to budgetary laws and statues. Similarly, the New Public Management based performance prism model （Fryer, Antony, ＆ Ogden, 2009; Neely, Adams, ＆ Crowe, 2001）, when implemented at a local level, seems to conflict with notions common in accounting literature, according to which management accounting systems should be aligned with organizations＇ strategy and structure （see e.g., Abemethy, Lillis, Brownell, ＆ Carter, 2001）.

Accounting Framework to Measure the Environmental Costs and Disclosed in Industrials Companies Case Study of Societe Cement Hamma Bouziane （SCHB） in Constantine

Accounting, being an integrated information system, is not merely influenced by its environment, but also affects environment as well, due to its crucial role in generating the necessary information to decision-makers. It has two main pillars： measuring and declaring the costs that result from the activities of companies, especially industrial companies because they affect the environment. Therefore, the objective of this research is to investigate how well industrial companies are committed to measuring their environmental duties and declaring them in their balance sheets. This topic will be developed over two parts： scientific basis of environmental costs and accounting; environmental measuring and disclosure.

Study on the Application of Time-Driven Activity - Based Costing in Hotels——Taking a Hotel as an Example

The time-driven activity-based costing has received extensive attention from scholars both at home and abroad in recent years,which has been applied to the calculation of manufacturing operations and the cost of products.However, this approach is rarely introduced into the service sector.As to the hospitality industry, the profitability of the customer usually plays a decisive role in the business process.Therefore, this article takes the hotel service industry as the research point and allocates the costs of resources of each departments to customers according to time drivers.The focus of this paper is to calculate the costs of customers ,and then analyze the profitability of customers in order to take the appropriate marketing strategies to improve the hotel service industry Drofitabilitv.

Human Resource Accounting： Costs and Benefits Analysis

Human resource accounting is related with intellectual capital in literature. This study adds another dimension for human resource accounting field. It is costs, human resource management related costs. Research topic is intellectual capital and human resource costs in human resource accounting. Research question is that human resource accounting is technic of management accounting. Research methodology is the case study approaches. Main result of study is that human resource costs are recorded in financial accounting and this information might be used by human resource leaders and other executives. Further, human resource of company may be recorded as intellectual capital in balanced sheet. Quantity of record might become total compensation of firms. In conclusion, HR accounting is management accounting technic with its support for information role and decision-making role.

Cost Accounting, Ethical Accountability, and Accounting Principles

This essay explains why cost accounting, ethical accountability, and accounting principles are interrelated concepts. During the past two decades, the relationship between accounting systems and discharge of accountability has increasingly drawn the attention of researchers. However, researchers have shown a marginal interest in the inclusion and examination of the theme of cost accounting, and in particular, no interest has been oriented to explore the potential role of cost accounting in serving presentation of the trustful cost information as regards the discharge of accountability. In this essay, we will reason that the traditional discourse of cost accounting is fundamentally different from the managerial discourse of cost accounting. The traditional cost accounting is built upon the ethical, legal, professional, and principle-based discourses. By exploring the differences between the two cost accounting discourses, this essay will reduce the effect of current skeptical views with which quality of our academic education, relevance of our research, and our understanding of the potential role of cost accounting in serving the provision and presentation of trustful information have been seriously undermined.

Financial Statement Valuations in Italian Accounting Thought Between the 19th and the 20th Century： From ＂Exchange Value＂ to ＂Historical Cost＂

The main subject of this paper is the theory of financial statement valuations observed in its historical development. More notably, regarding the subject, the research is concerned with some theoretical concepts developed by the Italian doctrine in a very specific age, namely, between the 19th and the 20th century, which in fact, devoid of any accounting regulation. This paper analyzes in particular the shift from the exchange value rule to the historical cost method and tries to explain the reasons of such a development. In the second half of the 19th century, some of the best Italian scholars, who were faced with the need to properly develop the problem of accounting valuations, thought that it was appropriate to rely on concepts that belonged to similar sciences, such as economics and real estate appraisal, by blindly borrowing the theory of value from the former and the theory of valuations from the latter. During that age, everything hinged around the concept of exchange value. At the dawn of the 20th century, the Italian accounting doctrine began to wonder about a subject that was crucial to the financial statement theory： the informative purposes underlying the financial statements. At the same time, the first principle took shape, which might be called as the ＂finalistic principle of value＂. It is still the basis of the theory of financial accounting measurements, for which different evaluative criteria must be applied to different informative purposes. Thus, an alternative criterion to that of the exchange value makes its appearance on the scene of the accounting valuations, notably the historical cost. The introduction of the historical cost criteria and above all the relinquishment of the combination of the ＂economic cost＂ in favor of that of the ＂manufacturing cost＂ allow the Italian accounting to get rid of the theories of economics and real estate appraisal, thus, becoming independent regarding the financial statement valuations.

The development and change study of cost accounting in the IT environment

Relative to costs of computerized accounting, the cost accounting information further to get rid of the shackles of artificial accounting, reflecting a pure information management thinking, which contains a richer content, and traditional cost accounting theory a profound impact on the system. Clear understanding of the environment in the IT development process cost accounting will help us actively to promote cost accounting change, innovation and development.

Financial Modeling of Accounting Costs Acquisition of Arms

In case of restrictive defense budget financing, efficient and effective use of funds is now more than ever becoming a crucial question in functioning of the Ministry of Defense and Serbian Armed Forces （MoD and SAF）. Any investment in acquisition of arms and military equipment （AME） due to financial significance does not allow mistakes in decision making. Qualitative analysis of cost of assets through the entire programmed lifecycle is a complex multi-disciplinary and multi-criteria problem whose solving requires application of the model multi-criteria optimization. In our operational practice thus far, solving the said problems there wasn＇t enough the model multi-criteria optimization so the optimal results were lacking. In this paper investment process of AME in the MoD and SAF was analyzed, from the point of cost treatment in the process, its flaws have been pointed out and a more comprehensive - integrated approach has been suggested.

Variable and Invariable,Explore the Value-Creation Techniques of Management Accounting by Benchmarking the Financial Management of Large Enterprises

With the development of information technology such as ChatGPT,artificial intelligence,5G,and so on,technological innovation brings about a qualitative change in the economic business.This change is embodied in breakthroughs in the field of science and technology and the iterative upgrading process of products.The traditional business model undoubtedly fails to adapt to the management needs of modern enterprises,while traditional financial practices and knowledge reserves cannot meet these needs.Faced with sudden technological changes and the emergence of financial sharing,financial robots,etc.,there is an urgent need for financial practitioners to transform from traditional financial accounting to value-creating management accounting.In the future,financial professionals with the ability to embrace uncertainty,adapt to environmental changes,and find breakthroughs in uncertain environments will be the most sought-after by enterprises.This paper aims to benchmark the excellent financial management models of large enterprises and conduct thematic research on financial management in large enterprises.It seeks to explore,in the era of big data management accounting,the road and art of creating value in enterprises.The objective is to provide references for colleagues in the financial field and to explore effective ways to generate value for enterprise management ideas,thus serving as a reference point in the financial transformation journey.

Logistics Cost Management Models and Their Usability for Purchasing

In many compames, cost management models are abandoned due to their complexity and because of this, the academic literature has experienced a downturn in publications regarding cost management. This paper deepens the understanding regarding the practical usability of cost management models for purchasing decisions, and provides a framework for determining a desired complexity of cost management in different purchasing environments. The complexity is defined along three dimensions identified in literature and the different purchasing environments stem from an adaptation of Kraljic＇s （1983） matrix.