... | |Synopsis |The course introduces the vital role played by management accounting and the information provided by management accounting information | | |systems (MAIS) in a firm or an organisation. Management accounting is used for decision making, learning, planning and controlling | | |activities that are supporting operational and strategic needs. It also supports continuous learning and improvement activities and | | |serves as a linkage between strategy and execution of that strategy. | |Learning outcomes |At the end of this course, students are able to: | | |Compare and explain about costs and the best ways to make better decisions in the selection of products, price and investments. [C4] | | |Prepare and produce a budget, understand chain processes and apply the said techniques. [P4] | | |Utilise strategic costing, understand and implement ways to review inventory and quality, and...
Words: 2279 - Pages: 10
...Running head: ABC Systems: Are they Advantageous ABC Systems: Are they Advantageous Jamie Parson Liberty University Abstract Activity based cost accounting provides companies with detailed and pertinent information that enables them to accurately cost the manufacturing products. Although it is at time confusing the use of an ABC system allows managers the details they need to make educated decisions about production and costs. The use of the ABC system is not always the most popular way for companies to go, but is it worth it? ABC Systems: Worth the Work? Activity Based Costing or as it is more commonly labeled “ABC” is a costing system that firsts assigns cost to activities and then assigns them to product based activities used towards that product. Costs are assigned to activities in a detailed manor so that detailed costs per activity are available. Once costs are assigned to activities they are than assigned to products based on the products use of that resource. ABC techniques allow businesses to decide which products, services, and resources are increasing their profitability, by providing more detailed information to management. The implementation of an ABC costing method it not right for all corporations; however for the corporations that fit the model for an ABC system, managers are more educated to make informed decisions about the true cost of a product. The use of this system allows more accurate and cost effective: pricing, costing, process improvements...
Words: 1314 - Pages: 6
...Information Systems consulting lines of DBS Consulting Services, using the Activity-Based Costing system (ABC) and the conventional costing system based on computing hours. ABC provides more detailed and accurate information than the conventional costing system because ABC is based on consumption of resources by production of a product or service line and focuses on the activities that drive costs, recognising that activities consume resources. The conventional method allocates overhead costs based on hours consumed (in this case computing hours), which may not represent the actual consumption of indirect resources expended by the service. A costing system should provide information to help minimise waste, but should not be wasteful in it-self . The resources required to design, implement and maintain a costing system should be less than the benefit derived from the use of the system. This report is to compare the conventional costing system against an ABC System for DBS Consulting Services and will discuss the following: 1. ABC improving costing accuracy 2. Profitability of DBS Consulting Service using conventional costing procedures and ABC 3. Recommendation of the adoption of ABC based the results conventional costing and ABC 4. Aggressive expansion? 5. Factors to be taken into account when implementing ABC 6. How to encourage positive reactions. 1. ABC IMPROVING COSTING ACCURACY ABC is said to improve costing accuracy when compared with conventional costing procedures...
Words: 2538 - Pages: 11
...Activity Based Costing By: Azalea McSwain ACC310: Cost Accounting 1 Instructor: Susan Paris Date: April 18, 2011 Outline I: Introduction a. What is Activity Based Costing b. How Does it Work II. Body a. What does ABC do for Firms b. How to develop the ABC system in a firm c. What are the Steps d. Examples III. Conclusion IV. References Abstract Activity Based Costing was developed in the manufacturing sector of the United States during the 1970’s and 1980’s. This system is used as a method for developing cost estimates in which projects were discrete or subdivided activities. ABC systems calculates the costs of individual activities and assigns costs to their related cost object such as products and services on the basis of the activities performed to produce each product. The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) technology defines ABC as “an approach to the costing and monitoring of activities which involves tracing resource consumption and costing final outputs. (Edwards, 2006)” This paper will address what the ABC system does for firms which use it, how to develop such a system in a firm, the steps of the ABC system and some common examples. Activity Based Costing Introduction Activity Based Costing (ABC) addresses internal operating concerns of a firm and is an augmentation to the traditional ledger based cost management system. It doesn’t replace traditional accounting, but it makes use of the source documents provided from...
Words: 612 - Pages: 3
...activity based costing Activity based costing system is the costing system that it will based on the occurred of events to assign to the products and services that involved in the process of providing the product or service. So firstly, it will identify various activities performed in a firm and then, allocated the overhead costs to activities using multiple cost drives and allocate the overhead costs to products and services based on the amount of it consumed of these activities and resources. For ABC system used of multiple drive however, traditional costing system only based on one cost driver. ABC system able to take account of all the overhead costs such as selling and administrative, marketing and general expenses .The traditional costing systems focus on internal organisation management and are financially-oriented So the firms that operate under contemporary settings may not favourable to use of traditional costing systems due to increasing global competition, advance technological and development of new management system such as total quality management, just in time and flexible manufacturing system. However, ABC could work with other system such as economic value added, total quality management or theory of constraints. In addition, ABC system may able to monitoring the hidden losses and profits compare with the traditional costing system. But for identical output it may not reasonable to implement in ABC system but logical to traditional costing system. Advantage...
Words: 420 - Pages: 2
...| |1. Amriks Sohal and Walter W.E chung |Extent of implementation of ABC |Books |The ratio of adopting ABC | | |system |use of data of different |How do firms consider ABC system | |Activity based costing in |Earlier experience of ABC system |survey |CIMA research on ABC system | |manufacturing: |ABC implementation case studies |Journals |Detail case study of two | |two case studies |comparison & conventional costing |articles |companies | | |system |Different case studies | | |Year 1998 | | | | |Page 137-147 | | | | |2. "Activity-Based Costing." |The structure of ABC and its pit |Study of research magazine & |Potential pitfalls of activity | |Encyclopedia of Small Business. Ed. |falls |article |based costing. | |Kevin Hillstrom and Laurie Collier | ...
Words: 438 - Pages: 2
...labor hours | $ 25.00 per hour | Units Produced | Direct Materials Costs | Number of Parts Used | Direct Labor Hours | 3 800 | $ 142 000 | 83 600 | 17 180 | Question a: ABC Costing Activity | Total Time | Cost-Driver Rate | Total Cost | Material Handling | 83 600 | $ 0.25 | $ 20 900 | Cutting & Lathe Work | 83 600 | $ 1.80 | $ 150 480 | Assembly & Inspection | 17 180 | $ 25.00 | $ 429 500 | Total | | | $ 600 880 | Direct Labor Cost = $ 20 x 17 180 hours = $ 343 600 Direct Material Cost = $ 142 000 Total Manufacturing Cost = $ 600 880 + $ 343 600 + $ 142 000 = $ 1 086 480 Cost per unit = $ 1 086 480 3800 units = $ 285.92 per unit Question b: Traditional Costing Predetermined Overhead Application Rate: Predetermined Overhead (Labor per unit) = $ 325 000 + $ 2 340 000 + $ 5 000 000 200 000 hours = $ 38.325 per hour Total Overhead Cost = 17 180 hours x $ 38.325 = $ 658 423.50 Total Direct Cost = $ 20 x 17 180 hours = $ 343 600 Total Direct Materials Cost = $ 142 000 Total Manufacturing Cost = $ 658 423.50 + $ 343 600 + $ 142 000 = $ 1 144 023.50 Cost per unit = $ 1 144 023.50 3800 units = $ 301.06 per unit Question c: Absorption costing is the traditional cost...
Words: 1235 - Pages: 5
...Chapter 8 Activity-based costing Problems with conventional product costing systems General features of conventional product costing systems Direct material and direct labour costs are traced to products Manufacturing overhead costs are allocated to products using a predetermined overhead rate Manufacturing overhead rate is calculated using some measure of production volume Non-manufacturing costs are not assigned to products Problems with conventional product costing systems Failure to adapt to the changing business environment Increasing levels of non-volume-driven manufacturing overhead costs Increasing proportion of non-manufacturing costs Causes of changes in costs Changing product structures and increased product diversity 5 Indicators of problems with a product costing system Product costing systems are likely to result in inaccurate product costs when … Proportion of direct labour costs decreases Proportion of manufacturing overhead costs increases Proportion of manufacturing overhead costs, not related directly to production volume, increases Non-manufacturing costs that are product-related become substantial Product diversity increases Problems with costing in service businesses Service firms...
Words: 1246 - Pages: 5
...strengthen their position in the global economy. The attention focuses on product quality, processes for the production, and improving workforce. However, many companies are still using the same traditional costing systems, Cooper and Kaplan (1991).The absorption costing paved way due to the lack of visibility for indirect costs so the ABC has been adopted by many organizations rapidly. According to Krajnc et al. (2011), the main difference of ABC to absorption costing lies on how they treat indirect production costs (overheads) and sales. The fundamental goal of ABC is to identify as much as possible direct relationships between products and resources consumed through activities conducted from production to disposal. The ABC system is based on the assumption that the support activities such as activities and sales, the cost of which traditional systems characterized as overheads, offer opportunities for the implementation of activities, and thus are not just for sharing costs. In an absorption costing when the volume of overheads is larger, the likelihood of distortions in reported costs is also greater. In general, overheads that exceed 15 percent of the total cost can cause inaccuracies, Turney (1996). Many companies had major problems by these inaccuracies and so they started using ABC. The traditional approach to cost allocation consists of three steps: Concentration of costs in the productive and non - productive parts. Allocation of the cost of non-productive segments in section...
Words: 1869 - Pages: 8
...The implementation of Activity Based Costing (ABC) in Chinese refining manufacturers Table of contents 1. Introduction 2 1.1 Research background 2 1.2 domestic and foreign research status 4 1.2.1 Activity-based costing development process 4 1.2.2 Status quo of Activity-Based Costing Development and Application in China 6 1.3 research contents 8 2. Related theories 9 2.1concept of ABC 9 2.2 rationales 10 2.3 difference between ABC and traditional costing 12 2.3.1. Different calculating targets 12 2.3.2 Different calculation 12 2.3.3. Different Finished goods costs term 13 3. Research methodology 13 3.1 case study 13 3.2 The survey method 13 3.3 Literature 14 4. Research Results 14 4.1 problems of traditional costing method in oil refining enterprise 14 4.2suggestions for Chinese enterprises’ application ABC 15 Bibliography 15 1. Introduction 1.1 Research background With the rapid development of the national economy, enterprises’ competition is increasingly fierce; many companies are using advanced science and technology to achieve competitive advantage in the market. Market competition and technological progress are the two fundamental economic factors which generate activity-based costing. Since The beginning of 1980s of the 20th century, the activity based cost method is paid a wide range of attention; the developed countries gradually adopt it in a number of advanced enterprises...
Words: 4478 - Pages: 18
...Recommendation for Implementation of Activity-based Costing Joann Harper BU264: Managerial Accounting, Spring 2011 Dr. Henry Bryan April 13, 2011 Outline I. Introduction A. Comparison of traditional costing vs. activity-based costing B. Pros and cons of activity-based costing C. 4 companies selected for review i. General Electric ii. Dennison Manufacturing Co. iii. South-western Ohio Steel Inc. iv. Insurance companies D. Thesis Statement: An examination of four companies that have successfully implemented activity-based costing/activity-based management has led to my recommendation that transitioning to activity-based costing is the right move for our company. Although there are many benefits to activity-based costing, we would directly benefit from the relative ease of implementation for a company our size, the ability to view our product costs differently and target process improvements which in turn will lead to an improved line of products and allow us to be more competitive in our market niche. II. General Electric A. A brief history of activity-based costing B. Outcome of General Electric and activity-based costing III. Dennison Manufacturing A. How Dennison Manufacturing uses activity-based costing B. Outcome of Dennison Manufacturing’s implementation of activity-based costing IV. South-western Ohio Steel Inc. ...
Words: 2427 - Pages: 10
...Activity-Based Costing and Activity-Based Management Objective 5. 1 1) If products are different, then for costing purposes: A) an ABC costing system will yield more accurate cost numbers B) a simple costing system should be used C) a single indirect-cost rate should be used D) none of the above Answer: A Diff: 1 Terms: activity-based costing (ABC) Objective: 1 AACSB: Reflective thinking 2) Overcosting a particular product may result in: A) loss of market share B) pricing the product too low C) operating efficiencies D) understating total product costs Answer: A Diff: 2 Terms: product undercosting Objective: 1 AACSB: Analytical skills 3) Undercosting of a product is most likely to result from: A) misallocating direct labor costs B) underpricing the product C) overcosting another product D) overstating total product costs Answer: C Diff: 2 Terms: product overcosting Objective: 1 AACSB: Reflective thinking 4) A company produces three products; if one product is overcosted then: A) one product is undercosted B) one or two products are undercosted C) two products are undercosted D) no products are undercosted Answer: B Diff: 1 Terms: product-cost cross-subsidization Objective: 1 AACSB: Ethical reasoning 1 Copyright 2012 Pearson Education, Inc. 5) Misleading cost numbers are most likely the result of misallocating: A) direct material costs B) direct manufacturing labor costs C) indirect costs D) All of these answers are correct. Answer: C Diff: 2 Terms: activity-based costing (ABC)...
Words: 17246 - Pages: 69
...Vol. 1, No. 2, August, 2010 2010-023X Factors Influencing Activity-Based Costing Success: A Research Framework Zhang Yi Fei and Che Ruhana Isa becoming more and more popular [3-7] ABC aims to provide accurate costing information to managers to allocate activity costs to products and services by applying cost drivers [8]. Academics who advocate ABC, such as, Cooper and Kaplan [9], and Swenson [10] argue that it provides more accurate cost data needed to make appropriate strategic decisions about product mix, sourcing, pricing, process improvement, and evaluation of business process performance. These claims have led many firms to adopt ABC systems [8]. The benefits of ABC and its positive impact on firm’s performance motivated a numerous studies which examined various aspects of ABC. Among such studies are McGowan [11] who assessed the integrity of ABC success, Innes and Mitchell [4, 12] and Yanren [13] who conducted research on factors affecting ABC adoption, and Shield [3], Shields and McEwen [14], Gosselin [15] and Baired et al.[16, 17]who concentrated on factors influencing ABC success especially at the implementation stage. However, there is mounting evidence that suggests most of firms are experiencing problems in implementing ABC and, in some extreme cases, ABC implementation is not successful [3], which later resulted in abandoning the ABC systems altogether [15]. Questions arise as to why ABC implementation is successful in certain companies and fails in others. Based...
Words: 6138 - Pages: 25
...Question 1 Introduction This report aims to compare the differences between Traditional costing system and Activities Based Costing (ABC) system. The advantages and disadvantages of both concepts determine which method is more superior for the business. Traditional costing concepts Traditional costing is to consider how much will cost to produce a product. It plays an important role in the business to predicting the profitability of a product. Traditional costing is also well known as the conversional method costing, which refers to the allocation of manufacturing overhead costs to the product manufactured (Harold, n.d.). Traditional costing assigns manufacturing overhead on the basis of volume of a cost driver, such as direct labor hours, production machine hours or direct material hours, all of which are needed to produce an item and the number of units produced. Different from activity- based costing, traditional costing is emphasis on costing information of external financial report in the business, because it provides the value of cost of goods sold. Many manufacturing companies use traditional costing system in order to divide the total cost of a product by the direct labor cost. Generally, the traditional costing method users make the assumption that the volume metric is the underlying driver of manufacturing overhead cost. Hence, under traditional costing method, accountants regard manufacturing costs only to product. Whereas, some cost such as administrative expenses...
Words: 3455 - Pages: 14
...Activity-Based Costing Supervised by Professor Majboor Alnamri Prepared by: EMBA Student 1 KAAU - EMBA Overview • • • • • • Over/Under Costing Methods of Allocating Indirect Cost Refining a cost system Costs/Benefits of ABC ABC in service & retail Example from an Organization 2 KAAU - EMBA Over Costing & Under Costing Over Costing—a product consumes a low level of resources but is allocated high costs per unit. Under Costing—a product consumes a high level of resources but is allocated low costs per unit. KAAU - EMBA 3 KAAU - EMBA Activity-Based Costing Identifies activities required to produce the product or service Determines the cost of the activities Allocates costs to the cost object based on the object’s consumption of activities 4 KAAU - EMBA Methods of Allocating Indirect Cost Cause-and-effect Using this criterion, managers identify the variable or variables that cause resources to be consumed Benefits-received Using this criterion, managers identify the beneficiaries of the outputs of the cost object 5 KAAU - EMBA Methods of Allocating Indirect Cost Fairness or equity This criterion is often cited on government contracts when cost allocations are the basis for establishing a price satisfactory to the government and its suppliers. Ability to bear This criterion advocates allocating costs in proportion to the cost object’s ability to bear them. 6 KAAU - EMBA Refining a Costing System ...
Words: 1207 - Pages: 5
