Two of the most innovative thinkers in the field present a work that represents the single best resource for understanding and implementing activity-based cost management. Kaplan and Cooper reveal that most companies don't know how to measure accurately, influence, or understand the fundamental cost drivers in their businesses. They then provide a detailed and comprehensive blueprint that will enable managers to make better decisions and to promote organizational learning and improvement. Cost and Effect takes the management, finance, and accounting fields to an entirely new level, as the authors demonstrate how the principles of activity-based costing and other advanced cost management techniques, such as target and kaizen costing, can drive business performance. Using lively examples from a variety of leading companies worldwide—including Siemens, Hewlett-Packard, AT&T, the Swedish wire manufacturer Kanthal, Kirin Beer, and Procter & Gamble—they show how to create integrated, knowledge-based systems that provide meaningful information on current and past performance.The innovation systems described in Cost and Effect will help you: determine where improvements in quality, efficiency, and productivity will have the highest payoffs; assist front-line employees in their learning and improvement activities; make better product mix and capital investment decisions; negotiate more effectively on price, product features, quality, delivery, and service to promote win-win relationships with your customers; choose low-cost suppliers who are truly low cost, not just low price; design products and services that meet customers' expectations - and that can be produced and delivered at a profit; and, integrate your activity-based cost system into reporting and budgeting processes to reveal the sources of excess capacity. Everyone involved in running a business—from general managers and strategic planners to financial executives, IT professionals, and operations managers—must read this book to learn how innovative cost and performance measurement systems can enhance their organizational profitability and performance.
Kaplan and Cooper provide a comprehensive overview of the principles, possible uses, and benefits of activity-based management that will help managers mine its full potential. --Dr. Erwin Schneider, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.
Kaplan and Cooper present a structured and concise look at the importance of activity- based costing and the position it should take in world-class performance management systems. Cost and Effect will be required reading for all our performance management consultants. --Ralph W. Canter, National Partner in charge of Performance Management, KPMG Peat Marwick LLP
Activity-based costing is a powerful tool that continues progressing under the leadership of its creators, Bob Kaplan and Robin Cooper. Finally, here is the book that brings together all of their ideas for driving improved performance--invaluable information for executives, operations managers, and accountants. --Erik F. Riswick, President, Maplehurst Bakeries, Inc.
The definitive work on activity-based management, Cost and Effect will serve as a blueprint for the next generation of management accounting. --Srikant Datar, Arthur Lowes Dickinson Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School
