Assessing the Costs and Benefits of Investing in Cost System Accuracy

摘要

This article presents a flowchart to help managers determine whether the benefits of implementing a multiple-cost-driver system to improve the accuracy of reported unit costs will outweigh the implementation costs. The flowchart disciplines decision makers to consider whether the firm produces multiple products, whether those products consume indirect resources in heterogeneous patterns, and whether the firm's competitive position truly depends on more accurately reported cost information. Careful use of this tool will increase the likelihood that investments in cost system accuracy will have positive net present values.