Thesis (M.S.)--Air Force Institute of Technology, 2003. / Title from title screen (viewed July 1, 2004). "March 2003." Vita. "AFIT/GOR/ENS/03-06." "ADA412960"--URL. Includes bibliographical references (p. 87-90). Also issued in paper format.

This study examined the nature and extent of relations between Management of Technology [MOT] and cost management. It explores the roles of competencies and competency measurement in these relations and its associations with company performance. The problem statement asks how the MOT community deals with cost management, whether MOT-based cost management competencies can be isolated and measured, whether a tool for measurement can be created, tested and validated and indeed whether it can be used to assess relations between MOT-based cost management competencies and company performance. To answer these questions, a MOT-based cost management competency index is formulated, consisting of problem statements representing MOT-based cost management insights, knowledge and practices. Designed in the format of a typical research survey, the index is used to source data from sampled companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange [JSE]. Although too small a sample to generalise about the population, sufficient data is collected and processed with statistical software programs. A second set of variables, about financial performance of the responding companies, consists of Asset Turnover [ATO] and Return on Assets Managed [ROAM]. Data for these variables is sourced from their annual financial statements and processed into ATO and ROAM indicators. The combined research data set is used to critically describe statistical qualities of variables such as ATO, ROAM, MOT-based cost management competencies of company executives, their education and exposure to the executive management teams in their respective organizations. The research data is subsequently subjected to correlation analysis, as foundation for hypothesis testing. Among the relationships described by correlation analysis and warranting further examination with regression analysis, are associations between MOT-based cost management competencies and ATO and between Education and MOT-based cost management competencies. The former association is found to be not significant, having the research hypothesis rejected. A significant association between Education and MOT-based cost management competencies is indeed found. Utilizing regression equations yielded by the analyses, the predictive capacity of regression analysis is used to demonstrate results of interventions in those associations postulated in the research hypotheses. The study concludes that it achieved a qualified success in its first objective, which was to formulate a MOT-based cost management competency index, and to demonstrate its application as measurement and management tool on executive managers of JSE-listed companies. The study failed in its second objective, which was to demonstrate a significant association between MOT-based cost management competencies and financial performance of sampled companies. Critical perspectives on the data and the associations tested reveal important shortcomings in the research. These perspectives do though create opportunities for refinement of the MOT-based cost management competency index as measurement and management tool, validation of its status, and indeed demonstration of its business value to the MOT and business community in particular. In closure, the study was meant as a contribution to the discourse on a credo for MOT and the MOT body of knowledge, and it subjects itself to critical analysis by the research community so as to establish whether it succeeded in indeed making such a contribution. / Business Management / M.Tech. (Business Administration)

Measuring the success of Activity Based Costing (ABC) is part of a more general challenge of measuring the success of any major change in managerial methods. The past thirteen years have seen accelerated rates of change in the South African Post Office (SAPO). However little is known about `'Measuring the successful implementation of ABC in (SAPO)''. The objectives of this study is to research the perceptions of staff regarding the successful implementation of ABC, the benefits of ABC implementation and the conditions that affect the potential benefits from the successful implementation of ABC. This will allow organisations and provide them with relevant information that will enable them to make better decisions with regard to measuring the successful implementation of ABC. To achieve these objectives a questionnaire was prepared and handed out to the finance staff of the SAPO. They were asked to respond to the questionnaire on their experience and their perceptions on the implementation of ABC. 121 questionnaire were returned generating a 38% response rate. The findings in this study highlighted that top management fails in giving active support to the implementation of ABC and the technical factors were perceived as standing in the way of the successful implementation of ABC. These were training, the high cost of implementing ABC, the lack of software packages, the lack of data requirements and co-operation between departments. From the finding the recommendation was made were general strategies were suggested for the SAPO for measuring the successful implementation of ABC. / Business Management / M.Tech. (Business Administration)

Abstract The aim of this dissertation is to analyse the process of change in management accounting in public-sector health care. The change is examined through the implementation of a nationally homogeneous Diagnosis Related Grouping (DRG) system. The DRG system is used to classify health-care diagnoses into groups for service productisation and pricing. The system has been proposed as a solution for cost accounting and budgeting. The practical motivation of the dissertation is to analyse the embedding of change in organisations´ practises. The theoretical motivation of the dissertation is to extend the investigation of change by analysing the process of implementation of a nationally homogeneous system. The research data comprise 39 interviews conducted between 2006 and 2011 with hospital district representatives, the representatives of the company managing the DRG system, the DRG system supplier, and the representatives of the National Institute for Health and Welfare and the Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities. In addition to interviews, the data consists of participative observations, telephone inquiries, and newspaper articles. This dissertation consists of four essays that analyse the data through the lens of two theories: the Actor Network (ANT) and Institutional theory (NIS). The results indicate how the use of multiple theories (ANT ja NIS) as a methodology enriches and extends the insight into the change process in management accounting. For instance, the analysis of the homogeneous use of the DRG system, without investigating the practices of actors by making use of the ANT, the results could have been different in this respect. Especially, this dissertation indicates how important it is that actors’ actions are also examined in the processes of change in the implementation of public-sector management accounting systems. The idea for the DRG system was introduced to Finland almost twenty years ago. However, the results indicate that it has spread very slowly. According to earlier research, an institutional environment is considered to exercise pressure on organisations in order to make them adopt new practices that are homogeneous with other institutional practices. There is indirect pressure in decentralised health care in Finland, though its power for change is weak. This dissertation shows how the decentralisation of responsibilities in large-scale institutions, such as the health-care system in Finland, also slows down and decentralises reforms. As institutional power becomes weaker, the power of organisations to promote things seems to grow stronger, however. / Tiivistelmä Tämän väitöskirjatyön tarkoituksena on analysoida johdon laskentatoimen muutosprosessia julkisen sektorin terveydenhoidossa. Muutosta tarkastellaan kansallisesti yhtenäisen diagnoosiperustaisen ryhmittelyjärjestelmän (Diagnosis Related Grouping, DRG) käyttöönottoprosessin kautta. DRG on järjestelmä, jossa luokitellaan terveydenhoidon diagnoosit ryhmiin palvelujen tuotteistusta ja hinnoittelua varten. Järjestelmää on esitetty ratkaisuna kustannuslaskentaan ja budjetointiin. Väitöskirjatyön käytännön motivaationa on analysoida muutoksen asettumista organisaatioiden käytäntöihin. Väitöskirjatyön teoreettisena motivaationa on laajentaa muutostutkimusta tarkastelemalla kansallisesti yhtenäisen järjestelmän käyttöönottoa. Tutkimuksen aineisto koostuu 39 haastattelusta, joita on kerätty vuosien 2006 ja 2011 välillä. Tutkimuksessa on haastateltu sairaanhoitopiirien henkilökuntaa, DRG-järjestelmän hallinnoiman yhtiön edustajia, järjestelmän toimittajaa, Terveyden ja hyvinvoinnin laitoksen sekä Kuntaliiton edustajia. Aineisto sisältää haastattelujen lisäksi osallistuvaa havainnointia, puhelinkyselyjä sekä lehtiartikkeleita. Tämä väitöskirjatyö koostuu neljästä esseestä, joissa analysoidaan aineistoa kahden eri teorian, toimijaverkostoteorian (ANT) ja institutionaalisen teorian (NIS), avulla. Tulokset tuovat esille, kuinka kahden teorian (ANT ja NIS) metodologinen käyttö rikastuttaa ja laajentaa näkemystä johdon laskentatoimen muutosprosessista. Esimerkiksi analysoitaessa DRG-järjestelmän yhtenäistä käyttöä tutkimatta toimijoiden toimintaa toimijaverkostoteoriaa hyödyntäen, tulokset voisivat tältä osin olla erilaiset. Erityisesti tämä väitöskirjatyö osoittaa, kuinka tärkeää julkisen sektorin johdon laskentajärjestelmien käyttöönoton muutosprosessia tutkittaessa on tutkia myös toimijoiden toimintaa. Idea DRG-järjestelmästä esitettiin Suomessa melkein kaksikymmentä vuotta sitten. Tulokset osoittavat kuitenkin, että sen leviäminen on ollut hyvin hidasta. Aikaisempien tutkimusten mukaan institutionaalisen ympäristön katsotaan painostavan organisaatioita, jotta ne ottaisivat käyttöön uusia menetelmiä, jotka ovat yhdenmukaiset muiden institutionaalisten käytänteiden kanssa. Suomen hajautetussa terveydenhoidossa esitetään epäsuoraa painetta, mutta sen voima muutokseen ei ole vahva. Väitöskirjatyö tuo esille miten suurien instituutioiden, kuten Suomen terveydenhoidon, vastuun hajautuessa myös reformit hidastuvat ja hajautuvat. Institutionaalisten voimien heikentyessä organisaatioiden voima ajaa asioita näyttää kuitenkin vahvistuvan.

The master´s thesis applies theoretic knowledge of the manager accounting into the practical life of enterprising of the firm Elektro Sochor, Ltd. This thesis includes suggestion intradepartmental economic system of firm, which is able to ensure following of inside economic actions in frames system of intradepartmental economic center, calculations a budget system.

This Master‘s thesis is focused on cost analyses and cost management in FEI Company. Theoretical part describes basic and advanced cost model and their usage for efficient cost management. Practical part deals with analyses of calculation method for standard costing and life cycle costing. As a part of these analyses, some recommendations are provided to make cost calculations more accurate.

The diploma thesis is focused on cost control management in a manufacturing company. The diploma thesis deals with the calculation of product. It describes existing system of calculations and on the basis of theoretical knowledge suggest effective solutions. This solution should help to find hidden costs.

Diese Projektarbeit versucht zu erklären, warum Flugzeuge mit drei oder vier Triebwerken kaum noch verkauft werden. Dabei wird insbesondere der Vermutung nachgegangen, dass Flugzeuge mit einer größeren Anzahl an Triebwerken höhere Wartungskosten haben könnten. Zur Beantwortung der Frage werden sechs verschiedene Methoden zur Berechnung von Betriebskosten (Direct Operating Costs, DOC) von Passagierflugzeugen herangezogen, die u.a. auch die Kosten der Triebwerkswartung abschätzen. Vier dieser DOC-Methoden sind von Organisationen: Air Transport Association of America (ATA 1967), Deutsche Lufthansa (DLH 1982), Association of European Airlines (AEA 1989), Airbus Industrie (AI 1989). Zwei DOC-Methoden wurden an Universitäten entwickelt und sind von Jenkinson bzw. von Thorbeck (TU Berlin, TUB). Weiterhin werden grundsätzliche flugmechanische Überlegungen angestellt und die Literatur durchgesehen, die aber nur wenige Hinweise zur Beantwortung der Fragestellung enthält. Die Gleichungen zur Berechnung der Triebwerkswartungskosten aller sechs Methoden werden dargelegt und erklärt. Die Methoden unterscheiden sich stark in ihrer Komplexität. Da die Methoden sich auf unterschiedliche Jahre beziehen werden die Kosten mit einem Inflationsfaktor auf das Jahr 2017 umgerechnet und somit vergleichbar gemacht. Zum Vergleich werden weiterhin die Gleichungen zur Berechnung der Wartungskosten der Flugzeugzelle angegeben. Zur Berechnung der Triebwerkswartungskosten wurden vier in der Größe vergleichbare Mittelstreckenflugzeuge ausgewählt: B737-800, A318 (zwei Triebwerke), Jak-42 (drei Triebwerke), BAE 146-300 (vier Triebwerke). Weiterhin wurden vier in der Größe vergleichbare Langstreckenflugzeug ausgewählt: A330-300 (zwei Triebwerke), MD11-ER, TriStar (drei Triebwerke), A340-300 (vier Triebwerke). Zum Vergleich eignen sich besonders der A330 und der A340 da die Technik, das Alter und die Abmaße sehr eng bei einander liegen. Im Ergebnis wurde festgestellt, dass sich die Aufteilung der Wartungskosten zwischen Zelle und Triebwerken uneinheitlich zeigt. Die AI-Methode ergibt im Vergleich viel zu hohe Triebwerkskosten. Der Grund dafür ist die direkte Multiplikation von Schub mit den Lohnkosten. Die AI-Methode muss daher bei der Endanalyse unberücksichtigt bleiben. Bei den Mittelstreckenflugzeugen lieferten die Methoden nach AEA, DLH und TUB ähnliche Ergebnisse. Bei den Langstreckenflugzeugen lieferten die AEA-Methode, DLH-Methode und die Methode nach Jenkison ähnliche Ergebnisse. Empfohlen werden kann damit eine Berechnung mit der AEA-Methode, die auch öffentlich ist. Für einen Endvergleich wurden für die Mittel- bzw. Langstrecke zu jeder Triebwerksanzahl nur jeweils ein Flugzeug einbezogen. Mit dieser bereinigten Auswahl bei Flugzeugen und Methoden ergab sich für die Mittelstrecke eine leichte Abnahme der Triebwerkswartungskosten mit der Triebwerksanzahl von nur 6,1 US$ pro Flugstunde pro Triebwerk (Zunahme von -6,1 US$/FH/Triebwerk). Für die Langstrecke ergab sich eine leichte Zunahme der Triebwerkswartungskosten mit der Triebwerksanzahl von nur 32,5 US$ pro Flugstunde pro Triebwerk. Damit konnte die eingangs genannte Vermutung über eine Zunahme der Triebwerkswartungskosten mit der Anzahl der Triebwerke nur zum Teil bestätigt werden. Die Analyse zeigte, dass die Triebwerkswartungskosten von vielen Parametern abhängen, die Triebwerksanzahl ist nur ein Parameter von vielen. Selbst ähnliche Flugzeuge liefern bei gleicher Triebwerkszahl daher Triebwerkswartungskosten, die sich stark unterscheiden und die Abhängigkeit von der Triebwerkszahl wenig sichtbar werden lassen. Es werden Vorschläge gemacht, welche anderen methodischen Ansätze hier Abhilfe schaffen könnten.

M. Tech. (Department of Accountancy, Faculty of Management Sciences), Vaal University of Technology. / The minibus taxi industry in South Africa is one of the biggest, fastest growing, and riskiest industries in the world. The minibus taxi industry contributes to the economy by creating over 600,000 jobs, providing fast and cheap transport and fighting poverty and unemployment. However, the recent COVID 19 pandemia restrictions has caused a sudden and movement of economic growth and competition has forced the minibus taxi industry to be competitive in all aspects. This has resulted in intense competition for minibus taxi owners. Minibus taxi owners are constantly in rivalry amongst themselves and with other public road transport providers. In early 1988, the minibus taxi industry started seeing an influx in the number of new minibus taxis and minibus owners. This influx created problems of competition within the industry and among minibus taxi owners. Due to the importance of this industry, this research study investigated whether minibus taxi owners in the Emfuleni Local Municipality apply selected management accounting principles in the management of their minibus taxi businesses. Selected management accounting principles in this study refers to cost volume profit analysis, cost structure, and budgeting. This research study followed a quantitative research design and a questionnaire was used to collect primary data from a census of 500 minibus taxi owners from the following five associations: Get Ahead Taxi Association (GATA), Vaal National Taxi Association (VNTA), Vanderbijlpark Taxi Association (VTA), Sharpeville to Vereeniging and Vanderbijlpark Taxi Association (SVVTA) and Civic Centre Taxi Association (CCTA) operating in the Emfuleni Local Municipality. Using descriptive statistical analysis to present the findings, the study used Statistical Package for Social Sciences Version 27. Findings obtained using an online questionnaire and printed questionnaire distributed revealed a lack of management accounting principles application among these minibus taxi owners. Furthermore, the minibus taxi owners do not apply cost volume profit analysis and most do not use budgets. However, it was found that some minibus taxi owners apply very basic cash budgeting through a pen-on-paper approach. It was also found that minibus taxi owners understand the application of cost structures. This research study recommends that minibus taxi owners should be offered training by skills sectors to apply the selected management accounting principles. The limitations of this research study included that the census was geogracial restrictions, level of education, and corona virus restrictions. Despite these limitations, the research study was able to fulfil its main objective by determining that majority of minibus taxi owners do not apply the selected management accounting principles.

Past research on activity-based costing (ABC) success factors has predominantly focused on establishing relationships between known success factors and ABC implementation success. According to the researcher, there is a lack of exploratory studies to establish ABC implementation factors especially in a South African context. This study has explored these factors from literature and attempted to identify any other factors of importance with the use of semistructured interviews. A total number of 13 interviews were conducted with participants from manufacturing organisations in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropole using some form of ABC. The findings suggested that ABC may be more beneficial at larger, more diverse organisations but that smaller organisations may also benefit from ABC if product costing accuracy could be significantly improved with ABC and if no major pressure on company resources is incurred. In addition it seems that ABC should be utilised to the fullest extent that is practical for the manufacturing organisation and that the use of supplementary cost-saving mechanisms with ABC may be beneficial. Finally it is recommended that users be fully trained at ABC and that careful consideration of an appropriate ABC software package may increase the likelihood of ABC implementation success. / Management Accounting / M. Phil. (Management Accounting)