Introduction To The Activity Based Costing Accounting Essay

Introduction To The Activity Based Costing Accounting Essay Traditional managerial accounting is at best useless, and at worst dysfunctional and misleading. (Shank, 1994) The Relevance Lost: The rise and fall of Management Accounting published by Theodore Johnson and Robert Kaplan in 1987 marked as the revolutionary criticism of the traditional costing system. Traditional Costing System was developed in early 20s when companies were almost 99% labour intensive (Kidd, 1994), no automation (Jan Emblemsvag, 2008) and production processes were austere. Significant changes in most manufacturers product market and production technology demand more accurate cost allocations (Krumwiede and Roth 1997) and focusing more on labour productivity may not be the best solution for the present day manufacturing and service organizations (Gunasekaran et al, 1999). It was hailed as the beginning of change for the better in the world of accounting (Sharman, 2003). In the notoriety book, their disparagement was centred on the passà © cost allocation technique that distorts production cost for decision-making purposes. Instead of providing solutions to management, traditional costing system had failed in predictable ways (Daly, 2010). Activity Based Costing In 1988, Cooper and Kaplan disseminated the Activity Based Costing (ABC) system to overcome hindrances and the peanut-butter spreading cost allocation of traditional costing system. Gunasekaran and Sarhadi (1996) (Vol 1_1_4) found that the development and endorsement of ABC had been stimulated and largely persuaded by Cooper and Kaplan especially in the manufacturing sector. It is arduous to find an academic or practitioner journal that does not talk about ABC in the accounting world and it soon it began to widely spread to the non-manufacturing sector. It was perceived to be the solution to the management accounting needs of organizations (Sharman, 2003). It was also said that Activity-Based Costing is clearly the most significant managerial accounting development (Harrison Sullivan, 1996). In fact some have portrayed it as cure-all for all kinds of problems (Doost, 1997). Since then ABC plays a significant role as a management tools and gained its popularity to the academicians, practitioners and industries. ABC was initially designed by George Staubus in the United States during the 80s. ABC was promoted as a system that would reduce the level of arbitrary cost allocations associated with traditional costing systems and result in more accurate product costs (Baird et al, 2004). Many authors often depicted ABC to one simple and powerful word which is accurate (Cooper and Kaplan 1988; Dugdale, 1990; Innes and Mitchell 1991; Morrow, 1992; Bhimani and Piggott, 1992; Turney 1996; Krumwiede and Roth 1997). Accuracy in product costing is vital particularly in making decision and also in alleviating organization in cost reduction and profitability purposes. Inaccuracies created by improper allocation of costs can lead disastrous pricing, product profitability and customer profitability management decisions (Hardy et al, 2002). (Working paper series 2004) The core of ABC is the activity concept (Turney 1991). According to Turney (1996), ABC is a process which assigns costs to product according to the activities and resources consumed or generally a method of allocating indirect costs to cost objects. Cost drivers and cost activities are the terms synonymous to ABC. ABC enhances cost allocation by using smaller cost pools called activities (Wegmann, 2010) and costs are then traced to these activities by keys called cost drivers (Cooper, 1990). Gunasekaran et al (1999) stated that the ultimate goal of ABC as a cost allocation system is to trace the production costs generated by the production of a good or service, as accurate as desired, to the causing activities. ABC is not only basis for computing accurate product costing, but it plays a vital role in management in managing costs. The 1980s is seen as the advent and widespread use of management philosophies such as Just-in-Time (JIT), Balanced Scorecard, Total Quality Management (TQM), and Theory of Constraint (TOC). Huczynski (1993) described it as the age of the management guru. The appetite for new forms of managing is strong and ABC is quickly recruited to feed it and soon after, ABC evolved from a cost allocation method to a management philosophy (Jones and Dugdale, 2002). Two reputable systems which was derived from ABC philosophy was Activity-Based Management (ABM) and Activity-Based Budgeting (ABB) (Cooper and Kaplan, 1998). Second Phase of ABC: Activity-Based Management Johnson (1988) argued that companies should manage activities alongside with the costs based on the relying principle of activities consume resources and products consume activities and this was supported by Ostrenga (1990). As discussed, ABC system was initially presented as new way to establish more accurate product costs compared to the traditional costing system. However, ABC soon began to enter its second phase, in which it became known as Activity-Based Management (ABM). The second phase of ABC is perceived to be the rational development of ABC, in which it focuses on the management of indirect activities, at various levels beyond direct productions and activities where it still continues to draw its back on the existing ABC. This development is regarded as an improvement to the value received by customer and the profit achieved. Johnson (1988) still maintained and applies the existing ABC rules where the activity-based information would focus managers attention on underlying cost drivers and profit unlike the distorted cost provided by traditional costing system. This influenced Turney (1992) where he voiced a similar opinion and suggested that ABM system seek two goals, which are common to organizations which can be reached by focusing on managing activities. The first is to improve the value received by customers and the second is to improve profits by providing this value. Activity-Based Budgeting In todays arduous economic environment with the growing inflation rates, shrinking sales volumes and rocketing business expenses, the Activity-Based Budgeting (ABB) system could be a safeguard in stabilizing and strengthening an organizations operation (Pockevi iÃ…Â «tÄ-, 2008). Countries worldwide then began to practice and implement such strategy into their organizations. ABB is developed based on the management philosophy of activity-based costing (ABC), which is considered to be similar to zero-based budgeting (Shane, 2005) and it measures how members of an organization allocate their effort among activities performed and effortless to design. Pockevi iÃ…Â «tÄ- (2008) conducted a study and tested ABB on the agricultural sector in Lithuania. With an ABB system in place, major constraints can be identified while maintaining the future operations of the organizations. It can measure the efficiency within an organization process with a clear picture and understanding by linking all the individual budgets and the department in the organization. ABB is also known for its exposure of non value costs where waste can then be eliminated to reduce cost. ABCs pitfall and Time-Driven ABC: A new ABC development? Despite much attention on the ABC model since the appearance in the 1980s, interest gradually decreased during the 90s (Gosselin, 2006). ABC slowly began to experience its pitfall. As the global competition increases, the need of efficient and effective tools to fit business strategy are greatly in demand and ABC gradually went into the accounting worlds slump. Gosselin (2006) argued that ABC failed to succeed in practical use in todays management practices; this was also supported by few authors such as ÃÆ'-ker and Adigà ¼zel (2010) and Velmurugan (2010). Gosselin (1997) began to argue that a so-called ABC-paradox existed. Despite the various articles published in journals, books, and its involvement in the academic world and also being endorsed by consulting companies, it is quite ironic of how implementation of ABC is still relatively low. Innes and Mitchell was the first few to conduct surveys on the implementation of ABC in companies in 1995, their studies showed that only 21% adopted ABC in the UK. Bjornenak (1997) followed their footstep by conducting surveys in Norway and found that 40% implemented ABC in their companies whereas in the other part of the world such as the Australia, Ireland, the US, Dutch and Italy reportedly to have 12.5%, 11.8%, 17.7%, 12%, 10% respectively (Nguyen and Brooks, 1997; Clark et al, 1999; Groot, 1999; Cinquini et al, 1999). Many large companies, which tried to implement ABC in the 90s, abandoned it due to change in competitive circumstances and the birth of new and develop management tools. Many of those who argued that ABC, although effective in allocating cost, it does not necessarily contribute to the overall effective of business decisions (Fladkjà ¦r and Jensen, 2011). The information provided by ABC may be extraneous and not as accurate as most users believe. ABC is also regarded as not necessary for most companies systems (Fladkjà ¦r and Jensen, 2011). Kaplan and Anderson (2007) brought up the case of Hendee Enterprises which is a Houston-based manufacturer of awnings where they argued that the ABC software took three days to calculate costs for the companys 150 activities, 10,000 orders and 45,000 line items (Wegmann, 2010). In 2003, Kaplan started to redesign the ABC system when many argued that it is too complex and time intensive to implement. This has led to the much anticipated new approach of ABC, the Time-Driven ABC (TD-ABC). He claims that the new ABC development, TD-ABC, reveals excess capacity, processes faster, able to provide high accuracy and can be well supplied from existing IT-systems, such as ERP (Kaplan and Anderson, 2007). Kaplan (2007) went again to argue that TD-ABC skips the activity-definition stage and hence the allocation of costs to multiple performed activities. They also argued that TD-ABC is a simplified version of the current ABC system at that time (Everaert Bruggeman, 2007; Everaert et al, 2008; Kaplan Anderson, 2004; Max, 2007; ÃÆ'-ker Adigà ¼zel, 2010). This was also supported by Demeere et al (2009) and Wegmann (2010) where TD-ABC is hail to be an improved activity-based costing system compared to its previous development. TD-ABC differs from the existing ABC system where the time estimates require to calculate driver rates can be obtained by direct observation or by surveying managers (Kaplan and Anderson, 2010). This saves time and is able to reduce the cost of implementation and updating the system. He further argued that managers are considered the more reliable source concerning accuracy of information on time consumption and activities compared to existing ABC system where information are derived from employees who tend to be bias. Consequently, with TD-ABC, managers are able to generate accurate information and encounter fewer blunders. Impact of the new ideas on both companies and consultant Soon after its establishment, TD-ABC began to receive a growing interest among academicians and a growing number from 9 to 67 in the period of 2003 to 2009. This was presented by Google Scholar and since then TD-ABC has shown a positive trend in the online world (Alsamawi, 2010). Demeree et al (2009) also began to notice the story behind TD-ABC and tested TD-ABC at an outpatient clinic. For instance, Demeree et al. (2009) implemented TD-ABC at an outpatient clinic. They have gathered data through direct observations and interviews with department heads and outpatient clinic managers. To register different time consumptions for relevant activities a stopwatch was utilized. This process was repeated 3 months later to ensure that consistent results were obtained. This data gathering method was recorded as a success. Other authors point out that TD-ABC brings conceptual shortcomings connected to the use of time estimates (Cardinaels Labro, 2007). Gosselin (2007, p.649) concluded that TD-ABC is the most recent development in the field of activity-based costing methods, but does not solve the conceptual problems inherent to ABC. Conclusion

Violence in the Media Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Topics

Violence in the Media      Ã‚  Ã‚   Gina Marchetti, in her essay "Action-Adventure as Ideology," argues that action- adventure films implicitly convey complex cultural messages regarding American values and the "white American status quo." She continues to say that all action-adventure movies have the same basic structure, including plot, theme, characterization, and iconography. As ideology, this film genre tacitly expresses social norms, values, and morals of its time. Marchetti's essay, written in 1989, applies to films such as Raiders of the Lost Ark and Rambo: First Blood II. However, action-adventure films today seem to be straying farther away from her generalizations about structure, reflecting new and different cultural norms in America. This changing ideology is depicted best in Oliver Stone's Natural Born Killers (1994), which defies nearly every concept Marchetti proposes about action-adventure films; and it sets the stage for a whole new viewpoint of action in the '90's.    Until recently, most action-adventure films, to some extent, fit Marchetti's general guidelines. In the case of iconography, she states that all action-adventure films are set in exotic locations, for example decaying temples or rainforests. Most modern American films, though, are set in American cities and towns in which much violence occurs. Natural Born Killers is filmed entirely in New Mexico, Arizona, and Illinois, with dry desert land forming most of the visual scenery. Why is America no longer as interested in exotic and foreign places? Perhaps the modern movies are more realistic, and therefore can solve real American social problems in the realm of fantasy.    In the case of characterization, Marchetti claims that the most st... ...sening up in this country, although not quite to the extreme as in Natural Born Killers. Despite the controversy caused by the assumed message that "killing is cool," there is important ideology embedded within the film. There is sanity within the insane. The film, in a sense, displays the consequences caused by the suppression of the inner, free soul. We've all seen instances of people "cracking" under the pressures of modern society. I'm not suggesting that we live like wild animals, but I do think that Natural Born Killers is an excellent movie which made a natural attempt to kill standard ideology.    Works Cited Natural Born Killers. Dir. Oliver Stone. With Woody Harrelson, Juliette Lewis, Tommy Lee Jones, and Robert Downy Jr. Warner Bros., 1994. Marchetti, Gina. Action-Adventure as Ideology. Cultural Politics in Contemporary America, 1989.

Bilingual special education

According to Figueroa, January 1999 combination of bilingual education with special education offers an interesting example on what should not happen in educational evolution and reform. In United States there is inconsistent interface between bilingual and special education offering basis for unique form of significant dialogue between United States, Latin America and Mexico on children education that didn’t not thrive in general education programs and who later wind up in special education or remedial classrooms.The main arguments of this article are on psychological and medical underpinnings on current bilingual special education modus in Western Hemisphere that has survived its usefulness. Educational paradigms are the main focus to guide behavior of special educators in achieving learning needs of students with disabilities.Figueroa argues that, this is the time for diminution of the functions of regulations, with significance given on diagnostic and predictive evaluation , stressing on ritualized and detailed system for establishing Individualized Educational Programs with belief on power of drills, contingent reinforcement, skills and enough conditions for actuating high-order mental processes (Figueroa, 324).Figueroa, January 1999 argued that, for the underachievers a different vision and a new skepticism is required for current beliefs and practices in bilingual and special education. For bilingual and special education, educators should increase use of presentations which is recommended as â€Å"do more† principle. Increased use of tests and state-based regulatory edifices should be used. Bilingual and special education offer more interesting strategy on educational reformation.Despite the importance and strength of bilingual special education in United States, it lacks crucial components. There is no theoretical grounding that would serve in explaining and guiding bilingual special education with clear acknowledgment on the thirty year o ld literature and that questions the diagnostic, regulatory, pedagogical and structural foundations of bilingual special education (Figueroa, 326).The article, Critical pedagogy in a Bilingual Special Education Classroom by Goldstein, 1995 explains application of critical pedagogical principles in first and second grade of bilingual special class for Latino children with limited proficiency in English. Teachers of bilingual special education face difficult challenges especially in evaluating learning disabilities. Those ESL students with disabilities are deprived intervention because teachers are reluctant in categorizing them with learning disability.Teachers really struggle with question of examining ESL students and they have to understand the link between ESL students and evaluation for special education. According to Goldstein, 1995 teacher’s assessment on ESL students is wrong. Many students are miscategorized having learning disabilities because of their failure to res pond to instructions they get from teachers (Goldstein, 463). The problem is that skill-based instructions don’t work in most cases and they even result in establishment of learned learning disability.Goldstein argued that, bicultural and bilingual students have signs of learning disabilities not because they have cognitive abnormalities but because of difficulties to adjust to the dominant school culture. Teachers use innovative approach in educating bilingual students which is known as critical pedagogy based on theoretical work. This focuses more on the style of whole-language in teaching literacy. Teachers tailor their lessons on personal lives of students more so on social and economic difficulties they have experienced.She concludes that many students in ESL have no learning disabilities and they negatively respond to instructions they get from their teachers in classroom based on the dominant school culture. The strength of this article is that bilingual students can n ot be evaluated in same way as those native English speaking students. The best way of evaluated ESL students with learning disabilities is by use of wide array of evaluation approaches like standardized testing on phonological awareness with close observation on students in multiple contexts.The weakness part of it is that, this article doesn’t give full information on what should be done to the student thus more research should be done to find most cost-effective and accurate ways of evaluating ESL students. This problem is facing many schools and will continue to grow within United States in those non English Speaking populations (Goldstein, 467). The article, school-based bilingual special education teacher assistance teams by Harris, 1995 discusses establishment of school-based bilingual special education teams mainly on Hispanic school situation located in urban southwest city.Intervention and preferred screening involves identification of problems which students experi ence regularly in classroom, they identify the source of the problem either from teachers, students, environment or curriculum and finds ways of dealing with the problem in regular classroom. This eliminates unsuitable and unnecessary referrals to bilingual special education. Implementation of pre-referral intervention process in which teachers are helped in remediation of the problems should be avoided and help teacher remediate problems experienced by children in classroom.This achieved through team of teachers, other colleagues and school support personnel. Teacher Assistance Teams should be used in selecting peers to facilitate pre-referral problem solving. This team discusses problems facing students and think of any possible solution they develop plan of action which is implemented by referring teachers (Harris, 418). This team decides whether students should be referred to bilingual special education or not.To minimize cases of students being referred to bilingual special edu cation, this pre-referral procedure helps teachers in designing and implementing educational interventions which is effective in the least restrictive environment and regular classroom. For the teachers to ensure that special programs by not using special education as a dumping ground for students with limited-English-proficient it is an imperative that LEP students be thoroughly tested. In each possible formal and informal evaluation process should be applied in determining functioning level of students who are handicapped.There should be more research on development of language and acquisition of second language should be considered with research on cognitive development, neurolinguistic, psychological functioning and bilinguistic (Harris, 424). The article bilingual special education teachers shifting paradigms: complex responses to educational reform by Ruiz and Robert argues on nature and procedure of change among the five main bilingual special education teachers which are att empted in order to transform already existing instructional practices.Change process is affected by three factors namely; more special education training of teachers in teachers’ background with their strong reductionism orientation, change which involves shift in instructional practices and shift in beliefs and they don’t obvious go hand in hand and at the start of stages of collaboration change is most facilitated including practicing members of teachers’ occupational community as agents of change (Ruiz and Robert, 624).Paradigm of shift is a radical change in education system to cater for all students even those with learning disabilities. This helps in transforming people with severe disabilities academically. Programs and service systems which are more responsive to education of people with disabilities are used. Training methodologies and materials for those people with disabilities are used. Joining bilingual special education of those students with disab ilities offer an interesting example on what should not be done in terms of educational evolution and reforms.This article argues mostly on the psychological and medical reinforcement of bilingual special education with teachers shift paradigm to cater for students with learning disabilities. Education paradigm shift is used by teachers to meet needs of these students (Ruiz and Robert, 631). Works Cited Figueroa, Richard, â€Å"Special Education for Latino Students in the United States,† Bilingual Review, Vol. 24, No. 1, 324-327, January, 1999Goldstein, Barbara, â€Å"Critical pedagogy in a Bilingual Special Education Classroom,† Journal of Learning Disabilities, Vol. 28, No. 8, pp. 463-475, October, 1995 Harris, Kathleen, â€Å"School-Based Bilingual Special Education Teacher Assistance Teams,† Remedial & Special Education, Vol. 16, No. 6, pp. 419-425, November, 1995 Ruiz, Nadeen T. , and Robert Rueda, â€Å"Bilingual Special Education Teachers Shifting Paradi gms: Complex Responses To Educational Reform,† Journal of Learning Disabilities, Vol. 28, No. 10, 622-635, December, 1995

The Romantic Period Of British Literature - 1536 Words

In British Literature, there are many poets and authors who left a mark in history and helped shaped the time period each one was born and lived in. In all three eras, the Romantic, the Victorian, and The Contemporary or Modern, all the poets visited different themes throughout their work such as religion, spirituality, nature, imagination, and love. A very important and prevalent theme is love, which all poets of each time period express in many different ways. Love in British Literature is much more than just romantic and simple type of love, it is a power and it affects everyone differently. Love is also presented through the poet’s works depending on what their conception of love is. It very rarely was about two individuals loving one another, and much more about what the author loved and how their love was portrayed through that. The first time period is the Romantic Period, which was an explosion of artistic energy and imagination. It lasted from 1790-1820 and began in G ermany, but quickly spread to the United States, almost all of Europe, and Latin America. Those in this time period began to turn to self-thought and the idea of individuality. It was an era full of emotion, intense feelings, and intuition, and imagination was a key component to everyday life as well as writing. Romantics also idealized nature and embraced the uncivilized and the wild. Nature was viewed in two ways: calm and peaceful or frightening and awe inspiring. There was a revolt againstShow MoreRelatedBritish Literature : Final Exam1300 Words   |  6 PagesBritish Literature II - Final Exam British Literature is filled with diverse and talented writers who through each period has brought something new to the table. Over the course of the term we have covered the Romantic period, the Victorian Age and the Modern period. Each period has had a hand in developing literature through to the modern age and each writer has influenced the next generation. To best examine each period of literature the paper will be split amongst the three major periods theRead MoreBritish Literature : Final Exam1301 Words   |  6 PagesBritish Literature II - Final Exam British Literature is filled with diverse and talented writers who through each period has brought something new to the table. Over the course of the term we have covered the Romantic period, the Victorian Age and the Modern period. Each period has had a hand in developing literature through to the modern age and each writer has influenced the next generation. To best examine each period of literature the paper will be split amongst the three major periods the courseRead MoreThe Romantic Period and the Victorian Age in Great Britain Essays1193 Words   |  5 PagesThe Romantic Period (1785-1830) was a very turbulent period, during which England experienced the ordeal of change from a primarily agricultural society to a modern industrial nation. French Revolution and storming of the Bastille had a great influence on English society and literature. It influenced almost every sphere of life. The Victorian Age (1830-1901) was a period of great progress and prosperity for the nation. This was a period in which industry, technology, and science were celebratedRead MoreRomanticism1649 Words   |  7 PagesRomanticism in the Nineteenth Century The Romantic period followed the era of logical, philosophical, and social movement in the 17th to 18th century. However, as the 19th century began, Romanticism came into the light with a new perspective that intrigued the people. It stressed emphasis on emotions and imagination while also helping to realize the importance of self-expression. The American Romanticism movement illustrated inspiration, bias and predominance of individuals in the nineteenth centuryRead More Ages of Faith, Reason, and Romantics Essay880 Words   |  4 Pages Reason, and Romantics Works Cited Missing The first three time periods in American literature had distinguishing characteristics in their subject matter and writing styles. Puritans wrote about their religious beliefs and daily life during the Age of Faith. During the Age of Reason, the Revolutionary War was going on and much of the writings were political documents as a result of the war. The Age of Romantics brought about the first fictional writings. The three time periods, which have uniqueRead MoreRomanticism in The Marriage of Heaven and Hell by William Blake1393 Words   |  6 PagesWilliam Blakes Poem William Blake was a poet, painter, and a printmaker all during the period in literature known as the Romantic time period. The Romantic time period, also known in Literature as Romanticism began in Europe, mainly France and Britain around the 1800s (Barker) and it was first defined as a tool to in literature and literary criticisms (Galitz). The Romantic period did not just focus on literature, but also on the subjects of art and knowledge which was fueled by the French RevolutionRead MoreInfluence Of Medieval Literature On Modern Films1169 Words   |  5 PagesClairerencia Hudson Mrs. Morris English 12- 6th period 1 December 2016 The Influence of Medieval Romantic Literature on Modern films Does medieval romantic literature influence how modern films are made? Romantic literature started during the mid-12th Century (â€Å"Romance,† par.1). Medieval romances are stories and plays in which kings, knights, and damsels in distress go on some sort of adventure (from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight from Morte d’ Arthur). In addition, medieval romances consistRead MoreThe Romantic Period Of The Victorian Era1715 Words   |  7 PagesThroughout history, many time periods have been similar and different from each other. People from each time period decide what they want to continue incorporating and what they would like to disregard. The Victorian Era was brought about upon to show rebellion from the Romantic period. The Victorian Era is a reaction against the Romantic Period due to differences in terms of historical influences, effects of science, crises of faith, and women’s desire for change. The Romantic Period’s history startedRead MoreThe Renaissance And Romanticism During The 19th Century1245 Words   |  5 Pageswere periods of history in which literature changed the mindset of the people. The Renaissance occurred in Britain during the late fifteenth century to the early seventeenth century, and was a response to the Medieval Age. There was a spike in learning during the Renaissance, because of the invention of the printing press and the return of classical Greek and Roman literature. The Romantic period occurred during the late eighteenth century, as a response to the Enlightenment. The Romantics believedRead MoreDifference Between Romanticism and Transendinlalism in American and British Writers1616 Words   |  7 Pagesand British Writers The expression Romantic gained currency during its own time, roughly 1780-1850. However, the Romantic era is to identify a period in which certain ideas and attitudes arose, gained the idea of intellectual achievement and became dominant. This is why , they became the dominant mode of expression. Which tells us something else about the Romantic era which expression was perhaps everything to do with them -- expression in art, music, poetry, drama, literature and philosophy