Towards horizontal archetypes of management control: a transaction cost economics perspective

This paper offers an economic explanation of an observed tendency to adopt and (re)design horizontal management control systems. To this end, the paper first describes generic vertical and horizontal management control templates: archetypes of management control. These archetypes draw on bureaucratic control mechanisms and some of them also on a market mechanism. Next, the observed tendency towards horizontalization is explained by making a differential transaction cost economics analysis of the movement towards horizontal archetypes of management control. This is not with the intention to generategeneral normative statements nor to generate a general positive economic theory of choices in management control systems design. Rather, the paper aims at acquiring a richer understanding of the economics of the horizontal direction into which management control systems are developing. In particular, it throws some light on the importance of various transactional and behavioural features for an efficient adoption and tailor-made design of management control systems in practice.     

Responsibility cost control system in China: a case of management accounting application

This paper introduces the responsibility cost control system installed at Han Dan Iron and Steel Company in the People’s Republic of China. The Company has adopted a series of management accounting techniques or procedures in its cost control system, including target costing, responsibility accounting, standard costing, flexible budgeting, internal transfer pricing, behavior motivation, performance evaluation, variance analysis, and so on. In particular, the system has integrated responsibility accounting and cost control by introducing market mechanisms to substantially reduce production costs and raise profitability. The successful experiment reveals that the responsibility cost control system is an effective tool for cost control under the changing Chinese business environment. The Han Dan experience demonstrates that management accounting can play a positive role in improving business management and profitability in China or other developing countries. In addition, this study casts light on effective diffusion of management accounting practices under different social and economic systems.     

Management control and hospital cost reduction: additional evidence

We consider the consequences of the attempts of a particular hospital to control costs, through reductions in patients' length of stay (LOS), using management accounting control techniques, including physician profiling. Building on prior research discussed in our paper, that documents how profiling was more successful in reducing LOS but less successful in reducing cost, we demonstrate how the economic and social consequences of the profiling program were evaluated. Using data collected from a hospital as well as other data, we found that both LOS and the number of procedures performed per patient were significant determinants of monthly hospital costs, but the physician profiling policy was also found to be associated with a significant increase in the number of procedures performed per patient day. As a result, because the potential savings from fewer patient days appeared to have been offset by a concurrent increase in procedures performed per patient day, the profiling program did not produce a significant reduction in hospital costs.     

Combating employee benefit cost and control issues: the case for coalition purchasing

Growing in popularity, employee benefit coalitions can impact an employer's bottom line and are becoming a market factor to be dealt with in every industry and business setting. This article examines how modern-day coalitions are bringing classic aggregation theory into the 21st century and the reasons behind the growing popularity of employee benefit coalitions. It also suggests several strategic initiatives that human resource (HR) and benefit managers can take within their own organization to unlock the power of the coalition movement toward a better, more efficient buying model.     

The cost of market power in banking: Social welfare loss vs. cost inefficiency

This paper analyses the relationship between market power in the loan and deposit markets and efficiency in the EU-15 countries over 1993–2002. Results show the existence of a positive relationship between market power and cost X-efficiency, allowing rejection of the so-called quiet life hypothesis [Berger, A.N., Hannan, T.H., 1998. The efficiency cost of market power in the banking industry: A test of the ‘quiet life’ and related hypotheses. Review of Economics and Statistics 8 (3), 454–465]. The social welfare loss attributable to market power in 2002 represented 0.54% of the GDP of the EU-15. Results show that the welfare gains associated with a reduction of market power are greater than the loss of bank cost efficiency, showing the importance of economic policy measures aimed at removing the barriers to outside competition.     

Reporting of overhead variances: a cost management perspective

In this paper we argue that if cost management is the primary purpose of a costing system, as opposed to external reporting, then it is often appropriate to report overhead variances as a period cost, rather than prorating these variances to various accounts. Further, we argue that reporting variances as a period cost may be appropriate in some situations even if external reporting considerations underlie the design of the cost system. However, a review of the accounting treatment of overhead variances in major cost/managerial accounting textbooks indicates a clear preference for proration of overhead variances between product costs and period expenses, compared to reporting the entire variance as a period cost (expensing). Textbooks typically argue that proration is theoretically more correct and expensing is only acceptable where the variance is immaterial.     

Ecoefficiency: Defining a role for environmental cost management

This study investigates the relationship between environmental performance and productive efficiency in the United States electric utility industry before and after the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments. Using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), cross-sectional examinations reveal lower polluting plants are more efficient than higher polluting plants. Longitudinal analyses indicate plants can simultaneously reduce pollution and increase relative efficiency. Collectively, these results are evidence that proactive environmental management can reduce environmental costs and thus, lends support for adopting an environmental cost management system.