The Benefits of the ABC Method Application in Croatian Companies

New business environment has changed the structure and behaviour of company costs. The changes are primarily reflected in the increasing share of overhead costs in the total costs. Given that competitiveness is reflected in the unit product cost, the exact determination of unit costs by cost drivers...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Dubravka Pekanov-Starčević
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Faculty of Economics and Business in Osijek 2013-07-01
Series:Ekonomski Vjesnik
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hrcak.srce.hr/file/159393
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author Dubravka Pekanov-Starčević
author_facet Dubravka Pekanov-Starčević
author_sort Dubravka Pekanov-Starčević
collection DOAJ
description New business environment has changed the structure and behaviour of company costs. The changes are primarily reflected in the increasing share of overhead costs in the total costs. Given that competitiveness is reflected in the unit product cost, the exact determination of unit costs by cost drivers, primarily the precise allocation of overhead costs to cost drivers, have become crucial to the survival of companies in a turbulent market environment. The biggest problem in determining the exact product costs is incorrect allocation of overhead costs to cost drivers. In the 1980s, a new method of allocating overhead costs was developed – activity-based costing (ABC method). Advocates of this method claim that it allows a more accurate determination of product costs and identification and elimination of activities that do not add value to the company, thereby reducing costs and increasing profits, and ultimately creating and sustaining a competitive advantage. Using a sample of Croatian companies listed on the Zagreb Stock Exchange, we investigated to which extent they applied activity-based costing; its benefits to the cost management system, and which factors influenced the application of this methodology. This study provides a new insight into the development of cost management systems in Croatian companies.
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spelling doaj.art-4b725ad6be424a58974640d8d6d638692024-02-02T13:18:38ZengFaculty of Economics and Business in OsijekEkonomski Vjesnik0353-359X1847-22062013-07-01XXVI1160160The Benefits of the ABC Method Application in Croatian CompaniesDubravka Pekanov-Starčević0Faculty of Economics of University of OsijekNew business environment has changed the structure and behaviour of company costs. The changes are primarily reflected in the increasing share of overhead costs in the total costs. Given that competitiveness is reflected in the unit product cost, the exact determination of unit costs by cost drivers, primarily the precise allocation of overhead costs to cost drivers, have become crucial to the survival of companies in a turbulent market environment. The biggest problem in determining the exact product costs is incorrect allocation of overhead costs to cost drivers. In the 1980s, a new method of allocating overhead costs was developed – activity-based costing (ABC method). Advocates of this method claim that it allows a more accurate determination of product costs and identification and elimination of activities that do not add value to the company, thereby reducing costs and increasing profits, and ultimately creating and sustaining a competitive advantage. Using a sample of Croatian companies listed on the Zagreb Stock Exchange, we investigated to which extent they applied activity-based costing; its benefits to the cost management system, and which factors influenced the application of this methodology. This study provides a new insight into the development of cost management systems in Croatian companies.http://hrcak.srce.hr/file/159393ABC methodoverhead costscost management
spellingShingle Dubravka Pekanov-Starčević
The Benefits of the ABC Method Application in Croatian Companies
Ekonomski Vjesnik
ABC method
overhead costs
cost management
title The Benefits of the ABC Method Application in Croatian Companies
title_full The Benefits of the ABC Method Application in Croatian Companies
title_fullStr The Benefits of the ABC Method Application in Croatian Companies
title_full_unstemmed The Benefits of the ABC Method Application in Croatian Companies
title_short The Benefits of the ABC Method Application in Croatian Companies
title_sort benefits of the abc method application in croatian companies
topic ABC method
overhead costs
cost management
url http://hrcak.srce.hr/file/159393
work_keys_str_mv AT dubravkapekanovstarcevic thebenefitsoftheabcmethodapplicationincroatiancompanies
AT dubravkapekanovstarcevic benefitsoftheabcmethodapplicationincroatiancompanies