Περίληψη σε άλλη γλώσσα
The costing process and, by extension the design and usage of costing systems are issues that often draw the interest from both academically and professionally community, in a Managerial Accounting’s context. Relevant research have proved that, over time, firms use costing data while the incorporation of features such as accuracy, relevancy, convenience, and timely provision of cost information not only facilitates but also guides the improvement of decision making.However, especially concerning Greek companies, there is a limited empirical research regarding the implementation of costing process in practice. However, the understanding of this "mechanism", as it is reflected in costing choices, could ensure that desirable features would be integrated into the costing information provided while the decision-making process would be promoted. In addition, the relative literature does not provide a clear and explicit suggestion about the context in which companies should design their costi ...
The costing process and, by extension the design and usage of costing systems are issues that often draw the interest from both academically and professionally community, in a Managerial Accounting’s context. Relevant research have proved that, over time, firms use costing data while the incorporation of features such as accuracy, relevancy, convenience, and timely provision of cost information not only facilitates but also guides the improvement of decision making.However, especially concerning Greek companies, there is a limited empirical research regarding the implementation of costing process in practice. However, the understanding of this "mechanism", as it is reflected in costing choices, could ensure that desirable features would be integrated into the costing information provided while the decision-making process would be promoted. In addition, the relative literature does not provide a clear and explicit suggestion about the context in which companies should design their costing systems, so as to be aligned with their particular needs and characteristics. Therefore, the main purpose of this research is the exploration of the costing systems used by Greek industrial enterprises. However, this aim is not only limited at presenting and analyzing the overall framework used for the costing process implementation, but also identifies the weaknesses of the costing accounting systems used, hoping that this could result in the disclosure of the costing systems’ design critical factors. Consequently, in the present study the emphasis is given on the factors that will permit to design an effective costing system, for assisting industrial enterprises not only in implementing the costing process but also, in gathering appropriate costing information to be used in decision making.This study is being developed based on two main thematic sections. At first, the theoretical background in which the costing process is developed is extensively presented on the basis of a systematic literature review. In this way, it is attempted to capture the timeless evolution of the costing process and to identify areas of uncertainty that cause problems and, in any case, difficulties of the industrial companies that face not only relatively on costing their products, but also on how to exploit the costing information collected. Correspondingly, the second section includes the findings from the empirical research conducted. In this effort, the research objectives are mainly driven by the way in which Greek industrial enterprises collect and utilize cost accounting.To carry out this research a survey research strategy was followed. The Greek industrial enterprises with sales volume over than 500,000 € during the span 2011-2012, formed the research field of the dissertation. The final sample includes 598 firms. The analysis of the data and the extraction of the results were carried out using simple descriptive statistical techniques, but mainly, according to multivariate analysis techniques.In this context, a new, integrated and dynamic model is proposed for designing a cost accounting system. This model examines, at the same time, a significant number of factors, revealing not only the direct but also the indirect effects between them. It empirically explores the relationships created between different cost-related factors, including their interaction, in order to determine the level of satisfaction for the user of a costing system. In addition, an important element of its interpretative competence is the integration of the effects (or impact) created by the particular operating conditions of the company. In this context, a cognitive background is being developed, assisting in the identification of compatible costing alternatives, according to the characteristics and needs of the firms’.After developing and testing this knowledge base, it was found that the objectives of management, as a cost planning factor, are a focal point of the cost accounting system, since it was found in the "heart" of the cost accounting system design process. Additionally, it shows significant correlations with several of the incorporated, in the proposed model, factors such as the causes for applying changes in the current costing system, the cost accounting systems used and their traits and, the purposes for which costing information is collected, the production of standard products, the level of perceived success of the cost approach implemented and the importance of the criteria used for selecting a new cost accounting system.Finally, the survey’s results suggest that, in general, Greek industrial enterprises are unwilling to use (they do not wish and do not use) rather highly complex costing systems, as indicated by the limited number of cost items and cost centers, while they adopt more “traditional” cost allocation bases and the collected costing information is primarily based on historical data. Therefore, although the current cost accounting systems used are rather characterized by a medium level of sophistication, this characteristic seems to significantly satisfy the executives who are and the main users of such systems.
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