Activity-Based Information Systems: An Executive's Guide to Implementation (Wiley Cost Management Series)

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Review "...covers all the ground necessary for a successful installation, from a history of ABC systems to an implementation roadmap and case studies, without dwelling on any one topic." -- Frank Pickar, Manager of Finance, Celotex Corporation Strategic Finance Read more From the Inside Flap Even the latest high-speed technology and desktop applications now routinely used by corporations around the world, the most essential business information that operating managers and CFOs can use today, is still unreachable. It doesn't have to be. The field of activity-based cost/management (ABC/M) is not simply a cost exercise for technically savvy cost managers; it is a process which can be utilized by nearly any type of business. Implementing an ABC/M project involves focusing on the management of activities as a means to improve the value received by customers, and the subsequent profit achieved by providing this value to customers on a continual basis. The information obtained from ABC and activity-based management (ABM) is quickly becoming vital for operating managers who rely on a high-quality ABC information system to meet their demands. Now, the president of Oregon's ABC Technologies, author Mohan Nair, meets those demands with Activity-Based Information Systems. Providing a framework for implementing activity-based information systems (ABIS), Mr. Nair, using nontechnical language, examines the strategies for technology evaluation and design, their organizational and financial implications, and technology's limitations. Executives will appreciate the successful implementation strategies contained in this book-strategies that are not focused on avoiding pitfalls, but utilized to create the conditions for success. With proven insights backed by experience, not doctrines, Mr. Nair explains how most implementations have generally focused on the process and people views of an ABC/M endeavor-yet all three views, including a technological view, must be understood and coexist routinely in order to have a truly successful and continuous implementation of ABC/M. However, the book does not simply demonstrate ABC/M and ABIS concepts. Business managers and consultants alike will value Mohan Nair's perspectives on time-based management, business process reengineering, thruput maximization, budget justification, strategic cost management, and profitability management, as well as how these initiatives relate to ABM. In today's computer-enabled business world, it pays to have an in-depth knowledge of costing, along with an appreciation for capitalizing on the use of systems and software. There is no simple "recipe" for overnight implementation; however, by following Mohan Nair's sevenfold steps to successful ABC/M implementation, your company can create the best conditions for success and meet the future headon with an activity-based information system that is operationally used, financially endorsed, and IT-maintained. Read more See all Editorial Reviews