Knowledge is power, but how would you know whether more or new knowledge is needed? What if you were convinced that the knowledge you had was, in fact, the best and only knowledge you needed? Would you refuse to seek new knowledge and resist its...
For those lucky enough to have had careers in the automotive industry, Long-Term Agreements (LTAs) are as common as cars themselves. Most consider them a normal part of doing business. They are meant to provide suppliers with assurances of volumes over the full life of...
There is a certain innocence in numbers. Just like music, they can create a harmony that soothesthe soul. Maybe that’s why some costing professionals don’t stress when performing theircalculations. They put their numbers on the page, and they walk away. No harm, no foul. Theirconscience...
“Those of you familiar with my writings already know my opinion of the accounting concept of depreciation (“the dumbest concept in the history of management accounting”). I’ve been ranting against its use in decision-making since an article of mine on the subject appeared in Management...
“Sunk costs are irrelevant” is a principle stated in almost every book on decision science ever written. Despite this well-accepted principle of decision science, accountants continue to include their company’s biggest sunk cost as a major factor in determining its product, service and process costs....
In earlier blogs, I explained my views about depreciation; both its irrelevance in business decision-making and the way it is treated as a fixed annual cost. An organization does, however, need to provide for the preservation of its existing capital based as it sells products...
It's important to distinguish between measurements made from the financial accounting perspective and those made from the managerial accounting perspective. Periodicity is important in financial accounting. Expenses are measurements of the resources consumed during a specific period of time using measurable and auditable historical information...
During my four decades as a consultant, it has never ceased to amaze me how little attention manufacturing firms pay to the amount of time they use the equipment they’ve invested in to generate a return on that investment. The equipment uptime needed to drive...
Product costs, also known as cost of goods sold (COGS), are direct material, direct labor, and manufacturing overhead. COGS are typically the highest category of a manufacturing company’s cost, and they have a huge impact on the company’s competitiveness. COGS are inherently added to products as...
I spent eight years failing to act on an innovative idea that I knew would work. It was an idea that had not just technological promise but also societal value. It would help people contribute to the most important, impactful charities in the country. But I...