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An Italian forerunner of modern cost allocation concepts: Lorenzo De Minico and the logic of the 'flows of services'

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  • Lino Cinquini
  • Alessandro Marelli

Abstract

This article provides an analysis of the thoughts of an Italian academic who lived in the first half of the twentieth century, Lorenzo De Minico, in particular it regards his approach to the allocation of common costs. De Minico's main concern was with the conventional, subjective allocation methods proposed by Italian practitioners and academics of his time. He valiantly searched for a methodological approach based on using causality as the basis for linking costs to cost objects. The most interesting finding of De Minico was the concept of 'flows of services' and his commitment to offering a convincing answer to the problem of general or common cost apportionment that went beyond 'traditional' criteria. De Minico's 'flows of services' referred to the outputs of resources consumed in indirect services. These indirect costs can be considered easily 'directly attributable' only if it is possible to measure the connected 'flows of services'. The article shows that the concept developed by De Minico in early twentieth century of Italy confirms the idea that some theoretical frameworks for a causal allocation of common costs were in existence many decades before information technology made such systems a practical proposition.

Suggested Citation

  • Lino Cinquini & Alessandro Marelli, 2002. "An Italian forerunner of modern cost allocation concepts: Lorenzo De Minico and the logic of the 'flows of services'," Accounting History Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 12(1), pages 95-111.
  • Handle: RePEc:taf:acbsfi:v:12:y:2002:i:1:p:95-111
    DOI: 10.1080/09585200110107975
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Hopper, Trevor & Armstrong, Peter, 1991. "Cost accounting, controlling labour and the rise of conglomerates," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 16(5-6), pages 405-438.
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    1. Ericka Costa & Tommaso Ramus, 2012. "The Italian Economia Aziendale and Catholic Social Teaching: How to Apply the Common Good Principle at the Managerial Level," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 106(1), pages 103-116, March.
    2. Lino Cinquini & Paolo Collini & Alessandro Marelli & Andrea Tenucci, 2015. "Change in the relevance of cost information and costing systems: evidence from two Italian surveys," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 19(3), pages 557-587, August.
    3. Francesco Giaccari & Mario Turco, 2014. "L?introduzione dei sistemi di controllo di matrice anglosassone nelle aziende italiane: il caso Cornigliano s.p.a," CONTABILIT? E CULTURA AZIENDALE, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2014(1), pages 13-32.

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