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Target costing, co-ordination and strategic cost management

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  • Ralf Ewert
  • Christian Ernst

Abstract

During the last years issues of strategic management accounting have received widespread attention in the accounting literature. Yet the conceptual foundation of most proposals is not clear. This paper presents a theoretical analysis of one of the most prominent approaches of strategic management accounting, i.e. target costing. We analyse three distinct characteristics of this strategic management accounting tool, namely its market orientation, its use as co-ordination instrument and its interaction with other factors affecting long-term cost structure in the form of strategic learning. The analysis shows that the more 'strategic' dimensions are added to the problem of cost management, the less valid are 'strategic' management accounting proposals in terms of the usual way target costing is employed.

Suggested Citation

  • Ralf Ewert & Christian Ernst, 1999. "Target costing, co-ordination and strategic cost management," European Accounting Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 8(1), pages 23-49.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:euract:v:8:y:1999:i:1:p:23-49
    DOI: 10.1080/096381899336131
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    1. Cinquini, Lino & Tenucci, Andrea, 2007. "Is the adoption of Strategic Management Accounting techniques really “strategy-driven”? Evidence from a survey," MPRA Paper 11819, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Carsten Homburg & André Hoppe & Roman Schick & Amelie Braul, 2021. "Accounting for preference dependency in target costing – a note," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 57(3), pages 845-858, October.
    3. Ahmad Mohammed Alamri, 2018. "Strategic Management Accounting and the Dimensions of Competitive Advantage: Testing the Associations in Saudi Industrial Sector," International Journal of Academic Research in Accounting, Finance and Management Sciences, Human Resource Management Academic Research Society, International Journal of Academic Research in Accounting, Finance and Management Sciences, vol. 8(2), pages 48-64, April.
    4. Alexander Himme, 2012. "Critical success factors of strategic cost reduction," Metrika: International Journal for Theoretical and Applied Statistics, Springer, vol. 23(3), pages 183-210, December.
    5. Christian Daumoser & Bernhard Hirsch & Matthias Sohn, 2018. "Honesty in budgeting: a review of morality and control aspects in the budgetary slack literature," Journal of Management Control: Zeitschrift für Planung und Unternehmenssteuerung, Springer, vol. 29(2), pages 115-159, August.
    6. Bock, Stefan & Pütz, Markus, 2017. "Implementing Value Engineering based on a multidimensional quality-oriented control calculus within a Target Costing and Target Pricing approach," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 183(PA), pages 146-158.
    7. Liliana PASCHIA, 2016. "Implementing Target Costs Method in Romanian Higher Education Institutions," Hyperion Economic Journal, Faculty of Economic Sciences, Hyperion University of Bucharest, Romania, vol. 4(1), pages 21-28, March.
    8. Afonso, Paulo & Nunes, Manuel & Paisana, António & Braga, Ana, 2008. "The influence of time-to-market and target costing in the new product development success," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 115(2), pages 559-568, October.
    9. Stadtherr, Frank & Wouters, Marc, 2021. "Extending target costing to include targets for R&D costs and production investments for a modular product portfolio—A case study," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 231(C).

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