Exemplifying today's leading-edge practices, this collection of readings and cases analyzes the defects that exist with traditional cost management systems, and shows how to design systems that will benefit a wide range of organizations.* NEW - 100% new textual material integrated with the cases. * NEW - Integrates entirely new teaching material to enhance case analyses. * NEW - Presents many new cases. * NEW - Offers a critical study of service industry and activity-based budgeting. * NEW - Enhanced coverage of ABC in Chapter 4. * NEW - Coverage of the Role of Capacity in Chapter 5. *100% new textual material integrated with the cases. *Integrates entirely new teaching material to enhance case analyses. *Presents many new cases. *Offers a critical study of service industry and activity-based budgeting. *Enhanced coverage of ABC in Chapter 4. *Coverage of the Role of Capacity in Chapter 5. *Provides valuable insights into the latest practice and design philosophies. *Opens with a thorough introduction to cost systems - with discussions on: - Their use. - Product and process costing. - Operational control. - Financial reporting. - Strategic relevance. *Considers the foundations of activity-based costing, including the necessity of it for companies, cost hierarchy, and activity attributes. *Looks at target costing, and ABC and product design and development.