Bin Srinidhi and K.R. Balachandran
The traditional view of quality treats it as an economic good which can be developed by incurring costs. Proponents of total quality management have rejected the traditional view…
Abstract
The traditional view of quality treats it as an economic good which can be developed by incurring costs. Proponents of total quality management have rejected the traditional view and stress the complementary nature of cost and quality. Reconciles these two views as different manifestations of the same underlying phenomenon within the same strategic framework. This requires precise definitions of quality concepts such as conformance and performance quality. The organization first examines its current position within this framework. The definitions of quality help sharpen the formulation of strategic objectives and the framework helps in mapping out a policy for moving the firm from the current position to the desired position. In addition, also determines the operating systems of quality management by how quality is defined in the organization. In conjunction with the strategic direction, the operational management procedures facilitate the process of cost management.
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Joshua Ronen, R Kashi and Balachandran
There are two problems when a principal invests capital and hires an agent to do the work. The problems relate to inducing the agent to exert the optimal effort and to effect an…
Abstract
There are two problems when a principal invests capital and hires an agent to do the work. The problems relate to inducing the agent to exert the optimal effort and to effect an optimal risk sharing arrangement. This paper introduces the concepts and enumerates the fundamental solutions to this agency problem. This approach is very useful in the managerial accounting area of determining the value of accounting information for setting performance evaluation and incentive payment schemes.
K. BALACHANDRAN and R.S. RAMASWAMY
In this paper, it is established that the error and error derivative can be reduced to zero simultaneously and in the shortest possible time with at most one switching reversal of…
Abstract
In this paper, it is established that the error and error derivative can be reduced to zero simultaneously and in the shortest possible time with at most one switching reversal of the relay, provided the initial values of error and error derivative fall in a controllable region.
In this paper the design of a controller for a relay controlled second order nonlinear unstable plant with fourth order nonlinearity is considered. The task of the controller is…
Abstract
In this paper the design of a controller for a relay controlled second order nonlinear unstable plant with fourth order nonlinearity is considered. The task of the controller is the simultaneous reduction of output and output derivative to zero with the input being at zero. It is established that, if the initial values of error and error derivative fall in a “controllable region”, it is possible to reduce error and error derivative to zero simultaneously and in the shortest possible time with at most one switching reversal of the relay. It is also shown that, through simple transformation of error and error derivative, the equation of the switching curve can be made independent of the constant gain of the plant, as well as the coefficient of the nonlinear term.
K. BALACHANDRAN and D. SOMASUNDARAM
Necessary and sufficient conditions for pointwise completeness of linear delay systems are established. The relation between pointwise completeness and controllability to the…
Abstract
Necessary and sufficient conditions for pointwise completeness of linear delay systems are established. The relation between pointwise completeness and controllability to the origin is obtained. Functional controllability for such system is also studied.
Alan Reinstein, Mohamed E. Bayou, Paul F. Williams and Michael M. Grayson
Compare and contrast how the accounting, organizational behavior and other literatures analyze sunk costs. Sunk costs form a key part of the decision-making component of the…
Abstract
Purpose
Compare and contrast how the accounting, organizational behavior and other literatures analyze sunk costs. Sunk costs form a key part of the decision-making component of the management accounting literature, which generally include previously incurred and unrecoverable costs. Management accountants believe, since current or future actions cannot change sunk costs, decision makers should ignore them. Thus, ongoing fixed costs or previously incurred sunk costs, while relevant for matters of accountability such as costing, income determination, and performance evaluation are irrelevant for most short- and long-term decisions. However, the organizational behavior literature indicates that sunk costs affect decision makers’ actions – especially their emotional attachments to the related project and the asymmetry of attitudes regarding the recognizing of losses and gains. Called the “sunk cost effect” or “sunk cost fallacy,” this conflict in sunk costs’ underlying nature reflects one element of incoherence in contemporary accounting discourse. We discuss this sunk cost conflict from an accounting and a philosophical perspective to denote some ambiguities that decision usefulness and accountability introduces into accounting discourse.
Methodology/approach
Review, summarize and analyze the above literatures
Findings
Managerial accountants can apply many lessons from the various literature sources.
Originality/value
We also show how differing opinions on how to treat sunk costs impact a firm’s decision-making process both economically and socially.
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Paolo Taticchi, Kashi Balachandran and Flavio Tonelli
Recently, performance measurement and management (PMM) has received increasing attention from both the academic and industrial environments. Companies that try to use PMM systems…
Abstract
Purpose
Recently, performance measurement and management (PMM) has received increasing attention from both the academic and industrial environments. Companies that try to use PMM systems report experiencing implementation problems including goal incongruence. Based on a discussion of the state of the art of PMM, this paper aims to provide research guidelines for building a PMM system through a reference framework, and to identify major design challenges.
Design/methodology/approach
At a macro level, the evolution of research is analyzed using citation and co‐citation analysis techniques. Further, the evolution of PMM systems in the last 20 years is traced. The feasibility and applicability of these frameworks/models are analyzed by considering five milestones that a performance measurement system should have. Based on this, an integrated framework is proposed as a basis for designing a cohesive PMM system.
Findings
The research on the subject is quite diverse. In fact, the research appears to be quite mature in terms of publications and citations, while PMM systems developed do not meet the PMM challenge faced in the current environment. The framework proposed for PMM system design integrates five systems: a performance system, a cost system, a capability evaluation system, a benchmarking system and a planning system. Integration among the five systems is to be viewed as the driver to address the PMM challenge.
Research limitations/implications
The proposed framework is a starting point for PMM system design and it provides important guidelines for successful implementations of PMM initiatives for various types of companies in the current global business environment. However, further empirical studies are needed before the concepts described here can be assessed to ascertain its applicability.
Practical implications
The paper provides a literature review of PMM research, discusses the mutual consistency of models and frameworks therein, and explores how the framework proposed might be implemented and improved, as well as the major challenges facing researchers. Practical implication and benefits of the proposed framework adoption are highlighted through an example.
Originality/value
Research in PMM has become increasingly important given the significant impact it can have on competitive strategy and operations of firms in the present global business environment. This paper demonstrates the need of an holistic approach to PMM, which requires an intensive and deep comprehension of the key activities in the company and their related drivers.
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This study aims to reveal the perspectives of the management and senior accountants on the subject regarding the effects of climate change on the business world, within the…
Abstract
This study aims to reveal the perspectives of the management and senior accountants on the subject regarding the effects of climate change on the business world, within the framework of utilisation of tools like strategic cost management and strategic management. An electronic form was sent repeatedly to the e-mail addresses of public companies listed on the Borsa Istanbul (BIST), which were obtained from the Public Disclosure Platform (PDP), between June 2018 and June 2019. According to the data obtained from the survey of this study, it is not possible to comment that these tools are effectively utilised in Turkey. Besides, it is also early to say that top management is fully aware of the need to manage climate change. This study contributes to the literature by revealing the view of management accountants and finance experts in Turkey on climate change.
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The chapter discusses Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) with appropriate theoretical framings with the intent of creating a deeper understanding and application of CSR…
Abstract
The chapter discusses Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) with appropriate theoretical framings with the intent of creating a deeper understanding and application of CSR theories in Ibero-America’s hospitality industry. The research method is a qualitative research approach relying on critical review of scholarly articles on CSR theories. The sourced articles were critically discussed and analysed to fit the needs of the hospitality industry in Ibero-America. The shareholder/agency, stakeholder, legitimacy, instrumental, social contract, conflict, green and communication theories were identified as the eight dominant theories of CSR with diverse applications in the hospitality industry. The CSR theories discussed are not exhaustive, as there are emerging theories that explicate CSR in different contexts. The implication is that better understanding and application of CSR theories would strengthen conceptual, theoretical and empirical research in Ibero-America. The CSR theories are useful sources of information for practitioners for designing corporate CSR policies as well as providing scholars with sound theoretical framework for academic research. The chapter is a novel attempt at bridging theory and practice in the field of CSR, as well enriching the understanding of this concept among both practitioners and scholars in Ibero-America.