Comparison of Activity-Based Costing and Traditional Costing


The costs of these activities will then be allocated to the cost object according to the level of activities used by this object.

(2) ABC model using EAD matrix


In their study on the application of ABC method at Tools Inc., an industrial equipment manufacturing company, Valentina Gecevska and Zoran Anisic (2006) introduced the ABC model using EAD matrix.

The salient features of this model are: (i) Activities are grouped into groups of activities to ensure that the number of activities is not too large, then accountants use the cost-activity matrix (EAD matrix) to allocate resource costs to activities and use the activity-product matrix (APD matrix) to allocate activity costs to products; (ii) Allocating resource costs to activities or allocating costs of activities to products is carried out on the basis of proportional estimates. Therefore, the ABC model using the EAD matrix is ​​considered a simple, effective and inexpensive ABC model to apply.

(3) TDABC model


Robert S. Kaplan, the father of ABC, introduced the Time-driven ABC (TDABC) model in his 2005 paper. This model is said to be simpler and less expensive to implement than the standard ABC model. The TDABC model simplifies the cost calculation process by eliminating the need to interview and survey employees. This new model allocates resource costs to cost objects directly using a more concise framework and requires only two estimates. First, the model calculates the cost of providing resource capacity, then uses capacity cost rates to allocate departmental resource costs to cost objects by estimating the resource capacity (typically time) required by each cost object. By clearly identifying the unit time used to perform each activity, the enterprise obtains information about the potential cost and performance of each activity as well as data on unused capacity in the total resources provided to perform the activity, thereby having appropriate measures to effectively manage the activity.


1.2.3. Comparison of activity-based costing and traditional costing

Alike

In terms of basic objectives , both methods are the same, which is to determine the cost price of the product, and provide cost price information for management levels to make decisions. Therefore, the final price calculation object of both methods is the cost of product production.

Regarding the method of collecting direct costs, both the TDC and ABC methods collect and calculate direct material costs and direct labor costs directly for the cost object.

Different

About the circumstances of its birth: The TDC method was born in the years 1870 - 1920, at that time science and technology were not yet developed, the production process was simple, direct NC costs accounted for a high proportion and indirect costs accounted for a low proportion. The TDC method chose the criterion for allocating indirect costs, usually the number of labor hours or the number of machine hours, and the allocation of indirect costs to products, even if there was a deviation, did not significantly affect the product price. Today, science and technology have developed very strongly, leading to a huge change in the production process. If in the past, production relied mainly on labor, today production mainly relies on machinery, equipment and technology. Therefore, direct NC costs gradually decreased and indirect costs accounted for an increasingly high proportion. In addition, natural resources were gradually depleted, business resources were limited and fierce competition was increasing both in the domestic market and the world market. In this context, managers need accurate, relevant, timely and detailed information for the decision-making process. The TDC method cannot meet these requirements and the costing system in the enterprise needs to change to meet the management information requirements. In 1988, Robin Cooper and Rober S. Kaplan introduced the ABC method to overcome the inherent disadvantages of the TDC method and meet the information needs of managers.

Regarding cost aggregation objects: For TDC, determining cost aggregation objects is usually based on factories and production processes, while ABC determines cost aggregation objects as activities that generate costs.


Regarding the scope of cost aggregation: TDC relies on the scope of cost generation to aggregate them, while ABC relies on the cause-and-effect relationship or cost-generating activities to aggregate costs by activity...

Regarding the scope of product cost calculation: The scope of cost calculation of the TDC method is usually the product manufacturing cost, while the scope of cost calculation of the ABC method can be the production cost or the total cost depending on the conditions and management requirements of each enterprise.

Regarding the general cost allocation criteria: The TDC method allocates production costs to pricing objects based on a single allocation criterion, while the ABC method selects the general cost allocation criteria based on the causal relationship between activities and cost generation, so the allocation criteria are more numerous than the TDC method.

Regarding the phase of general cost allocation: According to the TDC method, general costs are allocated to cost objects according to a 1-phase model, in which production costs are allocated to products based on a single allocation criterion selected. According to the ABC method, general costs are allocated according to a 2-phase model: in phase 1, general costs are allocated to activities, and in phase 2, the costs of activities are allocated to products.

Regarding the accuracy in calculating product cost: The TDC method uses a single criterion to allocate production costs, which causes unreasonableness and inaccuracy in the process of allocating production costs. The ABC method uses many criteria for allocating general costs. Moreover, the allocation criteria are selected based on the cause-and-effect relationship between activities and cost generation, so general costs are collected and allocated in more detail and more accurately, leading to more accurate information about product costs than the TDC method.

Regarding cost control: TDC method controls costs through cost centers, whereby costs are identified and controlled by each cost center based on the location and phenomenon of cost occurrence, and each cost item is controlled. Meanwhile, ABC controls costs through activity centers, whereby costs are collected and controlled by each activity and activity center.

Regarding the scope of application: TDC and ABC can be applied to all types of enterprises, to all production or service provision processes, from simple to complex.


However, in terms of efficiency and cost, the ABC method is more effective in organizations with the following characteristics: Indirect costs account for a large proportion; Products include many types; Product types require different technical requirements and service levels; Production processes are complex and there are frequent changes between product types.

Regarding complexity and implementation costs: The TDC method uses a single criterion when allocating production costs, so it is quite simple and the implementation cost is low. The ABC method collects and allocates production costs in more detail, uses more criteria for allocating common costs, so it is more complicated, even much more complicated than the TDC method, and the implementation cost is therefore also higher.

Table 1.1: Differences between TDC method and ABC method


STT

Target

TDC method

ABC method

1

Birth circumstances

When science and production level were not yet developed, production costs accounted for a small proportion of total production costs, and the need for management was high.

low cost

As science and production level develop, production costs account for an increasingly large proportion of total production costs, and the need for cost management is high.

2

Cost aggregation object

According to workshop, production process... depending on specific characteristics

each enterprise

By activity or group of activities

3

Cost aggregation range

Based on cost occurrence phenomenon to collect costs

Based on cost-generating activities to aggregate costs for each activity

4

Product costing range

Production cost

Manufacturing cost or total cost

5

Cost allocation standards

Use a single allocation criterion

Using multiple cost allocation criteria, each activity or group of activities has its own allocation criterion based on the relationship

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Comparison of Activity-Based Costing and Traditional Costing


STT

Target

TDC method

ABC method




causal relationship with the occurrence of costs

fee

6

Common cost allocation phase

1 Phase

2 Phases

7

Accuracy

Short

High

8

Cost Control

Control costs through cost centers

Control costs through activity centers

9

Scope of application

Applicable to all types of enterprises

More effective in organizations with the following characteristics: Indirect costs account for a large proportion; Products include many types; Products require different technical requirements and service levels; Production processes are complex and changeable.

regularly between product types.

10

Complexity and cost of implementation

Simple, low cost implementation

Complex, high implementation costs

Source: Author's synthesis

1.3. Experience in applying the activity-based costing method in some manufacturing enterprises in the world and lessons for Vietnamese manufacturing enterprises

1.3.1. Experience in applying the activity-based costing method at some manufacturing enterprises in the world

In this section, the author presents the current status of ABC application in 3 typical manufacturing enterprises in the world, these 3 enterprises apply 3 different ABC models. In which, Xu Ji Electric Co., Ltd. applies the standard ABC model, Tools Inc. Manufacturing Company applies the ABC model using the EAD matrix, and finally Kemps LLC Milk Production and Distribution Company applies the time-adjusted ABC method (TDABC).

(1) At Tools Inc.

Valentina Gecevska and Zoran Anisic (2006) studied the case of ABC method application in a typical small and medium-sized manufacturing company, Tools Company.


Inc. (abbreviated as Tools.Inc). Tools.Inc is a medium-sized manufacturing company that produces three product lines of production tools. Engineering work is the main activity at Tools.Inc because the production of products mainly uses automated machinery. The company has 10 main customers, accounting for 80% of revenue. The current number of employees of the company is nearly 100 people. Despite the growth in scale and sales, the company's profits have been declining for several years and it has suffered a loss for the first time in the last 2 years before applying the ABC method. The manager believes that the price based on emotions or the application of traditional costing methods is no longer suitable. Therefore, the company decided to apply the ABC method. Because the data needed to operate the ABC system is not available and the cost of collecting it would be very expensive, the manager decided to use the method of speculation, system evaluation and use of actual data.

Current status of ABC method application at Tools.Inc

Tools.Inc does not apply the standard ABC model but applies the ABC model using the cost-activity matrix (EAD Matrix) to create the smoothest transition from the traditional costing method to the ABC method.

About the price range

The company applies the ABC model using the EAD matrix to calculate the total cost. Accordingly, the product cost is made up of both production costs and non-production costs.

About the content of the ABC method

For direct costs

Direct costs are collected and priced by the Company in the same way as the traditional method, whereby direct production costs including direct material costs and direct labor costs are collected directly for pricing objects which are the Company's products.

For indirect costs

For indirect costs (overhead costs), the Company uses the Cost-Activity matrix to allocate to cost objects. The allocation method used by Tool.Inc is illustrated through the following example:

Step 1: The company determines the expense categories in the income statement and selects the allocation criteria in phase 1 (Appendix 8).


Step 2: Identify activities and allocation criteria in phase 2 (Appendix 9). Appendix 10 illustrates the Company's cost-activity-product hierarchy diagram.

Step 3: The company establishes a system tree related to the cost category, activities and products. The EAD matrix is ​​used by Tools Inc to systematically show the role of activities in the cost category (Appendix 11). The “ ” sign at each intersection of the cost-activity matrix shows that activity i has incurred costs in item j.

Step 4: The cost of each cost category is allocated to activities. Each cost category is divided among activities based on the cost consumption rate of each activity (Appendix 12).

Step 5: Each intersection cell i,j of the EAD matrix is ​​replaced by the amount calculated by multiplying the cost of portfolio j by the ratio i,j. The new matrix shows the cash consumption of each activity. The total cost for each activity is obtained by summing the rows. The new cost matrix for Tools Inc. with the cash consumption of each activity is shown in Exhibit 13.

Step 6: Activity costs are allocated to each product after the total cost of each activity has been determined. The procedure in this step is similar to that used to allocate costs in the first stage; however, the second stage cost allocation criteria allow Tools Inc. to determine or estimate the consumption of activities by products. In this step, the APD matrix is ​​used. The APD matrix for Tools Inc. is shown in Appendix 14. As before, the “ ” in the intersection of cell i, j indicates that product i uses activity j.

Step 7: The “ ” sign is replaced by the corresponding ratio. The ratios are then entered into the APD matrix, as shown in Appendix 15.

Step 8: The company calculates the overhead costs for each product. The final APD matrix, illustrated in Exhibit 16, shows the total overhead costs allocated to each product for each product as well as the sources of these costs.

Comments on the application of ABC model using EAD matrix at Tools.Inc

The ABC model using the EAD matrix has helped Tools.Inc obtain more accurate and timely cost and price information than the traditional method. In addition, applying ABC according to this model helps the Company to see more clearly how common costs arise from activities. The cost-activity matrices also


can be used to identify positive innovation directions in the production and business processes of enterprises. The ABC model using the EAD matrix is ​​considered very suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises such as Tool.Inc. because this method provides a relatively smooth transition from the traditional method to the ABC method without requiring a large investment in a complex data collection system, and it also does not require restructuring of the enterprise. Therefore, the above method can be used as an intermediate step for the complete implementation of the ABC system step by step when the estimated data is completely replaced by actual data.

(2) At Xu Ji Electric Co., Ltd.

Lama Yan Jun Liu and Fei Pan (2011) studied the application of ABC method at Xu Ji Electric Co., Ltd. (abbreviated as Xu Ji). Xu Ji was originally a state-owned enterprise, then transformed into a public company. The company is a large enterprise specializing in the production of electrical equipment in China, established in 1993, headquartered in China.

ABC application in practice at Xu Ji

The ABC model applied at Xu Ji is the standard ABC model. Initially, the ABC model was piloted in a major production department of the Company in December 2001. After obtaining positive results, the Company proceeded to widely apply it to its subsidiaries.

Xu Ji's main production department consists of Workshop 1 and Workshop 2. Workshop 1 produces high-productivity products such as high-voltage electrical equipment. Workshop 2 produces low-productivity products such as safety and automation systems. Before the research and application of ABC in late 2001, Xu Ji operated a traditional accounting system (Appendix 3), which involved a large amount of accounting work. The purpose of accounting at that time was mainly to serve the needs of financial reporting, and therefore the lack of accuracy in determining product costs was inevitable.

At this time, Xu Ji underwent a series of management model transformations due to competitive pressure in China's free market. Previously, Xu Ji was a state-owned enterprise, specializing in products based on state production quotas, with very little competitive pressure, but now the company is forced to face competitive pressure.

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