Research Paper on:
Does Activity-Based Costing method give companies a competitive edge?

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3. METHODOLOGY 15 3.1 Quantitative Research 15 3.2 Qualitative Research 17 3.4 Analysis Method 18 4. CONCLUSION 22 REFERENCES 23 1. Introduction 1.1 Background The commercial environment is becoming increasingly competitive. The reduction of barriers to internal  trade may present businesses with more opportunities to expand, but it also provides a higher level of competition. Companies need to make harder decision more rapidly than before in order  to gain a competitive edge on their competitive. The sources of a competitive edge are broad ranging, this may be being able to tap into the most profitable markets and  gaining advantages in terms of the way in which the costs are controlled, being able to determine which products or services to make or offer, and to determine the best  ways to deliver the service. One approach that has been used by some companies has been the use of activity based accounting, allowing increased transparency of prices and the  ability to help in the decision making processes. There is a great deal of literature which all states that the outcome of any decision making process will reflect the quality  of the input and the analysis process. Activity based accounting may be seen as a tool that can be used to increase the quality of the input decision, and when  assessing options it may also be a tool to help with analysis. Many studies have taken place into the ways that business can gain competitive edges, especially when it  comes to controlling costs to gain an advantage. Research has been undertaken into many tools, approaches such as just in time inventory management, lean production and many other approaches have  been analysed and studied, Activity based costing is often seen as a dry tool that is used mainly by cost accountants with only a theoretical and distant relationship to the