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The most important function that facilitates construction organizations to accomplish profit maximization is cost control. However, the absence of a well‐established cost control system has caused failures to many Thai contractors especially during the current economic recession period. To comprehensively understand cost control systems in practice, this study theoretically assessed effectiveness as well as the deficiencies of the ‘traditional’ systems vis‐à‐vis the ‘effective’ systems. In addition, by contrasting what are found in ‘effective’ systems but not found in ‘traditional’ systems, critical attributes most contributing to the systems' successfulness were identified so that the improvement steps can be suitably prioritized. The validated findings indicated remarkable contrasts between ‘traditional’ and ‘effective’ systems. Two critical aspects, including advancement of cost control framework and systematic participation of site personnel in cost control, were found to be the major differences. Interestingly, similar conditions were encountered in various countries such as Greece, Pakistan and Australia; hence suggestions from this study could be internationally useful.

Preface The functions of business divide into several areas and the general focus of this book is on one of the most important although least understood of these—DISTRIBUTION. The particular focus is on reviewing current practice in distribution costing and on attempting to push the frontiers back a little by suggesting some new approaches to overcome previously defined shortcomings.

COMPARISONS are often made between the way in which Britain utilises its manpower and the manner in which it is deployed by other major industrial nations. They are generally unfavourable to this country. To recognise the existence of a problem is wise; to devise means to overcome it, especially when it is of such magnitude, is even wiser.

The purpose of this paper is to explore how and why the uses (enabling or controlling) of an activity-based costing system could cause difficulties in implementing such a cost system.

The authors conducted a case study in a French insurance company. Three successive research periods were undertaken: from March to August 2005, between October 2008 and June 2009, and in 2012. In total, 51 interviews were conducted during these periods. Other useful information was also collected through conversations, observation, and through the consultation of internal documents.

The results show that designing a cost system aimed at being simultaneously used in controlling and enabling ways can generate important difficulties. Furthermore, the results show that attempting to get around these difficulties could result in investing significant amounts of resources with no guarantee of success.

Beyond the difficulties of extending the scope of application of case studies, the study was conducted in an organization involved in the insurance industry which could further limit its general applicability.

Based on the experience at Rassura, the authors argue that managers should be aware that designing and implementing a cost system that can simultaneously be used in both controlling and enabling ways is a very difficult, if not an insurmountable challenge.

The results highlight that one important characteristic of a cost system, how it is used, could explain, at least partially, implementation difficulties related to technical challenges, resistance to change and lack of resources.

The purpose of this paper is to show that local management control systems within supply chain organisations and the governance of supply chains are intertwined and that local control systems and governance structure have an important effect on the functioning of the supply chain.

The paper reports on a case study of a supply chain and examines how local management control systems within the participating organisations affect cooperation between the organisations in the supply chain. In the case study, a supply chain, including eight food manufacturers, two logistic service providers, and two retailers, is investigated.

The behaviour of several entities in the chain is explained by examining the present local management control systems. The main conclusion is that these systems call for behaviour that is not congruent with the broad supply chain objective.

The research is based on a case study in one supply chain that has mainly a cost‐minimisation objective. Further in‐depth studies could be undertaken in supply chains with other objectives to further validate the findings.

The paper demonstrates that the local management control systems may hinder the achievement of the supply chain objective. Possible design implications for both local management control systems and governance structures in the supply chain are outlined.

The paper focuses on local information sharing concerns and on local performance measurement and incentive issues at the intra‐organisational level but within a supply chain context.

METHOD STUDY, as the name implies, is that part of Work Study which makes a careful and critical examination of the methods currently employed either in factory or office. It is not concerned with standards of performance or schemes for payment by result. Instead, it aims at cutting out movements or efforts which are not necessary and, in general, improving the methods in use. It uses charts and diagrams; cameras to record still or moving pictures; models and measuring instruments. Uninterrupted attention is concentrated on the study in hand for whatever time it requires.

In the continuing endeavour to work towards ever better management, experience plays a crucial role. We learn from success, but we can learn much more from failure. Further, it is far better and cheaper when we learn from other people′s failures rather than our own. This monograph assesses the requirements of project management in relation to industrial projects, illustrating the factors that can result in failure by means of a series of case studies of completed and abandoned projects worldwide that have failed in one way or another. The key roles played by project planning and project cost control in meeting and overcoming the practical problems in the management of industrial projects are examined in detail. In conclusion the lessons that can be learned are evaluated and presented, so that we may listen and learn – if only we will.

Traditional cost management systems adopted by construction firms have many problems, which are widely discussed in the literature: the information provided by them is usually too late, and tends to be too aggregated and too distorted to be relevant for production management. The main objective of this research work is to propose a project cost planning and control model for construction firms. This model aims to support the development of production management systems, in which cost management and production planning and control can be gradually integrated, in order to overcome the existing limitations of cost accounting systems. The scope of the model was limited to building projects carried out by small and medium sized companies, involved in both product development and production. The development of the model was based on the literature review and also on the results of nine empirical studies conducted in four different Brazilian construction firms. The model suggests the integrated application of three fairly well known cost management techniques: operational cost estimating, S‐curves and target costing. By using this set of tools, it is expected that cost management will become more proactive, and able to deal with the dynamic, uncertain and complex construction environment that exists in most projects. The model was partially tested in two case studies, in which it provided key information for supporting decision making related to design, production planning and contracts with suppliers.

Sharp‐eyed readers will have noticed the editorial in the June issue commenting on the fact that WORK STUDY is now part of the portfolio of MCB University Press. (Even sharper‐eyed readers will have noticed the introduction of the MCB logo onto the front cover.)

The apparent failure on the part of companies to evolve a satisfactory costing scheme for their physical distribution (PD) systems is now giving way before a sustained attempt to rationalise PD costs. The author reviews the legislative and economic changes which have led to a recognition of the need for change, and he suggests that the “Total Distribution” (TD) approach to a solution is the one to be explored. The distinctive nature of the different accounting schemes in use, and their informational requirements, are discussed. The complex nature of PD involves the use of both operational research and statistical techniques. In fact, the need for improved information for PD management is not yet being met, and this hampers decision‐making. The monograph looks at the shortfalls in financial accounting for PD, and at the complex and ambiguous relations between PD and the formal company financial statement. Finally, the profit‐analysis approach may be the answer, and this can be incorporated within the framework of a missions approach. The author concludes that, so far, neither orthodox accounting procedures nor experimental approaches have yet provided a complete answer for PD cost analysis.