Practical Pricing Essay Example for Free

Practical Pricing Essay Through a thorough analysis of activity-based costing, it is obvious that there is more information to account for than first expected. It is essential that management be able to understand the concept of ABC beyond the surface in order to grasp the manner in which it behaves. Besides the fact that it is a concept which involves the measurement of manufacturing costs and non-manufacturing costs, ABC has a considerable amount of information to be understood. The manner in which the system is implemented in various companies is essential for management which is contemplating whether or not to use such a system. As well, it is necessary that myths and misconceptions about the subject be clearly understood in order to prevent any ill-fortune to a company. As well, it is evident that ABC has emerged as an important concept in the field of Cost accounting. With many issues at the forefront of Cost accounting, perhaps one of the frontrunners would be the issue of globalization. These current issues provide an interpretation that activity-based costing has emerged as an important aspect of Cost accounting in the sense that it is instrumental for managers when making crucial decisions The accounting cost methods described here dont end when optimal pricing has been achieved and variability brought under control. These are only the first two milestones in a continuing process of pricing for maximum profitability. Next, companies must identify products that are no longer profitable and monitor customer churn for signs that prices are higher than the value provided in return. Any products value proposition changes as the market evolves. The number of competitors might swell or shrink; new products or versions of products could be launched; competitors might start or stop giving rebates. Thus, every time market information is collected, it is vital to measure the customer and sales churn of every product even if prices havent changed recently. It may be necessary to change prices as a result. Since net or final are always moving, a products total cost and its impact on profits should also be monitored. Products that dont meet managements minimum profit requirements may have to be discontinued. Of course, a product it itself is losing money may be worth keeping for strategic reasons, such as rounding out a comprehensive product line or serving as a mechanism for appealing to big customers. The analytical rigor and unbiased nature of this approach make considerable organizational demands on the companies that use it. A change in pricing is a major enterprise for any organization; it cant be achieved overnight. Companies accustomed to anecdotal approaches may resist. For these reasons, it might be wise to form a specific group to make pricing recommendations and monitor the impact of price changes. With the support of the sales organization and senior management, the group could put forward pricing suggestions even in the face of opposition. By closely monitoring the impact of price changes, the group would be alert to the need for midstream adjustments. To the extent that the organization must evolve over time from a sales-and-technology orientation to a focus on pricing and the bottom line, the pricing group could be the agent of that transformation. Of course, the leader of the group shouldnt report to anyone directly affected by its recommendations, even if that person for example, the vice president of marketing or finance would otherwise be a logical choice. Moreover, a clear succession plan should be developed to get high-caliber people, especially from sales, to work in a somewhat isolated pricing group. They ought to understand that there will be no negative political repercussions if they want to return to sales or move up the corporate ladder, for by necessity if they want to return to sales or move up the corporate ladder, for by necessity such a group will often irritate the senior people in a company. Finally, pricing can be a key lever of profitability. Bibliography 1. Anderson, R. J. , Hughes, S. A.  and Sharrock, W. W. (19xx) Practical Pricing, in Working for Profit: The Social Organisation of Calculation in an Entrepreneurial Firm (Aldershot: Gower), chapter 8, pp. 139-157 2. Brimson, James A. Activity Accounting. New York: John Wiley Sons, Inc. , 1991. 3. Carrol, Raymond F. Chesley, G. R. Garrison, Ray. Noreen, Eric. Managerial Accounting: Concepts for Planning, Control, Decision Making. Toronto: McGraw-Hill-Ryerson Ltd. , 2001. 4. Foster, George. Horngren, Charles T. Cost Accounting: A Managerial Emphasis. New Jersey: Prentice Hall Inc. , 1991.