Justin-time and Modern Manufacturing Environments: Implications for Cost Accounting*

With such damning statements about traditional cost accounting and its elements, one must wonder if cost accounting has any value, and indeed, why it is used at all . But cost accounting does have value and is needed. Accounting is an organization's information collection mechanism, and as such is a vital and necessarily integrated support system for any firm . The primary issue regarding cost accounting for quality and productivity is not whether it should be used, but how. This article reviews the historical basis of cost accounting and introduces the subject of cost accounting for just-in-time and modern manufacturing environments .