Reasons behind the non-application of the activity based costing system in developing countries, case of Lebanon

The Activity Based Costing (ABC) system, despite its spread in the developed countries and the recognition of its importance in the developing countries, is not adopted in the service industry in Lebanon while costing output. With the service industry contributing to more than seventy percent of the...

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Main Author: ElGammal, Walid (author)
Other Authors: Zakka, Janine Saba (author), El-Kassar, Abdul-Nasser (author), Dandash, Ghiwa (author)
Format: article
Published: 2016
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10725/4968
http://dx.doi.org/10.1353/jda.2016.0109
http://libraries.lau.edu.lb/research/laur/terms-of-use/articles.php
https://muse.jhu.edu/article/624674/summary
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author ElGammal, Walid
author2 Zakka, Janine Saba
El-Kassar, Abdul-Nasser
Dandash, Ghiwa
author2_role author
author
author
author_facet ElGammal, Walid
Zakka, Janine Saba
El-Kassar, Abdul-Nasser
Dandash, Ghiwa
author_role author
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv ElGammal, Walid
Zakka, Janine Saba
El-Kassar, Abdul-Nasser
Dandash, Ghiwa
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2016-12-21T13:24:57Z
2016-12-21T13:24:57Z
2016
2016-12-21
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv 0022-037X
http://hdl.handle.net/10725/4968
http://dx.doi.org/10.1353/jda.2016.0109
ElGammal, W., Zakka, J. S., El-Kassar, A. N., & Dandash, G. (2016). Reasons behind the non-application of the activity based costing system in developing countries, case of Lebanon. The Journal of Developing Areas, 50(3), 417-435.
http://libraries.lau.edu.lb/research/laur/terms-of-use/articles.php
https://muse.jhu.edu/article/624674/summary
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv en
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv Journal of Developing Areas
dc.rights.*.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Reasons behind the non-application of the activity based costing system in developing countries, case of Lebanon
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv Article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
info:eu-repo/semantics/article
description The Activity Based Costing (ABC) system, despite its spread in the developed countries and the recognition of its importance in the developing countries, is not adopted in the service industry in Lebanon while costing output. With the service industry contributing to more than seventy percent of the GDP in Lebanon, this makes it a subject of interest to justify the non-application of the ABC system in this sector. In this study, the authors seek to examine the reasons behind the reluctance of decision makers from applying the ABC system from the following perspectives: the lack of training of employees and the management’s support, the top management’s perception of the system’s high consumption of time and financial resources, the difficulty of collecting data, and the necessity to change the internal culture and the commitment of controllers. The study relies on prior research undertaken on this topic in different countries. A sample of 50 respondents from different service industries like banking, auditing, education and insurance provided the data of this study through answering the questionnaires and interviews. Two questionnaires are used; the first distributed to ABC system users and the second for non ABC users, also five interviews are conducted with senior level managers. The questionnaires are self-administered in order to increase the response rate, given the fact that the direct contact in the Lebanese culture proves to generate more efficient and effective data than the indirect contact. Hypotheses are developed stating the most significant reasons that are tested through survey and interviews. The data collected elaborates the companies’ point of view regarding the implementation of the ABC system as well as the employees’ and management’s personal opinions about it. The data is analyzed using the SPSS program and the results reveal that the real factors prohibiting the application of the ABC system are the lack of commitment of controllers and employees, the necessity to change the internal culture, the availability of financial and time resources and the satisfaction with the current costing system. The employees’ knowledge and training are not major obstacles in implementing the ABC, similarly for the difficulty in data collection about cost drivers. Other factors for this non-application appear to be the priorities of companies in other considerations, and the lack of technology. The outcome of the study provides a vital insight into the reasons behind such lag in the adoption of the ABC system in developing countries like Lebanon.
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
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id LAURepo_fa651c749271739d1c8fce9c08ae9840
identifier_str_mv 0022-037X
ElGammal, W., Zakka, J. S., El-Kassar, A. N., & Dandash, G. (2016). Reasons behind the non-application of the activity based costing system in developing countries, case of Lebanon. The Journal of Developing Areas, 50(3), 417-435.
language_invalid_str_mv en
network_acronym_str LAURepo
network_name_str Lebanese American University repository
oai_identifier_str oai:laur.lau.edu.lb:10725/4968
publishDate 2016
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spelling Reasons behind the non-application of the activity based costing system in developing countries, case of LebanonElGammal, WalidZakka, Janine SabaEl-Kassar, Abdul-NasserDandash, GhiwaThe Activity Based Costing (ABC) system, despite its spread in the developed countries and the recognition of its importance in the developing countries, is not adopted in the service industry in Lebanon while costing output. With the service industry contributing to more than seventy percent of the GDP in Lebanon, this makes it a subject of interest to justify the non-application of the ABC system in this sector. In this study, the authors seek to examine the reasons behind the reluctance of decision makers from applying the ABC system from the following perspectives: the lack of training of employees and the management’s support, the top management’s perception of the system’s high consumption of time and financial resources, the difficulty of collecting data, and the necessity to change the internal culture and the commitment of controllers. The study relies on prior research undertaken on this topic in different countries. A sample of 50 respondents from different service industries like banking, auditing, education and insurance provided the data of this study through answering the questionnaires and interviews. Two questionnaires are used; the first distributed to ABC system users and the second for non ABC users, also five interviews are conducted with senior level managers. The questionnaires are self-administered in order to increase the response rate, given the fact that the direct contact in the Lebanese culture proves to generate more efficient and effective data than the indirect contact. Hypotheses are developed stating the most significant reasons that are tested through survey and interviews. The data collected elaborates the companies’ point of view regarding the implementation of the ABC system as well as the employees’ and management’s personal opinions about it. The data is analyzed using the SPSS program and the results reveal that the real factors prohibiting the application of the ABC system are the lack of commitment of controllers and employees, the necessity to change the internal culture, the availability of financial and time resources and the satisfaction with the current costing system. The employees’ knowledge and training are not major obstacles in implementing the ABC, similarly for the difficulty in data collection about cost drivers. Other factors for this non-application appear to be the priorities of companies in other considerations, and the lack of technology. The outcome of the study provides a vital insight into the reasons behind such lag in the adoption of the ABC system in developing countries like Lebanon.PublishedN/A2016-12-21T13:24:57Z2016-12-21T13:24:57Z20162016-12-21Articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/article0022-037Xhttp://hdl.handle.net/10725/4968http://dx.doi.org/10.1353/jda.2016.0109ElGammal, W., Zakka, J. S., El-Kassar, A. N., & Dandash, G. (2016). Reasons behind the non-application of the activity based costing system in developing countries, case of Lebanon. The Journal of Developing Areas, 50(3), 417-435.http://libraries.lau.edu.lb/research/laur/terms-of-use/articles.phphttps://muse.jhu.edu/article/624674/summaryenJournal of Developing Areasinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:laur.lau.edu.lb:10725/49682021-03-19T09:10:12Z
spellingShingle Reasons behind the non-application of the activity based costing system in developing countries, case of Lebanon
ElGammal, Walid
status_str publishedVersion
title Reasons behind the non-application of the activity based costing system in developing countries, case of Lebanon
title_full Reasons behind the non-application of the activity based costing system in developing countries, case of Lebanon
title_fullStr Reasons behind the non-application of the activity based costing system in developing countries, case of Lebanon
title_full_unstemmed Reasons behind the non-application of the activity based costing system in developing countries, case of Lebanon
title_short Reasons behind the non-application of the activity based costing system in developing countries, case of Lebanon
title_sort Reasons behind the non-application of the activity based costing system in developing countries, case of Lebanon
url http://hdl.handle.net/10725/4968
http://dx.doi.org/10.1353/jda.2016.0109
http://libraries.lau.edu.lb/research/laur/terms-of-use/articles.php
https://muse.jhu.edu/article/624674/summary