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Show Results For
- All HBS Web
(6,265)
- People (3)
- News (1,187)
- Research (4,409)
- Events (32)
- Multimedia (61)
- Faculty Publications (2,831)
- 2020
- Working Paper
Transaction Cost Economics in the Digital Economy: A Research Agenda
By: Frank Nagle, Robert Seamans and Steve Tadelis
Transaction Cost Economics (TCE) theory has played an important role in understanding when it is more efficient for a transaction between two parties to occur within the market or within an organization. However, as more transactions occur in a digitally-mediated... View Details
Keywords: Transaction Cost Economics; Digital Economy; Economics; Cost; Markets; Research; Digital Transformation
Nagle, Frank, Robert Seamans, and Steve Tadelis. "Transaction Cost Economics in the Digital Economy: A Research Agenda." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 21-009, July 2020.
- April–May 2021
- Article
The Effect of Retaliation Costs on Employee Whistleblowing
By: Jonas Heese and Gerardo Pérez Cavazos
We use large increases in unemployment insurance (UI) benefits to study the effects of expected retaliation costs on employee whistleblowing. Increases in UI benefits reduce the costs that arise from a job loss, one of the costliest forms of retaliation. We find that... View Details
Keywords: Employee Whistleblowing; Retaliation Costs; Labor Unemployment Insurance; Workplace Safety Inspections
Heese, Jonas, and Gerardo Pérez Cavazos. "The Effect of Retaliation Costs on Employee Whistleblowing." Art. 101385. Journal of Accounting & Economics 71, nos. 2-3 (April–May 2021).
- 2018
- Working Paper
Corporate Refinancing, Covenants, and the Agency Cost of Debt
By: Daniel Green
How valuable are restrictive debt covenants in reducing the agency costs of debt? I exploit the revealed preference decision to refinance fixed-coupon bonds, which weighs observable interest rate savings against the unobservable costs of a change in restrictive... View Details
Keywords: Covenants; Refinancing; Corporate Bonds; Agency Costs; Debt Policy; Borrowing and Debt; Bonds; Interest Rates
Green, Daniel. "Corporate Refinancing, Covenants, and the Agency Cost of Debt." Working Paper, 2018. (Revise and Resubmit, Journal of Finance.)
- October 2016 (Revised March 2022)
- Background Note
Cost Variance Analysis
By: Robert S. Kaplan and Susanna Gallani
This note was written to provide students with fundamental concepts and methods for the analysis of cost variances. It focuses on the decomposition of cost variances into price, quantity, and mix variance components, an approach that allows students to identify the... View Details
Keywords: Cost Accounting
Kaplan, Robert S., and Susanna Gallani. "Cost Variance Analysis." Harvard Business School Background Note 117-006, October 2016. (Revised March 2022.)
- July 1, 2022
- Editorial
New Transparency Rule Helps Rein in Health Care Costs
By: Regina E. Herzlinger and Cynthia A. Fisher
Over the last year, consumer prices have grown 60% faster than wages. Employers can help their employees contend with this high inflation by addressing a long-running source: health care costs. View Details
Herzlinger, Regina E., and Cynthia A. Fisher. "New Transparency Rule Helps Rein in Health Care Costs." Boston Herald (July 1, 2022).
- October 2004
- Case
Costing Alternative Choices
By: David F. Hawkins and Jacob Cohen
Discusses the role of differential cost and revenues in solving alternative choice problems. View Details
Hawkins, David F., and Jacob Cohen. "Costing Alternative Choices." Harvard Business School Case 105-035, October 2004.
- February 1997 (Revised July 2001)
- Background Note
Introduction to Activity-Based Costing
By: Robert S. Kaplan
Introduces the fundamental notions of activity-based costing (ABC). Motivates ABC by means of a simple example, a single and a diversified pen factory. Proceeds to show how ABC assigns costs more accurately to products and customers by: 1) identifying the activities... View Details
Keywords: Activity Based Costing and Management
Kaplan, Robert S. "Introduction to Activity-Based Costing." Harvard Business School Background Note 197-076, February 1997. (Revised July 2001.)
- Research Summary
Cost Management Systems
By: Robert S. Kaplan
Robert S. Kaplan continues to explore the design and use of activity-based cost management systems for manufacturing and service companies. His most recent work, done collaboratively with Professor Michael E. Porter, applies time-driven activity-based costing (TDABC)... View Details
- 1998
- Book
Understanding Costs
By: W. J. Bruns Jr., R. S. Kaplan, R. Cooper, A. Schleifer Jr. and Donella Marie Rapier
Keywords: Cost
Bruns, W. J., Jr., R. S. Kaplan, R. Cooper, A. Schleifer Jr., and Donella Marie Rapier. Understanding Costs. Business Fundamentals . Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press, 1998.
- April 2006 (Revised November 2020)
- Background Note
Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing
By: Robert S. Kaplan
Introduces the role for time-driven activity-based costing. Identifies the value from an accurate costing model, describes the difficulties of traditional ABC, and illustrates how time-driven ABC provides a simpler and more powerful method. View Details
Kaplan, Robert S. "Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing." Harvard Business School Background Note 106-068, April 2006. (Revised November 2020.)
- November 1992 (Revised April 1993)
- Background Note
Accounting for Indirect Costs
By: William J. Bruns Jr.
An introduction to processes by which indirect costs are first assigned to cost centers and then assigned to products or services produced. A simple schematic illustrates how expenditures are assigned to service centers or production centers, service centers to... View Details
Bruns, William J., Jr. "Accounting for Indirect Costs." Harvard Business School Background Note 193-070, November 1992. (Revised April 1993.)
- 2014
- Book
Cost Accounting: A Managerial Emphasis
By: Charles T. Horngren, Srikant M. Datar and Madhav Rajan
Cost Accounting defined the cost accounting market and continues to innovate today by consistently integrating the most current practice and theory into the text. This acclaimed, market-leading text emphasizes the basic theme of "different costs for different... View Details
Horngren, Charles T., Srikant M. Datar, and Madhav Rajan. Cost Accounting: A Managerial Emphasis. 15th ed. Prentice Hall, 2014.
- October 1992 (Revised May 1993)
- Background Note
Standard Costs and Variances
By: William J. Bruns Jr.
An introduction to standard costs and cost variances. Discussion, formulae, and examples introduce the idea of comparing actual costs to those that were expected. View Details
Bruns, William J., Jr. "Standard Costs and Variances." Harvard Business School Background Note 193-050, October 1992. (Revised May 1993.)
- 20 Nov 2015
- News
Cowboy Doctors Are Rustling Up Healthcare Costs
- March 2005 (Revised March 2006)
- Background Note
Activity-Based Costing and Capacity
By: Robert S. Kaplan
Discusses the use of budgeted rather than historical data in an activity-based costing (ABC) model and argues for calculating rates using practical capacity, not actual utilization. An ABC model need not be limited to analysis of historical data. When cost driver rates... View Details
Kaplan, Robert S. "Activity-Based Costing and Capacity." Harvard Business School Background Note 105-059, March 2005. (Revised March 2006.)
- 24 Jan 2005
- Research & Ideas
Rethinking Activity-Based Costing
Activity-based costing, ABC, would seem to be an accurate way for managers to assign costs to the customers and products that use a department's services. But real-world use has shown ABC loses power in large-scale operations, and can be... View Details
Keywords: by Robert S. Kaplan & Steven R. Anderson
- October 1991 (Revised May 1993)
- Background Note
Brief Introduction to Cost Accounting
By: William J. Bruns Jr.
Introduces the reasons for and basics of cost accounting and cost management systems. Simple definitions of forms used in cost accounting are included. Cost behavior is discussed. Questions to which answers are needed when analyzing or designing a cost system are... View Details
Bruns, William J., Jr. "Brief Introduction to Cost Accounting." Harvard Business School Background Note 192-068, October 1991. (Revised May 1993.)
- November 1980 (Revised July 1981)
- Background Note
Cost Structures
Sandretto, Michael J. "Cost Structures." Harvard Business School Background Note 181-058, November 1980. (Revised July 1981.)
- 1999
- Chapter
Activity-Based Costing
By: Robert S. Kaplan
Keywords: Activity Based Costing and Management
- September 2004 (Revised January 2006)
- Tutorial
Introduction to Cost Accounting Systems
By: David F. Hawkins, V.G. Narayanan, Jacob Cohen and Michele Jurgens
Covers the basics of cost system design, demonstrating in a clear, step-by-step fashion how costs are assigned to cost objects. Key concepts include direct and indirect costs, two-stage allocation, cost pools, and cost drivers. Also provides a brief review of several... View Details