Value-added costs are the only costs that an organization should incur. The value added standard calls for the complete elimination of non-value-added activities; fo activities, the optimal output is zero, with zero cost. The value-added standard also calls for the complete elimination of the inefficiency of activities that are necessary but ineff ciently carried out. Hence, value-added activities also have an optimal output level. A value-added standard, therefore, identifies the optimal activity output. Identifying the optimal activity output requires activity output measurement Setting value-added standards does not mean that they will be (or should be) achieved immediately. The idea of continuous improvement is to move toward the ideal. Workers (teams) can be rewarded for improvement. Moreover, nonfinancial activity performance measures can be used to supplement and support the goal of elimi nating non-value-added costs (these are discussed later in the chapter). Finally, meas uring the efficiency of individual workers and supervisors is not way to elimin non-value-added activities. Remember, activities cut across departmental boundaries and are part of processes. Focusing on activities and providing incentives to improv processes is a more productive approach. Improving the process should lead to improved results.