The he importance of cost accounting information to the successful operation of a business has long been recognized. However, in the current global economic environment, such information is more crucial than ever. Automobiles from South Korea, compact fluorescent light bulbs from China, electronic equipment from Japan, and laptop computers from Poland are just a few examples of foreign-made products that have provided stiff competition to U.S. manufacturers both at home and abroad. As a result of these pressures, companies today are placing more emphasis on controlling costs in an attempt to keep their product competitive. For example, U.S. companies are outsourcing production and service activities to other countries, such as production operations in Honduras and Indonesia, and technical support call centers in India. However, as business Currents 1.2 indicates some "offshore" manufacturing is headed back to the U.S.