5.1. Importance of cost information
Even if sophisticated cost systems could substantially reduce product cost distortions it is unlikely
to be helpful unless a firm can actually utilise better cost information in its decision-making process
(Cagwin and Bouwman, 2002). Firms mainly relying on cost information for inventory valuation/profit
measurement rather than decision-making purposes may rely on less accurate cost information derived
from simplistic costing systems (Kaplan and Cooper, 1998). According to Anderson (1995) and Estrin
et al. (1994) the differing needs by organizations for accurate cost data for strategic decisions and cost
reduction may affect ABC adoption. Factors affecting the decision usefulness of cost information include
the firm’s use of cost data in pricing decisions, cost reduction efforts and the need for special cost studies.
The following hypothesis is therefore tested:
Hypothesis 1 (H1). There is a positive relationship between the importance of cost information and the
level of cost system sophistication.