5. Research hypotheses
A literature review was undertaken to identify the potential contextual factors that may influence the
level of sophistication of product costing systems. The following contextual factors are examined:
1. Importance of cost information
2. Product diversity
3. Cost structure
4. Intensity of the competitive environment
5. Size of the organization
6. The quality of information technology
7. Extent of the use of innovative management accounting techniques
8. Extent of use of lean production techniques (including JIT techniques)
9. Business sector