Developing a strategic cost management model for a potato packing facility

Abstract

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to solve a real-life business problem by developing a new customised strategic cost management (SCM) model for the case study entity － a South African potato packing facility.

DESIGN/METHOD/APPROACH: The study followed a pragmatic philosophy where data were collected by observation and semistructured interviews. The data focused on the following SCM techniques: Business process re-engineering, activity-based management, Kaizen costing, total quality management, and target costing.

FINDINGS: The investigation found that, except for target costing, all the SCM techniques belong in a SCM model. The investigation also revealed specific practical operational examples which were firstly analysed according to codes, and secondly aggregated, rewritten, and inductively reasoned in order to illustrate these processes in a new customised SCM model.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: After the operational processes were documented, a new customised SCM model was developed for the case study entity. The findings of the study could be helpful when other organisations manufacture, process, or pack various products to make informed management decisions.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE: The value of the study lies in the likelihood to establish transferability － the process that was followed to develop a new customised SCM model could be replicated.