· Changing the language of cost
o What do we really mean by fixed cost, variable cost?
o Opening up the “overhead box”
· Enduring cost effectiveness is an ethic, not an exercise
o What is lean thinking and taking a lean approach to all we do
o The causes of waste
o Seeing the business as a producer of value
· “Good” cost vs “Bad” cost – combining cost reduction AND value enhancement
o How are our costs driven…. and what drives value?
o Customer and business value adding activities
· Avoidable and unavoidable business “sustaining” activities
· Non-value adding activities
· Avoiding “slash and burn” approaches by focusing on the causal factors of waste rather than simply treating symptoms
· More advanced cost allocation techniques to gain a more realistic and transparent view of product, service and customer profitability
· Managing distribution channel costs
· Identifying products, services and customers that are strategically important and truly profitable (and dealing with those that aren’t)
Who will benefit?
Finance directors, financial controllers, finance analysts, management accountants, operational and commercial managers and change managers in all sectors
