I'm here today to take about Activity Based Management.
             Operating cost increases in the labor-intensive world of Higher education are
             creating financial stress for Colleges and Universities.
             Funding sources are often inadequate. Gove budgit, declining, dependent on charity.
             There is a need for aggressive cost reductions, service quality improvements, and
             useful information on which to base program decisions.
             Activity based management offers help in these areas.
             Activity based management was developed for the manufacturing environment.
             However here are examples of how Activity based management could help Colleges
             and Universities reduce cost and improve services.
             In traditional cost accounting the teaching staff might be the only direct cost.
             Under ABM method the cost of student and course record keeping and class
             schedules would be seen as an activity.
             With this in mind we can look at the larger picture. Traditionally costs for the
             University are added together them allocated to departments. There has been many
             examples of distortion caused by this view.
             Under ABM the cost would then be directly assigned to that department.
             Only those cost that directly effect the department will be seen. Management then
             can look to see were the funds are being used. And how well the funds are spent.
             The comparison of the actual direct cost rather that the allocated costs for these
             support functions will lead to insights concerning program cost differences and lead
             You will need to have widespread understanding and a willingness and ability to
             act on the recommendations for a continuous improvement program. If this
             condition does not exit or requires strengthening, then management and staff
             devlopment will be necessary, and highly visible top administration support will be
             I propose using ABM for its expected benefit in improving useful cost information
             and reducing operating cost of the inst...