The authors demonstrate how the principles of activity-based costing and other advanced cost management techniques, such as target and kaizen costing, can drive business performance. Using examples from companies worldwide, they show how to create integrated, knowledge-based systems that provide meaningful information on current and past performance. Their systems will help managers make decisions in such areas as determining where to make improvements in quality, efficiency, and productivity, and negotiating on price, product features, quality, delivery and service. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.