Studying Cost Accounting is one of the best business investments a student can make. Why? Because success in any organization?from the smallest correr store to the largest multinational corporation?requires the use of cost accounting concepts and practices. Cost accounting provides key data to managers for planning and controlling, as well as costing products, services, and customers. The central focus of this hook is how cost accounting helps managers make better decisions. Cost accountants are increasingly becoming integral members of decision-making teams instead of just data providers. To link to this decision-making emphasis, the ?different costs for different purposes? theme is used throughout this book. By focusing on basic concepts, analyses, uses, and procedures instead of procedures alone, we recognize cost accounting as a managerial tool for business strategy and implcmentation. We also prepare students for the rewards and challenges facing them in the professional cost accounting world both today and tomorrow. hn this edition, for example, we emphasize both the development of analytical skills such as Excel to leverage available information technology and also the values and behaviors that make cost accountants effective in the workplace.