Budgeting and Budgetary Control
Budgeting and Budgetary Control
Budgeting and Budgetary Control
INTRODUCTION:
The term ‘Budget’ appears to have been derived from the French word ‘baguette’ which means
‘little bag' , or a container of documents and accounts.
A budget is an accounting plan. It is a formal plan of action expressed in monetary terms. It
could be seen as a statement of expected income and expenses under certain anticipated
operating conditions. It is a quantified plan for future activities – quantitative blue print for
action
Every organization achieves its purposes by coordinating different activities. For the execution
of goals efficient planning of these activities is very importantandthat is why the management
has a crucial role to play in drawing out the plans for its business. Various activities within a
company should be synchronized by the preparation of plans of actions for future periods.
These comprehensive plans are usually referred to as budgets. Budgeting is a management
device used for short‐term planning and control.It is not just accounting exercise.
BUDGET
A budget is a plan of action expressed in quantitative terms. It is prepared and approved prior
to a defined period of time.
According to CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants) UK, a budget is“A plan
quantified in monetary terms prepared and approved prior to a defined period of time, usually
showing planned income to be generated and, expenditure to be incurred during the period and
the capital to be employed to attain a given objective.”
In a view of Keller &Ferrara , “a budget is a plan of action to achieve stated objectives based
on predetermined series of related assumptions.”
G.A.Welsh states, “a budget is a written plan covering projected activities of a firm for a
definite time period.”
One can elicit the explicit characteristics of budget after observing the above definitions. They
are:
It is mainly a forecasting and controlling device.
It is prepared in advance before the actual operation of the
company or project.
It is in connection with adefinite future period.
Before implementation, it is to be approved by the management.
It also shows capital to be employed during the period
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BUDGETARY CONTROL
This is a cost control mechanism whereby budgets are prepared for various departments, then
policies are set and should be followed by every department. It is outlining of what is expected
of departments in order to achieve the firms’ objectives during the period. It involves
continuous comparison between budgeted and actual so as to provide a basis of continuous
corrective action.
According to CIMA, “Budgetary control is the establishment of budgets relating to the
responsibilities of executives of a policy and the continuous comparison of the actual with the
budgeted results, either to secure by individual action, the objective of the policy or to provide
a basis for its revision.”
Budgetary Control is thus a method of managing costs through preparation of budgets.
Budgeting is thus only a part of the budgetary control
The main features of budgetary control are:
1. Establishment of budgets for each purpose of the business.
2. Revision of budget in view of changes in conditions.
3. Comparison of actual performances with the budget on a continuous basis.
4. Taking suitable remedial action, wherever necessary.
5. Analysis of variations of actual performance from that of the budgeted performance
to know the reasons thereof.
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5) Evaluation
A managers performance is often evaluated by meaasuring his/her success in meeting the budget
targets. In some companies bonuses are awarded on the basis of an employee’s ability to achieve
the targets specified in the periodic budgets or promotions may be partly dependent uporn a
manager’s budget record. In addition, the manager may wish to evaluate his own performance.
The budget thus provides a useful means of informing managers of how well they are performing
in meeting targets they have previously helped to set.
6) Planning
It is by Budgetary Planning that long-term plans are put into action. Planning involves
determination of objectives to be attained at a future predetermined time. When monetary values
are attached to plans they become budgets.
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5. Budgeting is not an exact science as it involves some elements of personal judgment.
6. Budgetary control system is ineffective in situation where there are strikes.
7. Factors that cannot be controlled by management cannot be incorporated when preparing the
budgets.
8. There is difficultly in setting levels of attainment. This may result into too tight budgets that cause
loss of morale
9. Budgeting cannot take the position of management but it is only an instrument of management.
‘The budget should be considered not as a master, but as a servant.’ It is totally misconception to
think that the introduction of budgeting alone is enough to ensure success and to security of future
profits
10. It sometimes leads to produce conflicts among the managers as each of them tries to take credit to
achieve the budget targets.
11. It tends to bring about rigidity in operation, which is harmful. As budget estimates are quantitative
expression of all relevant data, there is a tendency to attach some sort of rigidity or finality to them.
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6) Well defined Business Policies: All budgetsreveal that the business policies formulated by
the higher level management. In other words, budgets should always be aftertaking into
account the policies set for particular department or function. But for this purpose, policies
should be precise and clearly defined as well as free from any ambiguity.
7) Integration with Standard Costing System: Where standard costing system is also used, it
should be completely integrated with the budget programme, in respect of both budget
preparation and variance analysis.
8) Inspirational Approach:All the employees or staff other than executives should be strongly
and properly inspired towards budgeting system. Human beings by nature do not like any
pressure and they dislike or even rebel against anything forced upon them.
TERMS IN BUDGETING
BUDGET PERIOD.
This is the period which the budget is applicable. Mostly it is one year but it can be reduced
to shorter periods for control purposes.
BUDGET MANUAL
This a book of files containing a set of instructions and regulations on the budgetary control
process for the entire organisation.
It sets out the responsibility of persons engaged in the preparation of budget and records
required for budgetary control.
Contents of Budget Manual
Definition of function or department goals
Responsibilities and authorities of different individuals involved in budget preparations.
Procedures and forms used in budget preparation
Few copies of previous period’s budget
Organisation charts
Method of accounting used
Budget period
BUDGET COMMITTEE
A budget committee is made up of representatives of various departments. Their main function
is to review, discuss and coordinate duties to ensure that the budgets are realistically prepared.
The secretary to the committee is the budget officer and the chairperson is the managing
director.
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1) Coordination of the preparation of budget. This includes drawing up the timetable and distributing
the budget manual.
2) Allocation of responsibilities for the preparation of budgets.
3) Assisting the preparation of budget by providing information that is required.
4) Control of the budgetally process including highlighting the most significant variance.
5) Reviewing the usefulness of the budgeting process and making appropriate improvement.
Master budget
The master budget is the overall quantifications of the budgeting plan. In it, functional budgets
are incorporated. A functional budget is a budget if income and/or expenditure for a particular
function. The master budget therefore combines all the budgets of the various departments in
an organizations. It is useful in ensuring that all the individual budgets are consistent with one
another and also presents a ‘unit’ picture of the entire organization.
Master budget shows overall plan for the next period and is prepared by the budget officer then
approved by budget committee then approved by board of directors.
Budget Slack
A budget slack is the difference between what managers believe can be achieved and what
managers state can be achieved.
Slack can also be said to be those insufficiencies which creep into the budget by those who
prepare the budget. A common case is where managers set low standards so that they can be
seen to be performing better and to be succeeding.
APPROACHES OF BUDGETING
1. Top-Down Approach
This is a budget which is set without allowing the junior managers an opportunity to participate
in budget preparation process.
It is also called authoritative or non participative budget.
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Increases managers understanding and commitment in achieving budget expectation.
Senior managers are left to concentrate on other demanding issues.
It provides an opportunity to junior managers as they learn or train on budget preparation
process.
Disadvantages
The budget may not be competitive to achieve since junior managers will include a budget
slack.
Budget preparation is slow as disputes can arise
Senior managers may not want to loose control
May lead to bad decisions from inexperienced junior managers.
Disadvantages
Expensive for the organisation to implement.
It is time consuming since it requires a lot of concentration.
Increases budgeting work which may lead to less control of actual work.
Budgeted cost should be constantly revised which consumes a lot of management time.
CLASSIFICATION OF BUDGETS:
The extent of budgeting activity varies from firm to firm. In a smaller firm there may be a sales
forecast, a production budget, or a cash budget.
Larger firms generally prepare a master budget. Budgets can be classified into different ways
from different points of view.
The following are the important basis for classification:
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2. Classification according to function
Sales Budget
Production Budget
Raw Materials Budget
Purchase Budget
Labour Budget
Production Overhead Budget
Selling & Distribution Budget
Administration Cost Budget
Capital Expenditure Budget
Cash Budget
3 Classification according to flexibility
Fixed
Flexible
These budgets are prepared on the basis of long‐term projection and portray a long‐range
planning.
The long term planning is done by the top level management.
These budgets generally cover plans for five to ten years. In this regard it is mostly prepared
in terms of physical quantities rather than in monetary values.
In this budget forecasts and plans are given in respect of its operations for a period of about
one to five years.
They are generally prepared in monetary units and are more specific than long‐term budgets.
The consumer goods industries like sugar, textile etc use short term budgets
These budgets cover a very short period, may be a month or a quarter or maximum one year.
The preparation of these budgets requires adjustments in short‐term budgets to current
conditions.
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2. CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO FUNCTION
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Expected Sales in Units XX
add Planned Ending Inventory in Units XX
less Begining Inventory in Units (XX)
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= Budgeted Direct Labour Hours Required XXX
× Cost per Direct Labour Hours XX
= Budgeted Direct Labour Cost XXX
ILLUSTRATION
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SOLUTIONS
(i) Sales budget
Product Quantity Price/unit amount
W 18000 65 1170000
Z 20,000 80 1600000
Total revenue 2,770,000
Products X Y
W 49500 99000
Z 102500 82000
Material usage (units) 152,000 181,000
X Y
Material usage 152,000 181,000
Add closing stock 6000 3000
Less opening stock (5000) (4000)
Material purchases (units) 153,000 180,000
Cost per unit 6 3
Material cost 918,000 540,000
Exercise
Illustration
Dullock Ltd manufactures a product branded ‘Delux’. The production of Delux requires a raw material
which costs sh.136 per kilogramme and direct labour which costs sh.600 per hour.
Each unit of Delux requires 2 kilogrammes of the raw materials, 15 minutes of direct labour and
variable overheads of sh.115. Delux retails at sh.1,360 per unit.
Additional information;
1. The company is in the process of preparing budgets for the financial year ending 30 June 2014
2. The budgeted opening and closing inventories of raw material and finished goods (Delux) for the
year ending 30 June 2013 are shown below;
1 July 2013 30 June 2014
Raw material 15,000 kgs 3,000 kgs
Finished goods 1,500 units 7,500 units
3. The company expects to sell 300,000 units of Delux during the year ending 30 June 2014
Required:
Prepare the following budgets for the year ending 30 June 2014;
i) Sales budget (in shillings)
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ii) Production budget (in units)
iii) Direct materials budget (in shillings)
iv) Direct labour budget (in shillings)
Illustration
The budget manager of XYZ ltd is preparing a budget for the accounting year starting from 1 st July
2020. As part of the budget operations, some items of factory overheard costs have been estimated by
him under specified conditions of volume as follows:
Required:
Calculate the cost of factory overheard items given above at 140,000 units of production
Explanation
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Y
COSTS TC
330000
Change in y
264000
Change in x
F F
TC = F + VX
Y = a +bX
Solution
Factory overheads budget (140,000 units)
V= CHANGE IN EXPENSE
CHANGE IN OUTPUT
INDIRECT MATERIAL = 330,000- 264000/30000=2.20
264000= 2. 2*120000 + f
F=0
150,000= 1.25*120,000+f
F= 0
84000= 0.6*120,000+f
F= 12,000
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This budget is closely associated to sales budget in the logic that sales forecasts significantly
influence the forecasts of these expenses. Nevertheless, all other linked information should
also be taken into consideration in the preparation of selling and distribution budget.
The sales manager is responsible for selling and distribution cost budget. Naturally, he
prepares this budget with the help of managers of sub‐divisions of the sales department.
The preparation of this budget would be based on the analysis of the market condition by the
management, advertising policies, research programs and many other factors.
Some companies prepare a separate advertising budget, particularly when spending on
advertisements are quite high.
(g) ADMINISTRATION COSTS BUDGET
It represents the costs of all administration expenses. Each department or budget centre will
be responsible for the preparation of its own budget.
Management, Secretarial, Accounting and Administration costs which cannot be directly
related to the production are included here.
The budget will be mainly incremental i.e. previous year’s figure will tend to apply for its next
budget with an allowance for inflation.
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It is a mechanism for controlling and coordinating the fiscal side of business to ensure solvency
and provides the basis for forecasting and financing required to cover up any deficiency in
cash. Cash budget thus plays a vital role in the financing management of a business undertaken.
Cash budget assists the management in determining the future liquidity requirements of the
firm, forecasting for business of those needs, exercising control over cash. So, cash budget thus
plays a vital role in the financial management of a business enterprise
a) Estimating Cash Receipts: Generally main sources of cash receipts are sales, interest
and dividend, sales of assets and investments, capital borrowings etc. The Company
estimates time‐lag on the basis of past experience of cash receipts on credit sales while
cash sales can be easily determined.
b) Estimating Cash Payments: It can be decided on the basis of various operating budgets
prepared for the payment of credit purchase, payment of labour cost, interest and
dividend, overhead charges, capital investment etc.
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cash balance at the end of the month becomes the beginning balance for the following month
.
FORMAT
Model of Cash Budget Particular January February March
Opening Balance ‐ ‐ ‐
Add: Receipts:
Cash Sales ‐ ‐ ‐
Receipts from Debtors ‐ ‐ ‐
Interest and Dividend ‐ ‐ ‐
Sale of fixed assets ‐ ‐ ‐
Sale of Investments ‐ ‐ ‐
Bank Loan ‐ ‐ ‐
Issue Shares & Debenture ‐ ‐ ‐
Others ‐ ‐ ‐
Total Receipts (A) ‐ ‐ ‐
Less: Payments
Cash Purchases ‐ ‐ ‐
Payment to creditors ‐ ‐ ‐
Salaries & wages ‐ ‐ ‐
Administrative expenses ‐ ‐ ‐
Selling expenses ‐ ‐ ‐
Dividend payable ‐ ‐ ‐
Purchase of Fixed Assets ‐ ‐ ‐
Repayment of Loan ‐ ‐ ‐
Payment of taxes ‐ ‐
Total Payments (B) ‐ ‐ ‐
Closing Balance (A ‐ B) ‐ ‐ ‐
Illustration 1
A company wishes to arrange for an overdraft facility with their bankers during the period October to
December, 2013 when it will be manufacturing largely for stock. Prepare a cash budget for the above
period from the following data, indicating the extent of the bank facilities the company will require at
the end of each month.
Activity Sales Purchases Wages
Amount Sh. Sh. Sh.
August, 2013 180,000 124,000 12,000
September, 2013 192,000 144,000 14,000
October,2013 108,000 243,000 11,000
November,2013 174,000 243,000 10,000
December,2013 126,000 268,000 15,000
The company sells on credit where 50% sales are realized in the month following the month of sales
and the remaining 50% in the second month following the month of sales. Creditors are paid in the
month following the month of purchase. Cash at bank on October 1 was Sh.25,000
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Solution
Cash budget for
Sales schedule
Illustration 2
The information given below relates to a budget of XYZ ltd for the six months ending 31st December
2020
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5. Assets are to be acquired in august and September 2020 at sh. 8000 and 25,000 respectively
6. An application has been made to the bank for grant of a loan of sh. 30000 and it is expected
to be received in November 2020
7. Debtors are allowed one month’s credit
8. Sales commission at 3% sales is paid each month.
Required:
Prepare a cash budget for the six months ending 31st December 2020
Solution
Illustration 3
From the following forecasts of income and expenditure prepare a cash budget for the three months
commencing 1st June 2023 when the bank balance was sh. 100,000.
expenses
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A sale commission of 5 per cent on sales, is payable in additional to selling expenses. Plant valued at sh.
65,000 will be purchased and paid for august, and the divided for the last finacial year of sh. 15,000 will be
paid in July 2023. There is two month credited period allowed to customers and received from suppliers.
wages, factory expenses are payable in the following month
Solution:
Cash budget
Illustration 4
Prepare a cash budget for the three months ending 30 th June from the following information
(a) Month sales materials wages overheads
$. $. $. $.
February 14,000 9,600 3,000 1,700
March 15,000 9,000 3,000 1,900
April 16,000 9,200 3,200 2,000
May 17,000 10,000 3,600 2,200
June 18,000 10,400 4,000 2,300
(b) Credit terms are:
Sales/Debtors _ 10% sales are on cash, 50% of the credit sales are collected next month and balance
in the following month.
(c) Creditors : materials, 2 months
Wages, ¼ months
Overheads, ½ month.
(d) Cash and bank balance of 1st April is expected to be $. 6,000.
(e) Other relevant information are:
(1) Plant and machinery will be installed in February at a cost of $. 96,000. The monthly
installation of $. 2,000 are payable from April onwards.
(2) Dividend @ 5% on preference share capital of $. 9,000 in June.
(3) Advance to be received for sales of vehicle $. 9,000 in June.
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(4) Dividend from the investment amounting to $. 1,000 are expected to be received in June.
(5) Income- tax (advance) to be paid in June is $. 2,000.
Solution:
CASH BUDGET
Balance
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A fixed budget is defined by only one level of activity and no adjustment to reflect
actual activity level are made when change occurs.
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Example 1
The following information at 50% capacity is given. Prepare a flexible budget and forecast the profit
or loss at 60%, 70% and 90% capacity.
Fixed expenses sh
Salaries 50,000
Rent an d rates 40,000
Depreciation 60,000
Administration expenses 70,000
Variable expenses
Materials 200,000
Labour 250,000
Others 40,000
Semi-variable
Repairs 100,000
Indirect labour 150,000
Others 90,000
Additional information
It is estimated that fixed expenses will remain constant at all capacities
Semi variable expenses will not change between 45% and 60%, will rise by 10% between
60% and 75%, a further increaase of 5% when capacity crosses 75%
Estimated sales at various levels of capacity are:
60% sh 1,100,000
70% sh 1,300,000
90% sh. 1,500,000
FLEXIBLE BUGDET
Fixed expenses
Salaries 50,000 50,000 50,000 50,000
Rent & rates 40,000 40,000 40,000 40,000
Depreciation 60,000 60,000 60,000 60,000
Admin expenses 70,000 70,000 70,000 70,000
Variable expenses
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Example 2
Mini Bakeries Ltd. has budgeted to produce and sell 100,000 units of cakes during the next period.
The selling price per cake is Sh. 20 and variable cost per cake is Sh. 12. Fixed overheads are budgeted
to at Sh. 600,000.
Additional information
1. Fixed costs will increase to Sh. 700,000 where activity is in excess of 110,000 units; Fixed costs
will fall to Sh. 480,000 where activity level is less than 90,000 units.
2. Variable costs will fall by 5% per unit (cake) of all units where activity is in excess of 100,000
cakes because of the economies of scale.
The actual results of the period in which 115,000 units (cakes) were produced and sold were:
1. Sales revenue Sh. 2,242,500
2. Variable costs Sh. 1,320,000
3. Fixed costs Sh. 67,000
Required:
1. Prepare a summary, which shows the budgeted results for activity levels from 80,000 to 120,000
cakes using the above information.
2. Prepare a control statement comparing budgeted with actual results where a fixed budget system
is used based on 100,000 units.
Solution
Flexible Budget Summary
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Example 3
The budgeted output of a factory engaged in the production of a single product, M, at the optimum
capacity of 6400 units per annum amount to sh. 176,048 as indicated below:
sh sh
Variable cost:
Power 1,440
Miscellaneous 540
176,048
Having regard to possible impact on the sales turnover by market trend, the company decides to have
a flexible budget with a production of 3,200 and 4,800 units ( the actual quantity proposed to be
produced being left at a later date before commencement of the budget period).
Required:
Prepare a flexible budget for production level at 50% and 75%. Assuming the sales per unit is
maintained at sh. 40 as at a present, indicate the effect on the net profit.
SOLUTION:
FLEXIBLE BUDGET
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Example 4
Prepare a flexible budget for overheads on the basis of the following data. Also ascertain the
overheads rate at 50%, 60% and 70% capacity.
At 60% capacity
Fixed overheads:
Depreciation 16,500
Insurance 4,500
Salaries 15,000
Solution;
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ZERO BASED BUDGETING:
The ‘Zero‐Base’ refers to a ‘nil‐budget’ as the starting point.It starts with a presumption that
the budget for the next period is ‘zero’ until the demand for a function, process, or project is
not justified for single penny. The assumption is that without such justification, no expenditure
will be allowed. In effect, each manager or functional head is required to carry out cost‐benefit
analysis of each of the activities, etc. under his control and for which he is responsible.
The method of ZBB suggests that the business should not only make decision about the
proposed new programmes but it should also, regularly, review the suitability of the existing
programmes. This approach of preparing a budget is called incremental budgeting since the
budget process is concerned mainly with the increases or changes in operations that are likely
to occur during the budget period.
This method for the first time was used by the Department of Agriculture, U.S.A. in the 19th
century. Other State Governments of the U.S.A. found this method helpful and so almost all
the states took deep interest in the ZBB method.
According to David Lieninger "ZBB is a management tool, which provides a systematic
method for evaluating all operations and programmes, current or new, allows for budget
reductions and expansions in a rational manner and allows re‐allocation of sources from low
to high priority programmes." ‐
ZBB is a planning, resource allocation and control tool. It, however, presupposes that
a. There is an efficient budgeting system within the enterprise.
b. Managers can develop quantitative measures for use in performance evaluation.
c. Among the new suggestions and programmes, along with old ones are put to a strict
scrutiny.
d. Funds are diverted from low‐priority suggestions to high priority suggestions
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It could be a functional department, a programme, a product‐line or a sub‐line. Here the
decision unitsexist independent of all the other units so that when the cost analysis turns
unfavourable that particular unit could be closed down.
(4) Growth of Decision packages:Decision units are to be identified for preparing data relating to
the proposals to be included in the budget,concerned manager analyzes the activities of his or
her own decision units. His job is to consider possible different ways to fulfill objectives. The
size of the business unit and the volume of goods it deals with determine the number of decision
units and packages.The decision package has to contain all the information which helps the
management in deciding whether the information is necessary for the business, what would be
the estimated costs and benefits expected from it.
(5) Assessment and Grading of decision packages: These packages invented and formulated are
submitted to the next level of responsibility within the organization for ranking purposes.
Ranking basically decides as to whether or not to include the proposals in the budget. The
management ranks the different decision packages in the order from decreasing benefit or
importance to the organization. Preliminary ranking is done by the unit manager himself and
for the further review it is sent to the superior officers who consider overall objectives of the
organization.
(6) Allotment of money through Budgets: It is the last step engaged in the ZBB process. According
to the cost benefit analysis and availability of the funds management has ranks and thereby a
cut‐off point is established. Keeping in view reasonable standards, the approved designed
packages are accepted and others are rejected. The funds are then allotted to different decision
units and budgets relating to each unit are prepared.
Advantages:
ZBB rejects the attitude of accepting the current position in support of an attitude of inquiring
and testing each item of budget.
It helps improve financial planning and management information system through various
techniques
It is an educational process and can promote a management team of talented and skillful people
who tend to promptly respond to changes in the business environment.
It facilities recognition of inefficient and unnecessary activities and avoid wasteful
expenditure
Cost behavior patterns are more closely examined.
Management has better elasticity in reallocating funds for optimum utilization of the funds.
Disadvantages:
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It is an expensive method as ZBB incurs a huge cost every in its preparation..
It also requires high volume of paper work,hence sometimes it becomes a tedious job.
In ZBB there is a danger of emphasizing short‐term benefits at the expenses of long term ones.
This is not a new method for evaluating various alternatives, and cost‐benefit analysis.
The psychological effects can also not be ignored. It holds out high hopes as a modern
technique, claiming to raise the profitability and efficiency of the business
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