A segment of an organization is referred to as a cost center if it has Responsibility for developing markets for and selling the output of the organization Authority to make decisions affecting the major determinants of profit including the power to choose its markets and sources of supply Authority to make decisions over the most significant costs of operations including the power to choose the sources of supply .

Authority to provide specialized support to other units within the Sree Responsibility for combining raw materials, direct labor, and other factors of production into a final output. pg96