Prior to beginning work on this discussion, please download and read the reportImplementing Activity-Based Costing(Links to an external site.)

published by theInstitute of Management Accountants (IMA). IMA argues that although activity-based costing (ABC) is not a panacea, it is essential for a company to implement a management accounting system such as ABC for all its stakeholdersits employees, its community, its loyal customers, and its shareholdersto understand its cost structure.