Cost Management Toolbox

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Economic crises are forcing most companies over and over again to cut costs. But from my many years of consulting experience I know that many projects in cost management end in „meaning-ful“ proposals as „print no colour slides“ or „no cookies in internal meetings“. Also undifferentiated „lawnmower“ practices („every department has to save 10% “, etc.) are unfortunately the norm.
The results of a study by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) show this: In cost management projects, on average, only 59% of the savings targets are achieved, only 8% of companies surveyed said that they achieve the intended cost saving targets or exceed them. Also the reasons are named in the study: The main barrier to success are inadequate processes to push the cost savings.
The cost management toolbox builds on the overhead value analysis (OVA), a method that has been proven in many projects as a well-structured approach to cost management in the „overhead“ of a company. The OVA has been carried out yet in the companies usually by external consultants, but lives on the knowledge and ideas of the employees and on the acceptability and feasibility in the company. This book edits this method in an easily understandable way and answers in particular the practitioner’s question „How do I proceed concretely in a cost reduction project?“ Many of the presented templates and tools are available for free by the publisher on request.
I look forward to your comments and ideas. Practical suggestions and examples are also welcome. You can reach me at f. augenstein@conmethos. de.
Simmozheim, in January 2013
Prof. Dr. Friedrich Augenstein