Long Term Cost Efficiency through Green Management Control Systems

Abstract: Title: Long term cost efficiency through green management control systems.Authors: Nancy Vukania &Xiaochen QinSupervisor: Åsa Karin-EngstrandBackground: The worldwide financial crisis of 2008 has reconfigured the economic turf leading to a more uncertain and turbulent playing field – a greater challenge for business strategy and the quest for optimization- The oil price hike of 2008 (Furlong 2010)1 caused its rippling effect to affect various cost categories including energy, labor and logistics thus causing a roller coaster business decision making process regarding outsourcing, off shoring and internal control and cutting short the decision making term to make room for adjustments. Amidst this high volatility and turbulence of factor markets coupled with fierce competitor activity, organizations are being drawn towards alternative sources of cost advantage which can enable them pursue long-term profitability.Aim: With this research, we intend to introduce an idea of cost efficiency which in the long term has the potential to develop into cost leadership for mature public organizations who are facing uncontrollable instabilities from the external business eco-system as well as international legislation regarding environmental sustainability (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change)2. We aim to do this through studying an Energy performance contracting (EPC) project currently being undertaken by Landstinget I Östergotland (LIO), the county council of the province of Östergotland in Sweden.Results: We aim to prove- based on the results of the studied EPC project and the literature on green technology and management control systems- that the interplay of green technological systems and management control techniques can in the long term achieve substantial cost saving and profit making differentials that are sustainable, eco-friendly and subject to further development.Key Phrases/Words: Cost strategy, Management control, Green technology, Long-term SustainabilityPaper Type: Research Paper