Managers rarely get financial information the way they really need it. How can a nonfinancial manager minimize costs with the financial information he or she does get? By reading and absorbing this clear, concise new book. The Cost Management Toolbox lucidly explains how financial information—especially information relating to costs—is generated and reported in today's service and manufacturing organizations. Avoiding hard-to-grasp technicalities, it shows business professionals how to: * Accurately determine how well their business is performing* Quickly diagnose financial and operational problems * Effectively evaluate new business propositions * Confidently forecast future trends and project future costs * Strategically plan and prepare a departmental budget * Strictly analyze costs, including the rarely-discussed area of service costing.