Product details

By continuing to use our site you consent to the use of cookies as described in our privacy policy unless you have disabled them.
You can change your cookie settings at any time but parts of our site will not function correctly without them.
Management article
-
Reference no. 69304
Published by: Harvard Business Publishing
Published in: "Harvard Business Review", 1969
Length: 11 pages

Abstract

Return on investment (ROI), as a measure of division contribution to profits in decentralized companies, is of limited use. ROI is too simple a model for a complex process, especially when different profit objectives and types of fixed assets exist. ROI application problems include: setting proper annual profit objectives, assigning responsibility for deviation, and measuring accounted profit in a short period of time. Increased familiarity with division operations and more realistic profit objectives and time span evaluations are needed. Recentralization is an inappropriate alternative for ROI, and correction of the technical drawbacks and implementation constraints of ROI procedures is necessary pending further improvements for new research.

About

Abstract

Return on investment (ROI), as a measure of division contribution to profits in decentralized companies, is of limited use. ROI is too simple a model for a complex process, especially when different profit objectives and types of fixed assets exist. ROI application problems include: setting proper annual profit objectives, assigning responsibility for deviation, and measuring accounted profit in a short period of time. Increased familiarity with division operations and more realistic profit objectives and time span evaluations are needed. Recentralization is an inappropriate alternative for ROI, and correction of the technical drawbacks and implementation constraints of ROI procedures is necessary pending further improvements for new research.

Related