This introductory text provides a solid foundation in the field of cost accounting. Self-contained and practical in its format, the book is designed to promote active learning involvement on the part of the user. Each chapter lays out: study aims; objectives; practice questions. Solutions can be found at the back of the book, with full workings and commentary from the author. Distinctive use of cross-referencing aims to help promote the reader's active participation. Fully up-to-date, the volume also includes a section on recent developments in the field. Throughout, the author argues for a pragmatic approach to cost accounting. This book should be useful for students of accounting on professional and academic courses and to practitioners wishing to reinforce and refresh their knowledge, appreciation and application of the fundamentals of cost accounting. It should also be invaluable to students working towards the foundation costing examinations of management (CIMA), certified (CACA), public (CIPFA) and chartered (ICA) accountants' bodies alike, with particular relevance to the operational cost accounting paper of CIMA.