What is the first stage in developing an Activity Based Costing system?

Identifying resources is the first stage in developing an Activity Based Costing (ABC) system because it lays the foundation for understanding the costs associated with the various activities within an organization. In the ABC approach, resources such as personnel, equipment, and materials are identified to determine how they contribute to the production of goods or services.

By pinpointing the resources utilized, organizations can allocate costs more accurately based on actual consumption. This is critical for achieving a realistic view of profitability and for identifying areas where efficiency can be improved. Once resources are established, the organization can then move on to analyzing costs, defining product specifications, and understanding customer needs, but these steps depend on having a clear picture of the resources in use first.