BEYOND TRADITIONAL BUDGETING: A STRATEGIC COST MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK FOR ENHANCING COST EFFICIENCY IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Authors

  • Dr. Amanpreet Kaur SCD Government College, Ludhiana Author
  • Ms. Alka SCD Government College, Ludhiana Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.61841/nn-bma-12-3-41

Keywords:

Budgeting Systems, Strategic Cost Management, Cost Efficiency, Organizational Performance, Educational Institutions

Abstract

The study develops a conceptual model that links budgeting systems with strategic cost management to explain their role in enhancing the cost efficiency of higher education institutions. Strategic Cost Management is conceptualised as a mediating mechanism that facilitates the identification of organisational inefficiencies and supports optimal resource utilisation. This approach allows organisations in the education sector to move beyond routine cost control toward achieving cost efficiency while maintaining the quality of teaching, research, and administrative performance. The model further incorporates corporate governance and organisational flexibility as contextual factors that influence the effectiveness of budgeting and cost management systems. By integrating budgeting systems with strategic cost management, this study provides a structured framework for understanding how financial planning contributes to cost efficiency and overall institutional performance. The proposed model addresses an important gap in the management accounting literature and offers practical implications for administrators seeking to improve financial effectiveness in the higher education landscape.

Author Biographies

  • Dr. Amanpreet Kaur, SCD Government College, Ludhiana

    Dr. Amanpreet Kaur is currently serving as an assistant professor in Accounting in PG Department of Commerce and Business Innovations, SCD Government College, Ludhiana. She is M.Com, PhD in finance and accounting and has 8 years of teaching experience in core areas such as Financial Accounting, Cost & Management Accounting, and Strategic Cost Accounting. To her credit, she has 4 peer-reviewed research papers and more than 10 paper presentations in national and international conferences. She is skilled at using IBM SPSS, IBM SPSS AMOS, STATA, SMART-PLS, and NVIVO software and is also a Google Certified Educator.

  • Ms. Alka, SCD Government College, Ludhiana

    Ms. Alka is currently serving as an assistant professor in the PG Department of Commerce and Business Innovations, SCD Government College, Ludhiana. Her qualification includes M.Com, NET-JRF and has approximately two years of teaching experience. She specializes in Marketing management research and has two peer-reviewed research papers to her credit. She has also co-organized a workshop on SEO, SEM, and Google Ads, and attended two national webinars on financial education and financial wisdom in May 2025.

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Published

2026-07-18

Issue

Vol. 12 No. 3 (2026): Journal of Advance Research in Business, Management and Accounting (ISSN: 2456-3544)

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Dr. Amanpreet Kaur, Ms. Alka (Author)

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How to Cite

Kaur, A., & Alka. (2026). BEYOND TRADITIONAL BUDGETING: A STRATEGIC COST MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK FOR ENHANCING COST EFFICIENCY IN HIGHER EDUCATION. Journal of Advance Research in Business, Management and Accounting (ISSN: 2456-3544), 12(3), 11-21. https://doi.org/10.61841/nn-bma-12-3-41