Developments in Activity Based Techniques-BP America
John Bishop, Corporate Controller of BP America, gazed out his office window on the 37th floor of the BP America Building, admiring the activities of the ice breakers that were clearing the shipping lanes on Lake Erie. He was contemplating this year's upcoming negotiations between the "businesses" and the "staff departments" to determine the costs of, and responsibility for, centrally provided services. (See Figures 3-1 and 3-2 for lists of businesses and staff departments.) His thoughts faded to last year, which saw the beginning of the end of the old cost allocation system and the dawning of a new, more imaginative and innovative process for managing corporate charges. He was trying to imagine how this year's procedure would differ from last year's, what guidelines to use to judge its success, and what new problems possibly could arise.
FIGURE 3-1
BP America Businesses | |
BP Exploration | BP Nutrition |
BP Oil | Carborundum Division |
BP Chemicals | BP America Ventures |
BP Advanced Minerals | Research and Development |
BP Titanium Minerals | Chase Brass |
BP Minerals | Kaldair |
BP Coal |
FIGURE 3-2
BP America Staff Departments | |
Audit | Control |
Finance | Planning |
Tax | Law |
Executives | Administrative Services |
Information Management | Other Administrative and Information Services |
Human Resources | External Affairs - Cleveland |
Federal Government Affairs | State Government Affairs |
Public Affairs | Patent and License |
Health, Safety, and Environmental Quality |
Background
BP America was formed from the combination of Standard Oil and BP North America.
The original link between BP and Standard Oil was forged in 1970 when, in exchange for an increased shareholding in Standard Oil, BP transferred to the company its crude oil leases at Prudhoe Bay on the North Slope of Alaska, along with some other upstream and downstream assets. That arrangement brought together BP's large oil reserves in Alaska and the marketing expertise of...