The delicate art and science of cutting costs

In the current economic climate, it is becoming increasingly common to hear of companies — both large and small — who are indulging in dramatic cost reduction schemes and cost‐cutting surveys. But few of these companies realise that cost reduction should not be an unplanned panic exercise to be carried out every time management notices that profits are falling, but a consistent and creative service designed to improve productivity at all levels of the organisation. Few organisations have such a service; author Bentley explains why they should, and how they can set it up.