An Exploratory Study of Material Flow Cost Accounting: A Case of Coal-Fired Thermal Power Plants in Vietnam

The purpose of this paper is to examine the use of material flow cost accounting (MFCA) in Vietnam’s coal-fired thermal power plants. This study is based on the contingency and system theories to explain the application of management tools and analyze steps of input, output, and process in manufacturing. Costs in producing process-based MFCA include material cost, energy cost, system cost, and waste management cost. The exploratory case study methodology is used to describe and answer two questions, namely “How coal flow cost is recognized?” and “Why waste in material consumption can be harmful to the environment?”. By analyzing the Quang Ninh and Pha Lai coal-fired thermal power plants that are the typical plants, this paper identifies the flow of primary material in these plants as a basis for determining losses for the business. The material flow of coal-fired thermal power plants provides the basis for the use of the MFCA. The manufacturing of electrical items in these plants is divided into four stages, each with its own set of losses. As a result, some phases in the application of MFCA are suggested, as well as some other elements required for MFCA application in coal-fired thermal power plants.