An important aspect of cost management in our text is the strategic focus. By strategy, we mean the long-term plan the organization has developed to compete successfully. Most organizations strive to achieve a competitive edge through the execution of a specific strategy. For some firms, it is low cost; for others, it might be high quality, customer service, or some unique feature or attribute of its product or service. We know in these competitive times that an organization does not succeed by being ordinary. Rather, it develops a strategy that will set it apart from competitors and ensure its attractiveness to customers and other stakeholders into the future. The role of cost management is to help management of the organization attain and maintain success through strategy implementation. Thus, for every major topic covered in our text, there is a larger issue, which is: "How does this organization compete? What type or cost management information does it need?" We do not cover a cost management method simply to become proficient at it. We want you to know why, when, and how the technique can be used to help the organization succeed.