Accounting and analytical support to the marketing activities of an economic entity
Importance The article studies the features of the accounting and analytical support to the marketing activities of an economic subject, the substance of which is subject to the implementation of the marketing functions. The key ones among them are the study of markets, customers and competitors; development and improvement of products (goods); the promotion and distribution (advertising, PR, transportation, distribution, storage, etc.); provision of the services that implement the marketing functions. The paper notes that, in view of the implementation of the marketing and sales functions of marketing there is a separate cost category, i.e. the marketing costs. Objectives The study aims to give arguments for the thesis concerning the inadequacy of the accounting and analytical support to the marketing activities of economic entity by the accounting of marketing expenses, as well as their economic analysis by evaluating variance when comparing the actual and subsidized values. Methods The authors use accounting techniques to reflect the marketing costs, as well as the formation of analytical indicators an economic entity applies in the implementation of marketing activities, based on a balanced approach, including indicators of the consumer aspect of the balanced scorecard and break-even analysis. Results The authors classify marketing costs on several grounds, including both the current and investment ones. The costs' composition is developed based on the functions of marketing. The authors propose accounting entries when registering the costs as an investment in intangible assets, commercial and management costs. Analytical support for marketing activities is presented from the perspective of using the indicators calculated for the key functions of marketing, i.e. research of markets, consumers, products, competitors: absolute and relative indicators in the areas of market analysis, and the break-even analysis as well. Conclusions and Relevance The paper concludes that the complexity, heterogeneity, multi-orientation of marketing activities call for further research into the development and improvement of the accounting and analytical support for this type of activity of economic entities.