Setting Up an Industrial Accounting System at Saint-Gobain (1820–1880)

In 1820, the Manufacture Royale des Glaces, founded in 1665 and also named Compagnie de Saint-Gobain, opted for double entry bookkeeping and cost accounting. At that time, both economic (industrial revolution) and juridical (abolition of the privileges and emergence of competition) events explain that change of accounting methods. From 1820 to 1880, the accounting system was progressively improved; most of today’s cost accounting problems were discussed by the Board of Directors and in 1880 the accounting system was already very similar to today’s full cost method.