What characterizes zero-based budgeting?

Zero-based budgeting is characterized by each department starting from a zero base every year. In this budgeting approach, every budget cycle begins from a clean slate, meaning that all expenses must be justified and approved for the upcoming period, rather than relying on previous budgets as a starting point. This method encourages careful re-evaluation of all expenses, allowing organizations to prioritize needs and allocate resources more efficiently.

By requiring departments to evaluate their needs and provide justification for all budget requests, zero-based budgeting promotes accountability and can help identify unnecessary expenditures or areas where savings can be achieved. This approach contrasts with methods based on adjusting past budgets or historical spending patterns, which may perpetuate inefficiencies or maintain funding for underperforming areas.