Strategic Managerial Accounting A Primer For The It Professional

This book, probably the first written from the perspective of software professionals, attempts to introduce them to the mysteries of strategic managerial accounting (SMA). The common view in the industry is that "accounting is for the accountants", despite the fact that IT professionals are regularly confronted by financial situations such as project pricing, performance measurement, risk estimation, costs allocation etc. While it is desirable and even necessary that every proposal be vetted by respective specialists, the speed and reliability of the process could improve if the people who originate the proposal had knowledge of the fundamentals that go into the decision making. Unfortunately most books on management accounting, whether strategic or otherwise, are written from the perspective of the manufacturing industry. The IT and services industry on the other hand has a unique cost structure, quite distinct from manufacturing, which needs to be dealt with from a different perspective. This book focuses on SMA in context of the IT software industry, and seeks to equip the IT professional with some basics of SMA to assist them in making more informed decisions.

Management Accounting in Support of Strategy explores how management accounting can support the strategic management process of analysis, formulation, implementation, evaluation, monitoring, and control. If the management accountant is to add value to the business they need to understand how the business works. The toolbox available to the management accountant does not just contain the accounting techniques, but also includes the strategy models and frameworks described in this book. Armed with this array of tools the management accountant is well placed to add significant value to the business. The reader will gain an understanding of the strategic management framework, strategic models and tools, and how management accounting can support the strategic management process. It will be beneficial for undergraduate and postgraduate course students studying strategy or management accounting. The book will also enable practicing accountants to understand how they can make a significant contribution to the success of their organization by demonstrating how management accounting can be used in support of strategy.

Increasing business competition is compelling managers not only to develop realistic and achievable strategies but also to analyze goals in financial terms and to evaluate performance. But where do you, as a manager, learn about the key methods and techniques of strategic cost analysis? This text explains in simple language the methods and techniques of cost analysis that can be applied strategically at any level in an organization—be it manufacturing, service, or the nonprofit sector. Since the interaction of the organization’s activities, the influences of the external world, and your responsibilities as a manager need to be captured in financial terms to help plan, control, and make decisions, this book is what you’ll require in today’s world.

This book is intended for practitioners, students, and researchers who are interested in designing, using, assessing, and researching performance management systems. Managerial personnel involved in such activity will hold many beliefs about how their organization functions. This text uses the philosophy of pragmatic constructivism to show how managerial beliefs that underlie action can be made explicit and so facilitate their assessment and improvement. This involves recognizing and integrating the four dimensions (facts, possibilities, values, and communication) that represent how managers relate to the reality in which they operate. When managerial beliefs are based on an accurate representation of reality, they are more likely to be successful. Problems occur where reality is misrepresented in managerial beliefs. This is especially so in performance management, as the book illustrates using real-world examples. Specific topics addressed include planning and decision making, performance management of investment center managers, strategic performance management, and operational performance management.

This book critically analyzes the concept of strategic management accounting, the implications this emerging paradigm will have on the accounting profession, and the ramifications for businesses at large. This research examines current literature, and illustrates these concepts with current market examples. This manuscript approaches the topic in a way that is unique by linking the concept of SMA to the integrated reporting framework. In essence, strategic management accounting is a theory with broad-based support, but the IR framework and reporting structure provides a vehicle through which progress, costs, and benefits of a more strategic accounting function can be evaluated. Focusing on principles, primarily for internal management utilization, the following provides an outline and summary of concepts and techniques that can be used to elevate the role of the management accounting function. Whether you are a management expert, an accounting professional, or simply someone looking to keep up to date with emerging business trends, this text provides the content, and action-oriented steps to meet those expectations.

Management accountancy has a dynamic role to play in the competitive strategy of modern global businesses. This book sets out key strategic principles and then assesses how management accountancy can affect and direct these strategies. Engaging case studies reveal how theories and concepts translate into real business practice. Throughout, the book emphasizes: - how accounting initiatives can trigger assessment and improvement of performance management - the importance of managerial decision making to good business practice - how today's management accountancy measures against current research Written for advanced undergraduate, postgraduate and MBA students taking courses on management accounting and performance measurement and management, the book will be also of interest to management and business consultants, professional accountants and accounting academics.

This book responds to key issues in strategic management control by studying the interplay between strategy, operations, finance and controls. Grounded in research but written with practitioners and students in mind, it addresses the most up-to-date management control issues in the public sector, forecasting, budgeting and controls in international organisations.