Abstract

It has been argued that masculinity in the field of accounting is in flux and that new gendered expectations may be emerging. This study takes an important step toward a discussion on management accountants’ gendered image and broadens understanding of masculinity in the field of management accounting. The question it raises is whether the notion of hegemonic masculinity is dominant in the image and whether the image might be expanding. A qualitative case study of a global technology company was conducted, drawing on 100 of its job advertisements for management accountants and 31 semi-structured interviews with its management accountants and operational managers. The findings revealed that even though some caring attributes, such as empathy, were constructed as important, causing the hegemonic masculinity to seem softer, the image of the ideal management accountant predominantly aligns with hegemonic masculinity, more specifically with transnational business masculinity and entrepreneurialism, which emphasize business performance and maximization of the self. The dominance of hegemonic masculinity leads to the colonization of “othered” bodies, namely women in management accounting. The results critique mainstream management accounting research, which considerably lacks gender analysis.

Introduction

Even though more women have entered professional life and management positions since the 1970s, accounting has remained male-dominated, offering men higher positions of power. Moreover, in accounting, a specific masculine image is favored and emphasized (Broadbent and Kirkham, 2008, Dambrin and Lambert, 2008, Kim, 2004). According to Connell and Messerschmidt, 2005, Connell and Wood, 2005, such an image refers to the notion of hegemonic masculinity, which is associated with aspired, idealized, and mostly socially valued “macho” masculinity showing strength, assertiveness, competitiveness, ambitiousness, rationality, and courage while refusing to acknowledge features regarded as weaknesses such as emotionality, caring, and helping others. This kind of idealized image is traditionally connected with men, especially specific men’s dominance over women and other men, and it has been widely accepted as the ideal image of an effective accounting professional (Adapa et al., 2016, Dambrin and Lambert, 2012, Galizzi et al., 2023, Haynes, 2017, Jeacle, 2011). In line with Broadbent (2016, p. 171), it can be said that the ideal management accountant tends to be understood as a man, and “positions of power are still dominated by a cohort of white middle-class men.”

Qualities such as caring, affection, cooperativeness, social competence, and relational orientation are typically viewed as women’s characteristics (Powell & Graves, 2003). These qualities are often considered to be negative features in endeavors to achieve career success in accounting (Adapa et al., 2016, Dambrin and Lambert, 2012, Galizzi et al., 2023, Haynes, 2017, Jeacle, 2011). Hence, it can be assumed that female management accounting professionals must navigate this challenging gendered environment throughout their careers. Moreover, this kind of gendered image can limit the agency of the men in management accounting who do not want to follow the features and practices of hegemonic masculinity (Haynes, 2017). On the other hand, recent studies indicate that masculinity in the field of management may be in flux, and new expectations of the image of the ideal manager may be emerging; for example, a caring personality and a more relational orientation are increasingly seen as strengths (e.g., Kangas et al., 2017, Kangas et al., 2019, Lund et al., 2019). This may challenge the dominance of hegemonic masculinity in management accounting.

Conclusion

This study offered information concerning the ideal image of management accountants from a gender viewpoint. Our main interest was whether the notion of hegemonic masculinity is dominant in the image of a management accountant. Our answer to this question is “yes and no.” In the studied business context, various forms of hegemonic masculinity are constructed as ideal features of management accountants; transnational business masculinity and entrepreneurialism were the predominant forms of hegemonic masculinity in the image. On the other hand, some caring attributes were also important in the image, causing the hegemonic masculinity to seem softer. We conclude that despite these caring features being a complementary part of the management accountant’s ideal image, hegemonic masculinity and its emphasis on business performance and maximization of the self is the prevailing assumption in the studied global technology and engineering business; this can lead to the colonization of “othered” bodies, namely women, in management accounting.

This study shows that we still have much to learn about accounting and gender (Carmona and Ezzamel, 2016, Haynes, 2017). Topical questions and dilemmas can be raised regarding whether the early twentieth-century gender struggle in the accounting profession, as described, for example, by Jeacle (2011) and later by Broadbent (2016), needs to continue for more equality in the world of management accounting and accounting generally.

Abstract

This paper systematically reviews the existing literature at the crossroads of management accounting and new product development. At present, the accumulated knowledge on this topic is fragmented. Different research settings, diverse research focuses, and the use of different research methods are amongst the main reasons for the existing fragmentation and lack of an overall, conceptually coherent view of the knowledge gained on the management accounting phenomenon in new product development environments. As a response to the current knowledge fragmentation, the purpose of this paper is to consolidate existing evidence, provide an overview of the literature’s state-of-the-art, and propose paths for its future development. As a result of the systematisation attempt, this paper recognises the threefold identity of management accounting research in new product development and proposes a conceptual framework that collocates existing contributions along a research spectrum that gradually shifts the focus from the more technical-oriented aspects of management accounting to the more sociological-oriented aspects. Accordingly, this paper identifies the following research paths and systematise their relative contributions: (1) management accounting techniques and calculations; (2) management accounting information types and roles; (3) management accountants’ involvement and roles in new product development environments. Besides allowing the systematisation of previous investigations, this paper’s three research avenues provide a ‘lighthouse’ to those who, in future, aim to contribute to the current debate and knowledge creation at the intersection of management accounting and new product development. In this regard, the final part of the paper advances nine research propositions that emanate from the literature review and outlines a research agenda with directions for future research.

Introduction

New product development (NPD) is a pivotal source of competitive advantage for and a central organisational activity of many companies (e.g. Davila, 2000; Christner & Strömsten, 2015; Janka & Guenther 2018). Following basic and applied research activities, the NPD activity interacts with them to form the wider research and development (R&D) process (Suomala & Jokioinen, 2003; Matthews 1991; Batty, 1988; Chiesa, 2001; Chiesa & Frattini, 2007; Chiesa et al., 2008; Chiesa et al., 2009; Davila, 2000). Consisting of a cross-functional effort that engages different participants and organisational domains (Feeney & Pierce, 2016; Feeney & Pierce, 2018), the NPD process in the management accounting (MA) literature is defined as a structured, multi-phased, and iterative process with the objective to transform an idea into a product (Davila, 2000). Early stage NPD activities, also known as the ‘fuzzy front-end’ phase of NPD (Kim & Wilemon, 2002), form the uncertain, dynamic, but fundamental stage of the NPD process that begins when a business opportunity is first deemed worthy of further consideration, exploration and assessment, and ends when a firm decides to invest in the idea and launch the project (Kim & Wilemon, 2002), thus recognising it as a new source of value creation (Davila et al., 2009). After this phase, the NPD project usually goes through a process of constant growth that likely ends in the commercialisation of the new product and the concretion of value creation. The level and type of uncertainty that affect this process vary as the process evolves.Footnote1 This, together with the strategy and organisational structure of the NPD team, influences the use of MA and shapes the design of MA practices in the specific NPD setting (Nixon, 1998; Davila, 2000).

Conclusions

The aim of this paper was to systematically review studies on MA in NPD and to provide a theoretically coherent narrative of the subject of interest as a means to overcome the fragmentation characterising MA research in NPD. This narrative was created by relying on a conceptual framework that reflects the intrinsic nature of any MA phenomenon, also in the context of NPD. The proposed conceptual framework, by recognising the threefold identity of MA research in NPD, reveals three lines of research along which all previous investigations are located and, therefore, constitutes a ‘lighthouse’ for researchers and practitioners who, in future, aim to contribute to the existing debate and knowledge creation at the intersection of MA and NPD. The first line of research points to the importance of focusing on management accounting techniques and calculations, of both a financial and non-financial nature, at various levels of sophistication. In this regard, a lot is already known, such as the role of cost management techniques and calculations through NPV, but a lot can still be studied concerning MA practices design and implementation in NPD contexts, for instance, inter-organisational NPD. Such studies should propose the development of techniques and calculations, incorporating the key elements of the NPD context, which, at present, need further investigation. The second line of research confirms the role of MA in an NPD project, both as a connector of and a mediator between different participants who belong to different domains of practice. Again, much can be done in terms of research, especially dedicated to exploring the social conditions that enable MA at the intersection of different disciplines engaged in NPD activities. Finally, the third line of research establishes the strategic partner role of management accountants in NPD projects and calls for investigations that create space for various in-depth analyses into the role and competences of management accountants at various stages of the development process. These lines of research, because they have a mutually reinforcing and explicative value and are essential, constitutive aspects of the MA phenomenon in NPD contexts, are of equal importance in the progress of scientific enquiry. In this regard, our outlined research propositions and research agenda point to several, potentially rewarding research opportunities.

Abstract

     Human cognitive time has become a key asset of the digital economy, yet we lack the means to manage it. In response to that need, we propose a technology to manage cognitive time in economic organizations. This technology is called cognitive time-driven activity-based costing (CTABC), and it extends the established time-driven activity-based costing technology. CTABC accounts for human agents’ cognitive time and the fact that cognitive time typically does not equal physical clock time for a given economic activity. CTABC also unearths a hidden lever effect that leads to considerable economic inefficiencies. An illustration of the proposed CTABC shows the limitations of contemporary approaches to cost assessments, which ignore errors caused by workers’ cognitive time estimation. This paper contributes to the literature on cost accounting technology and the future of the digital economy. Specifically, it enriches the literature on the problem of the accuracy of employees’ time estimates.

Introduction

     “In an information-rich world, the wealth of information means a dearth of something else: a scarcity of whatever it is that information consumes. What information consumes is rather obvious: it consumes the attention of its recipients. Hence a wealth of information creates a poverty of attention and a need to allocate that attention efficiently among the overabundance of information sources that might consume it.”

     In today’s competitive business environment, cost accounting systems must provide accurate information to managers so that they can make well-grounded decisions without negative impacts on the quality of products and services (Ganorkar et al., 2020; Hardan and Shatnawi, 2013; Zamrud and Abu, 2020). Without accurate cost accounting, managers cannot balance incomes and costs to sustain the endeavors of projects and govern organizations, firms, and even whole economies (Berisha, 2017; Ganorkar et al., 2020; Hardan and Shatnawi, 2013). Cost management is crucial for both for-profit and not-for-profit organizations that aim to be competitive and cost efficient (Hofmann and McSwain, 2013; Stouthuysen et al., 2014; Varila et al., 2007). Although the importance of cost accounting is beyond reasonable doubt, studies have shown that understanding cost structures and dynamics and cost assessments is not a trivial task for accountants and managers (Berisha, 2017; Hardan and Shatnawi, 2013; Uyar and Kuzey, 2016).

Discussion and conclusions

     In today’s highly competitive environment, there is an urgent need to calculate costs and revenues accurately so that companies can survive and ensure long-term profitability (Berisha, 2017; Ganorkar et al., 2020). Calculating the cost of products and services, however, remains a difficult exercise to ensure that costs do not exceed market prices. The TDABC model was proposed to remove the limitations of traditional costing systems and the ABC model. The distinctive feature of TDABC is that the time of an activity is at the forefront of the assessment of the cost of that activity. However, employees’ time estimates are prone to measurement errors in cost assessment (Barros and da Costa Ferreira, 2017; Cardinaels and Labro, 2008; Gervais et al., 2010). They lead to misinformed managerial decision making because TDABC accounts for only one kind of time, namely physical or clock-time, assuming that it is objective. The cognitive science literature shows a significant difference between a worker’s cognitive time and physical clock time, understood as the relationship between perceived time and physical time (Block and Eisler, 1999; Levin and Zakay, 1989). In this paper, we propose an updated version of TDABC that accounts for human agents’ cognitive time and the fact that cognitive time typically does not equal physical time, hence producing CTD. The CTABC technology proposed in this paper remedies the shortcomings of time assessment using traditional TDABC by accounting for CTD and incorporating it into the TDABC calculations.

Abstract

Purpose

     This study aims to examine the mediating role played by corporate governance (CG) in the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and analyst forecast quality.

Design/methodology/approach

     The authors raise three specific questions: Does CG play a mediating role in the relationship between CSR and analyst forecast quality? If so, is such mediation effect of CG reduced for firms with weak governance? Do firms with superior CSR performance experience higher analyst forecast quality through the mediation effect of CG?

Findings

     The present results suggest that CG serves as a partial mediator that facilitates CSR’s positive influence on analyst forecast quality. However, further analyses show that in firms with a low governance score, CG does not have a mediation effect. Conversely, the authors find that firms with superior CSR performance have higher forecast quality through the mediation effect of CG. The authors also find that the mediation effect of CG is more pronounced for the environmental component than for the social component of CSR

Originality/value

     To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to investigate the role of CG as a mediator between CSR and analyst forecast quality and to reveal that the strength of this effect varies depending on firms’ CG level and CSR commitment.

Introduction

     Informative stock price in financial markets is essential to efficient resource allocation in an economy, and the analyst report is an important avenue to producing a more informed stock price that also leads to better stock performance in the long term (Brav and Lehavy, 2003; Fernandez et al., 2011; Asquith et al., 2005; Lennox and Park, 2006). Although corporate social responsibility (CSR) is becoming a significant part of corporate activity, the literature about the influence of CSR on analyst forecast quality offers largely mixed findings. Some studies find that socially responsible firms experience lower levels of conflict among stakeholders, which may reduce information asymmetry in prices and thus result in more accurate analyst forecasts (Al-Hadi et al., 2019; Becchetti et al., 2015). Other studies suggest that CSR can be used by management as a greenwashing strategy to manipulate legitimacy for obtaining societal acceptance (Jo and Harjoto, 2012; Orlitzky, 2013), which can lead to price distortion and potentially mislead analyst forecasts. In an attempt to reconcile these inconclusive findings, we incorporate the unique role of corporate governance (CG) as a mediator, aiming to investigate the mediation effect of firms’ CG on the relationship between CSR and analyst forecast quality

Conclusion

     This study explored the relationship between CSR and analyst forecast quality and examined the mediation effect of CG. Our results reveal that CG acts as a partial mediator affecting the relationship between CSR and analyst forecast quality, and the mediating role of CG is muted in firms with low level of CG mechanism. Further, our results show that for firms committing to excess CSR, CG also plays a partial mediating role in facilitating CSR’s positive influence on forecast quality.

     This study offers two incremental contributions. First, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to explicitly investigate the role of CG as a mediator between CSR and analyst quality. Second, after splitting CSR into expected CSR and excess CSR, we obtain results that support the signaling hypothesis, indicating that excess CSR engagement by some firms enhances analyst forecast quality through CG as a mediator. Overall, our findings add to extant literature on the nexus of CSR, CG and information asymmetry by providing strong evidence that CG complements CSR to enhance analyst forecast quality.

Abstract

Introduction

Conceptional and Operational Framework

Sample, Variables, and Methodology

Results

Discussion

References

Funding

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Abstract

The internal audit function (IAF) has become one of the main pillars of good corporate governance. Empirical findings show that the size of the IAF varies considerably across companies. This study analyzes the relationships between selected company characteristics as determinants of intra-company information asymmetries and the size of the IAF as an indicator of intra-company monitoring. We test these relationships by analyzing comprehensive survey data obtained from chief audit executives from 283 Austrian, German, and Swiss companies. Using a nonparametric regression approach, we identify significant nonlinear relationships between company characteristics and IAF size. The empirical analysis identifies threshold levels for several metric company characteristics, such as the number of employees and the number of subsidiaries, whose relationships with the size of the IAF change its intensity.

Introduction

The level of acceptance of internal auditing as a crucial element of good corporate governance has been increasingly acknowledged (e.g., Carcello et al. 2020; Eulerich and Eulerich 2020; Gramling et al. 2004). Internal auditing can be seen as “a systematic, disciplined approach to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of risk management, control, and governance processes” that can “add value and improve an organization’s operations” (Institute of Internal Auditors 2016). In this context, the Institute of Internal Auditors, the worldwide standard-setting body, as well as other regulating institutions, such as the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and the New York Stock Exchange, require listed companies to implement an internal audit function (IAF). While the benefits of an effective IAF are manifold and well documented in the literature, research that provides reliable empirical insights on IAF is still incomplete (DeFond and Zhang 2014; Christ et al. 2021).

We investigate from an organizational perspective whether and to what extent several company characteristics that largely determine intra-company information asymmetries are associated with different sizes of the IAF of European companies. A special feature of the empirical method applied in this paper is that it takes into account nonlinear relationships between metric company characteristics and the size of the IAF. Also, it directly estimates the effective nonlinear relationships based on the available observations. The empirical results show that there are significant nonlinear relationships between company characteristics, such as the number of employees, the number of subsidiaries, and the intensity with which different stakeholders use IAF, and IAF size. We identify threshold levels for these metric company characteristics whose relationships with the size of the IAF change its intensity. As a result, the identified nonlinear relationships create a more holistic understanding of the determinants of the size of the IAF.

Abstract

1. Introduction

2. Literature

3. Methodology

4. Case analysis: sensemaking and liminal identity work by management accountants

5. Discussion

6. Conclusion

Acknowledgments

Appendix A. Interviews and meetings

References

Abstract

     In response to calls for research on the ways in which management accountants make sense of their professional identities in organisational disruptions, this paper explores their identity work during a merger. Drawing on a case study of a merger between two Dutch banks, the paper examines their identity work as they found themselves in a liminal state – i.e. “betwixt and between” workplace identities. The paper identifies two types of identity work in a merger. Inside-out identity work was the process of identity negotiation through which each partnering group sought to make sense of their own distinctive liminal experiences. This type of identity work brought about intra- and inter-professional conflict. By contrast, outside-in identity work was founded on intergroup bases of identification, which were authenticated by credible role-models. This type of identity work gave rise to the construction of a superordinate workplace identity through which incoherent workplace identities could co-exist with shared intergroup identities. The paper contributes to the literature by highlighting the persistence of incoherent identity positions of management accountants in a merger and the intergroup struggles this generates. Moreover, it illuminates the processes through which these positions can ultimately be brought closer together.

Introduction

     In recent years, a considerable stream of research has emerged which focuses on understanding how management accountants attempt to transition into more desirable aspirational roles – often described as “business partner” (Byrne and Pierce, 2007; Seal and Mattimoe, 2014). These role transitions can be usefully conceptualised as identity projects (Goretzki and Messner, 2019; Morales and Lambert, 2013), in which management accountants are actively engaged in identity work – “forming, repairing, maintaining, strengthening or revising the constructions that are productive of a sense of coherence and distinctiveness” (Sveningsson and Alvesson, 2003, p. 1165). Although various papers have documented successful transitions into aspirational professional identities (Ahrens and Chapman, 2000; Granlund and Lukka, 1998, 1997; Jarvenp ¨ a¨a, ¨ 2007; Lambert and Pezet, 2010), recent reports point to the complexities associated with management accountants’ identity work (Guo, 2018; Horton and Wanderley, 2018).

     Specifically, there is only a rudimentary understanding of how management accountants make sense of their identity in conditions of involuntary occupational change and organisational transitions (Empson, 2004). In these conditions, the attributes of workplace identity are likely to be subject to intense sensemaking efforts (B´evort and Suddaby, 2016; Gendron and Spira, 2010). Yet, the literature on management accountants’ identity sensemaking in ambiguous and unstructured organisational conditions has remained mostly grounded in either a positive ontology of the business partner as an undeniably desirable set of aspirational identity attributes (Morales and Lambert, 2013), or a highly structured and formalized process of identity work where the outcomes are largely prescribed (often through a “business partner” discourse). Ashforth notes that “identity is a product of social interaction grounded in specific contexts at specific times such that one’s sense of self-in-organization is emergent and somewhat fluid. Thus the process of identification is crucial” (1998, pp. 213–214, emphasis in original). Therefore, there is a need for further refinement of our understanding of this process of identity work, especially in conditions of organisational transition. Goretzki and Messner recognise this need when they call for research in empirical settings “where identity work is performed in a more emergent and less orchestrated way” (2019, p. 19).

Conclusion

     This paper highlights management accountants’ sensemaking of workplace identities in a process of merging. Although this study contributes to an understanding of identity work in these unstructured and ambiguous conditions, there are some limitations, providing opportunities for further scholarly enquiry. First, this paper has not revealed how common identity attributes of management accountants are diffused throughout the profession and beyond the boundaries of an individual firm. In recent years, scholars have examined the reciprocal influence of institutions and institutional logics on the one hand, and identity work on the other (Goretzki et al., 2013; Lok, 2010; Meyer and Hammerschmid, 2006). These works suggest that identities and institutions are mutually constitutive in the ways that changed identity attributes propagate through and between professional fields. These research streams need further development, especially given the complexities of identity work under shifting organisational boundaries, as illustrated in this paper. Therefore, this paper calls for further research on inter-organisational identity work of management accountants, building on the conceptual richness of identity work to uncover how extra-organisational and institutional dynamics affect the construction and dissemination of workplace identities.

Abstract

1. Introduction

2. Theoretical Background

3. Methodology

4. Results

5. Some Reflections for Further Research and Concluding Remarks

References

Abstract

     The new public management reforms have led to significant changes in higher education institutions (HEIs) regarding the management accounting and control (MAC) of these organizations. Therefore, this paper provides an overview of the main studies on MAC in these types of organizations through a systematic literature review (SLR). The PRISMA guidelines were followed, and data were collected from the Web of Science and Scopus databases. The final sample encompassed 50 articles, published between 1981 and 2020. The results show that MAC research tends to focus on management control systems and performance evaluation systems. They also suggest that, although the development and implementation of various MAC tools are crucial for HEIs, such implementation often is partial. This is due to the stakeholders’ perceptions/attitudes regarding the importance of such tools. The results also indicate that institutional theory is the most addressed one. Most of the time, HEIs implement MAC tools due to external pressures. By synthesizing the main trends in MAC, this SLR intends to provide a theoretical contribution to the literature in this research field. Several themes for further research are suggested, such as assessing the relationship between MAC and the management of “knowledge” and intellectual capital in these institutions, and addressing sustainability issues. From a practical viewpoint, HEI managers can obtain important insights to apply the most appropriate tools to their institutions.

Introduction

     In past decades, accounting ceased to have as its sole purpose the mere registration of financial transactions, becoming a strong tool to, among other things, evaluate organizations’ performance and to maximize their profitability. Management accounting (MA) emerged as a means of responding to the shortcomings of financial accounting, which focuses essentially on controlling and recording relations with third parties, variations in equity and determining the net result in a global context (Hardan and Shatnawi 2013). In the 1980s, Johnson and Kaplan (1987) noted the need for organizations to have a system that could provide information on strategic variables deemed relevant to create value. For example, the Activity-Based Costing (ABC) system, developed by Johnson and Kaplan (1987), emerged as a response to the limitations inherent in the existing systems, which were known for not being timely and rigorous. As for management control, several studies have focused on addressing the deviations between the objectives initially planned and the ones achieved. Once the deviations have been estimated, corrections must be made.

     In fact, the word “management” refers to an effective manner of using material, human, financial, information and technological resources, which are implemented to address the objectives defined in advance (El Filali and Hassainate 2018). To achieve the desired efficiency and effectiveness, management control systems (MCS) are fundamental. These systems are useful in supporting decision making, such as on changing or maintaining certain organizational activities (Guenther and Schmidt 2015).

Results

     This section is devoted to the qualitative analysis of selected articles, highlighting their contents and bibliometric features.

     4.1. Main Topics Addressed in Studies on Management Accounting and Control in HEIs

     HEIs pertain to a sector that has been experiencing considerable changes through the reforms of the new public management (NPM). In fact, during the assessment of the sample, a category emerged, encompassing several articles focused on “NPM reforms and changes in HEIs”, through management control systems (MCS) or performance evaluation systems (see Sizer 1981; Petrides et al. 2004; Chung et al. 2009; Boitier and Rivière 2013, 2016; Martin-Sardesai 2016; Visser 2016; Martin-Sardesai et al. 2019; Kallio et al. 2020).

     With regard to NPM reforms, Kallio et al.’s (2020) study aimed to understand how public sector reforms have affected the organizing of HEIs in Finland, the performance evaluation criteria and ultimately their raison d’être. On the other hand, Boitier and Rivière (2016) studied how MCS can be drivers of a new management logic in a French university, considering a context where strong institutional logic prevails. Regarding changes in HEIs, Martin-Sardesai (2016) conducted a study that aimed to explore how MCS complement institutional entrepreneurship. Similarly, Agyemang and Broadbent (2015) examined how HEIs in the UK developed MCS in response to external impositions.

Abstract

Introduction

Background

Research methodology

Data analysis

Findings

Conclusion

Appendix

References

Abstract

     The environment in which manufacturing small and medium enterprises operate has become very complex, and therefore manufacturing SME’s owners need to be aware of the impact their decisions have on the environment and society. The aim of the research was to identify which innovative management accounting practices can be integrated into manufacturing SMEs’ strategies to overcome the challenge of being blamed by stakeholders as contributors to social and environmental problems. Published articles were sourced from the University of South Africa’s online library using keywords. A systematic literature review was employed to discover themes and concepts during secondary data gathering to detect traditional and innovative MAPs in management accounting literature all over the globe. The qualitative data analysis and research software, Atlas.ti was used to synthesise the data. Thematic analysis was used to evaluate the occurrence of words, phrases, themes, metaphors, and the construction of concepts in MAPs literature. During the analysis, seven innovative MAPs (activity base costing/budgeting; product life cycle costing; total quality management; environmental costing; target costing; kaizen costing and value analysis) were identified. It is recommended that manufacturing SMEs integrate these innovative MAPs into their strategies to impact their environmental, social, supply chain management and recycling policies to promote operational efficiency to achieve sustainability.

Introduction

     Manufacturing controls the well-being and wealth of every economy; however, it also directly or indirectly leads to the depletion of the ecosystem and burdens society (Bonvoisin et al., 2017). As a result, society today blames manufacturing enterprises as partly causing global social and environmental problems (Capros et al., 2016). Therefore, high profile multi-national enterprises are also experiencing pressure from stakeholders and broader society to contribute towards environmental sustainability (Syakir et al., 2017; Wangombe, 2013). Jalaludin et al. (2011); Lucas et al. (2013) and Ntalamia (2017) argue that for enterprises to mitigate this pressure from stakeholders, they may need to integrate Management Accounting (MA) into their strategy to help reduce the pressure tarnishing their image in society. Nair and Nian (2017); and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA, 2014), describe MA as the process to assist with decision-making to create value and guarantee sustainable achievements.

Conclusion

     To address the problem of this research, the systematic literature review discovered that manufacturing SMEs exert considerable pressure on the environment and society through their collective impact of smaller activities (Wangombe, 2013). These impacts could be traced and controlled by using innovative MAPs as a strategic tool which may provide precise information to advance manufacturing SMEs’ social and environmental disclosure on its performance to promote their sustainability. The summary of the findings is presented in Fig. 5 to show the identified innovative MAPs, how they may impact manufacturing SMEs strategic policies and operations to promote their sustainability.

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Abstract

The abundance of new innovative data sources creates opportunities and challenges for all professions and professionals working with information. One of these professionals is the management accountant (MA). Although their tasks have expanded over time and especially recently, MAs have not fully employed all the available internal and external data sources to describe, diagnose, visualize, predict and prescribe possible solutions that enable smart decisions with positive effects on businesses. Thus, the paper investigates the impact of Big Data, including Data Analytics, on MA’s job profile. Through a review of the most recent academic and professional publications, the paper contributes to the debate surrounding the redefinition of the role of MAs in organizations in a novel informational perspective of Abbott’s theory. The results could serve as a research agenda and incentive for further studies, as well as provide MAs with a guide on the topic of the enlargement of their role(s), respectively, the augmentation of their tasks and responsibilities regarding the analysis of Big Data. Furthermore, the research may provide both a rich and flexible framework to help practitioners in their analysis of potential risks, opportunities and challenges when handling Big Data, and a lens for professional accounting associations and bodies by helping them to prioritize the holding and seizing of jurisdictions as an imperative part of safety and security.

1. Introduction

The digital transformation of economies, as well as technological innovations, trends, and breakthroughs worldwide, are currently affecting all businesses, through enabling new more fluid and dynamic forms of cooperation and, thus, requiring companies to reflect on their business model and strategies (Möller et al. 2020). In the digital era, there is a tremendous variety of open data sources available on the Internet that requires specific data-processing software and hardware to handle it and advanced techniques for analysis. At the same time, there is an increasing request in using predictions and data-driven decision-making in organizations’ practices. The new digital technologies like Blockchain, Big Data (BD), Data Analytics (DA), Robotic Process Automation, and Artificial Intelligence have revitalized the relationship between technology and the accounting profession (Vasarhelyi et al. 2015; Moll and Yigitbasioglu 2019; Tiron-Tudor et al. 2021). Moreover, it is expected that accountants’ job profiles will be highly altered in the future by the synergic effect of all these disruptive technologies.

Management accountants (MAs) are in the best position to establish the data needed in terms of volume and type to support an organization, as they have a holistic view of an organization and its existing information systems (ACCA 2020a). Business managers rely on MAs’ capability to monitor the business’s costs and performance and to plan the business strategy (Appelbaum et al. 2017; ACCA 2020a, 2020b). Management accounting as a profession involves collaborating in management decision-making, conceiving planning and performance systems, and supporting financial reporting and control to sustain topmanagement in defining and implementing an organization’s strategies (IMA 2019; ACCA 2020c, 2020d).