Educating management accountants as business partners

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 517-541
Author(s):  
Morten Jakobsen ◽  
Falconer Mitchell ◽  
Hanne Nørreklit ◽  
Mihaela Trenca
Keyword(s):  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Management Accounting ◽  
Accounting Education ◽  
Business Practices ◽  
Business Partner ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Business Partners ◽  
Pragmatic Constructivism ◽  
Ability To Act ◽  
Management Accountants

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate a paradigmatic foundation for educators to prepare students of management accounting for the new demands of the role of trusted business partner in practice. Design/methodology/approach The paper argues for the use of pragmatic constructivism as a basis for development of a paradigmatic foundation for educating advanced students of management accounting. Furthermore, it contains an empirical insight through a case example of how pragmatic constructivism can be used as a pedagogical tool in different management accounting educational situations. Findings The analysis shows how pragmatic constructivism can be used as a less reductionist paradigm than realism to tackle the research-teaching-practice deficiencies found in conventional thinking on accounting education. Pragmatic constructivism is shown to provide important methodological and conceptual elements in developing, understanding and guiding the application of management accounting techniques in dynamic business practices. Placing an emphasis on teaching methodological skills relevant for management accountants is shown to have an important impact on students and their ability to act as business partners. Research limitations/implications The analysis is exploratory in the sense that a new paradigmatic framework for educating students of management accounting to be business partners is outlined and illustrated through its implementation in a specific master’s degree programme. However, this analysis should be viewed as only a first step towards developing pragmatic constructivism as a paradigmatic foundation for teaching management accounting as a basis for a business partner role. Originality/value The proposed use of research on pragmatic constructivism as a basis for management accounting education to support a future business partner role is novel in the literature on management accounting. The value of its application lies in its potential to create successful utilisation of the practices of management accounting.

Occupational identities of management accountants: the role of the IT system

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 465-482 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafael Heinzelmann
Keyword(s):  
Reference Point ◽  
Management Accounting ◽  
Resource Planning ◽  
Identity Work ◽  
Business Partner ◽  
Content Type ◽  
It Systems ◽  
Management Accountants ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of IT systems on occupational identities of management accountants. The author highlights the pivotal role of the IT system as a central reference point for organisational identity regulation and identity work. Design/methodology/approach The paper is based on a qualitative case study approach. Findings The IT system presents the central means of establishing appropriate behaviour in case organisation (“identity regulation”). At the same time, the IT system acts as a sense-giving device (“identity work”) – the central reference point for management accountants to make sense of their work. In addition, the system creates more dirty and unclean work (Morales and Lambert, 2013), producing dissonance between the business partner role and the organisational reality, which is resolved by relating dirty and unclean work through use of the SAP Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. Research limitations/implications The paper suggests to understand IT systems as an important driver of the management accounting work shaping the occupational identity of management accountants. Practical implications The author aims to sensitise practitioners and organisations to the potential risks of relying too strongly on IT systems – a behaviour which can limit the professional judgement and business insight of management accountants. Originality/value The author contributes to the discussion on how technological disruptions, e.g. ERP implementation, Big Data, business analytics, digitalisation, change management accountants’ identity and management accounting work. The author shows how organisations establish appropriate behaviour and how management accountants make sense upon dissonances between the professional ideals exemplified by business partner role and the organisational realities.

scholarly journals A gap in management accounting education: fact or fiction

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 107-126 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vida Lucia Botes ◽  
Umesh Sharma
Keyword(s):  
Balanced Scorecard ◽  
Management Accounting ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Accounting Education ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Balanced Scorecard ◽  
Management Accountants ◽  
Customer Perspective ◽  
Overall Performance ◽  
Management Accounting Education

Purpose The aim of this paper is to gain insights into the gap that persists between management accounting education (MAE) and practice. Design/methodology/approach MAE is examined from four perspectives of the balanced scorecard (BSC), in terms of what is being taught at tertiary level: customer satisfaction, learning and growth, internal business and financial. A survey questionnaire was sent to management accountants selected randomly from a list of practicing management accountants identified by the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants in South Africa. Findings The study finds support for allegations that a gap exists between MAE and practice and indicates that to address this gap, a holistic focus using the four perspectives of the BSC would be useful to investigate the gap. Research limitations/implications Previous studies in relation to the gap in management education have focused on the lack of skills provided by tertiary education. As one of the few studies to focus on the overall performance of MAE, this study identifies that the gap is not limited to the provision of adequate skills. The findings show that the gap is significant in terms of customer perspective but is not significant in relation to the internal business, learning and growth and financial perspectives of the BSC. The study provides deeper insights into the gap and will help tertiary education providers to improve their performance. Practical implications As one of the few studies on gaps between MAE and practice, the study provides insights to the potential gaps. The findings serve as a basis for further empirical and theoretical enquiries. Originality/value The study contributes to the management accounting literature by focusing on the gap in MAE using a BSC approach. Rather than single out the lack of skills provided by MAE as a reason for the gap, this paper provides information on the four areas of the BSC as ways to identify the gap.

scholarly journals Constructing constructivism in management accounting education: reflections from a teaching cycle with innovative learning elements

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelum Jayasinghe
Keyword(s):  
Active Learning ◽  
Qualitative Methods ◽  
Management Accounting ◽  
Accounting Education ◽  
Constructivist Teaching ◽  
Learning Approaches ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Radical Constructivist ◽  
Innovative Learning ◽  
Management Accounting Education

Purpose This study aims to address the possibility of integrating some elements of the “radical constructivist” approach to management accounting teaching. It answers the following two questions: to what extent should management accounting educators construct a “radical constructivist” foundation to guide active learning? Then, in which ways can management accounting educators use qualitative methods to facilitate “radical constructivist” education? Design/methodology/approach The study uses a teaching cycle that implements innovative learning elements, e.g. learning from ordinary people, designed following the principles of “radical constructivism”, to engage students with “externalities” at the centre of their knowledge construction. It adopts an ethnographic approach comprising interviews and participant observation for the data collection, followed by the application of qualitative content and narrative analysis of the data. Findings The study findings and reflections illustrate that the majority of students respond positively to radical constructivist learning if the educators can develop an innovative problem-solving and authentic environment that is close to their real lives. The radical constructivist teaching cycle discussed in this study has challenged the mindsets of the management accounting students as it altered the traditional objectivist academic learning approaches that students were familiar with. Its use of qualitative methods facilitated active learning. Student feedback was sought as part of the qualitative design, which provided a constructive mechanism for the students and educators to learn and unlearn from their mistakes. This process enriched the understanding of learners (students) and educators of successful engagement in radical constructivist management accounting education and provides a base upon which to design future teaching cycles. Originality/value The paper provides proof of the ability of accounting educators, as change agents, to apply radical constructivist epistemology combined with multiple qualitative research methods by creating new constructive learning structures and cultures associated with innovative deep-learning tasks in management accounting education.

Boundary subjects and boundary objects in accounting fact construction and communication

2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 303-329 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teemu Laine ◽  
Tuomas Korhonen ◽  
Petri Suomala ◽  
Asta Rantamaa
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Boundary Objects ◽  
Shared Understanding ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Business Partners ◽  
Pragmatic Constructivism ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to elaborate the concepts of boundary subjects and boundary objects in constructing and communicating relevant accounting facts for managing product development (PD). Boundary subjects as reflective actors benefit effective accounting enactment, by building a shared understanding about different actors’ roles and information needs, and by helping to respond to these needs with new boundary objects. Design/methodology/approach The paper uses a longitudinal interventionist case study of a machinery manufacturer. The focus of this case study was the production ramp-up phase at the end of a PD program. Different actors’ needs were first collected and elaborated by interventionist researchers (boundary subjects). Then accounting prototypes (boundary objects) provided new means of communication. Findings The findings show that dealing with boundaries is crucial in accounting development. The role of boundary subjects was fundamental in the process of choosing, constructing, elaborating and communicating accounting facts. During this process, accounting prototypes integrated new accounting facts, the boundary subjects mitigated the boundaries and the boundary objects focused and restricted communication about accounting facts. Research limitations/implications The paper tests the pragmatic constructivism approach by examining accounting enactment under uncertainty and ambiguity. The study refines pragmatic constructivism in terms of boundaries, boundary subjects as actors and boundary objects. Practical implications The intentional use of boundary subjects and objects as communication platform could push a more active inclusion of business controllers as active business partners. Originality/value The paper contributes to the literature on accounting development by highlighting the use of boundary subjects and boundary objects as fundamental mechanisms in constructing and communicating accounting facts.

Data analytics by management accountants

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gary Spraakman ◽  
Cristobal Sanchez-Rodriguez ◽  
Carol Anne Tuck-Riggs
Keyword(s):  
Data Analytics ◽  
Qualitative Methodology ◽  
Management Accounting ◽  
Content Type ◽  
External Data ◽  
South Central ◽  
Management Accountants ◽  
Central Canada ◽  
Financial Data Analysis ◽  
Rich Data

Purpose This paper aims to understand how the tasks of management accountants (MA) are affected by data analytics (DA). Design/methodology/approach A qualitative methodology was deemed most appropriate given the exploratory nature of the research questions (RQ). In total, 10 open-ended interview questions were used to gather the evidence. The case study design was inductive, yielding rich data from 29 respondents representing 20 different organizations. Findings Answers were provided to three interrelated RQs about the use of DA by MA, namely, what are their responsibilities? How does this work support inference, prediction and assurance? And how can they ensure insights from DA can be turned into decisions that add value? The findings also indicate that MA have not taken charge of the data analytic opportunities and at present, their activities remain largely focused on descriptive and financial data analysis rather than more complex activities using external data, operational data and modeling. Research limitations/implications The limitation of this research is that it is based on a relatively small, geographically restricted sample (20 organizations in south-central Canada) as well by interviews that were only 60 min in duration. Practical implications Provides a base for the existing practice of management accounting with DA. Social implications Explains the social relationship between DA and management accounting. Originality/value Documented and explained the extent of actual DA use by MA.

Factors influencing adoption of the international financial reporting standards (IFRS) in accounting education

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdulaziz Alzeban
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Teaching Experience ◽  
Accounting Education ◽  
Reporting Standards ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Financial Reporting Standards ◽  
Departmental Support ◽  
Type Of Institution ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to explore the challenges faced by accounting educators in their attempts to incorporate IFRS materials in their teaching and explores the impact of various factors (instructor’s attitude, size of accounting department, teaching load, type of institution, teaching experience and teaching materials) on the time spent on teaching IFRS materials in undergraduate accounting programmes. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire survey was administered to faculty members working in Saudi Arabian universities, and interviews were held with a small number of such individuals in different universities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Findings The results indicate that the instructor’s attitude and availability of IFRS materials exert the most influence upon the time spent by teachers on the IFRS. They further find that departmental support, familiarity with IFRS, training and teaching experience in IFRS are positively associated with the time spent on teaching the IFRS. Originality/value The important implication is that accounting educators must adapt their teaching practice in light of the increasing adoption of the global financial reporting standards.

Quality in qualitative management accounting research

2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanne Nørreklit
Keyword(s):  
Cost Management ◽  
Management Accounting ◽  
Language Game ◽  
Language Games ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Four Dimensions ◽  
Accounting Research ◽  
Pragmatic Constructivism ◽  
Insight Into

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to demonstrate how the quality of Qualitative Research in Accounting & Management (QRAM) is manifested through the conceptualization of knowledge about functioning actions that are applicable for local management accounting practices. Design/methodology/approach – Drawing on language game theory and pragmatic constructivism, the paper analyzes the “practice doing” embedded in key language games of the case descriptions of three articles on intra-organizational buyer-supplier relations published in QRAM with the aim of revealing how they contribute to the development of a performativity in management accounting topos that integrates facts, possibilities, values and communication. Findings – The analysis documents that the three QRAM articles on inter-organizational cost management make a common contribution to the knowledge related to what to do to make functional actions within the practice of inter-organizational cost management. Together, the articles provide conceptual rigour with a complexity in content that can encompass the four dimensions of integration. Research limitations/implications – In providing a framework for analyzing practice relevance, the paper has implications for contemporary discussions on doing research that is relevant for practice. Originality/value – The paper provides novel insight into the analysis of quality in management accounting research. Additionally, it provides a framework for reflecting on the accumulation of practice-relevant knowledge and identifying areas requiring more research.

When Do Opportunity Costs Count? The Impact of Vagueness, Project Completion Stage, and Management Accounting Experience

2010 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Marie Victoravich
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Management Accounting ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Opportunity Costs ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Business Partner ◽  
Project Completion ◽  
Management Accountants ◽  
Two Factors ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACT: Management accountants have recently migrated toward a business partner role, and as a result they often assist management with the decision-making process. Thus, it is imperative that they excel at identification of relevant information such as opportunity costs. This study experimentally tests the prediction that management accounting experience mitigates the tendency to ignore opportunity costs with respect to two factors: opportunity cost vagueness and project completion stage. This study also investigates whether attending to opportunity costs has an impact on project continuance decisions. Results indicate that management accounting experience mitigates the effect of vague opportunity costs and project completion stage. It was also found that attention to opportunity costs acts as mediator and this in turn reduces the tendency to continue an existing project. This suggests that attending to opportunity costs influences decision-making and that it is likely to have an economic consequence.

scholarly journals Cost consciousness: conceptual development from a management accounting perspective

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
Santiago Velasquez ◽  
Petri Suomala ◽  
Marko Järvenpää
Keyword(s):  
Control Systems ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Conceptual Development ◽  
Management Accounting ◽  
Management Control ◽  
Management Control Systems ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Management Accountants ◽  
The Common ◽  
The Cost

Purpose – This paper aims to take note of the need to better understand cost consciousness from a management accounting perspective and serves as an exploratory study striving to analyze how the notion has been addressed by management accounting scholars. Design/methodology/approach – This paper presents the findings of a thorough literature review identifying the drivers, interpretations, definitions and results which management accounting scholars have associated with cost consciousness. Findings – This paper has synthesized the definitions and interpretations by considering their conceptual broadness and the subjects that cost consciousness characterizes. In addition, various potential drivers of cost consciousness have been identified where management control systems play a major role. Also, this paper summarizes both the positive and negative outcomes which scholars seem to expect from an increase of cost consciousness. Research limitations/implications – Given that no prior work has focused on the conceptual development of cost consciousness, it was necessary to infer most of the interpretations, drivers and results which management accounting scholars have associated to the cost consciousness notion. Originality/value – Cost consciousness is a concept that appears in hundreds of peer-reviewed articles on management accounting. However, only a handful of management accounting scholars have defined or evaluated this concept to a certain degree. As a result, what management accountants believe cost consciousness to be, how it is driven and what result may be expected from it, is nowhere to be found in any synthesized manner. The findings of this paper develop the concept of cost consciousness by illuminating the common use of the construct across various disciplines.

scholarly journals The role of management accountant in enterprises operating in Poland

2017 ◽  
pp. 0-0
Author(s):  
Ewelina Zarzycka
Keyword(s):  
World Literature ◽  
Management Accounting ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Business Partners ◽  
Management Accountant ◽  
Management Accountants ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Short Period ◽  
Eastern European Countries

The role of management accountant in enterprises operating in Poland The short period of the functioning of management accounting in enterprises operating in Central and Eastern Europe may suggest that advanced professional models identified by management accounting researchers and described in world literature have not developed in this region. The main objective of the study was to identify the role of a management accountant in enterprises operating in Poland as compared to international solutions. The set objective has been met thanks to the analysis of the information includ-ed in job offers seeking management accountants. The obtained results show that in enterprises operating in Poland, management accountants play the role of in-house business consultants strongly oriented towards matters of the organisations for which they work. However, they do not participate in the deci-sion-making processes on equal terms with other managers, which means that they are not business partners yet. The study broadens the existing state of knowledge by adding a description of the current level of development of the role of management accountants in Poland as compared to the concepts considered to be models in developed countries. It is also a starting point for further, more detailed re-search on the development of this profession in Central and Eastern European countries, which to date has not been a subject of research. null

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