IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eme/aaajpp/v21y2008i2p204-228.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Strategic management accounting: how far have we come in 25 years?

Author

Listed:
  • Kim Langfield‐Smith

Abstract

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of the origins of strategic management accounting and to assess the extent of adoption and “success” of strategic management accounting (SMA). Design/methodology/approach - Empirical papers which have directly researched SMA and prior review papers of the adoption and implementation of SMA or SMA techniques are reviewed. As well as assessing the extent of adoption of SMA and the reasons underlying an apparent low adoption rate, the role of accountants in adopting and implementing SMA is considered. Finally, the success or otherwise of SMA is discussed. Findings - SMA or SMA techniques have not been adopted widely, nor is the term SMA widely understood or used. However, aspects of SMA have had an impact, influencing the thinking and language of business, and the way in which we undertake various business processes. These issues cut across the wider domain of management, and are not just the province of management accountants. Research limitations/implications - There is limited value in conducting future surveys of the adoption and implementation of SMA or SMA techniques. Rather, the focus should be on how SMA‐inspired techniques and processes diffuse into general practice within organizations. Originality/value - Twenty‐five years after the term strategic management accounting was first introduced in the literature, this paper brings together disparate literature and provides a broad assessment of the “state‐of‐the‐art” of strategic management accounting to inform researchers and practitioners.

Suggested Citation

  • Kim Langfield‐Smith, 2008. "Strategic management accounting: how far have we come in 25 years?," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 21(2), pages 204-228, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:eme:aaajpp:v:21:y:2008:i:2:p:204-228
    DOI: 10.1108/09513570810854400
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/09513570810854400/full/html?utm_source=repec&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=repec
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers
    File URL: https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/09513570810854400/full/pdf?utm_source=repec&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=repec
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1108/09513570810854400?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Baumol, William J, 1982. "Contestable Markets: An Uprising in the Theory of Industry Structure," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 72(1), pages 1-15, March.
    2. Anderson, Shannon W. & Hesford, James W. & Young, S. Mark, 2002. "Factors influencing the performance of activity based costing teams: a field study of ABC model development time in the automobile industry," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 27(3), pages 195-211, April.
    3. Bromwich, Michael, 1990. "The case for strategic management accounting: The role of accounting information for strategy in competitive markets," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 15(1-2), pages 27-46.
    4. Chenhall, Robert H. & Langfield-Smith, Kim, 2007. "Multiple Perspectives of Performance Measures," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 25(4), pages 266-282, August.
    5. Yasuhiro Monden, 2000. "Japanese Cost Management," World Scientific Books, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., number p159, August.
    6. Isabelle Huault & V. Perret & S. Charreire-Petit, 2007. "Management," Post-Print halshs-00337676, HAL.
    7. Hopper, Trevor & Armstrong, Peter, 1991. "Cost accounting, controlling labour and the rise of conglomerates," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 16(5-6), pages 405-438.
    8. Anderson, Shannon W. & Young, S. Mark, 1999. "The impact of contextual and process factors on the evaluation of activity-based costing systems," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 24(7), pages 525-559, October.
    9. Simons, Robert, 1987. "Accounting control systems and business strategy: An empirical analysis," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 12(4), pages 357-374, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Libuše Šoljaková, 2012. "Strategic Management Accounting Development during Last 30 Years," European Financial and Accounting Journal, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2012(2), pages 24-35.
    2. Luft, Joan & Shields, Michael D., 2003. "Mapping management accounting: graphics and guidelines for theory-consistent empirical research," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 28(2-3), pages 169-249.
    3. Pike, Richard H. & Tayles, Mike E. & Mansor, Nur Naha Abu, 2011. "Activity-based costing user satisfaction and type of system: A research note," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 43(1), pages 65-72.
    4. Ittner, Christopher D. & Larcker, David F., 2001. "Assessing empirical research in managerial accounting: a value-based management perspective," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(1-3), pages 349-410, December.
    5. Collins, F & Holzmann, O & Mendoza, R, 1997. "Strategy, Budgeting, And Crisis In Latin America," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 22(7), pages 669-689, October.
    6. Banker, Rajiv D. & Bardhan, Indranil R. & Chen, Tai-Yuan, 2008. "The role of manufacturing practices in mediating the impact of activity-based costing on plant performance," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 33(1), pages 1-19, January.
    7. Dambrin, Claire & Löning, Hélène, 2008. "Uncovering Simons’ structuralism with cognitive theories: Interactive control systems and processes of learning," HEC Research Papers Series 896, HEC Paris.
    8. Gregory Wegmann & Stephen Nozile, 2008. "The activity-based costing method developments: state-of-the art and case study," Working Papers CREGO 1080903, Université de Bourgogne - CREGO EA7317 Centre de recherches en gestion des organisations.
    9. Lino Cinquini & Paolo Collini & Alessandro Marelli & Andrea Tenucci, 2015. "Change in the relevance of cost information and costing systems: evidence from two Italian surveys," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 19(3), pages 557-587, August.
    10. M. Frigotto & Graziano Coller & Paolo Collini, 2013. "The Strategy and Management Control Systems relationship as emerging dynamic process," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 17(3), pages 631-656, August.
    11. Ezzamel, Mahmoud & Willmott, Hugh & Worthington, Frank, 2008. "Manufacturing shareholder value: The role of accounting in organizational transformation," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 33(2-3), pages 107-140.
    12. Cinquini, Lino & Tenucci, Andrea, 2007. "Is the adoption of Strategic Management Accounting techniques really “strategy-driven”? Evidence from a survey," MPRA Paper 11819, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    13. Cooper, Christine, 2015. "Entrepreneurs of the self: The development of management control since 1976," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 14-24.
    14. Cadez, Simon & Guilding, Chris, 2008. "An exploratory investigation of an integrated contingency model of strategic management accounting," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 33(7-8), pages 836-863.
    15. Nicolas Berland & Moez Essid, 2009. "Rse, Systemes De Controle Et Pilotage De La Performance Globale," Post-Print halshs-00460538, HAL.
    16. Bouwens, J.F.M.G. & van Lent, L.A.G.M., 2003. "Effort and Selection Effects of Incentive Contracts," Other publications TiSEM 46a62de7-d051-4620-93bb-3, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    17. Lino Cinquini & Andrea Tenucci, 2011. "Management Accounting for Service: A Research Agenda," Working Papers 201102, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna of Pisa, Istituto di Management.
    18. Bouwens, J.F.M.G. & van Lent, L.A.G.M., 2003. "Effort and Selection Effects of Incentive Contracts," Discussion Paper 2003-130, Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research.
    19. Ittner, Christopher D. & Larcker, David F., 1997. "Quality strategy, strategic control systems, and organizational performance," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 22(3-4), pages 293-314.
    20. Carmona, Salvador, 1996. "A red queen approach to management accounting: an experiential study of a Spanish hotel group," DEE - Working Papers. Business Economics. WB 7058, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. Departamento de Economía de la Empresa.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eme:aaajpp:v:21:y:2008:i:2:p:204-228. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Emerald Support (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.