Raman Noordin

Performance Outcomes of Strategic Management Accounting Information Usage in Malaysia: Insights from Electrical and Electronics Companies☆

The current research explored the current progress of strategic management accounting (SMA) information usage within electrical and electronics (E&E) companies operating in Malaysia. It was motivated by the scarcity of empirical attention given to the subject despite the claimed importance placed by SMA advocates. The current research sought to substantiate its propositions through two (2) research objectives. The first objective was to investigate the extent of SMA information usage amongst E&E companies and the second was to explore the outcomes of SMA information usage. Survey method was employed for the data collection purposes. Ninety-seven (97) usable questionnaires were received out of the 595 mailed questionnaires. The result suggested that E&E companies used SMA information to high extent. The result indicated that companies’ extent of SMA information usage found to be significantly related to certain aspects of companies’ performance. The current research has revealed some notable development with regards to SMA. The current result implies that, in Malaysia, SMA has made its progress quite extensively that failed to be reported empirically by fellow researchers. Nonetheless, more work needs to be carried out to set forth the important elements of SMA.

Competitive Strategy, Elements of Strategic Management Accounting Information, and Performance Consequences - A Conceptual Link

In the early 1980s, strategic management accounting has emerged in the accounting literature claimed as one of the development in contemporary management accounting system. It has been portrayed as management accounting information pertinent to organisation’s success in its competitive pursuit. Nonetheless, it has received limited empirical attention among researchers. Apparent gaps seem to be attributed to its various conceptualisations resulted from disjointed efforts on the development and too broad a concept entails by the subject. Moreover, inherited by the scarcity of empirical studies, evidences had been exploratory and little is known about organisation’s motivation to use SMA information element. The association between the use of element of strategic management accounting and its consequences on performance is notably sparse. Thus, based on in-depth review on existing literature on strategic management accounting, this paper develops a proposed theoretical framework for an empirical research agenda. Specifically, the objectives of this paper are three folds. Firstly, it attempts to unravel the various perspectives and define strategic management accounting and suggests on how it could be further developed. Secondly, employing contingency theory as its underpinning theory this paper posits competitive strategy as the determinant of the use of strategic management accounting information. Finally, its possible performance consequences are put forth to legitimise the development as an important remedial to traditional management accounting system in aiding organisation’s long-term survival.