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Cost & Management Accounting

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Accounting is the disciplinary technology which enables the prioritising of the financial above all other considerations (Loft 1991). As the focus of a business is on profit, prominence must be placed on the circumstances in which the finances exist. However, as this literature review will highlight, there is more to operating and maintaining a business than money – the human aspect should never be underestimated and can never be eliminated. The emphasis of this literature review examines, quite fittingly, some of the works written on management accounting, a topic which gives credence to both the financial and the behavioural aspects of an organisation. It hones in on monetary costs and the need for control on and from management to ensure the longevity of the organisation.
Management accounting defined
The inherent difference between the two main types of accounting is in the usage of information. Ultimately, the different uses and users of the information mean that each type incorporates different techniques, which also set the two apart. However, Kieso, Weygandt, & Warfield (2011) capture the essence of the separateness in their definitions of the terms: Financial accounting is the process that culminates in the preparation of financial reports on the enterprise for use by both internal and external parties. (p. 5) whereas Managerial accounting is the process of identifying, measuring, analysing, and communicating financial information needed by management to plan, control, and evaluate a company’s operations. (p. 5)
While shareholders, creditors, and the general public are typical users of financial accounting information, managers within the organisation use management accountant information (Warren, Reeve, & Fess, 2005). King et. al (1991) acknowledge that managerial accounting is not a coherent body of knowledge; it draws on disparate disciplines,

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