...In January 2008, the bank Société Générale lost approximately €4.9 billion closing out positions over three days of trading beginning January 21, 2008, a period in which the market was experiencing a large drop in equity indices. The bank states these positions were fraudulent transactions created by Jérôme Kerviel, a trader with the company. How did this event come about? This article will explain it below. Speculation is the practice of engaging in risky financial transactions in an attempt to profit from short or medium term fluctuations in the market value of a tradable good such as a financial instrument, rather than attempting to profit from the underlying financial attributes embodied in the instrument such as capital gains, interest, or dividends. The role of speculators is to absorb excess risk that other participants do not want, and to provide liquidity in the marketplace by buying or selling when no participants from the other categories are available. Successful speculation entails collecting an adequate level of monetary compensation in return for providing immediate liquidity and assuming additional risk so that, over time, the inevitable losses are offset by larger profits. Bank officials claim that throughout 2007, Kerviel had been trading profitably in anticipation of falling market prices; however, they have accused him of exceeding his authority to engage in unauthorized trades totaling as much as €49.9 billion, a figure far higher than the bank's total...
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... Vol. 1, No. 1, June, 2010 2010-023X 103 Abstract—Nowadays the business world is changing at a faster and faster pace. The reasons given for this is globalization, highs information technology (IT) investments and the rapid pace of technological change. Organizations are responding in different ways and at different rates to the wide range of IT based opportunities and pressures. The purpose of this paper is to focus on the effects of IT related organizational changes on the management accounting function and to contribute to the body of knowledge about to what extent IT affects the ability to solve accounting tasks. The relationship between IT and accounting practices was investigated qualitatively using six case studies and we will measure the impact of IT on accountants’ tasks. The findings suggest a tendency for change and the decentralization of accounting tasks. Index Terms—Accounting, Accounting Information Systems, Financial Documents, Information Technology, Management Information System. I. INTRODUCTION Nowadays the business world is changing at a faster and faster pace. The reasons given for this is globalization, highs IT investments and the rapid pace of technological change in combination with escalating costs of research and development (Frishamar, 2002). The role of information technology (IT) has shifted over the last decades (Teng & Calhoun, 1996) to become an important part of how companies manage and control their resources. Organizations...
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...International Journal of Trade, Economics and Finance, Vol. 1, No. 1, June, 2010 2010-023X Information Technology roles in Accounting Tasks – A Multiple-case Study Maria do Céu Gaspar Alves Abstract—Nowadays the business world is changing at a faster and faster pace. The reasons given for this is globalization, highs information technology (IT) investments and the rapid pace of technological change. Organizations are responding in different ways and at different rates to the wide range of IT based opportunities and pressures. The purpose of this paper is to focus on the effects of IT related organizational changes on the management accounting function and to contribute to the body of knowledge about to what extent IT affects the ability to solve accounting tasks. The relationship between IT and accounting practices was investigated qualitatively using six case studies and we will measure the impact of IT on accountants’ tasks. The findings suggest a tendency for change and the decentralization of accounting tasks. Index Terms—Accounting, Accounting Information Systems, Financial Documents, Information Technology, Management Information System. I. INTRODUCTION Nowadays the business world is changing at a faster and faster pace. The reasons given for this is globalization, highs IT investments and the rapid pace of technological change in combination with escalating costs of research and development (Frishamar, 2002). The role of information technology...
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...THE APPLICATION OF INNOVATIVE MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES FOR ENHANCING PROFITABILITY AND COMPETITIVENESS: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF JAMAICAN MANUFACTURERS Phillip C. James University of Technology, Jamaica College of Business and Management School of Business Administration ABSTRACT This study represents the first in management accounting research in Jamaica which seeks to determine the extent to which innovative management accounting principles (IMAPs) are applied in the manufacturing sector. The aim is to determine if manufacturers in Jamaica are using IMAPs to improve export competitiveness and enhance profitability .The study also seek to determine the factors that prevent manufacturers from adopting these management accounting principles. Five manufacturing organizations were examined using an exploratory case study approach. Results indicate that companies adopting IMAPs have more reliable information for decision making, higher levels of profitability and competitiveness when compared with non- adopting companies. Key Words: Innovative Management Accounting Principles, Profitability, Competitiveness 1. INTRODUCTION The manufacturing environment of the twenty-first century has changed considerably when compared with what existed decades ago. Arising from this development and with the increase in global competition, the need for accurate cost information has become an imperative. Manufacturers worldwide have suddenly realized that the continued...
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...Research in management accounting innovations An overview of its recent development Nur Haiza Muhammad Zawawi Department of Accounting and Finance, University of Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia and School of Accounting, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia, and Management accounting innovations 505 Zahirul Hoque School of Accounting, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia Abstract Purpose – The purpose of paper is to present a review of the literature on management accounting innovations (MAIs). Specifically, it explores recent developments in research on MAIs and offers suggestions for future research. The review differs from existing reviews by its specific focus on MAIs and the recent time period covered. In this paper, MAIs refer to the adoption of “newer” or modern forms of management accounting systems such as activity-based costing (ABC), activity-based management, time-driven ABC, target costing, and balanced scorecards. Design/methodology/approach – The paper presents a review of findings from journal articles published in 22 notable accounting journals. Findings – The review finds that research on MAIs has intensified during the period 2000-2008, with the main focus on exploring the extent to which a host of organizational and environmental factors influence the implementation and use of MAIs in organizations. In addition, research on MAIs indicates the dominant use of sociological theories and increasing use of empirical/field studies. Research...
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... COURSE CODE : BKAF3083 COURSE : ACCOUNTING THEORY AND PRACTICE PRE-REQUISITE : BKAF3073 FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING AND REPORTING IV |Lecturer |Group |Room |Ext. |e-mail | |DR. DHIAA SHAMKI |C & F |3.07 |3740 |dhiaashamki@uum.edu.my | 1.0 SYNOPSIS This course is an advanced level course focusing on financial accounting theory; and as such, it differs from other accounting courses learnt previously. It is designed to further enhance students’ understanding of the concepts and issues in accounting theory and practices. This course involves the study of the practical and theoretical issues involved in the development, implementation and changes in accounting theories and regulatory framework. As this course will be seminal-like, this course will provide students with some generic skills required in the accounting profession such as team working, interaction, leadership, follower-ship, critical and creative thinking skills, decision making skills, analytical skills, communication skills as well as professional demeanor. 2.0 OBJECTIVES Upon completion of this course, students are expected: 2.1 to understand the principles, concepts and issues in accounting theory, financial accounting theory and reporting practices, ...
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...Strategic management accounting: how far have we come in 25 years? Kim Langfield-Smith Monash University, Melbourne, Australia 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...
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...Roles, authority and involvement of the management accounting function: a multiple case-study perspective Caroline Lambert HEC, Paris 1, rue de la Libération 78351 Jouy en Josas Cedex lambert@hec.fr Samuel Sponem Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers GREG-CRC (EA 2430) samuel.sponem@cnam.fr Acknowledgements The authors are grateful to participants at the European Accounting Association Conference 2009, the Accounting department ESSEC seminar, France, and at the seminar of Ecole de Comptabilité de l’Université Laval, Québec, Canada for their constructive comments on earlier drafts of this paper. They also wish to thank and useful suggestions of members of the CriM group, Martin Messner and Juhani Vaivio. We would particularly like to thank Markus Granlund and the two anonymous reviewers for their many helpful comments and suggestions. Both authors thank ‘Fondation HEC’ and ‘Agence Nationale de la Recherche’ for their fundings. Abstract Recent techniques and shifts in the environment are often foreseen as leading management accountants to adopt a business orientation. However, empirical evidence pointing to fundamental shifts in the roles played by management accountants remains relatively scarce. We explore this paradox and give sense to the various roles played by the management accounting function by focusing on how management accountants are involved in and endowed with authority in decision-making situations. Using data we gathered from 73 interviews in ten...
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...Research Paper Towards an integrated contingency framework for MAS sophistication Case studies on the scope of accounting instruments in Dutch power and gas companies By Sandra Tillema Title The title suggests that the article will give guidance towards a contingency framework for MAS sophistication. The Contingency framework states that there is no one right way to manage an organisation, so the part “towards integrated [...] framework” with the word “contingency” seems like a paradox. We feel that we might not have chosen this article if we were looking at the title only because it seemingly contradicts itself. The group agreed that the title is quite long. We have analysed it by defining the main words of which we used the Macmillan Dictionary (2002) (See appendix B). After understanding the words and theory explanation, the title became quite easy to understand. Abstract and Introduction We feel that the abstract provides concise and simple information. It is a good explanation and expansion of the title. We have chosen this article because it can be easily understood. The abstract states that many companies are being convinced to implement newly developed management accounting systems and also comments on its inappropriateness. The author states the reason for this is due to the contingency theory perspective. She also highlights that this article is based on the cases of two power and gas companies. The introduction is interesting and very informative...
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...Significance of Management Accounting Techniques in Decision-making: An Empirical Study on Manufacturing Organizations in Bangladesh Farjana Yeshmin* and Md. Amran Hossan** Management accounting is concerned with gathering and reporting internal financial information to facilitate decision-making process. As management accounting is not required to conform to national accounting standards, it allows business to customize the management accounting techniques as per demand of company. As a process of this customization, some advanced quantitative as well as number of qualitative techniques accompany with the traditional techniques, have been emerged to cater the information need in decision making. This study attempts to measure the significance of management accounting techniques in decision making of the selected manufacturing organizations in Bangladesh. In doing so, a total of 74 manufacturing organizations have been surveyed with a structured questionnaire by using 5 point Likert Scale measurement from different categories of manufacturing organizations. Findings reveal that cash flow statement analysis, ratio analysis, budgetary control, CVP analysis, variance analysis and fund flow analysis have been frequently high-ranking techniques. Secondly, the authors have recognized five factors to calculate the variability in decision-making with the help of rotated component matrix which shows that 75.125 % of the total variability has found in the usage of management accounting techniques...
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...costs to products and services by applying cost drivers [8]. Academics who advocate ABC, such as, Cooper and Kaplan [9], and Swenson [10] argue that it provides more accurate cost data needed to make appropriate strategic decisions about product mix, sourcing, pricing, process improvement, and evaluation of business process performance. These claims have led many firms to adopt ABC systems [8]. The benefits of ABC and its positive impact on firm’s performance motivated a numerous studies which examined various aspects of ABC. Among such studies are McGowan [11] who assessed the integrity of ABC success, Innes and Mitchell [4, 12] and Yanren [13] who conducted research on factors affecting ABC adoption, and Shield [3], Shields and McEwen [14], Gosselin [15] and Baired et al.[16, 17]who concentrated on factors influencing ABC success especially at the implementation stage. However, there is mounting evidence that suggests most of firms are experiencing problems in implementing ABC and, in some extreme cases, ABC implementation is not successful [3], which later resulted in abandoning the ABC systems altogether [15]. Questions arise as to why ABC implementation is successful in certain companies and fails in others. Based on the contingency theory, researchers have argued that the reasons for different degrees of ABC success could be due to the different contextual factors faced by each firm. These have led researchers to recognize assessing factors that influence ABC success implementation...
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...Semeste r End Examina tion | Total Marks | Duration of Theory Paper | No of Credits | 1 | Perspective Management | 30 | 2 | 40 IA | 60 IA | 100 | 3 | 2.5 | 2 | Business Communicati on and Management Information Systems | 30 | 2 | 40 IA | 60 IA | 100 | 3 | 2.5 | 3 | Organisation al Behaviour | 30 | 2 | 40 IA | 60 IA | 100 | 3 | 2.5 | 4 | Financial Accounting | 30 | 2 | 40 IA | 60 IA | 100 | 3 | 2.5 | 5 | Operations Management | 30 | 2 | 40 IA | 60 IA | 100 | 3 | 2.5 | 6 | Marketing Management | 30 | 2 | 40 IA | 60 IA | 100 | 3 | 2.5 | 7 | Managerial Economics | 30 | 2 | 40 IA | 60 IA | 100 | 3 | 2.5 | 8 | Business Statistics | 30 | 2 | 40 IA | 60 IA | 100 | 3 | 2.5 | | | | Total No of Credits | | | 20 | UA: - University Assessment; IA: - Internal Assessment MMS SEMESTER – I (All Specialisations) Perspective Management (15 Sessions of 3 Hours Each) Sem I S. No. | Particulars | Sessions | 1 | * Management : Science, Theory and Practice - The Evolution of Management * Thought and the Patterns of Management Analysis - Management and Society : * Social Responsibility and Ethics - Global and Comparative Management - The * Basis of Global Management – Functions of Management-The Nature and Purpose * of Planning - Objectives - Strategies, Policies and Planning Premises - Decision...
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...AN INSTITUTIONALIST STUDY ON THE PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IN A GOVERNMENT- LINKED ORGANISATION NORHAYATI BINTI MOHD ALWI UNIVERSITI SAINS MALAYSIA 2009 AN INSTITUTIONALIST STUDY ON THE PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IN A GOVERNMENT-LINKED ORGANISATION by NORHAYATI BINTI MOHD ALWI Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy September 2009 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am especially indebted to my supervisor, Dr. Siti Nabiha Abdul Khalid for her constant guidance, limitless support and patience throughout the period of my study. There is no way that I would be able to repay the kindness and caring that she has shown to me. I am thankful to Assoc. Professor Dr. Yuserrie, for giving valuable inputs to my study and also to others in the School of Management, who have helped me in some way or another. I would like to acknowledge the comments made by Professor Lee Parker and other participants of the Global Accounting and Organisational Change Conference, held in Melbourne, Australia in July 2008. A special thank you is also dedicated to Professor John Burns for the insightful comments on the research. I am also indebted to my employer International Islamic University Malaysia and the Ministry of Higher Education for providing the financial support. Thanks so much also to the respondents for their willingness to share some of their thoughts and experiences, which have made my data collection easier than I would ever...
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...costs to products and services by applying cost drivers [8]. Academics who advocate ABC, such as, Cooper and Kaplan [9], and Swenson [10] argue that it provides more accurate cost data needed to make appropriate strategic decisions about product mix, sourcing, pricing, process improvement, and evaluation of business process performance. These claims have led many firms to adopt ABC systems [8]. The benefits of ABC and its positive impact on firm’s performance motivated a numerous studies which examined various aspects of ABC. Among such studies are McGowan [11] who assessed the integrity of ABC success, Innes and Mitchell [4, 12] and Yanren [13] who conducted research on factors affecting ABC adoption, and Shield [3], Shields and McEwen [14], Gosselin [15] and Baired et al.[16, 17]who concentrated on factors influencing ABC success especially at the implementation stage. However, there is mounting evidence that suggests most of firms are experiencing problems in implementing ABC and, in some extreme cases, ABC implementation is not successful [3], which later resulted in abandoning the ABC systems altogether [15]. Questions arise as to why ABC implementation is successful in certain companies and fails in others. Based on the contingency theory, researchers have argued that the reasons for different degrees of ABC success could be due to the different contextual factors faced by each firm. These have led researchers to recognize assessing factors that influence ABC success implementation...
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...Forces on Management Control Practices of Bangladesh. Abstract This study attempts to examine the influence of national culture and other forces on management control practices of Bangladesh by applying Schneider and Barsoux 2003 culture/ control profiles and some other alternative theories. A triangulation of research methods are followed for this purpose. Evidence from telephone interviews, researcher’s personal experience and other empirical works are used to validate the ingredients of Schneider and Barsoux control profiles for Asian region and different alternative theories on management control practices of Bangladesh. Empirical works from other scholars also suggest that several forces like institutional pressure, ecopolitical conditions and history etc. are more influential than culture in directing the course of management control practices in Bangladesh. The major limitation of this study is its usage of limited data sets. The findings will be useful in understanding different forces that are shaping management control practices in a transitional economy, Bangladesh. 1 1.0 Introduction Previous researches (Hofstede 1991; Schneider and Barsoux, 2003) confirm that management control is practiced differently in different parts of the world and the development of national management practices is a function of its environmental factors. Although it is hoped that globalization, technological development and improved methods will make harmonization of management control...
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