Title: Explaining Management Accounting Change: evidence from Finland

Authors: Erkki K. Laitinen

Addresses: Department of Accounting and Finance, University of Vaasa, P.O. Box 700, FIN-65101 Vaasa, Finland

Abstract: This research explores Management Accounting Change (MAC) in Finland based on a survey of 145 firms. MAC is measured in 15 management accounting practices. Four categories of factors are used to explain MAC. Organisational factors include variables on status, organisation, strategy, products, perceived uncertainty, and competition. Financial factors are traditional financial ratios. Motivational factors may decelerate or accelerate MAC. Management tools factors describe tools used by the management. Factors from the categories are extracted by the PLS regression and used to explain MAC by a structural single equation model (SEM). In all, the SEM explains about 50% of MAC.

Keywords: management accounting change; status; organisation; strategy; products; perceived uncertainty; competition; financial ratios; motivation; management tools; survey; PLS; SEM; Finland; single equation model; partial least squares.

DOI: 10.1504/IJAAPE.2006.010304

International Journal of Accounting, Auditing and Performance Evaluation, 2006 Vol.3 No.2, pp.252 - 281

Published online: 13 Jul 2006 *

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