Rh. Chenhall et K. Langfieldsmith, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STRATEGIC PRIORITIES, MANAGEMENT-TECHNIQUES AND MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING - AN EMPIRICAL-INVESTIGATION USING A SYSTEMS-APPROACH, Accounting, organizations and society, 23(3), 1998, pp. 243-264
The study examines how combinations of management techniques and manag
ement accounting practices enhance the performance of organizations, u
nder particular strategic priorities. Companies were identified as emp
hasizing product differentiation, low price strategies or a combinatio
n of both. Management techniques included in the study mere improving
existing processes; quality systems; manufacturing systems innovations
; integrating systems; team-based structures and human resource manage
ment policies. Management accounting practices important in assisting
managers implement management techniques were traditional management a
ccounting techniques; activity-based techniques; balanced performance
measures; employee-based measures; benchmarking and strategic planning
. A systems approach, using cluster analysis, was used to examine hypo
thesized associations between performance and a range of management te
chniques and management accounting practices, under various strategic
orientations. This provided a method to examine the way in which the e
ntire range of variables combined to affect performance. (C) 1998 Else
vier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.