Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
The process of preparing management reports and accounts that provide accurate and timely financial and
statistical information required by managers to make day to day and short time decisions is called Management
Accounting.
Unlike financial accounting, which produces annual reports mainly for external stakeholders, management
accounting generates monthly or weekly reports for an organization's internal audiences such as department
managers and the chief executive officer. These reports typically show the amount of available cash, sales
revenue generated, amount of orders in hand, state of accounts payable and accounts receivable, outstanding
debts, raw material and inventory, and may also include trend charts, variance analysis, and other statistics.
Also called managerial accounting
Goals and Objectives
A basic objective of managerial accounting is to improve the effectiveness of both the management planning
and control functions. Plans should be developed on the same information base as the mechanisms of control.
Planning depends on the same reporting and control mechanisms that make central oversight possible and
decentralized management feasible. Building the mechanism of control on one data base (financial accounting)
and the planning process on another (program analysis) places too great a burden on the management system as
the intermediary. Managerial accounting involves in the formulation of financial estimates of future
performance (the planning and budgeting processes) and, subsequently, the analysis of actual performance in
relation to those estimates (program evaluation and control).
Components of Managerial Accounting
1. Experimentation and innovation are encouraged in the types of management information provided.
2. Information generated for planning and programming purposes to establish a better balance with the
control function of accounting.
3. Cost consciousness is increased among operating units through the identification of cost and
responsibility centers and the use of performance standards.
4. Cost analyses facilitate the linkages among management control, program budgeting, and performance
auditing.
5. Emphasis on cost estimation for planning or control purposes, rather than on financial reporting.
6. Costs are monitored to determine if they are reasonable for the activities performed.
7. Performance standards (workload and unit cost data) added to traditional accounting control
mechanisms by which legal compliance and fiscal accountability are evaluated.
8. Crosswalks of financial data are accommodating various external and internal reporting needs.
Scope of Management Accounting
The scope or field of management accounting is very wide and broad based and it includes a variety of aspects
of business operations. The main aim of management accounting is to help management in its functions of
planning, directing, controlling and areas of specialization included within the admit of management
accounting. The scope of management accounting can be studied as follows:
1. Financial Accounting
Financial accounting forms the basis for analysis and interpretation for furnishing meaningful data to the
management. The control aspect is based on financial data and performance evaluation, on recorded facts and
figures. So, management accounting is closely related to financial accounting in many respects.
2. Cost Accounting
Cost accounting is the process and techniques of ascertaining cost. Planning, decision making and control are
the basic managerial functions. The cost accounting system provides the necessary tool for carrying out such
functions efficiently. The tools include standard costing, inventory management, variable costing etc.
3. Budgeting and Forecasting
Budgeting means expressing the plans, policies and goals of the firm for a definite period in future. Forecasting
on the other hand, is a prediction of what will happen as a result of a given set of circumstances. Forecasting is a
judgment whereas the budgeting is an organizational object. These are useful for management accounting in
planning.
4. Inventory Control
Inventory is necessary to control from the time it is acquire till its final disposal as it involves large sum. For
controlling inventory, management should determine different level of stock. The inventory control technique
will be helpful for taking managerial decisions.
5. Statistical Method
Statistical tools not only make the information more impressive, comprehensive and intelligible but also are
highly useful for planning and forecasting.
6. Interpretation of Data
Analysis and interpretation of financial statements are important part of management accounting. After
analyzing the financial statements, the interpretation is made and the reports drawn from this analysis are
presented to the management. Interpreting the accounting data to the authorities in the management is the
principal task of management accounting.
7. Reporting To Management
The interpreted information must be communicated to those who are interested in it. The report may cover
Profit and Loss Account, Cash Flow and Funds Flow statements etc.
8. Internal Audit and Tax Accounting
Management accounting studies all the tax matters to assist the management in investment decisions vis-a-vis
tax planning as a resource to enjoy tax relief.
Internal audit system is necessary to judge the performance of every department. Management is able to know
deviations in performance through internal audit. It also helps management in fixing responsibility of different
individuals.
9. Methods of Procedures
This includes maintenance of proper data processing and other office management services. It may have to deal
with filing, copying, duplicating, communicating and management information system and also may have to
report about the utility of different office machines
Why Management Accounting is helpful in Decision Making?
Managerial accounting information provides data-driven input to these decisions, which can improve decisionmaking over the long term. Small business managers can leverage this powerful tool to help make their business
more successful by understanding how management accounting benefits common business decision contexts.
Relevant Cost Analysis
Managerial accounting information is used by company management to determine what should be sold and how
to sell it. For example, a small business owner may be unsure where he should focus his marketing efforts. To
evaluate this decision, an accounting manager could examine the costs that differ between advertising
alternatives for each product, ignoring common costs. This process is known as relevant cost analysis and is a
technique that is taught in basic managerial accounting courses. The same process can be used to determine
whether to add product lines or discontinue operations.
Activity-based Costing Techniques
Once the company has determined what products to sell, the business needs to determine to whom they should
sell the products. By using activity-based costing techniques, small business management can determine the
activities required to produce and service a product line. Embedded in this information is the cost of customers.
Deciding which customers are more or less profitable allows the business owner to focus advertising toward the
consumers who are the most profitable.
Make or Buy Analysis
A primary use of managerial accounting information is to provide information used in manufacturing. For
example, a small business owner may be considering whether to make or buy a component needed to
manufacture the company's primary product. By completing a make or buy analysis, she can determine which
choice is more profitable. While this technique is certainly useful, small business owners should only use these
analyses as a factor in the decision. There could be other non-financial metrics that are important to consider
that would not be part of the analysis.
Utilizing the Data
Managerial accounting information provides a data-driven look at how to grow a small business. Budgeting,
financial statement projections and balanced scorecards are just a few examples of how managerial accounting
information is used to provide information to help management guide the future of a company. By focusing on
this data, managers can make decisions that aim for continuous improvement and are justifiable based on
intelligent analysis of the company data, as opposed to gut feelings.
Difference between Management Accounting and Financial Accounting
The differences between management accounting and financial accounting include:
1. Management accounting provides information to people within an organization while financial
accounting is mainly for those outside it, such as shareholders
2. Financial accounting is required by law while management accounting is not. Specific standards and
formats may be required for statutory accounts such as in the I.A.S International Accounting Standard
within Europe.
3. Financial accounting covers the entire organization while management accounting may be concerned
with particular products or cost centers.
Managerial accounting is used primarily by those within a company or organization. Reports can be generated
for any period of time such as daily, weekly or monthly. Reports are considered to be "future looking" and have
forecasting value to those within the company.
Financial accounting is used primarily by those outside of a company or organization. Financial reports are
usually created for a set period of time, such as a fiscal year or period. Financial reports are historically factual
and have predictive value to those who wish to make financial decisions or investments in a company.
Management Accounting is the branch of Accounting that deals primarily with confidential financial reports for
the exclusive use of top management within an organization. These reports are prepared utilizing scientific and
statistical methods to arrive at certain monetary values which are then used for decision making. Such reports
may include:
Feasibility studies
Merger and consolidation reports
Financial Accounting, on the other hand, concentrates on the production of financial reports, including the basic
reporting requirements of profitability, liquidity, solvency and stability. Reports of this nature can be accessed
by internal and external users such as the shareholders, the banks and the creditors.
Format:
Planning
and
control:
External
Vs.
Internal:
Financial Accounting
Financial accounts are supposed to be in
accordance with a specific format by IAS so
that financial accounts of different
organizations can be easily compared.
Financial accounting helps in making
investment decision, in credit rating.
Management Accounting
No specific format is designed for management
accounting systems.
Banking
1. Collection, Classification, Analysis and
Presentation of Financial data
2. Systematic and reliable planning
3. Ascertainment, Reduction and Control of
cost
4. Product Pricing
5. Measurement of work performance
6. Preparation of statement of cost and other
necessary statement
7. Preparation of Master Plan of Development
of Industry
8. Role of Financial Management in Industry
9. Forward looking
10. Efficiency Analysis
11. Helping in decision making
The interpretation of financial information may differ from person to person depending upon the capability of
the interpreter. Analysis and interpretation of data and information may be influenced by personal basis. As
such, the objectivity of decision may be affected by personal prejudices and bias.
7. Psychological Resistance
Changes in traditional accounting practices and organizational set up are required to install the management
accounting system. It calls for a rearrangement of the personnel and their activities and framing of new rules
and regulations which generally may not be liked by the people involved.
MBO
Management by objectives (MBO), also known as management by results (MBR), is a process of defining
objectives within an organization so that management and employees agree to the objectives and understand
what they need to do in the organization in order to achieve them. The term "management by objectives" was
first popularized by Peter Drucker in his 1954 book The Practice of Management.
The essence of MBO is participative goal setting, choosing course of actions and decision making. An
important part of the MBO is the measurement and the comparison of the employees actual performance with
the standards set. Ideally, when employees themselves have been involved with the goal setting and choosing
the course of action to be followed by them, they are more likely to fulfill their responsibilities.
According to George S. Odiorne, the system of management by objectives can be described as a process
whereby the superior and subordinate jointly identify its common goals, define each individual's major areas of
responsibility in terms of the results expected of him, and use these measures as guides for operating the unit
and assessing the contribution of each of its members.
2. More emphasis is being laid on targets and objectives. It just expects the employees to achieve their
targets and meet the objectives of the organization without bothering much about the existing
circumstances at the workplace. Employees are just expected to perform and meet the deadlines. The
MBO Process sometimes does treat individuals as mere machines.
3. The MBO process increases comparisons between individuals at the workplace. Employees tend to
depend on nasty politics and other unproductive tasks to outshine their fellow workers. Employees
do only what their superiors ask them to do. Their work lacks innovation, creativity and sometimes
also becomes monotonous.
Planning
Planning (also called forethought) is the process of thinking about and organizing the activities required to
achieve a desired goal.
Planning involves the creation and maintenance of a plan. As such, planning is a fundamental property of
intelligent behavior. This thought process is essential to the creation and refinement of a plan, or integration of
it with other plans; that is, it combines forecasting of developments with the preparation of scenarios of how to
react to them.
An important, albeit often ignored aspect of planning, is the relationship it holds with forecasting. Forecasting
can be described as predicting what the future will look like, whereas planning predicts what the future should
look like. The counterpart to planning is spontaneous order.
Planning in organizations
In organizations, planning is a management process, concerned with defining goals for company's future
direction and determining on the missions and resources to achieve those target. To meet the goals, managers
may develop plans such as a business plan or a marketing plan. Planning always has a purpose. The purpose
may be achievement of certain goals or targets.
Main characteristics of planning in organizations are:
The planning helps to achieve these goals or target by using the available time and resources. The concept of
planning is to identify what the organization wants to do by using the four questions which are "where are we
today in terms of our business or strategy planning? Where are we going? Where do we want to go? How are
we going to get there?