This work aims to provide a working guide to developing strategies for individual business and groups of companies, with a particular focus on the role of the accountant. The first part of the book sets out the survey sent to members of the Board of Chartered Accountants in Business and offers an insight into current practices in strategic planning. The second part of the book describes the process of strategy formulation through the story of a finance director at a subsidiary of a public company. Following a hostile takeover bid, the company is forced to take a serious look at strategic planning. This is reviewed from two perspectives, business strategy - the strategy of a single business, and corporate strategy - the strategy of a collection of businesses.

There is considerable national variation in the professionalization and status of the management accountant. Although researchers from different countries have contributed to our knowledge about tasks and roles, we have limited insights into the development, education, and socio-cultural influences in different countries and surprisingly little is known about the local and national contexts in which these roles are learned and performed. This book bridges this research gap using two complementary perspectives. The first part explores management accountants in a range of different national contexts, providing information about country-specific historical developments and educational standards as well as specific roles and tasks. The second part focusses on important global developments that will increasingly impact management accountants in the future, such as sustainability, the financial crisis, technology and changing roles. By combining local context with a global overview, this insightful volume provides an agenda for future research which will be of great interest to scholars and advanced students in management accounting throughout the world.

* Challenging and provocative book * Shows how management accounting techniques can be integrated into the strategic decision making process * Extensive use of practical examples from a variety of contexts.An introduction to business strategy for management accountants, financial accountants or managers with an accounting orientation. The book places management accounting clearly within the context of strategic management of the business. Offers qualified accountants a sound introduction to strategic management, and with practical examples and mini-cases provided throughout, this book is comprehensive yet concise. Keith Ward addresses strategic management accounting as a continuous process of analysis, planning and control. Management accounting is about supplying the right information to the right people at the right time, and this can only be expressed in the context of the business strategy and strategic plan. The implementation of appropriate management accounting systems to complement different strategies is discussed in detail. Applications and examples include multinational organizations, non-profit organizations and varying organizational structures. Finally the author covers methods of using management accounting for strategic advantage.

This book examines the practice of strategic business planning, including its functions, methods, tools, and the way in which they are employed. It does so in a practical way through case studies, which help in demonstrating how to innovate in order to overcome obstacles and cover new and evolving challenges. The book is divided into six parts : • part 1 focuses on the strategic plan, as master plan of the enterprise • part 2 covers the management functions whose able execution makes the difference between success and failure: forecasting, planning, organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling • part 3 demonstrates that modern accounting rules, promoted by IFRS and US GAAP, not only assist in strategic financial planning but also provide a solid basis for management supervision and control • part 4 brings your attention the fact that costs matter. Strategic business plans that pay little or no attention to cost factors are doomed • part 5 addresses the issues associated with strategic products and markets. These range from research and development to market research, product planning, the able management of marketing functions, and sales effectiveness • part 6 concludes the book with an emphasis on mergers, acquisitions, and consolidations and the risks associated with an M&A policy Chief executives, operating officers, treasurers, financial officers, budget directors, accountants, auditors, product planners, marketing directors, and management accounting specialists will find this book of practical examples helpful to their decisions and to their work. * Shows the factors to consider when planning how to take your company to the next level, from identifying and making strategic choices to capital allocation and financial planning. All from a professional accountant's perspective and in their language * Full of case studies to help you relate your ideas to what other major companies have done before, including IBM, Delta Airlines, and Bloomberg - so you can learn from their success or failure * Shows why strategic cost control is good governance, why and how to account for the cost of risk and how IFRS relates to strategic accounting principles

Management Accounting in Support of Strategy explores how management accounting can support the strategic management process of analysis, formulation, implementation, evaluation, monitoring, and control. If the management accountant is to add value to the business they need to understand how the business works. The toolbox available to the management accountant does not just contain the accounting techniques, but also includes the strategy models and frameworks described in this book. Armed with this array of tools the management accountant is well placed to add significant value to the business. The reader will gain an understanding of the strategic management framework, strategic models and tools, and how management accounting can support the strategic management process. It will be beneficial for undergraduate and postgraduate course students studying strategy or management accounting. The book will also enable practicing accountants to understand how they can make a significant contribution to the success of their organization by demonstrating how management accounting can be used in support of strategy.

Over the past ten years, there has been growing interest in the process of strategic decision-making among both managers and researchers. Strategic decisions are important for five main reasons: They are large-scale, risky and hard to reverse; they are a bridge between deliberate and emerging strategies; they can be a major source of organizational learning; they play an important part in the development of individual managers and they cut accross functions and academic disciplines. Strategic Decisions summarizes the current state of the art in research on strategic decision-making, with chapters prepared by leading strategy researchers. The editors also present implications for current application and proposed directions for future research.

A less-expensive grayscale paperback version is available. Search for ISBN 9781680922936. Principles of Accounting is designed to meet the scope and sequence requirements of a two-semester accounting course that covers the fundamentals of financial and managerial accounting. This book is specifically designed to appeal to both accounting and non-accounting majors, exposing students to the core concepts of accounting in familiar ways to build a strong foundation that can be applied across business fields. Each chapter opens with a relatable real-life scenario for today's college student. Thoughtfully designed examples are presented throughout each chapter, allowing students to build on emerging accounting knowledge. Concepts are further reinforced through applicable connections to more detailed business processes. Students are immersed in the "why" as well as the "how" aspects of accounting in order to reinforce concepts and promote comprehension over rote memorization.