New development: Is there a management accountants’ expectation gap?

Figures & data

Figure 1. The role of the financial controller. Source: Graham et al. (2012).

Table 1. Differences in tasks.

	Importance		Intensity		Effectiveness
	Management accountants	Managers	Management accountants	Managers	Management accountants	Managers
Strategic management	4.20	4.19	3.28	3.19	3.07	3.00
Performance management	3.82	3.97	3.29	3.19	2.93	3.11
Finance operations and reporting	4.00	4.26	3.93	3.89	3.24	3.50
Governance risk and compliance	3.91	3.78	3.26	3.16	2.87	2.95

*Significant at 10% (Mann-Whitney test).

Table 2. Characteristics of management accountants.

	Expected		Actual		Difference
	Management accountant	Manager	Management accountant	Manager	Management accountant	Manager
Involved	4.17	4.14	3.41	3.24	-0.76	-0.89
Independent	4.57**	4.27**	3.70	3.41	-0.87	-0.86
Supporting	3.96	4.16	3.76	3.95	-0.20	-0.22
Strategic	4.15	4.19	3.11	3.16	-1.04	-1.03
Operational	1.54*	1.95*	2.50	2.76	0.96	0.81

*Significant at 10% (Mann-Whitney test). **Significant at 5% (Mann-Whitney test).

Table 3. Roles of management accountants.

	Expected		Actual		Difference
	Management accountant	Manager	Management accountant	Manager	Management accountant	Manager
Advising on request	4.57	4.38	3.96	3.84	-0.61	-0.54
Advising without being requested	4.63	4.54	3.74*	3.27*	-0.89	-1.27
Connecting societal and financial results	4.35	4.11	3.26	3.11	-1.09	-1.00
Objectivity	4.46	4.43	3.85	3.53	-0.61	-0.90

*Significant at 5% (Mann-Whitney test).

Graham, A., Davey-Evans, S., & Toon, I. (2012). The developing role of the financial controller: Evidence from the UK. Journal of Applied Accounting Research, 13(1), 71–88. doi: 10.1108/09675421211231934

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