How Management Accounting Can Help in Decision-Making For Your Business

What You Should Know About Management Accounting

It is not easy to make business decisions even when there is a group of you (although that is also helpful) when you are not provided with enough information that you should have in order to weigh in important things that could either earn gains or incur losses for your company because of one single piece of information being forgotten or overlooked. Accounting firms are mostly banking on management accounting not just for their organization’s sake but also for taking care of their clients. Most of the chartered accountants are using management accounting for the benefits of their organizations and their clients as well.

The three areas in management accounting help them to enhance their organization from within and the principles help in enhancing their decision-making skills. When these are correctly applied by the right people in a company, the effects will be evident and make the whole organization effective as it develops not just the higher ups but also every single employee.

Most of the accounting firms are leaning on management accounting when it comes to decision-making since it provides information to the managers and the people who make the big decisions in an organization.

What is Management Accounting?

Decision-making of managers is being supported by management accounting as it aids them to make better decisions when it comes to analyzing the business costs and operations with regard to the preparation of an internal financial report, records, etc. With the use of management accounting, the financial and cost data are translated into useful information for the benefit of the managers and officers in a company.
The people, who handle the management accounting also called the management accountants, distinguish the happenings in a business as they consider what the business needs in booming more in the industry.

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Three Areas of Management Accounting

According to a non-profit professional organization, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), a group of certified public accountants in the United States of America, management accounting has the following three areas:

1. Strategic Management

In strategic management, the resources of an organization are used effectively to reach its goals and objectives. Activities are collected and analyzed with regard to how the company is doing compared to its competitors and if the strategies are being spread out within the organization. In addition, the opportunities and threats are also pinpointed in strategic management, all for the growth of the company.

2. Performance Management

Employees are being evaluated and monitored by managers in performance management, continuously setting objectives and goals for them to meet and helping them to do so by providing ongoing coaching and feedback. This is done in order to have a conducive work environment wherein people are encouraged to perform to the best of their abilities.

3. Risk Management

In risk management, the uncertainties in investment decisions are identified, analyzed, and mitigated in order to ensure that the right decision is made every time when potential losses and gains are being weighed in by managers. Appropriate actions towards having losses and gains are involved in risk management as well.

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Principles of Accounting Management

Four global management accounting principles were released by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) that are believed to be universal in a sense that it can be applied to all organizations in the world.
These four principles developed by the AICPA and the CIMA were also based on the inputs from CEOs, CFOs, academics, regulators, and other professionals from 20 countries in five continents.

1. Influence

It is believed that communication has an influence on people. Decision-making is improved through insightful communication in every stage. Recommendations by people when discussing the needs of the decision-maker can surely be useful to the latter as it provides more information and influence. A good company is built on good decisions. Having communication at the heart of any organization will help the business to last as it establishes better relationships between employees or managers who take care of big decisions, sourcing and analyzing strategies that will be useful for the whole company.

2. Relevance

Information is relevant. With management accounting, all of the best available resources for information are scanned with regard to its relevance to the decisions that need to be taken, the people making the decisions, and the decision style that is used. When the needs of the stakeholders are established, information that is relevant for decision-making will then be identified, collected, and prepared for analysis.

3. Value

Impact on value is analyzed. The connection of the business’ strategy and its business model is optimized. This principle focuses more on the evaluation of the decisions of the organization. When the right information is already available for the task and decision, scenarios are developed by this principle for the purpose of testing the information. Those different scenarios are simulated in order to see the cause-and-effect relationship between inputs and outcomes. When there is a deeper understanding with regard to the business model and wider factors, opportunities, risks, costs, etc. are more accessible by management accounting.

4. Trust

Stewardship builds trust. It is essential to have the relationships within the organization and with clients, and it is important for resources to be diligently managed in order for financial and non-financial assets, reputation, and value of the organization to be protected. Management accounting professionals are expected to be guardians of their organization’s values, being ethical and accountable. If an organization is composed of people who uphold the aforementioned qualities, the company will surely be effective. If not, the business will likely to face troubles along the way.

It is essential for a company to be knowledgeable in regards to this as this is one of the things that are done by the accounting department, which is believed to be the backbone of a business.

Top Accounting firms in Dubai UAE

With FAR – Farahat & Co., one of the leading accounting service providers in UAE and with qualified accountants, the above-mentioned standards are being held by the responsible people in that area who can help you with your accounting duties and affairs. It is not indeed easy to grasp the idea of accounting, and we are happy to lend our hand if you need any assistance with your accounts.