This study examines the effect of strategy and task uncertainty on management accounting system (MAS) design. Mas design was defined in terms of the perceived usefulness of several information characteristics which may be associated with an MAS. We collected 87 respondents by surveying 500 middle managers of public owned companies in Taiwan, and used path analysis to test our hypotheses. The findings indicated that¡G1. There is a significant positive relation between strategy and task uncertainty. Furthermore, task difficulty and task variability also have significant positive relations with strategy respectively. 2. Strategy and the perceived usefulness of broad scope MAS information have both positive direct and indirect relations through task uncertainty. Besides, through task variability, there is an indirect relation between strategy and the perceived usefulness of broad scope MAS information, but there isn¡¦t an indirect relation between strategy and the perceived usefulness of broad scope MAS information via task difficulty. 3. A direct relationship between strategy and the perceived usefulness of aggregated MAS information was not found.

Contrariando o caráter universalista das abordagens clássicas anteriores, a Teoria da Contingência defende que não há uma melhor forma de se organizar. Conforme o contexto ambiental apresentado, a organização deve se estruturar de uma maneira diferente. No âmbito da contabilidade gerencial, os estudiosos desta teoria argumentam que não há como desenvolver um Sistema de Contabilidade Gerencial (SCG) que tenha a mesma eficiência em todas as situações. Diferentes ambientes requerem diferentes modelos de estratégia e estrutura organizacional, o que termina por impactar a forma como o SCG é organizado. Amparada então pela teoria contingencial, a presente pesquisa tem por objetivo identificar e analisar os arranjos promovidos pelo encaixe existente entre os fatores ambientais e organizacionais nas maiores empresas atuantes no mercado brasileiro. Os fatores empregados são: ambiente, tecnologia, estratégia, estrutura organizacional, atributos do SCG e desempenho organizacional. Para cada fator, há uma ou mais variável que procura mensurar o quanto as características tratadas estão presentes. A coleta dos dados se deu por meio de questionários enviado às empresas constantes no projeto Melhores & Maiores, edição 2006. A amostra final é composta por 104 participantes, a partir da qual se empregou estatística descritiva e Análise de Cluster. Os resultados revelaram três arranjos. O primeiro é composto por empresas com ambiente competitivo, tecnologias modernas e não-padronizadas, estratégia de diferenciação, estrutura orgânica e atributos do SCG sofisticados (instrumentos e práticas modernas, informações tempestivas, agregadas, integradas, não-financeiras, focadas no ambiente externo e no futuro). O segundo é composto por empresas com ambiente estável e protegido, tecnologias pouco padronizadas e pouco desenvolvidas, estratégia de liderança em custos, estrutura mecanicista e atributos do SCG menos sofisticadas (instrumentos e práticas tradicionais, informações não-tempestivas, não-agregadas, não-integradas, financeiras, focadas no ambiente interno e no passado). O terceiro arranjo é composto por empresas com ambiente e atributos do SCG semelhantes ao primeiro, e com estratégia e estrutura similar ao segundo. Nos dois arranjos iniciais o desempenho mostra-se superior e considerando ainda que a disposição das variáveis convergem com os resultados empíricos de outras investigações, conclui-se que nestes arranjos há um maior encaixe entre os fatores situacionais do que no terceiro. O estudo ainda conclui que ajustar os atributos do Sistema de Contabilidade Gerencial a cada contexto ambiental e organizacional resulta na utilização mais eficiente dos recursos aplicados neste sistema. / Unlike the universal character of previous classical approaches, the Contingency Theory claims that there is not one best way for organization. Thus, companies should structure themselves differently, in accordance with the environmental context they find themselves in. In the field of managerial accounting, researchers of this theory argue that it is not possible to develop a Managerial Accounting System (MAS) that presents the same effectiveness in all situations. Different environments require different strategies and organizational structures, which end up impacting the form in which the MAS is organized. Therefore, based on the Contingency Theory, the purpose of this research is to identify and analyze the arrangements that are made by the adjustment of environmental and organizational factors in the largest companies in the Brazilian market. The factors that are utilized are the following: environment, technology, strategy, organizational structure, MAS attributes, and organizational performance. For each factor there are one or more variables which seek to measure the extent of the presence of the characteristic being considered. Data was collected by means of questionnaires which were sent to the companies listed in the Melhores & Maiores project, 2006. The final sample consists of 104 participants, and this sample was subjected to descriptive statistics and Cluster Analysis. The results revealed the existence of three arrangements. The first consists of companies with a competitive environment, modern and non standardized technology, differentiation strategies, organic structure and sophisticated MAS attributes (advanced management accounting practices, and timely, aggregated, integrated, and non financial information focused on the external environmental and in the future). The second consists of companies in a stable and protected environment, with technology without much standardization and development, low price strategy, mechanistic structure, and less sophisticated MAS attributes (traditional management accounting practices, and untimely, non aggregate, non integrated, non financial information focusing on the internal environment and in the past). The third arrangement consists of companies in an environment and with MAS attributes which are similar to the first arrangement, and with strategies and structure similar to the second. The first two arrangements presented superior performance, and considering that the dispositions of the variable converge with the empirical results of other investigations, it is concluded that these arrangements achieve greater fit between situational factors than in the third. The study also concludes that the fit of the MAS attributes to each different environmental and organizational context results in more efficient utilization of the resources applied in such system.

Contrariando o caráter universalista das abordagens clássicas anteriores, a Teoria da Contingência defende que não há uma melhor forma de se organizar. Conforme o contexto ambiental apresentado, a organização deve se estruturar de uma maneira diferente. No âmbito da contabilidade gerencial, os estudiosos desta teoria argumentam que não há como desenvolver um Sistema de Contabilidade Gerencial (SCG) que tenha a mesma eficiência em todas as situações. Diferentes ambientes requerem diferentes modelos de estratégia e estrutura organizacional, o que termina por impactar a forma como o SCG é organizado. Amparada então pela teoria contingencial, a presente pesquisa tem por objetivo identificar e analisar os arranjos promovidos pelo encaixe existente entre os fatores ambientais e organizacionais nas maiores empresas atuantes no mercado brasileiro. Os fatores empregados são: ambiente, tecnologia, estratégia, estrutura organizacional, atributos do SCG e desempenho organizacional. Para cada fator, há uma ou mais variável que procura mensurar o quanto as características tratadas estão presentes. A coleta dos dados se deu por meio de questionários enviado às empresas constantes no projeto Melhores & Maiores, edição 2006. A amostra final é composta por 104 participantes, a partir da qual se empregou estatística descritiva e Análise de Cluster. Os resultados revelaram três arranjos. O primeiro é composto por empresas com ambiente competitivo, tecnologias modernas e não-padronizadas, estratégia de diferenciação, estrutura orgânica e atributos do SCG sofisticados (instrumentos e práticas modernas, informações tempestivas, agregadas, integradas, não-financeiras, focadas no ambiente externo e no futuro). O segundo é composto por empresas com ambiente estável e protegido, tecnologias pouco padronizadas e pouco desenvolvidas, estratégia de liderança em custos, estrutura mecanicista e atributos do SCG menos sofisticadas (instrumentos e práticas tradicionais, informações não-tempestivas, não-agregadas, não-integradas, financeiras, focadas no ambiente interno e no passado). O terceiro arranjo é composto por empresas com ambiente e atributos do SCG semelhantes ao primeiro, e com estratégia e estrutura similar ao segundo. Nos dois arranjos iniciais o desempenho mostra-se superior e considerando ainda que a disposição das variáveis convergem com os resultados empíricos de outras investigações, conclui-se que nestes arranjos há um maior encaixe entre os fatores situacionais do que no terceiro. O estudo ainda conclui que ajustar os atributos do Sistema de Contabilidade Gerencial a cada contexto ambiental e organizacional resulta na utilização mais eficiente dos recursos aplicados neste sistema. / Unlike the universal character of previous classical approaches, the Contingency Theory claims that there is not one best way for organization. Thus, companies should structure themselves differently, in accordance with the environmental context they find themselves in. In the field of managerial accounting, researchers of this theory argue that it is not possible to develop a Managerial Accounting System (MAS) that presents the same effectiveness in all situations. Different environments require different strategies and organizational structures, which end up impacting the form in which the MAS is organized. Therefore, based on the Contingency Theory, the purpose of this research is to identify and analyze the arrangements that are made by the adjustment of environmental and organizational factors in the largest companies in the Brazilian market. The factors that are utilized are the following: environment, technology, strategy, organizational structure, MAS attributes, and organizational performance. For each factor there are one or more variables which seek to measure the extent of the presence of the characteristic being considered. Data was collected by means of questionnaires which were sent to the companies listed in the Melhores & Maiores project, 2006. The final sample consists of 104 participants, and this sample was subjected to descriptive statistics and Cluster Analysis. The results revealed the existence of three arrangements. The first consists of companies with a competitive environment, modern and non standardized technology, differentiation strategies, organic structure and sophisticated MAS attributes (advanced management accounting practices, and timely, aggregated, integrated, and non financial information focused on the external environmental and in the future). The second consists of companies in a stable and protected environment, with technology without much standardization and development, low price strategy, mechanistic structure, and less sophisticated MAS attributes (traditional management accounting practices, and untimely, non aggregate, non integrated, non financial information focusing on the internal environment and in the past). The third arrangement consists of companies in an environment and with MAS attributes which are similar to the first arrangement, and with strategies and structure similar to the second. The first two arrangements presented superior performance, and considering that the dispositions of the variable converge with the empirical results of other investigations, it is concluded that these arrangements achieve greater fit between situational factors than in the third. The study also concludes that the fit of the MAS attributes to each different environmental and organizational context results in more efficient utilization of the resources applied in such system.

This research constructed the structural relationships between competitive strategy, size of business unit, task environment, organizational structure, information asymmetry and the information characteristics of management accounting system (MAS). In addition, the structural model included the impact of MAS design, by way of job-relevant information, on managerial performance. There were two kinds of relationship, including the effects of intervening variables, 28 hypotheses were studied. This research collected empirical data of 107 middle-level managers who serviced in those manufacturing companies listed in Taiwan Stock Exchange Market, and used the method of path analysis to test the hypothesized intervening effects. The empirical evidence of this research revealed as follows: 1.Those business units that adopted differentiation strategy have faced relatively high variable task environment, and adopted cost leadership strategy have faced low variable task environment. 2.Those managers of big business units perceived usefulness of broad and aggregated MAS information would be higher than those of small business units. 3.Those managers of business units perceived relatively high usefulness of broad and aggregated MAS information would have high managerial performance than those who perceived low usefulness of broad and aggregated MAS information. 4.Those managers of business units perceived relatively high usefulness of broad and aggregated MAS information would have more job-relevant information than those who perceived low usefulness of broad and aggregated MAS information. 5.Not anticipated effects this research hypothesized, the data revealed those business units that adopted differentiation strategy had low degree of decentralization, and adopted cost leadership strategy had relatively high degree of decentralization. 6.Not anticipated effects this research hypothesized, the data approved the indirect effects of decentralization on strategy type and broad and aggregated MAS information, but those business units which adopted differentiation strategy had relatively low degree of decentralization would perceived high usefulness of broad and aggregated MAS information. 7.The empirical results verified the indirect effects of job-relevant information on broad and aggregated MAS information and managerial performance.

Nel mondo delle imprese, l’efficacia del sistema di contabilità analitica per il miglioramento delle performance organizzative è ampiamente dimostrata. I risultati della letteratura del settore pubblico sulla relazione diretta tra MAS e performance sono invece ancora scarsi e controversi. La presente ricerca si propone di colmare questo gap e di indagare, con metodo quantitativo, se la presenza di questo strumento nelle aziende sanitarie pubbliche implichi effettivamente una buona performance, misurata sulla base di indicatori, sia economico-finanziari, sia non economico-finanziari. In particolare, lo studio di propone di verificare se le caratteristiche di base di un sistema di management accounting abbiano un significativo impatto positivo sulle performance economico - finanziarie e sull’efficienza e appropriatezza dell’organizzazione; un sistema di contabilità analitica più sviluppato migliori significativamente i risultati economico - finanziari, l’efficienza e l’appropriatezza dell’organizzazione; il livello di sviluppo del MAS comporti un differente impatto sulle performance in funzione di alcune caratteristiche delle organizzazioni sanitarie pubbliche, come l’appartenenza o meno della azienda ad una regione sottoposta ad un piano di rientro dal deficit finanziario, o il fatto di essere o meno una ASL piuttosto che un’Azienda ospedaliera, o di avere una casistica particolarmente complessa. / Management accounting theory has generally assumed that accounting information improves decision-making and, thereby, organizational outcomes. The Italian Legislative Decree no. 502/92 introduced the Management accounting systems in the public health care organizations, within the New Public Management reforms. According to NPM theories, “Management is management” in public and private sectors, so the use of private sector management tools can improve public sector performance. However, “no prior studies have systematically tested whether the same kind of management principles and techniques have the same effects in both public and private organizations” (Hvidman, Andersen, 2013). Indeed, concerning impacts, management accounting research is still mainly focused on manufacturing firms while public sector is largely unexplored. In response to this gap, this study investigates the impact of MAS on financial and non-financial organizational performance of a large sample of health care organizations. More specifically, the purpose of this work is to verify whether: 1) The presence of MAS has positive effects on financial performance, on efficiency and appropriateness; 2) The functionality of the costing system is positively correlated with financial and non-financial organizational performance; 3) The relationship between MAS and organizational performance will be more likely in the presence of some contextual factors.

本文主要在探討在資訊不對稱、管理會計系統及獎酬制度三變數對工作滿足的影響，以期透過本研究的進行提供目前管理會計研究中有關最適激勵契約之代理理論是否有效的測試，並使管理當局採行最適之管理會計系統及獎酬制度以提高員工之工作滿足。 　　本研究採用發放問卷的方式，樣本來源主要為政大公共行政及企業管理教育中心之學員。利用１１２份有效問卷分析獲致以下結果：(１)、資訊不對稱對工作滿足並無顯著影響。(２)、管理會計系統所提供績效資訊的完整程度與工作滿足間具有正向關係。(３)、三變數兩兩與工作滿足間的交互作用，除資訊不對稱與管理會計系統兩變數對工作滿足具有顯著正向交互作用外，其餘之交互作用影響方向皆未定。(４)在資訊不對稱程度不同的情況下，完整之管理會計系統配合行為基礎獎酬制度究竟對工作滿足的影響方向為何？則未獲致具體結論。 　　三變數與工作滿足的交互作用未獲致與國外文獻(Gul & Chia(1994))相同之結論，其原因可能為國內特殊環境所致，應可再就此一主題做更進一步的探討。