The controllability principle in management accounting systems : an exploratory study in Malta

Abstract

What should managers be held accountable for? This question has been the subject of much scholarly debate, especially within management accounting and control literature. Particularly, such an issue has been dealt in relation to the Controllability Principle (CP), a cornerstone of Responsibility Accounting (RA). Despite the benefits highlighted, doubt arises regards the extent of the CP's suitability and application in today's business environment. In fact, the purpose of this study is to investigate whether the CP still holds in this era of unprecedented global competition and changing organisational structures. This was mainly achieved through interviews with management accountants (MA) of business leaders in major local industries. The study reveals that the CP is not sacrosanct as often depicted by literature since it tends to contrast with the demands of reality. Consequently, the RA concept needs, in some situations, to be interpreted and applied independently of controllability.