Reflections on the applicability of business analytics for management accounting – and future perspectives for the accountant
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to identify, discuss and provide suggestions for how the phenomenon of business analytics and its elements may influence management accounting and the accountant.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper not only identifies a number of studies from academic journals but also reports from professional consultancies and professional accounting bodies concerning future opportunities and implications for management accounting in combination with business analytics.
Findings
First, it was found that both academic articles and professional accounting bodies suggest changes for management accounting. Second, it shows that topics such holistic views, fact-based decisions, predictions, visualization and specific hard core skills are the most important for the accountant. Finally, the paper demonstrates that there are different ambition levels for the management accountant, depending on if s(he) wants to be on a descriptive, on a predictive or on a prescriptive level.
Originality/value
Even though the paper is general in nature, the paper discusses a phenomenon that for some reason has been ignored by practitioners and researchers. The true value of the paper therefore lies in making practitioners and researchers more aware of the possibilities of business analytics for management accounting, and through that, making the management accountant a real value driver for the company.
Keywords
Citation
Nielsen, S. (2018), "Reflections on the applicability of business analytics for management accounting – and future perspectives for the accountant", Journal of Accounting & Organizational Change, Vol. 14 No. 2, pp. 167-187. https://doi.org/10.1108/JAOC-11-2014-0056
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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