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What is Management accounting? Introduction, Meaning and Definition

Management accounting is "tailor-made" accounting. It facilitates the management by providing accounting information in such a way so that it is conducive for policy making and running the day-to-day operations of the business. Its basic purpose is to communicate the facts according to the specific needs of decision-makers by presenting the information in a systematic and meaningful manner.

Management accounting, therefore, specifically helps in planning and control. It helps in setting standards and in case of variances between planned and actual performances, it helps in deciding the corrective action. An important characteristic of management accounting is that it is forward-looking. Its basic focus is one future activity to be performed and not what has already happened in the past.

Since management accounting caters to the specific decision needs, it does not rest upon any well-defined and set principles. The reports generated by a management accountant can be of any duration– short or long, depending on the purpose. Further, the reports can be prepared for the organization as a whole as well as its segments.

Meaning of Management Accounting:


By Wikipedia, In management accounting or managerial accounting, managers use the provisions of accounting information in order to better inform themselves before they decide matters within their organizations, which aids their management and performance of control functions.

Management Accounting is the presentation of accounting information in order to formulate the policies to be adopted by the management and assist its day-to-day activities. In other words, it helps the management to perform all its functions including planning, organizing, staffing, directing and controlling.

What is the definition of management accounting? Management accountants (also called managerial accountants) look at the events that happen in and around a business while considering the needs of the business. From this, data and estimates emerge. Cost accounting is the process of translating these estimates and data into knowledge that will ultimately be used to guide decision-making.

Definition of Management accounting: 


Management accounting also called managerial accounting or cost accounting is the process of analyzing business costs and operations to prepare an internal financial report, records, and account to aid managers’ decision making the process in achieving business goals. In other words, it is the act of making sense of financial and costing data and translating that data into useful information for management and officers within an organization.

Some apt definitions of Management Accounting may be noted:

In the words of J. Batty,

“Management Accountancy is the term used to describe the accounting methods, systems, and techniques which, with special knowledge and ability, assist management in its task of maximizing profit or minimizing losses.”

According to R. N. Anthony:

“Management Accounting is concerned with accounting information that is useful to management.”

The main difference between financial and managerial accounting is whether there is an internal or external focus. Financial accounting focuses on creating and evaluating financial statements that will be reported externally, like creditors and investors.

In contrast, managerial accounting analyses and results are kept in-house for business leaders to use to drive decision-making and run the company more effectively. Managerial accountants handle many facets of accounting. These include margins, constraints, capital budgeting, trends and forecasting, valuation and product costing.

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