The Association Between Activity-Based Costing and Manufacturing Performance

This study examines the association between activity-based costing and manufacturing performance. Results using a cross-sectional sample of manufacturing plants indicates that extensive ABC use is associated with higher quality levels and greater improvements in cycle time and quality, and is indirectly associated with manufacturing cost reductions through quality and cycle time improvements. However, on average, extensive ABC use has no significant association with return on assets. Instead, we find weak evidence that the association between ABC and accounting profitability is contingent on the plant's operational characteristics.     

Activity-Based Costing in Universities—Five Years On

This article describes the current state of costing within the higher education sector, reviewing recent published literature and analysing the progress made by institutions in implementing activity-based costing (ABC). It draws on the findings of two cross-sectional surveys of all UK universities, undertaken in 1993 and 1998/99. The data collected suggests that while implementation of ABC systems has been slow, this might be about to change because of pressures being exerted by funding bodies and central government.     

Activity-Based Costing and Central Overhead Cost Allocation in Universities: A Case Study

This article examines the development of ABC in university accounting and assesses the contribution it might make to solving the problems associated with central overhead cost allocation systems. A case study using an ABC methodology was developed and applied to library services at the University of Southampton. The results showed substantial differences in the allocation of the central overhead costs as between academic faculties using the model and the existing system. The authors argue that although the ABC approach may overcome some of the problems of overhead allocation and improve the economic efficiency of organizations, there are significant problems with its practical application.     

Data Fixation and the Use of Traditional Versus Activity-Based Costing Systems

An important debate in the contemporary accounting literature relates to the relative merits of activity-based versus volume-based product costing methodologies. Traditional volume-based costing systems are said to be flawed and may seriously mislead strategic decision making. Such arguments assume that decision makers use such information in an unproblematic way. This article reports on an experiment designed to investigate whether decision makers are able to overcome data fixation in a setting involving the use of product cost information. In response to criticisms of previous accounting studies of data fixation, subjects received some feedback after each decision, and were rewarded based on performance. The experiment involved subjects making a series of production output decisions based on detailed case information of a hypothetical firm facing different market conditions for each decision. A between-subjects design was utilized with two cost system treatments: activity-based costing (ABC) and traditional costing (TC). It was hypothesized that the group provided with ABC cost data would make 'optimal' decisions and the group provided with TC cost data would overcome fixation. The results of the experiment indicated that there was, in general, evidence of data fixation among TC subjects, but a small number of subjects did adjust to ABC costs. These results are discussed in the light of previous research and some future directions are outlined.     

Closing the cultural intelligence skills gap in accounting students: An action research approach to cross-cultural teamwork

Cultural intelligence (CQ) is an essential feature of the skills-set demanded of accounting graduates entering the worlds of modern business and professional practice. Accounting educators are challenged to be innovative pedagogically to equip their students with this skills-set. This paper, drawing on the theoretical framework of CQ, reports on the experiences of students and faculty in accounting and taxation, in the context of an action research study which introduced cross-cultural learning across two geographies, namely Ireland and a Southern US state. Two action research cycles were designed, adapted, and reflected upon. Cycle 1 results indicate students were successful in the behaviour and cognitive dimensions of CQ only. Key changes made for cycle 2 led to overall success for students in all four dimensions of CQ. Evidence suggests the motivation dimension of CQ functions more strongly as enablers of others. Results highlight the invaluable support of an international collaborator despite challenges around grading issues. This study demonstrates how moving the cultural experience outside of a mono-cultural setting serves to energise and enhance the overall learning experience for students and faculty alike. Future research agendas can expand into other accounting sub-disciplines and/or use sufficiently large sample sizes to enable more quantitative analyses.     

The social mastery of technology : An agenda for research and action

This article reports on the symposium on the ‘Social Mastery of Technology’ (MASTECH) organized by the CNRS Industrial Economics Research Group and the Maison Rhône-Alpes des Sciences de l'Homme in Lyon, France, 9–12 September 1991, under the patronage of UNESCO, which was a major innovation among scientific communities in the area of human sciences.     

Determinants of accounting innovation implementation

Accounting innovations are often not successfully implemented or diffused throughout the organization. This study seeks to explain this phenomenon. One of the major impediments to the successful implementation of accounting innovation is that management accounting systems are generally used to serve the decision control needs of top management while at the same time purportedly supporting the decision management needs of lower level managers. To the extent that the accounting system is used for decision control, innovation creates the potential for wealth effects to occur. This prompts managers, whose wealth will be negatively affected, to resist accounting innovation. We present conditions where it is likely for negative wealth effects to occur. Under these conditions the system will fail to achieve its intended objectives. Our theoretical model examines how decentralization choices influence resistance to accounting innovation. We argue that delegation of decision rights can limit the potential for resistance in two ways—(a) by creating the environment which allows managers to ensure that their subunits are able to adapt to the new signals provided by accounting innovations and (b) by enabling subunit managers to become involved in the design of these systems. Our model also enables us to assess the consequences on organizational outcomes when subunit managers resist accounting innovations. Based on data collected from production managers, our results demonstrate the importance of decentralization choices on the effective implementation of accounting innovations.     

创新是可持续发展的原动力--《中国农业银行科技创新工程2005～2007年行动计划》之科技创新工作体系

《中国农业银行科技创新工程2005～2007年行动计划》共分为四篇。在金字塔形的中国农业银行科技创新工程基本目标模型中，第三篇科技创新工作体系建设行动计划是整个计划的最高层次，已经接近“建设科技先导型现代商业银行”的金字塔顶尖。     

The co-creation of regional futures: Facilitating action research in regional foresight

This article presents the interconnected phases of a regional-foresight process in an AR perspective within the context of a complex regional dynamic of actors with distinct local and regional political presences. The analysis is based on a Norwegian case of AR on regional foresight. The article reflects upon and develops the concept of action research (AR) as it relates to regional-foresight practices in connection with regional planning strategies (policies), according to Norway's new Planning and Building Act (PBA, 2008). Both AR and regional foresight are broad terms within a number of domains, and several contributions have sought to show how these are interlinked Ramos (2006). The focus is on how AR and action researchers both contribute to the co-creation of regional and sub-regional formulation of planning by regional-foresight processes, which are driven by decision-making regional bodies. This article contributes to the understanding of how an AR strategy of ‘strategic facilitation’ may improve the overall foresight capacity of all regional actors, both in concert and as single stakeholders. Also it furthers the understanding of how an AR approach may assist in transforming the foresight practices and the strategic decision-making into a more transparent process.     

An essay on financial innovation: The case of instalment receipts

We investigate the relative pricing of an innovated security called “instalment receipts” (IRs). IRs are securities that evidence the purchase of some underlying securities on an instalment basis. Theoretically, we show that investors with borrowing restrictions will be willing to pay for the leverage benefit embedded in IRs. We then provide an empirical support for our argument. The observed premium in IR price over the underlying price implies that by using IRs, the issuers benefit from both an increase in demand and a reduction in the price concessions that they have to make to ensure the success of their offerings.     

Activity‐Based Costing in a Challenging Business Environment: An Instructional Case

This cross‐disciplinary case study uses the concept of the Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) in the upstream petroleum industry to demonstrate the application of activity‐based costing in a challenging international business environment. The case is designed and implemented to encourage students to critically address and solve legal, operational, and accounting challenges from a global perspective. This case is intended to be an appropriate hands‐on, experiential tool for undergraduate degree‐level managerial accounting classes. The learning objectives of this case include (i) to develop an understanding of the PSAs and identify their potential related challenges; (ii) to apply activity‐based costing using a multiple‐step approach in a unique, international, realistic, and challenging environment; and (iii) to identify the gaps between the current case activity‐based costing application and IFRS.     

改革开放30年会计监督的发展与创新

本文从会计监督环境演变和制度安排、会计监督理论与实践的互动考察中对改革开放30年来会计监督的发展和创新进行回顾和总结,分四个阶段阐述了我国会计监督的发展和创新。在此基础上,本文对未来会计监督体系的创新和发展、会计监督和内部控制的关系、内部会计监督机制的创新进行了展望。     

The role of foreign and domestic venture capital in innovation: evidence from China

This paper analyses the different effects of foreign venture capital (FVC) and domestic venture capital (DVC) on innovation for IPOs. Using patent counts to measure innovation, the results indicate that FVC-backed firms are less innovative than DVC-backed firms. Our findings are robust after controlling for the sample selection bias using a propensity score matching approach. One possible underlying mechanism through which FVCs nurture less innovation is their inferior geographic proximity to investment targets.     

作业成本法在中小型企业应用的分析

作业成本法作为一种新兴的、先进的成本核算方法在我国发展迅速,但在中小企业并不多见.论文通过阐述作业成本法的概念及优势,分析作业成本法在中小型企业中应用的必要性与实施的可行性,希望作业成本法可以在中小型企业中广泛应用.     

De-politicization and innovation: Evidence from China

This study analyzes whether the loss of political connections in the Chinese listed firms affects their innovation. Using number of firm patents as a proxy for innovation, we construct a quasi-natural experiment, which focuses on independent directors with political connections were forced to resign due to CPC regulation in 2013 to explore the casual relation between political connections and firm innovation. The baseline results indicate that the innovation output has improved significantly since the promulgation of the Chinese government’s policy in 2013. In addition, we also find two possible underlying channels that firms tend to increase R&D investments and prefer to hire more senior engineers as their independent directors once they lose political ties. The results suggest that de-politicization has been conducive to promoting technological innovation and firms will compensate for their competitiveness weakened by the loss of political connection through two underlying channels in China, which are also confirmed in additional robustness and placebo tests.     

The dark side of strengthened minority voting power: An innovation perspective

Based on the 2014 regulatory reforms aimed at strengthening the protection of legitimate rights and interests of minority investors in China, we investigate minority shareholders’ short-termism and how minority voting impacts firm innovation. We find that the 2014 reforms effectively motivate minority shareholders to attend shareholder meetings and greatly enhance their voting influence. We also find that enhanced minority voting power after the reforms lowers the number of firms’ patent applications, and this effect is more pronounced for the firms that see the greatest increase in shareholder attendance at shareholder meetings. Moreover, enhanced minority voting power boosts executive turnover-performance sensitivity, thereby undermining firm innovation. Finally, we show that different types of minority shareholders have distinct impacts on firm innovation, depending on their investment horizons. The negative effect of minority voting power is more pronounced for state-owned enterprises (SOEs) than for non-SOEs.     

The China puzzle: Opportunities for accounting research

How can China achieve phenomenal economic growth despite what is considered as 'weak' institutions in market-based economies? Xu(2011) provides a framework to u...     

International innovation and strategic initiatives: A research agenda

Despite the argument that leveraging the expertise of foreign subsidiaries to the global firm benefits the whole firm's competitive advantage, in the case of international innovation, such leveraging rarely takes place. We investigate this paradox, applying research on strategic initiatives to the context of international R&D. Developing a conceptual model on the basis of communication psychology, we analyse how the innovative expertise of R&D subsidiaries may be leveraged to benefit the global firm. Specifically, we determine six elements whose greater exploration can lead to a deeper understanding of how the innovation expertise of a foreign R&D subsidiary may be leveraged.     

The bright side of analyst coverage on corporate innovation: Evidence from China

Using a sample of A-share listed companies in China from 2007 to 2019, we investigate the effect of analyst coverage on corporate innovation. We find that analyst coverage will promote corporate innovation, supporting the information hypothesis. We also discuss possible mechanisms of how analyst coverage increases innovation. The information and monitor effects are two plausible channels that allow analyst coverage to promote innovation. Heterogeneity analysis shows the positive relation is more pronounced in non-SOEs, in higher intellectual property protection regions. And considering the firms' life cycle, we find firms in the growth and maturity stage are more vulnerably affected by analysts. Further investigation reveals a positive relationship between analyst coverage and external innovation, and the increased innovation ultimately translates into the long-term value of firms. Our research enriches the impact of analyst coverage on innovation and provides new empirical evidence to improve the multi-level capital market.