Prior accounting research has extensively studied how the budgeting behaviors of supervisors (e.g., extent of budgetary participation allowed) affect subordinate managers' organizational attitudes and behaviors (e.g., organizational commitment, managerial performance). Only a few studies, however, have examined the effects that characteristics of a formal budgeting process have on managers. Companies may be implementing formal budgeting procedures (e.g., use of a budget manual and preparation of mandatory reports) without understanding the consequences of these procedures on managers' organizational attitudes and behaviors. The purpose of this study is to determine whether characteristics of a formal budgeting process affect managers' organizational attitudes and behaviors either directly or indirectly through their effects on supervisors' budget-related behaviors.
Three sets of hypotheses are tested. The first set of hypotheses is concerned with the direct relationship between supervisors' budget-related behaviors and managers' organizational attitudes and behaviors. Supervisors' budget-related behaviors are those supervisor-initiated activities, actions, and interactions with subordinates which occur on a regular basis and are related to the system of budgetary controls (Swieringa and Moncur 1972). The second set of hypotheses is concerned with the relationship between characteristics of a formal budgeting process and supervisors' budget-related behaviors. Characteristics of a formal budgeting process are formalized and standardized activities created for the purpose of structuring, monitoring, and controlling the preparation and use of budgets (Welker and Magner 1994). The third set of hypotheses is concerned with the direct relationship between characteristics of a formal budgeting process and managers' organizational attitudes and behaviors after controlling for supervisors' budget-related behaviors.
Questionnaire data were gathered from managers at 154 companies and analyzed with multiple regression. Mixed support was found for relationships between supervisors' budget-related behaviors and managers' organizational attitudes and behaviors. Proposed relationships between characteristics of a formal budgeting process and supervisors' budget-related behaviors were generally not supported. Direct effects of characteristics of a formal budgeting process on managers' organizational attitudes and behaviors were not supported. The general conclusion of the study is that procedural characteristics of a formal budgeting process have at most a modest effect on managers' organizational attitudes and behaviors.