This study makes a number of contributions to the literature. First, it is the first study to examine the factors that influence the choice of accounting methods in Africa, and in Tanzania, in particular. Second, the paper introduces the effect of board composition (measured as the proportion of non-executive directors) as a new factor that influences the choice of accounting policies. No previous study has examined this variable in the context of managerial accounting choice. Third, our study demonstrates that there may be behavioural