The first paper, ‘The Paradox of Strategic Management Accounting’, by Nixon and Burns, examines the evidence that SMA techniques have not been adopted widely nor is the term, SMA, widely understood or used. The scope, content and structure of SMA is evaluated in the context of evolution of the SM literature in the past 50 years. The practice of SMA is examined by reference to two recently published case studies that exemplify the role of management accounting in the new product development process. The scope of SMA is also evaluated from the perspectives of cognate strategy-oriented, accounting – related literatures, and the many management accounting techniques usually associated with SMA.