Management Accounting Financial Accounting
Purpose of information Help managers make decisions Communicate organization’s financial
to fulfill an organization’s goals position to investors, banks, regulators,
and other outside parties
Primary users Managers of the organization External users such as investors, banks,
regulators, and suppliers
Focus and emphasis Future-oriented (budget for Past-oriented (reports on 2010
2011 prepared in 2010) performance prepared in 2011)
Rules of measurement Internal measures and reports Financial statements must be prepared
and reporting do not have to follow GAAP but in accordance with GAAP and be
are based on cost-benefit analysis certified by external, independent auditors
Time span and type of Varies from hourly information Annual and quarterly financial reports,
reports to 15 to 20 years, with financial primarily on the company as a whole
and nonfinancial reports on
products, departments, territories,
and strategies
Behavioral implications Designed to influence the behavior Primarily reports economic events
of managers and other employees but also influences behavior because
manager’s compensation is often based
on reported financial results