Productivity in Japanese management control systems
Compared with the West, the Japanese productivity movement is closely allied to management accounting for decision-making purposes. This keenness to utilize accounting information is commendable, considering the lack of accountants in Japan. However, as most Western business economists would point out, accounting information is designed mainly for accounting and reporting purposes rather than for decision making. A comprehensive discussion of Japanese management accounting is given by Bromwich and Bhimani[16]. They show that management accounting systems in Japanese firms are used more for motivating employees to act in accordance with long-term strategies than to provide senior management with precise information. They reiterate that cost data are not significant in determining product prices for a large segment of Japanese organizations because target prices are based on the potential of the market. This analysis reflects the earlier views of Hiromoto[17].