How can management control system fairness reduce managers’ unethical behaviours?

SummaryEmpirical research has shown that as management control systems (MCS) put heavy pressure on managers to achieve their objectives, they may induce two types of unethical behaviour: creation of budgetary slack and data manipulation. Recently, studies have introduced Organisational Justice theory into the area of management accounting research and shown the positive effects of organisational justice on managers’ attitudes and behaviours. However, few studies have systematically analysed how MCS fairness reduces unethical behaviours and which characteristics of MCS could increase managers’ perception that they are treated fairly.The purpose of the paper is to contribute to this research. It formulates testable hypotheses on how some specific dimensions of MCS can enhance perceived fairness, which in turn helps to reduce the creation of slack and data manipulation through increased Organisational Commitment and Trust in supervisor.

► Management control systems (MCS) can induce data manipulation and slack creation.
► We propose a model showing how fair MCS can reduce these unethical behaviours.
► First, we identify MCS components that can increase the perceived fairness of MCS.
► Then, we show that MCS fairness increases organisational commitment and trust.
► Finally, organisational commitment and trust can decrease these unethical behaviours.