Management accounting and value creation: the profit and loss of reification

Management accounting has recently broadened its scope to encompass contributing to the so-called value creation process. Value creation is usually presented as a simple, strategically relevant and all-embracing concept. Drawing from the Marxist concept of reification, this article shows that value creation is commonly reified through its objectification, which prevents any dispute and further maintains social domination. The contribution of this analysis to more general research questions, such as managerial innovation and the governmental role of accounting, is discussed. Academic and practical implications are suggested in the conclusion.