Environmental hostility, strategic orientation and the importance of management accounting-an empirical analysis of new technology-based firms

This paper reports empirical analysis of two research propositions which arise from different variables from the contingency theory of management accounting. The approach uses data from a sample of 183 new technology-based firms (NTBFs) in Sweden. The contingency variables were considered under the headings of environmental hostility and strategic orientation. While we might have expected to see here some evidence of correlations between variables of environmental hostility-management accounting and between strategic orientation-management accounting, only a few variables are apparent for the sample available. We note that the importance of standard methods in management accounting (general, costing, budgeting, investment calculation) does not seen to be precipitated by the contingencies such as environmental hostility and strategic orientation. Previous research has identified technology as one of the most important contingency factors. However, our technology variables will not seem to have an impact on the importance of management accounting practices in the NTBFs. We also conclude that the correlation analysis indicates that earlier work experience and different types of management problems in small high-tech firms is of importance for development of the cost management approach.