IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/taf/euract/v7y1998i1p1-30.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Knowledge, motivation and accounting form: an historical exploration

Author

Listed:
  • Alnoor Bhimani

Abstract

Understanding how individuals make decisions about and with accounting information and how they react to different aspects and forms of accounting has been of much interest to cognitive accounting researchers. However, the origins of cognitive characteristics and the manner in which they shape accounting form has not received much attention. This essay attempts to explore the underlying basis of two cognitive characteristics (knowledge and motivation) and their roles in conditioning accounting form within an historical context. Primary information on two nineteenth-century French mining and metallurgical enterprises provides the vehicle for the study. The knowledge base of company directors is argued to have been influenced by their educational training at the Ecole Polytechnique. Moreover, the paper argues that both directors' predilection to quantitative reasoning and their sharp sensitivity to the prospect of economic gains were associated with the sophisticated and extensive appeal which they made to financial analysis and accounting-based argumentation. The essay concludes with remarks on the potential which historical questioning of the type undertaken here offers for widening the agenda of research in accounting concerned with cognition.

Suggested Citation

  • Alnoor Bhimani, 1998. "Knowledge, motivation and accounting form: an historical exploration," European Accounting Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 7(1), pages 1-30.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:euract:v:7:y:1998:i:1:p:1-30
    DOI: 10.1080/096381898336556
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/096381898336556
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1080/096381898336556?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Loft, Anne, 1992. "Accountancy and the gendered division of labour: A review essay," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 17(3-4), pages 367-378.
    2. Dent, Jeremy F., 1991. "Accounting and organizational cultures: A field study of the emergence of a new organizational reality," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 16(8), pages 705-732.
    3. Landes, David S., 1949. "French Entrepreneurship and Industrial Growth in the Nineteenth Century," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 9(1), pages 45-61, May.
    4. Miller, Peter, 1990. "On the interrelations between accounting and the state," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 15(4), pages 315-338.
    5. Hopwood, Ag, 1972. "Empirical Study Of Role Of Accounting Data In Performance Evaluation," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 10, pages 156-182.
    6. Soeters, Joseph & Schreuder, Hein, 1988. "The interaction between national and organizational cultures in accounting firms," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 13(1), pages 75-85, January.
    7. Chow, Chee W. & Shields, Michael D. & Chan, Yoke Kai, 1991. "The effects of management controls and national culture on manufacturing performance: An experimental investigation," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 16(3), pages 209-226.
    8. Takatera, Sadao & Yamamoto, Masahiro, 1989. "The cultural significance of accounting in Japan," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 5(4), pages 235-250.
    9. Hooks, Karen L., 1992. "Gender effects and labor supply in public accounting: An agenda of research issues," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 17(3-4), pages 343-366.
    10. Chow, Chee W. & Kato, Yutaka & Shields, Michael D., 1994. "National culture and the preference for management controls: An exploratory study of the firm--Labor market interface," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 19(4-5), pages 381-400.
    11. Roberts, Jennifer & Coutts, J. Andrew, 1992. "Feminization and professionalization: A review of an emerging literature on the development of accounting in the United Kingdom," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 17(3-4), pages 379-395.
    12. Panozzo, Fabrizio, 1997. "The making of the good academic accountant," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 22(5), pages 447-480, July.
    13. Harrison, Graeme L., 1992. "The cross-cultural generalizability of the relation between participation, budget emphasis and job related attitudes," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 17(1), pages 1-15, January.
    14. Lane Daley & James Jiambalvo & Gary Sundem & Yasumasa Kondo, 1985. "Attitudes Toward Financial Control Systems in the United States and Japan†," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 16(3), pages 91-110, September.
    15. Jacques Henri Horovitz, 1980. "Top Management Control in Europe," Palgrave Macmillan Books, Palgrave Macmillan, number 978-1-349-16357-1.
    16. Hines, Ruth D., 1992. "Accounting: Filling the negative space," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 17(3-4), pages 313-341.
    17. Chow, Chee W. & Kato, Yutaka & Merchant, Kenneth A., 1996. "The use of organizational controls and their effects on data manipulation and management myopia: A Japan vs U.S. comparison," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 21(2-3), pages 175-192.
    18. Hopwood, Ag, 1972. "Empirical Study Of Role Of Accounting Data In Performance Evaluation - Reply," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 10, pages 189-193.
    19. Bonner, Se & Lewis, Bl, 1990. "Determinants Of Auditor Expertise," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28, pages 1-20.
    20. Miller, Peter & O'Leary, Ted, 1987. "Accounting and the construction of the governable person," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 12(3), pages 235-265, April.
    21. Libby, Robert & Luft, Joan, 1993. "Determinants of judgment performance in accounting settings: Ability, knowledge, motivation, and environment," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 18(5), pages 425-450, July.
    22. O'Connor, Neale G., 1995. "The influence of organizational culture on the usefulness of budget participation by Singaporean-Chinese managers," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 20(5), pages 383-403, July.
    23. Armstrong, Peter, 1987. "The rise of accounting controls in British capitalist enterprises," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 12(5), pages 415-436, August.
    24. Markus, M. Lynne & Pfeffer, Jeffrey, 1983. "Power and the design and implementation of accounting and control systems," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 8(2-3), pages 205-218, May.
    25. Hoskin, Keith W. & Macve, Richard H., 1988. "The genesis of accountability: The west point connections," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 13(1), pages 37-73, January.
    26. Birnberg, Jacob G. & Snodgrass, Coral, 1988. "Culture and control: A field study," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 13(5), pages 447-464, August.
    27. Hogarth, Robin M., 1993. "Accounting for decisions and decisions for accounting," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 18(5), pages 407-424, July.
    28. Harrison, Graeme L., 1993. "Reliance on accounting performance measures in superior evaluative style -- The influence of national culture and personality," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 18(4), pages 319-339, May.
    29. Kirkham, Linda M., 1992. "Integrating herstory and history in accountancy," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 17(3-4), pages 287-297.
    30. Merchant, Kenneth A. & Chow, Chee W. & Wu, Anne, 1995. "Measurement, evaluation and reward of profit center managers: A cross-cultural field study," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 20(7-8), pages 619-638.
    31. Lukka, Kari & Kasanen, Eero, 1996. "Is accounting a global or a local discipline? evidence from major research journals," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 21(7-8), pages 755-773.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Ramirez, Carlos, 2001. "Understanding social closure in its cultural context: accounting practitioners in France (1920-1939)," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 26(4-5), pages 391-418.
    2. Alnoor Bhimani, 2002. "European management accounting research: traditions in the making," European Accounting Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 11(1), pages 99-117.
    3. Walid Cheffi & Adel Beldi, 2007. "Conception D'Un Outil De Mesure De La Performance : Divergences Entre Controleurs De Gestion Et Managers. Cas D'Un Groupe Industriel Français," Post-Print halshs-00543093, HAL.
    4. Malcolm Anderson, 1999. "Accounting History Publications 1998," Accounting History Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(3), pages 375-384.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Luft, Joan & Shields, Michael D., 2003. "Mapping management accounting: graphics and guidelines for theory-consistent empirical research," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 28(2-3), pages 169-249.
    2. Williams, John J. & Seaman, Alfred E., 2001. "Predicting change in management accounting systems: national culture and industry effects," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 26(4-5), pages 443-460.
    3. Chow, Chee W. & Hwang, Richard Nen-Chen & Liao, Woody & Wu, Anne, 1998. "National culture and subordinates' upward communication of private information," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 33(3), pages 293-311.
    4. Chow, Chee W. & Shields, Michael D. & Wu, Anne, 1999. "The importance of national culture in the design of and preference for management controls for multi-national operations," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 24(5-6), pages 441-461, July.
    5. Awasthi, Vidya N. & Chow, Chee W. & Wu, Anne, 2001. "Cross-cultural differences in the behavioral consequences of imposing performance evaluation and reward systems: An experimental investigation," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 291-309, September.
    6. Goddard, Andrew, 1997. "Organizational culture and budget related behavior: A comparative contingency study of three local government organizations," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 32(1), pages 79-97.
    7. Harrison, Graeme L. & McKinnon, Jill L., 1999. "Cross-cultural research in management control systems design: a review of the current state," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 24(5-6), pages 483-506, July.
    8. Christoph Endenich & Michael Brandau & Andreas Hoffjan, 2011. "Two Decades of Research on Comparative Management Accounting – Achievements and Future Directions," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 21(4), pages 365-382, December.
    9. Ahrens, Thomas, 1996. "Styles of accountability," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 21(2-3), pages 139-173.
    10. Tsui, Judy S. L., 2001. "The impact of culture on the relationship between budgetary participation, management accounting systems, and managerial performance: An analysis of Chinese and Western managers," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 125-146, May.
    11. Teemu Malmi & David S. Bedford & Rolf Brühl & Johan Dergård & Sophie Hoozée & Otto Janschek & Jeanette Willert, 2022. "The use of management controls in different cultural regions: an empirical study of Anglo-Saxon, Germanic and Nordic practices," Journal of Management Control: Zeitschrift für Planung und Unternehmenssteuerung, Springer, vol. 33(3), pages 273-334, September.
    12. Chow, Chee W. & Kato, Yutaka & Merchant, Kenneth A., 1996. "The use of organizational controls and their effects on data manipulation and management myopia: A Japan vs U.S. comparison," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 21(2-3), pages 175-192.
    13. O'Connor, Neale G., 1995. "The influence of organizational culture on the usefulness of budget participation by Singaporean-Chinese managers," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 20(5), pages 383-403, July.
    14. Chow, Chee W. & Harrison, Graeme L. & McKinnon, Jill L. & Wu, Anne, 1999. "Cultural influences on informal information sharing in Chinese and Anglo-American organizations: an exploratory study," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 24(7), pages 561-582, October.
    15. Haka, Susan F. & Heitger, Dan L., 2004. "International managerial accounting research: A contracting framework and opportunities," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 21-69.
    16. Andrew Goddard, 1997. "Organisational Culture and Budgetary Control in a UK Local Government Organisation," Accounting and Business Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(2), pages 111-123.
    17. Chenhall, Robert H., 2003. "Management control systems design within its organizational context: findings from contingency-based research and directions for the future," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 28(2-3), pages 127-168.
    18. Lau, Chong M. & Low, Liang C. & Eggleton, Ian R. C., 1995. "The impact of reliance on accounting performance measures on job-related tension and managerial performance: Additional evidence," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 20(5), pages 359-381, July.
    19. Merchant, Kenneth A. & Chow, Chee W. & Wu, Anne, 1995. "Measurement, evaluation and reward of profit center managers: A cross-cultural field study," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 20(7-8), pages 619-638.
    20. Chong Lau & Christen Buckland, 2000. "Budget emphasis, participation, task difficulty and performance: the effect of diversity within culture," Accounting and Business Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 31(1), pages 37-55.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:taf:euract:v:7:y:1998:i:1:p:1-30. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Chris Longhurst (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.tandfonline.com/REAR20 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.