Michael Lee Copyright (c) 2013 All rights reserved. http://works.bepress.com/michael_lee Recent documents in Michael Lee en-us Sat, 18 May 2013 01:41:28 PDT 3600 Lean Processes without Compromising Controls http://works.bepress.com/michael_lee/13 http://works.bepress.com/michael_lee/13 Thu, 16 May 2013 14:20:57 PDT In today’s economic environment, governments feel the pressure to operate more efficiently, and many are therefore considering the gradual and continuous process improvement that Lean provides. Lean begins by examining a process from beginning to end, without departmental barriers; identifying the parts of the process that are inefficient; making a case for Lean improvements; and improving the process by reducing activities and waste that don’t add value to the consumer of the process.

]]> Robyn L. Raschke et al. Boise State on Business: Old Accounting Tools Can Perk Up Mature Company http://works.bepress.com/michael_lee/12 http://works.bepress.com/michael_lee/12 Fri, 03 May 2013 11:05:42 PDT In recent weeks, Apple has taken a valuation hit on the back of its quarterly earnings release. Apple's financial reports show that average revenue per unit is declining, production costs are increasing, and sales growth is slowing down. Competition from the likes of Blackberry and Samsung (phones), and Google (Android operating system) is fierce. Blackberry has been on a downward valuation slide since 2011. We can add to this list: Dell (heading for privatization to regain its mojo) and Hewlett Packard.

It seems these companies have entered a "maturity" crisis, unable to keep pace with shortening product life cycles and the pace of innovation that established them. They seem to be moving into a common and not-always-successful high-volume, low-cost strategy. To stay in the game, these mature companies must re-ignite their focus on balancing innovation, market share and product/service margins.

]]> Michael Lee et al. Culture and Management Control Systems in Today’s High-Performing Firms http://works.bepress.com/michael_lee/11 http://works.bepress.com/michael_lee/11 Mon, 29 Apr 2013 13:40:23 PDT You might think that firms with bureaucratic cultures would emphasize their use of management control systems. Contrary to expectations, firms with bureaucratic cultures are not users of management control systems!

]]> Michael T. Lee et al. The Role of Organizational Learning in Transforming Management Control System Information into Performance http://works.bepress.com/michael_lee/10 http://works.bepress.com/michael_lee/10 Mon, 29 Apr 2013 09:58:57 PDT The evidence on the relations between reliance on management control systems and organizational learning is conflicting and inconclusive. One reason for this may be that both management control systems and organizational learning are multi-faceted. To shed insights on the existing inconclusive evidence, we draw on cognitive load and framing theories to argue that reliance on different types of management control systems is associated with different types of organizational learning. We use two popular SAP business intelligence modules to represent MCS. The Dashboard and Visualization (DV) module allows the firm to track key performance measures in a concise manner. The Query, Analysis, and Reporting (QAR) module allows the firm to query detailed information from the planning system. Using survey data from 241 respondents our structural equation model provides evidence that reliance on DV, generally thought of as a cybernetic system, is positively related to generative learning while reliance on QAR, generally thought of as a planning system, is positively related to adaptive learning. Moreover, the effect of each of the management control systems on performance outcomes is either partially or fully mediated by organizational learning. These results show the importance of recognizing the multi-faceted nature of both management control systems and organizational learning.

]]> Michael T. Lee et al. The Role of Organizational Learning in Transforming Management Control System Information into Performance http://works.bepress.com/michael_lee/9 http://works.bepress.com/michael_lee/9 Mon, 29 Apr 2013 09:56:00 PDT The evidence on the relations between reliance on management control systems and organizational learning is conflicting and inconclusive. One reason for this may be that both management control systems and organizational learning are multi-faceted. To shed insights on the existing inconclusive evidence, we draw on cognitive load and framing theories to argue that reliance on different types of management control systems is associated with different types of organizational learning. We use two popular SAP business intelligence modules to represent MCS. The Dashboard and Visualization (DV) module allows the firm to track key performance measures in a concise manner. The Query, Analysis, and Reporting (QAR) module allows the firm to query detailed information from the planning system. Using survey data from 241 respondents our structural equation model provides evidence that reliance on DV, generally thought of as a cybernetic system, is positively related to generative learning while reliance on QAR, generally thought of as a planning system, is positively related to adaptive learning. Moreover, the effect of each of the management control systems on performance outcomes is either partially or fully mediated by organizational learning. These results show the importance of recognizing the multi-faceted nature of both management control systems and organizational learning.

]]> Michael T. Lee et al. Accounting Systems and High-Growth Startup Companies http://works.bepress.com/michael_lee/8 http://works.bepress.com/michael_lee/8 Thu, 23 Aug 2012 10:16:03 PDT Accounting systems must keep up with a growing company. This case study examines how a start-up company was able to support its strategic changes, expansion in size and evolution in structure with accounting systems. We evaluate the past changes in the accounting system and propose a design to meet the future requirements of the company. To support rapid growth, the accounting system has had to evolve beyond its reporting and taxation needs to meet its future planning, monitoring and decision making requirements. We worked with the company to design a forward-looking accounting system to include a working model of a profit plan. To monitor and motivate perfomance, we develop a set of customer and operational measures with targets that directly linked to profitability. Finally, we demonstrate our design by showing management how it monitors the key measures, visualizes the impact on the profit plan, and assists decision making to keep company performance on track. Our case study reveals that accounting systems can and need to change continually to support the evolution of strategy and structure in a start-up company.

]]> Michael Lee et al. Business Culture Affects a Company's Strategic Success http://works.bepress.com/michael_lee/7 http://works.bepress.com/michael_lee/7 Tue, 21 Aug 2012 14:10:19 PDT At Boise State, we surveyed managers, general and operation managers, business analysts and accountants in more than 350 companies to find more about business culture and how these companies manage their cultures in pursuit of success.

]]> Michael Lee How Management Accounting Can Help Environmental Firms http://works.bepress.com/michael_lee/6 http://works.bepress.com/michael_lee/6 Tue, 21 Aug 2012 14:10:18 PDT Our recent study of management accounting systems for startups demonstrated that properly designed and implemented tools are linked with greater chances of business success. These systems can help environmental startups overcome failure.

]]> Michael T. Lee et al. Accounting Systems Must Grow with Your Company http://works.bepress.com/michael_lee/5 http://works.bepress.com/michael_lee/5 Tue, 21 Aug 2012 14:10:16 PDT Atlas is a niche company that resells used medical equipment via the Internet. The business has experienced enormous growth each year to date.

]]> Michael Lee et al. How Firms Learn From the Uses of Different Types of Management Control Systems http://works.bepress.com/michael_lee/4 http://works.bepress.com/michael_lee/4 Thu, 23 Feb 2012 15:57:29 PST Many users of management control systems claim that a system’s effectiveness in creating business performance resides in its ability to facilitate learning and decision making. Yet this does not explain why users of management control systems have varying levels of success in terms of business performance with these tools. Our IMA-sponsored research project1 examines the following questions that relate management control system use, learning, and performance:

• How are management control systems used?

• How do organizations learn from management control systems?

• What uses of management control systems and styles of learning characterize high performing firms?

To answer these questions, we examine a set of management control systems that are in existence today: business intelligence systems. Business intelligence systems are computerized systems that identify, extract, and analyze business data (e.g., sales revenue by product and/or department and/or location). They facilitate learning and support decision making through the provision of various types of information. We examine three popular types of business intelligence systems and how they are used to facilitate learning in firms. The three types are: (1) dashboards and visualization, (2) query, analysis, and reporting, and (3) data management and data quality. We developed a survey to collect data that would help answer our questions.

]]> Michael T. Lee et al. Accounting Information Systems: Understanding Business Processes http://works.bepress.com/michael_lee/3 http://works.bepress.com/michael_lee/3 Fri, 29 Jul 2011 10:20:55 PDT Accounting Information Systems: Understanding Business Processes is the third edition of a textbook for students who are required to study a subject on accounting information systems. Due to the converging role of accounting and information systems in business, students are required to possess a firm understanding of accounting information systems and how they impact upon various core business processes.

]]> Brett Considine et al.