ISBN 9783843913430

978-3-8439-1343-0, Reihe Wirtschaftswissenschaften

Bastian Brand
Management Control Systems - Subcomponents, optimal design and the role of time as a contingency

320 Seiten, Dissertation Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz (2013), Hardcover, B5

Zusammenfassung / Abstract

Management Control System (MCS) research is undergoing turbulent times. For a long time related to cybernetic instruments of management accounting only, MCS are increasingly seen as complex systems comprising not only formal accounting-driven instruments, but also informal mechanisms of control based on organizational culture. But not only have the means of MCS changed; researchers increasingly apply MCS to organizational goals other than strategy implementation. Taking the question of "How do I design a well-performing MCS?" as a starting point, this dissertation aims at providing a comprehensive and integrated overview of the "current-state" of MCS research. Opting for a definition of MCS, broad in terms of means (all formal as well as informal MCS instruments), but focused in terms of objectives (behavioral control only), the dissertation contributes to MCS theory by, a) developing an integrated (contingency) model of MCS, describing its contingencies, as well as its subcomponents, b) refining the equifinality model of Gresov/Drazin (1997), c) synthesizing research findings from contingency and configuration research concerning MCS, taking into account case studies on research topics such as ambidexterity, equifinality and time as a contingency.