Advanced managerial accounting

BOOK

307

REVIEWS

R. P. Magee ADVANCED

Harper

MANAGERIAL

& Row

ACCOUNTING

(London,

1986). 398~~. Ll6.95

(hbk)

This review needs to be prefaced by the author’s tendency to be disappointed by texts bearing the title advanced management or managerial accounting. The reason for this is that advanced usually means a more comprehensive theoretical exposition, with little, or no, consideration of the application issues or of the relationship between the theory and empirical phenomena or better still contemporary issues. The result is often sterile, with the texts being distinguished by the exposition skills of the author and their theoretical knowledge. This possibly ,jaundiced and biased disposition should be borne in mind when considering what follows. This book is a final year undergraduate textbook which is closely akin to Kaplan’s (1982) Advanced Management Accounting, but with slightly greater emphasis on information economics. As a result the approach is primarily quantitative. Depending upon one’s predisposition this is either a strength or a weakness. The book consists of fourteen chapters covering 370 pages. The chapters cover the conventional management accounting topics, e.g. decision-making, cost estimation and planning and control. At the end of each chapter are a series of problems and references. The problems are primarily adapted from C.M.A. examinations, and in line with the text are of a quantitative nature. The book is well written and presented. Whether the book is worth using is very much dependent upon the purpose for which one wants to use it. If the objective is to combine a statistical or operational research orientation with the teaching of final year management accounting then the text is highly recommended. However, there would need to be some counterbalance unless the tutor believes that the rigour of the approach will be the major benefit to the student. Certainly the interface between management accounting and strategy or organisation theory is neglected. The student may achieve a sound grasp of information economics, but not an awareness of contemporary management accounting issues. What is needed is an advanced text which links theory and contemporary issues. Locrghborough

J. A. PIPER University qf Technology

REFERENCES

Kaplan, R. S. (1982).

Advanced

Management

Accounting,

Prentice

Hall,

Englewood

Cliffs

I. J. Martin ACCOUNTING

IN

Butterworths

(London,

THE

FOREIGN

EXCHANGE

1987). 310~~.

MARKET

A35.00

(hbk)

Aimed at those looking for guidance in accounting for sophisticated exchange transactions, the book is likely to be useful as background

foreign material