EFFECTIVE ACCOUNTING INFORMATION SYSTEM AN IMPERATIVE FOR PROFIT PERFORMANCE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1  BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Accounting Information Systems (AISs) are a tool which, when incorporated into the field of Information and Technology systems, are designed to help in the management and control of topics related to organization’ economic-financial area. But the stunning advance in technology has opened up the possibility of generating and using accounting information from a strategic viewpoint (El Louadi, 1998). Accounting Information System (AIS) is vital to all organizations (Borthick and Clark, 1990; Curtis, 1995; Rahman et al., 1988; Wilkinson, 1993; Wilkinson et al., 2000) and perhaps, each organization either profit or non profit-oriented need to maintain the AISs (Wilkinson, 2000: 3-4). On the other hand, an AIS is the whole of the related components that are put together to collect information, raw data or ordinary data and transform them into financial data for the purpose of reporting them to decision makers (LI, M., YE, L.R. 1999).To better understand the term ‘Accounting Information System’, the three words constitute AIS would be elaborated separately. Firstly, literature documented that accounting could be identified into three components, namely information system, “language of business” and source of financial information (Wilkinson, 1993: 6-7). Secondly, information is a valuable data processing that provides a basis for making decisions, taking action and fulfilling legal obligation. Finally, system is an integrated entity, where the framework is focused on a set of objectives (Watts, 1999).

Accounting literature argues that strategic success is considered an outcome of Accounting Information Systems (AIS) design (Langfield-Smith, 1997). Several, studies have analyzed the impact of AIS in strategic management, examining the attributes of AIS under different strategic priorities (Ittner and Larcker, 1997; Bouwens and Abernethy, 2000). It has also been analyzing the effect on performance of the interaction between certain types of strategies and different design of AIS (e.g. different techniques and information). The appropriate design of AIS supports business strategies in ways that increasing the organizational performance (Chenhall, 2003). Increasing AIS investment will be the leverage for achieving a stronger, more flexible corporate culture to face persistent changes in the environment. Innovation is the incentive with which a virtuous circle will be put in place, leading to better firm performance and a reduction in the financial and organizational obstacles, while making it possible to access capital markets. AIS are systems used to record the financial transactions of a business or organization. AIS combines the methodologies, controls and accounting techniques with the technology of the IT industry to track transactions, provide internal reporting data, external reporting data, financial statements, and trend analysis capabilities to affect on organizational performance (GUL, F.A. 1991).In managing an organization and implementing an internal control system the impact of accounting information system (AIS) is crucial. An important question in the field of accounting and management decision-making concerns the fit of AIS with organizational requirements for information communication and control (Nicolaou, 2000). Benefits of accounting information system can be evaluated by its impacts on improvement of decision-making process, quality of accounting information, performance evaluation, internal controls and facilitating company’s transactions (Bolon, 1998).

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Currently, most organizations continue to increase spending on information system and their budgets continue to rise. Moreover, economic conditions and competition create pressures about costs of information. Generally, information system is developed using information technology to aid an individual in performing their job. Therefore, most organizations focus on developing information system in order to support decision system, communication, knowledge management, as well as many others. The key part of information system needed for decision making in organization is accounting information system.