Managerial Needs, Design Features, and Usage of Accounting Information Among SMES in Malaysia

• Main Authors: Poespowidjojo, Donny Abdul Latief, Abd Rani, Shamsul Huda, Zakaria, Mustafa
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Serials Publications 2017
• Subjects: HF5601 Accounting
• Online Access: http://repo.uum.edu.my/24495/1/Managerial%20Needs%2C%20Design%20Features%2C%20and%20Usage%20of%20Accounting%20Information%20Among%20SMEs%20in%20Malaysia.pdf; http://repo.uum.edu.my/24495/; http: www.serialsjournals.com

Firms need accounting information to make decision. Only with good accounting information firms are able to come up with effective decision to survive, compete and strategize in the present global competition. More precisely firms need accounting information to make effective strategic decision. However in Malaysia there are not many studies that were carried out on the managerial needs, design features, and usage of accounting information. Thus there is a need to carry out more studies on accounting information especially among SMEs. In view of the limited studies in the area this study endeavours to investigate accounting information usage among SMEs, particularly in the northern region. In this research, the list of SMEs registered with the Small and Medium Industries Development Corporation (SMIDEC) Northern Branch was used as the sampling frame. Questionnaires were sent to 500 SMEs selected from the sampling frame. From the 500 SMEs only 61 responses were useable for analysis, providing a response rate of 15 percent. Descriptive analysis, mean and standard deviation scores were carried out on data obtained from the respondents. The findings of the study showed that when generating accounting information firms need to consider the managerial needs and design features in order for it to be useful to the users. Additionally cash flow statement, budgeted cash flow, standard costing, production report, job costing report, and product pricing are strategic accounting information that received intense focus from the SMEs in the study.