Professional Documents
Culture Documents
DOI 10.2478/v10051-008-0019-1
We study the interaction between management control systems and strategy and its impact on organisational performance
considering the way in which multiple aspects of control systems and dimensions of context combine in a variety of ways
to enhance performance. Our purpose is to investigate the relationship among management control systems, strategy and
organisational performance in a particular company. The contribution of this study is that it upgrades the existing theory in
that it does not only establish a relationship between strategy and management control systems, but also considers how this
relationship impacts on organisational performance. The study shows that the combination of performance-driven behaviour
and regular use of management control systems leads to improved results. The second contribution of the study is that it
incorporates a wider range of controls, including informal controls as being equally important as formal controls, to provide
a more comprehensive analysis, as opposed to the majority of prior studies focusing on a more limited range of controls. In
this way, this paper contributes to the literature in terms of examination of the broader components of management control
systems than was previously done.
Key words: management control systems, strategy, levers of control, performance, performance management
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ciently and effectively achieve the desired organisational perspective is dynamic and the focus is on such issues as
goals (see also: Anthony and Govindarajan, 2001; Lang the dialogue and interaction surrounding the use of MCS
field-Smith, 1997; Otley, 1999). Hence, from this viewpoint (Chapman, 1997, 1998).
and also taking into account the recent developments of Strategy plays a key role within MCS, yet this role
MCS (see: Peljhan, 2005, 2007), the proposition is that is not fully understood, although a growing body of lite
the use of more comprehensive MCS practices and infor rature has examined the impact of strategy on MCS (for
mation results in improved company performance. The a review see: Langfield-Smith, 1997). Langfield-Smith
case study company is a large Slovenian manufacturing (1997) suggests that MCS have to be tailored explicitly to
company, called Trimo Trebnje, d.d. (henceforth Trimo). support the strategy of the business to lead to competiti
The 1992 – 2004 period is investigated. Trimo has been for ve advantage and superior performance. Underlying most
many years the leading Slovenian company for produc accounting research is the assumption that MCS contribu
tion and assembly of pre-fabricated steel constructions, te to the successful operation and profitability of the com
and one of the most important European manufacturers pany. Also, there is evidence (Govindarajan, 1988) that
of pre-fabricated buildings and living containers. Trimo is high organisational performance results from the matc
a Slovenia-based company achieving its business vision of hing of an organisation’s environment, strategy and inter
becoming the leading European company offering com nal structures and systems. Miles and Snow (1978) suggest
plete solutions in the area of steel buildings. that the strategy choice the company makes will affect its
The paper is divided into six sections. Section 1 is MCS, meaning that different types of organisational plans
the introduction. Section 2 presents the literature review and strategies will tend to cause different control system
regarding the research area of the paper. Section 3 is the configurations. Moreover, scholars (Hope and Hope, 1995;
methodological section, introducing case study research Whittington, 1995) suggest that there is an important link
method used in the study. The research results are presen between strategy and MCS and that a congruent match of
ted in section 4. Further discussion and interpretation of the two variables is essential to performance.
the research results then follows in section 5. A final chap There are several frameworks that show how compa
ter concludes the paper, summarising the findings and nies react in a changing competitive environment (see:
introducing avenues for future research. Peljhan, 2005). Classifications of Miles and Snow (1978)
and Porter (1980) appear to be referred to most in the lite
rature. The typology developed by Miles and Snow (1978)
2 Literature review is based on how companies respond to a changing envi
ronment and align environment with their company. They
Management control systems are both affected by and identified generic strategies which they labelled defender,
affect the strategy process itself (Langfield-Smith, 1997; prospector, analyser and reactor, where defender and pros
Simons, 1995b). So far, a significant body of literature has pector are assumed to be at the ends of the continuum.
explored the effects of strategy on MCS and, to a lesser Miles and Snow (1978) argue that defenders will empha
extent, the effects of MCS on strategy (Dent, 1990; Lang sise cost control, trend monitoring and efficiency rather
field-Smith, 1997; Shields, 1997). A first line of research than scanning the environment for new opportunities.
has emphasised the effects of strategy on MCS. The Prospectors, by contrast, will use comprehensive planning
concept of strategy has been generally examined at a stra and measure performance more subjectively. Considering
tegic-choice level, e.g. cost leadership vs. differentiation that many contemporary MCS techniques (e.g. BSC, infor
(see: Govindarajan, 1988; Govindarajan and Fisher, 1990) mal controls) appear to be better equipped for dealing
and prospector vs. defender (see: Hoque, 2004; Simons, with the information requirements of highly innovative
1987a). These conceptualisations generally take strategy companies, we postulate that defenders use contemporary
as a given. In these studies, MCS are considered for the MCS techniques to a lesser extent than prospectors. We
most part to be strategy-implementation systems and argue that what is ignored by much of the past research
the last step in the strategic management process (Henri, is the potential for MCS to be used much more actively
2006). This conceptualisation of MCS follows a structural as a tool for formulating and implementing changes in
approach whereby the perspective is static and the focus strategic direction. Therefore, we will use an in-depth
is placed on such issues as the presence or absence of spe longitudinal case study to explore and explain this, at the
cific systems, their technical properties and their design moment insufficiently researched area, of how companies
(Chapman, 1997, 1998). use MCS to facilitate and support the strategic change
A second line of research has emphasised the effects process in more detail.
of MCS on strategy. Mostly, the concept of strategy has
also been examined at a strategic-choice level (see: Aber
nethy and Brownell, 1999; Chenhall, 2005, Chenhall and 3 Methodology
Langfield-Smith, 2003; Marginson, 2002). These concep
tualisations consider strategy as being influenced by MCS. In our study, we have followed a case study methodology
In these studies, the role of MCS in the formulation of stra (Eisenhardt, 1989; Yin, 2003) as the strength of this met
tegy is recognised as well as their continuous implication hod is the likelihood of it resulting in a new or upgraded
during strategic management process. This conceptualisa theory (Eisenhardt, 1989). Case studies were undertaken
tion of MCS follows a processual approach whereby the in the past to investigate the role of the MCS in suppor
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ting and influencing the strategic processes within compa possibility of being able to access respondents “theory-in-
nies (see: Simons, 1990). Chenhall (2003) argues that the use”, which in itself aids validity in this type of research.
generation of propositions concerning novel relationships
concerning MCS, processes and their contextual setting The questionnaire used and the semi-structured inter
are often best identified and elaborated by using case views were carefully constructed and contained questions
study methods. Moreover, Henri (2006) indicates that to elicit information required to investigate research que
qualitative methodologies would be particularly useful to stion and as such, it is assumed that construct validity is
provide further explanations and new insights into issues high. To avoid possible misunderstandings, respondents
concerning relationships between MCS and strategy. This (top managers) were provided with descriptions of four
is also one of the reasons we decided to use an in-depth levers of control from Simons’ (1995b) definitions, transla
explanatory case study method to investigate the relations ted into Slovene. A particular control system was deemed
hip between MCS and strategy. to exert a particular influence only if this effect could be
The in-depth explanatory case study enables genera traced to at least three-quarters of respondents. Interview
tion of exhaustive data on the use of MCS to yield much data were continually cross-referenced with other data
more insightful theories to be further the basis for the sources and cross-checked with the chronology of activi
learning of other companies. Furthermore, the goal is to ties and events that took place during the course of the
build a new theory or to upgrade the existing one based study. This form of triangulation enhanced the internal
on the empirical findings. New or upgraded theory is the validity and reliability of the case study material. Finally,
starting-point for further organisational learning (of other a draft research report was prepared and sent to all inter
companies). Thus, case-based study results do not lead
viewees for comment. These were evaluated in order to
to “practice from practice” learning but foster “practice
ensure that reported ideas and propositions aligned with
from theory (built or re-built on practical experiences)”
managers’ experiences. This increased the construct vali
learning. It is important not to uncritically accept all practi
dity of our research (cf. Atkinson and Shaffir, 1998; Yin,
ce as appropriate, but to carefully document the observed
2003).
affects of different practices in different circumstances.
Ittner and Larcker (2002) argue that field-based research
may be the only way to truly understand the antecedents
and consequences of management accounting practices.
4 Results
What practice-oriented research can contribute is the
Trimo’s history begun in 1961 when the company
ability to refine the theories and empirical tests based on
“Kovinsko podjetje Trebnje” was founded, as socially-
acquired knowledge.1
owned enterprise. The next year saw the beginning of
When undertaking the case study, multiple sources
of evidence were used. Therefore, data was gathered another new company, this one called “Kovinooprema”.
from formal and semi-formal interviews and observa In 1971, both companies and some smaller companies mer
tions during site visits and through the participation in ged to form “Trimo Trebnje”. The main activity of the new
Trimo’s strategic conferences, from the study of internal company was production of metal elements and equip
and external documents and from professional literature. ment made of stainless steel. In the following years, the
This enabled us a systematic and comprehensive analysis. former Yugoslavia and third world countries had many
Data on Trimo’s MCS were collected from various sour infrastructure and other projects, creating a high demand
ces, including interviews with top and middle managers, for Trimo’s products. The 1980s, however, brought crises in
company documents and archival records. The use of the export markets and the company faced its first major
multiple sources of evidence enabled verification through challenge. It responded with the modernisation of the
triangulation, which is the strength of case research (Noda production line and the introduction of new fireproof pro
and Bower, 1996). A major concern of the present study ducts.3 For a short time it seemed that the company over
was to triangulate managers’ views and opinions with came its problems but in 1991 Slovenia became indepen
“harder” evidence, such as that obtained from documents dent and the former multiethnic state of Yugoslavia fell
and archival records. An interview protocol2 ensured that apart. As Trimo lost the majority of its domestic (former
the same themes were covered with each interviewee. Con federal) market it had to suddenly re-orientate towards
struct validity of the interview data was pursued through more competitive foreign markets, especially in the Euro
an “action-research” approach. Eden and Huxham (2002) pean Union, and the emerging Central and Eastern Euro
have argued that an action research setting increases the pean markets (see: Ševi}, 2005).
1 As case-based method is not so widely used in Slovenia as a survey method, it has to be emphasised that the notion of external
validity for case methodology relates to the generalisability of the results to the underlying theory. Therefore, case studies are genera
lisable to theoretical propositions and not to populations. In this sense, the case study, like experiments, does not represent a sample.
Hence, the study’s goal was to expand and generalise theories (i.e. analytical generalisation).
2 The interview protocol is not included in the paper due to its length. If required it can be provided by the author.
3Before modernisation, Trimo used polyurethane as the filling for the building panels. After modernisation, they have used environ
mentally friendlier fireproof mineral wool that enables them to penetrate to more demanding markets.
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As Trimo encountered many problems at the begin On the other hand, in the second half of 1990s, espe
ning of the 1990s, a true company turnaround was needed cially since 1998, Trimo has begun to pursue a prospector
and that also meant the need for a new vision and a diffe strategy, continually searching for market opportunities,
rent approach to developing and implementing business and regularly experimenting with potential responses
strategy. The major turnaround of the company was to emerging environmental trends. They have become
achieved in 1992 when new top management was appoin strongly focused on product and market development, but
ted. Today, Trimo is a joint-stock company with $44,100 still considering costs as prices of their inputs, especially
value added per employee, internationally-oriented with raw materials, vary a lot. Trimo’s strategy can be charac
74 per cent of exports, mainly in Europe, operating in 50 terised as differentiation strategy focusing on creating
countries (Trimo, 2006). Their main products include pre- a product or service that is perceived by customers as
fabricated steel buildings, steel structures, façades, roofs, something unique. When Trimo was in defender stage, it
containers and sound-isolating systems. Trimo’s main pro used control systems less intensively than in prospector
duct is called “complete solutions” and includes a mix of stage, when they attach a great deal of importance to fore
all the products and services Trimo offers, from an idea cast data in control systems, setting tight budget goals, and
and draft to the finished building. When looking into Tri monitoring outputs carefully.
mo’s production programme, there is no similar company In 1998, Trimo achieved the breakthrough in its inter
in Slovenia. Trimo is the market leader in the area of roofs nationalisation (see: Peljhan, 2005) causing the business
and façades from mineral wool panels in west and central to expand. They stated a new vision in 1998 very ambiti
Europe and in the area of steel constructions in Slovenia ously: “To become the leading producer of pre-fabricated
(Kranjec, 2003). With its business orientation towards buildings in Europe by 2010”. In 2001, they redefined it
offering complete solutions and with a broad production even more ambitiously to “…become the leading Euro
programme, Trimo cannot be directly compared to any of pean company offering complete solutions in the area of
its competitors that are all manufacturers with relatively steel buildings”. From 2001, the product that differentia
focused production programmes (Trimo, 2005c). Trimo tes Trimo from its competitors has been called “complete
builds its strategy of long-term growth of the company solutions” that Trimo provides to its customers. Although
Trimo is a manufacturing company, services (design, pro
on internationalisation (Trimo, 2004). As a result of a
jecting, technical service) play very important part in
successfully implemented turnaround, Trimo has made
providing the complete solution to their customers. In
significant improvements in the way it runs its business
2002, Trimo’s decision to transform itself from a simple
that results in the performance increasing year by year. In
(production) company to the highly technological and
the period from 1992 to 2004 revenues and value added
engineering company began to show results. The share
per employee grew seven times, export grew eight times
of low-educated employees has been falling, while the
and the number of employees decreased by 21 per cent
share of the highly educated people has been rising. In
(Trimo, 2005a).
2002, each employee had around 50 hours of education
In the early 1990s Trimo pursued a defender strategy and training. Further, in 2002, Trimo started to implement
(Trimo 2005c) as defined by Miles and Snow (1978). It was Balanced Scorecard (BSC) and upgraded Total Quality
a company with a relatively narrow production-oriented Management (TQM) programme, which has been the
business scope. They paid primary attention to improving important part of strategic directions of the company
the efficiency of their existing operations and offered from 1992 on. The main novelty was introduction of “Key
more limited products than competitors, and competed Files” as the tool they use for facilitating process improve
especially through costs. They engaged in little product ments. Annually, they invest around 3 per cent of revenues
and market development. At the beginning of the turna in new products’ development. In 2003, Trimo launched a
round, the company looked at the fundamental question: new production line for fireproof façade panels to expand
“What are we really about? – the essence of Trimo”, as they the existing selection of façade panels with a new environ
strived to set up their vision, mission and strategy in 1993. mentally-friendly product. In 2004, European Foundation
Today, the emphasis is on the learning organisation. Mis for Quality Management (EFQM) recognised Trimo
sion of the company is to facilitate original and complete for excellence. Also in 2004, production capacities were
solutions in the area of steel buildings. The mission reflects increased and production flexibility improved to accom
itself in the following stakeholder approach directions: modate the enormous product range, which prompted the
n To assure customers an increase in effectiveness by construction of a new warehouse for raw materials.
successful accomplishment of solutions. There was a huge effect of strategic change on the
n To develop the potentials of each individual within decision context in Trimo. The change process created
the company. a context where decision-making by top management
n To build a financially strong company that delivers became increasingly complex and unpredictable as new
adequate ROE growth of the company to the share opportunities altered strategic objectives and changed the
holders. priorities placed on those objectives. Abernethy and Brow
n To be sensitive to the environment and aware of the nell (1999) argue that in this situation, top management
need to protect it for future generations and to sup redefines goals and objectives. This can create a level of
port different social and environmental activities. uncertainty or ambiguity for subordinates as to the prio
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rities or preferences on which to focus their attention. In Employees are informed about the company’s results in
addition, the technological and production changes asso weekly or bi-weekly departmental meetings, in weekly
ciated with changes in product mix and with new product newsletter (on one page), in quarterly company’s maga
development, required that new routines be learnt. As zine, and at annual education days where the Managing
Galbraith (1973) notes, these conditions impose additio Director (MD) presents last years’ results and future
nal demands on the organisation’s information processing plans. Trimo modifies its strategy according to the chan
capabilities. That also was the case in Trimo. ges in its business environment. They have very good
At 2005 Strategic Conference, the Managing Director experience with flexible actions as they managed to conti
briefly sketched the company’s background examining nually reach or even exceed short- and long-term goals in
the turnaround of Trimo from 1992 to the present. The the last decade. They remain focused on their customers’
basic business concepts of continuous improvement, qua needs.
lity, and customer satisfaction were the key strategies’ Critical success factors that have to be addressed for
components for the company’s turnaround. The drivers achieving competitive advantage are people, customers,
of change for renewal from 1992 on were manufacturing value added, and environment. These factors are conside
excellence (e.g. productivity and flexibility), responsive red in the company as follows (Trimo, 2002):
product development - the result of an all-pervasive close n People: Employees are the key strength of Trimo.
to the customer philosophy - and extensive “building” of Company’s power depends on the management and
sales network. Trimo’s turnaround is a result of the follo all employees. Values are team work, goal orientation,
wing (Trimo, 2004; 2005d): dedication of each employee creativeness, innovativeness, and individual talents.
to the continuous improvement of the business; deve n Customers: Enthusiastic and satisfied customer is the
lopment of the highest quality product possible; and the measure of company success. Trimo develops and
improvement of both internal and external relationships improves original and complete product and service
to maintain customer satisfaction. These are simple prin solutions for its customers.
ciples, the most significant of which is each employee’s n Value added: Profit and value added growth and cash
dedication to the concept of continuous improvement, flow available enable quicker company development.
because it is the foundation for other two concepts. Dedi
n Environment: They take care of orderly factory and
cation to continuous improvement means never being
are friendly to their environment. Employees’ health
satisfied with the status quo. It means working every day
is the value accomplished by the healthy way of
to improve upon the prior day’s performance.
living.
To summarise, key elements of the Trimo’s transforma
Trimo began implementing strategic performance
tion process from 1992 on were the clear vision and busi
management in the prospector period when it realised
ness strategy set at the beginning. This vision and strategy
the importance of aligning all levers of control in the
have been successfully communicated to all employees.
company, so what is critical to the company’s success is
Cleary defined values and norms as building blocks of
Trimo’s organisational culture helped to shape employee regularly evaluated and rewarded by using key performan
behaviour to fit the new business philosophy of customer ce indicators (KPIs). KPIs are used by top management
orientation, continuous improvements and TQM. The for to monitor organisational performance in key strategic
malised processes of continuous improvements, TQM key areas, as defined by key processes in the company. There
files, and care for company property gave employees clear are 62 KPIs (cf. Peljhan, 2005). 28 of them are included
tasks and responsibilities. Consecutive strategic change in BSC. In Trimo, managers consider KPIs once a week
following the successful turnaround was a change from at the Management board meeting. In diagnostic control,
defender to prospector strategy (see: Miles and Snow, managers use management-by-exception approach when
1978). On the contrary, when turnaround would be unsuc discussing the reports at the weekly Management board
cessful, it would manifest itself in a strong resistance to meetings. As Quality Assurance Director (Trimo, 2005b)
change that was not the case in Trimo. As changes usually says: “Reports contain explanations for KPIs variances
induce rational and emotional reactions due to ambiguity and whether they present problems or not”. Only problems
felt by participants of the change process, Trimo could not (i.e. deviations) are discussed and appropriate actions
avoid problems of resistance to changes, especially at the taken. That the changes trigger revised action plans is ref
beginning (1992-1995) when employees wondered why lected in the following Quality Assurance Director state
they need to change the old way of doing things if they ment (Trimo, 2005b): “In the weekly meetings in which we
all knew the processes very well. Top management has discuss KPI for each organisational unit (sector) specific
managed to spread the need to change through constant decisions are made about what actions we have to take in
communication and employee training. This awareness of case of deviations”. Based on observations, we argue that
the need to change is the necessary condition for a success they have been using strategic performance management
ful implementation of changes (Kotter, 1996). system quite systematically from 2002 on. In the following
In Trimo, they monitor the achievement of strategic years, they will enhance the capabilities of their system
goals every six months, while the implementation of by upgrading it to ERP system enabling them to monitor
annual plans is controlled weekly. Corrective measures key performance information in real time. Trimo’s main
are taken as soon as negative deviations are reported. performance indicator is value added per employee. This
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Organizacija, Volume 41 Research papers Number 5, September-October 2008
clearly shows that Trimo is focused on its future develop ges. In order to do that, employees had to change their
ment and growth. approach and accept teamwork principles. These princi
Trimo uses balanced measurement systems as a means ples are used both in managing the company and in actual
of communicating to their employees what is important execution of work.
and where the business is heading. Performance measure Information and knowledge from management is
ment systems assist managers in tracking the implemen transferred to co-workers at weekly meetings. From the
tation of business strategy by comparing actual results re information and knowledge is transferred to different
against strategic goals and objectives (cf. Simons, 2000). work areas and to other employees. This kind of organi
They use BSC from 2002, although they have measured sational structure also enables different forms of group
their performance from financial and non-financial pers work. Teamwork also allows for a better specification of
pective before. At the moment, they are striving to form the problems and their faster solving. Most of the Trimo’s
efficient functional BSCs. They want to focus especially practices are congruent with those usually described at
on reducing the number of measures they are currently prevailing best practices: extensive training and com
using. Although the system is well organised, it hasn’t yet munication, decentralised decision making, teamwork
received the full “buy-in” of some managers as they are and employee involvement in problem-solving, as well
still using parallel systems designed in the past. As this is as high job security and fair compensation. These prac
maybe allowed in “transition” period of applying new per tices help Trimo to build their competitiveness through
formance measurement systems, it must not be tolerated people which is also the underlying principle of Trimo’s
when new ERP system will be completely implemented. organisational culture. As such, their approach is difficult
One of the major conclusions with regard to Trimo’s to imitate and thus presents a true sustainable source of
strategy is that MD’s leadership style is a very important competitive advantage.
determinant of Trimo’s successful implementation of the
strategy. She is very charismatic and capable of mobilising
employees towards achieving common goals. In literatu 5 Discussion
re, there are discussions about different types of leaders.
When looking the whole 1992-2004 period, the study’s
When looking into the classification that distinguishes
results suggest that Trimo’s strategic change from defen
transactional and transformational leadership styles (e.g.
der to prospector resulted in improved organisational
Bass and Avolio, 1994; Tracey and Hinkin, 1998; Tucker
outcomes, as they responded to changed business condi
and Russell, 2004), we conclude that she is a true transfor
tions by altering structural arrangements within the orga
mational leader with the following characteristics:
nisation. The present study tested the intervening role
She is a leader of innovation.
of the use of comprehensive MCS between strategy and
n
n She motivates people to work for a new and greater cifically, the study looked at how the relationship between
good and to create change. She appeals to higher moti the strategy moving from defender to prospector and the
vation and adds to the quality of life in the people use of comprehensive MCS evolved during the researc
and the organisation. She uses authority and power hed period. It was found that strategy change had a positi
to inspire and motivate people to trust and follow her ve relation to Trimo’s performance. In addition, as discus
example. sed above, strategy change has had a positive relation also
n She has energy-producing characteristics that genera to the use of MCS. Trimo has been growth-oriented in the
te new changes for the organisation. whole researched period (and still is). Also, it has been
n She formulates an inspiring vision, facilitates the increasing the usage of more comprehensive MCS practi
vision, encourages short-term sacrifices, and makes ces year by year.
pursuing the vision a fulfilling venture. Trimo measures its performance with respect to the
MD’s characteristics of transformational leader were key elements of its strategy. Therefore, it uses strategic
essential in the period of strategic change from defender performance management system (cf. Kaplan and Norton,
to prospector strategy. She as a transformational leader 2001; Simons, 2000). Based on observations, it is argued
(and of course by the help of whole top management that they have been using such a system quite systemati
team) managed to alter the existing structure of early cally from 2002 on. Furthermore, they have enhanced the
1990s and influenced people to buy into a new vision and capabilities of their system by upgrading it to ERP system
new possibilities. Based on observations it is concluded enabling them to monitor key performance information
that her primary focus since 1992, when she took a mana in real time. Trimo’s main performance indicator is value
ging director position, has been to create a change process added per employee. This clearly shows that Trimo is focu
continually causing people within the organisation to sed on its future development and growth. Trimo uses
learn and grow. She builds shared vision and goals and balanced measurement systems as a means of communica
implements them through teamwork and high commit ting to their employees what is important and where the
ment. Trimo’s management believes that fast and open business is heading. Performance measurement systems
flow of information, ideas and efficient problem-solving assist managers in tracking the implementation of busi
are of key importance in order to follow new trends in ness strategy by comparing actual results against strategic
business and for implementing all the necessary chan goals and objectives (cf. Simons, 2000).
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Organizacija, Volume 41 Research papers Number 5, September-October 2008
To conclude the discussion chapter, the basic com theories. The upgraded theory is the starting-point for furt
ponents of the refinement of the existing theory on her organisational learning (of other companies) enabling
implications of MCS for organisational performance “practice from refined theory” learning. This study has
management are presented (see: Figure 1). The in-depth carefully documented the observed affects of different
explanatory case study method has enabled generation of practices in different circumstances.
exhaustive data on the use of MCS to upgrade the existing
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Organizacija, Volume 41 Research papers Number 5, September-October 2008
Considering the diffusion of the use of MCS in Trimo, performance-driven behaviour and regular use of MCS
the conclusion is drawn that this company does not fit in leads to improved results. We identified factors that inf
the frames of recent research results in Slovenian compa luence positively performance-driven behaviour and can
nies that traditional management tools are dominating be used also by other companies (for more details on this
the more recently developed and more strategic-oriented see Peljhan, 2005).
practices (e.g. Peljhan et al., 2005; Tekav~i~ and Peljhan, Second, research in accounting has paid much atten
2003). Also, when considering the 1992-2004 period, the tion to the role of MCS to emphasise control and, to a
trend seems to be towards increasing use of the latter lesser extent, to stress flexibility. To date, most of the empi
type. The findings of the present study indicate that Trimo rical research has focused on issues related to the diver
systematically uses comprehensive MCS information and sity of measurement (i.e. the use of broad set of financial
practices. Trimo began implementing strategic performan and non-financial measures) and has overlooked the use
ce management in the prospector period when it realised of MCS as a whole. Therefore, this study fills this void as
the importance of aligning all levers of control in the it considers the importance of holistic use of formal and
company, so what is critical to the company’s success is informal MCS that make cause-and-effect relationships
regularly evaluated and rewarded by using KPIs. Hence, transparent and keep managers from sub-optimising by
in the discussion of theory refinement proposals we focus improving one measure at the expense of others.
on companies pursuing prospector strategy orientation, Third, one of our important research conclusions for
operating in uncertain environment, producing innovative further refinement of the theory is that organisational
customised products with advanced technologies; all these culture has been overlooked in recent MCS studies. We
characterise today’s complex business environment. would like to emphasize that elements of culture are con
First, this study upgrades the existing theory in that it sidered as informal controls which act as a starting point
not just establishes a relationship between contextual and for the design and use of formal control systems. This
MCS variables, but also considers how this relationship study concludes that control systems are material arte
impacts on organisational performance. It is argued that facts or pattern behaviour influenced by the underlying
managers and other employees need to display perfor value structure that creates meaning in the organisation.
mance-driven behaviour (i.e. goal-oriented behaviour) Therefore, this study argues, that current MCS theory has
for efficient and effective management control to be to be refined in considering more informal controls, like
achieved. This research shows that the combination of organisational culture and leadership style, as catalysts of
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Organizacija, Volume 41 Research papers Number 5, September-October 2008
cial services firms, Accounting, Organizations and Society, Simons, R. (1991). Strategic orientation and top management
28: 715-741. attention to control systems, Strategic Management Journal,
Kaplan, R. S. & Norton, D. P. (2001). The Strategy Focused Orga 12: 49-62.
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zing Industries and Competitors, The Free Press, New York. Darja Peljhan is an assistant professor at the Department
Selto, F. H., Renner, C.J. & Young, S. M. (1995). Assessing the of Management and Organization at the Faculty of Econo
Organizational Fit of a Just-In-Time Manufacturing System: mics, University of Ljubljana. Her research interests are in
Testing Selection, Interaction and Systems Models of Con management control systems and performance manage
tingency Theory, Accounting, Organizations and Society, 20: ment. She attended many international conferences, where
665-684. she presented papers in her research area and published
Shields, M. D. (1997). Research in management accounting by several articles in Slovene, European, and US journals.
North Americans in the 1990s’, Journal of Management
Accounting Research, 9: 3-62.
Simons, R. (1987a). Accounting control systems and business Metka Tekav~i~ is an associate professor at the Depart
strategy: An empirical analysis, Accounting, Organizations ment of Management and Organization at the Faculty of
and Society, 12: 357-374. Economics, University of Ljubljana. She is the Head of the
Simons, R. (1987b). Planning, Control, and Uncertainty: A Pro Institute of Management and Organisation. Her research
cess View. In: Accounting and Management: Field Study interests are in cost management and performance measu
Perspectives. Editors: Bruns, W. J. Jr. & Kaplan R.S. Boston: rement. She attended many international conferences, whe
Harvard Business School Press. re she presented papers in her research area and published
Simons, R. (1990). The role of management control systems in several articles in Slovene, European, and US journals. She
creating competitive advantage: new perspectives, Accoun is a member of editorial boards in several professional jour
ting, Organizations and Society, 15: 127-143. nals from her research field.
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Organizacija, Volume 41 Research papers Number 5, September-October 2008
Vpliv vzajemnega delovanja managerskih sistemov nadzora in strategije na obvladovanje uspešnosti poslovanja:
študija primera
V prispevku prou~ujemo medsebojno delovanje managerskih sistemov nadzora in strategije ter njegov vpliv na uspešnost
poslovanja. Naš namen je raziskati odnos med managerskimi sistemi nadzora, strategijo in uspešnostjo poslovanja v izbra
nem slovenskem podjetju. Prispevek pri~ujo~e raziskave je v tem, da nadgrajuje obstoje~o teorijo, ker se ne osredoto~a le na
prou~evanje odnosa med staretgijo in managerskimi sistemi nadzora pa~ pa upošteva tudi vpliv tega odnosa na uspešnost
poslovanja podjetja. Ugotovili smo, da kombinacija ciljno usmerjenega vedenja ter redne uporabe managerskih sistemov nad
zora vodi do boljših poslovnih rezultatov. Drugi prispevek raziskave je v tem, da vklju~uje širok nabor kontrolnih mehanizmov,
saj upošteva tudi neformalne oblike nadzora kot enakovredne formalnim. S tem omogo~a celovitejšo analizo kot prejšnje razi
skave s tega podro~ja, ki so se osredoto~ile na bolj omejen nabor kontrolnih mehanizmov (predvsem formalnih). Na ta na~in
~lanek nadgrajuje obstoje~o literaturo s podro~ja prou~evanja managerskih sistemov nadzora.
Klju~ne besede: managerski sistemi nadzora, strategija, vzvodi nadzora, uspešnost poslovanja, obvladovanje uspešnosti
poslovanja
184