Towards Strategic Management Accounting: the Nespoli Group Case

The process to implement a Strategic Management Accounting (SMA) system is quite long and complex. SMA is not a separate item: it should be linked and closely integrated with the rest of the Accounting Information System (AIS). Firstly, the core of the AIS, the ERP system, should work properly, acting as the main source for the SMA system. Secondly, it is necessary a great empowerment of the management, which is supposed to operate directly the SMA system. The first part of the paper describes the SMA theoretical framework, discussing the more recent theories. The second part describes a medium-size company and its experiences in implementing a SMA system. In particular, we will describe the Nespoli Group, which comprehends 45 medium-size firms localized all-over Europe and the issues linked to the management of such a differentiated multinational ensemble of entities. The third part highlights the specific characteristics of the Nespoli Group SMA system. Several final considerations conclude the paper.