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Increasing the usefulness of farm financial information and management: A qualitative study from the accountant’s perspective

Abdel K. Halabi (School of Business Gippsland, Monash University Gippsland Campus, Churchill, Australia)
Brendan Carroll (School of Business Gippsland, Monash University Gippsland Campus, Churchill, Australia)

Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management

ISSN: 1746-5648

Article publication date: 14 September 2015

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine how farm management and farm accounting may be improved from the accountant’s perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

There has been a dearth of qualitative studies examining accountant’s attitudes to financial reports. This study therefore interviews 13 rural accountants regarding their opinions on the usefulness of financial information they provide to farmers, and what types of financial information could aid farm management.

Findings

Accountants generally agree that the present financial reports provided to farmers are of little decision-making value, since they are made for the purposes of compliance. In response, the accountants suggest a number of management accounting reports can better aid farmers.

Practical implications

Accountants are important to the success of farms, yet in-depth responses have not previously been sought on the reports that accountants produce for farmers. This research provides accountants’ opinions on how reports could be more useful for farmers and how more focused management accounting reports can assist decision-making.

Originality/value

The qualitative approach used in this research provides a fresh and richer perspective on the usefulness of accounting to farm management. Interviewing the adviser rather than the business owner is relatively uncommon in agricultural organisations. The interviews have allowed the thoughts and concerns of accountants to come to light in a manner not previously achieved in organisational studies which relate farming and accounting.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the accountants who part in this study, and acknowledge the helpful comments received on this paper from the three reviewers, Professor Bill Lee (Associate Editor); and Bronwyn Ellis for the final editing.

Citation

Halabi, A.K. and Carroll, B. (2015), "Increasing the usefulness of farm financial information and management: A qualitative study from the accountant’s perspective", Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management, Vol. 10 No. 3, pp. 227-242. https://doi.org/10.1108/QROM-07-2014-1240

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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