Increasing the usefulness of farm financial information and management: A qualitative study from the accountant’s perspective
Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management
ISSN: 1746-5648
Article publication date: 14 September 2015
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
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited