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Purpose: We examined whether the five-service quality dimensions described by SERVQUAL (SQ) and SERVPERF (SP) are consistent with perceived dimensions of management accounting (MA) service quality and we compared responses from users and providers.

Design/methodology/approach: We surveyed experienced providers and users of MA services to learn their perceptions and expectations of accounting service quality using SQ/SP adapted to an MA context. We used principal components analysis (PCA) to investigate service quality dimensions.

Findings: Participant responses identified three dimensions of MA service quality. There was a high degree of correspondence in dimensions of service quality between users and providers, but with notable differences in service priorities. A performance-only (SP) approach seems to provide a better measure of overall service quality than performance minus expectations (SQ).

Research limitations/implications: Participants self-selected to participate. Respondents were not matched by organization. The SQ/SP instrument may not capture important organization specific attributes. Our approach may serve as a guide for future studies of accounting service quality.

Practical implications: SP may be more useful to managers who wish to evaluate overall service quality. SQ may be more useful to identify specific gaps between user perceptions and expectations. SQ/SP assessments may help to improve the quality of MA service delivery and provider-user communications.

Originality/value: This is the first empirical study to our knowledge that reports on MA service quality dimensions using both the SQ and SP instruments. This study investigated perceptions and expectations of MA service users and providers. Our sample is a cross-section of experienced professionals.

The purpose of this chapter is to encourage investigation of management accounting (MA) service quality via comparisons of perceptions by service users and providers. Such comparisons are important in order to satisfy the needs of service users, assure good communications, justify the costs of MA, promote improved decision-making, and help improve the organizational standing of MA. We review literature from accounting, service marketing, and information systems, a common information service with similarities to accounting, to argue the case for conducting research on MA service quality.

The findings from our literature review show that research on service quality is seemingly important and abundant in many areas, but not concerning accounting. In essence, we don't know what perceptual differences exist between management accountants and their customers, why these differences might exist, or how organizations might identify and narrow identified gaps.

This chapter is among the first to call for research into perceived differences in MA service quality between users and providers. We argue for investigating sources of differences based on prior research in internal marketing and information systems. We offer a conceptual model that might be used as a basis in future investigations.

Prior research has documented the existence of a white male culture in large public accounting firms that has long dominated most aspects of these firms. This culture has arguably resulted in systematic workplace bias against females and minorities and their exclusion from opportunities for advancement. The accounting profession, led by the Big Five firms, has recently focused efforts on developing a new “diversity culture” intended to make the workplace more accessible to and supportive of all personnel. This exploratory study examines the current impact of race and gender on the performance evaluation judgments of audit seniors representing one Big Five firm. The results indicate that, under some circumstances, the job performance and career prospects of females (both non-white and white) were rated as high as, or higher than, those of white males. The implications of these findings for the profession and future research are discussed.

Points out that selecting a new general ledger system can be a very difficult undertaking in today’s environment because of the variety of hardware platforms and choices of software products. Based on the composite experiences of several companies, provides an organized approach to evaluating and selecting a new general ledger system, including a sample general ledger software evaluation instrument.

Many organizations are adopting an integrated approach to implementing and managing important elements of their revenue stream activities, particularly as applied to conducting business on the Internet. Integrated information systems are an important part of this effort to improve service to customers. Describes what management can expect from recent advances in integrated revenue software applications, outlines major system deliverables, and reports critical success factors for traditional and e‐business revenue stream system projects.

Aarhus Kommunes Biblioteker (Teknisk Bibliotek), Ingerslevs Plads 7, Aarhus, Denmark. Representative: V. NEDERGAARD PEDERSEN (Librarian).