In: Accounting
Required: Indicate whether each description relates more closely to a major feature of financial accounting or management accounting.”
i. Report on past performance to external parties
Financial Accounting
It provides information about the financial performance that have already taken place. This information is mainly used by external parties who are not in part of the entity's decision making process.
ii. Inform internal decisions made by employees and managers
Management Accounting
It Provides information to management for planning and co-ordination.
iii. Provides information to stockholders and creditors
Financial Accounting
The users of financial accounting statements are shareholders,
creditors, financial analysts and
government and its agencies, etc.
iv. Has less flexibility
Financial Accounting
Financial accounting has less flexibility since it is constrained by GAAPs.
v. Is characterised by detailed reports
Management Accounting
managerial accounting produces very detailed reports. Concerned about details of entity, products, department, territories etc.
vi. Is future oriented
Management Accounting
managerial accounting has future orientation since it uses formal budgets as well as historical records.
vii. Field is less sharply defined
Management Accounting
In management accounting has the field less sharply defined. It has heavy use of other discipline i.e economics, decision sciences and behavioral sciences.
viii. Behavioural impact is secondary
Financial Accounting
In financial accounting behavioral impact is secondary i.e it concerns the measure of performance of business by communicating and measuring economic phenomenon.
ix. Delayed, historical
Financial Accounting
It records historical data that is the transactions which have been already occured.
x. Is constrained by regulations
Financial Accounting
Financial accounting is a legal requirement. It is necessary to maintain the books of accounts and prepare financial statements there from. It is also obligatory to get these financial statements audited.