Investigating the Necessity of Presenting Corporate Sustainability Materials in Management Accounting Text books
Subject Areas : • Integrated and modern accounting information systems in the organization
Ahmad Khodamipour
1
,
leyla rezaei
2
1 - Professor, Faculty of Management and Economics, Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran.
2 -
Keywords: Sustainability Performance, Management Accounting, Accounting Education, Management Accounting Books.,
Abstract :
Abstract
Objectives: Given the growing demands of internal and external stakeholders and the strategic importance of corporate sustainability, sustainability management accounting (SMA) has gained increasing global attention. This study examines the necessity of integrating SMA concepts and methods into management accounting textbooks to equip future management accountants with the required competencies.
Methodology/Design/Approach: The study analyzes the extent to which sustainability topics are covered in management accounting textbooks, highlighting gaps and areas for improvement. It evaluates key sustainability concepts, legal requirements, standards, and the integration of sustainability performance indicators within management accounting frameworks such as the balanced scorecard.
Findings: The analysis reveals that while textbooks provide basic coverage of sustainability concepts, legal frameworks, and environmental aspects, they largely overlook critical areas such as sustainability planning, control mechanisms, and internal sustainability reporting. These omissions limit the ability of management accountants to support corporate sustainability performance. Addressing these gaps requires a structured revision of accounting curricula based on expert recommendations.
Innovation: This study emphasizes the need for fundamental curriculum revisions to incorporate sustainability issues into management accounting education. It calls on educators and policymakers to enhance textbook content to ensure that future accountants develop the necessary SMA competencies. The findings offer constructive recommendations for overcoming obstacles to integrating sustainability into accounting education.
1. Amin, Vahid & Salehnejad, Seyed Hassan. (2021). The Effect of Firm Sustainability Performance on Economic Value Added during the Firm Life Cycle. Financial Accounting Knowledge, 7(2), 1-30.
2. Azizpanah, Maryam, Sayadi Soumar, Ali, & Oshani, Mohammad. (2015). Investigating the Effect of Applying Management Accounting Techniques on Firm Sustainability with the Moderating Role of Organizational Culture Based on Lebedev's Model. Journal of Management Accounting, 15(54), 129-146.
3. Arab Salehi, Mehdi, Sadeghi, Ghazal, Moinuddin, & Mahmoud. (2013). The Relationship between Social Responsibility and Financial Performance of Companies Listed in Tehran Stock Exchange. Journal of Empirical Accounting Research, 3(3), 1-20.
4. Arroyo, P. (2012). Management accounting change and sustainability: an institutional approach. Journal of Accounting & Organizational Change, 8(3), 286-309.
5. Ballou, B., Casey, R. J., Grenier, J. H., & Heitger, D. L. (2012). Exploring the strategic integration of sustainability initiatives: opportunities for accounting research. Accounting Horizon, 26, 265–288.
6. Babaei, Fatemeh, Rahmani, A., Homayoun, Saeed, & Amin, Vahid. (2018). The Relationship between Corporate Sustainability Performance and Firm Value: With Emphasis on the Role of Disclosure Score and Firm Size. Journal of Accounting Knowledge, 12(3), 1-27.
7. Bennett, M., Schaltegger, S., & Zvezdov, D. (2013). Exploring Corporate Practices in Management Accounting for Sustainability. London/UK: ICAEW.
8. Botes, V., Low, M., & Chapman, J. (2014). Is accounting education sufficiently sustainable? Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal, 5(1), 95–124.
9. Boulianne, E. & Keddie, L. S. (2018). Where is sustainability within the Canadian education program? Sustainability accounting. Education, regulation, reporting, and stakeholders. Advances in Environmental Accounting & Management, 7, 71–112.
10. Cavanaugh, J. D., & Powers, M. R. (2017). Sustainability management and accounting: The role of human capital. International Journal of Environmental Sustainability, 8(2), 255–268.
11. Corsi, K., & Brunella, A. (2020). Role and implementation of sustainability management control tools: Critical aspects in the Italian context. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 34(9), 29–56.
12. Daub, C. H. (2007). Assessing the quality of sustainability reporting: An alternative methodological approach. Journal of Cleaner Production, 15, 75–85.
13. Egan, M., & Tweedie, D. (2018). A “green” accountant is difficult to find. Can accountants contribute to sustainability management incentives? Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 31(6), 1749–1773.
14. Fatemi, A., & Fooladi, M. (2009). Corporate social performance and shareholder wealth. Journal of Banking & Finance, 33(4), 1154-1163.
15. Fuzi, N. M., Adam, S., Ramdan, M. R., Ong, S. Y. Y., Osman, J., Kolandan, S., ... & Abdullah, K. (2022). Sustainability Management Accounting and Organizational Performance: The Mediating Role of Environmental Management System. Sustainability, 14(21), 14290.
16. Ghaderi, Farzad, Pakmaram, Asgar, Ghalibaf Asl, H., & Bahri Sales, Jamal. (2015). Developing the Concept of Accounting Constructs of Sustainability and Financial Health of Companies in the Iranian Capital Market. Journal of Management Accounting, 14(48), 87-102.
17. Habib, N., & Samuel, A. (2022). Accounting for sustainability: A case study approach. Sustainability Reporting, 10(9), 1090–1105.
18. Hahn, R., & Reimsbach, D. (2014). Are we on track with sustainability literacy? A viewpoint on the influence of sustainability and accounting on future managers' processing of sustainability information. Journal of Global Responsibility, 5(1), 55–67.
19. Hosseini, Seyed Ali, & Ebrahimi, Farheh. (2015). Corporate Sustainability Performance and Systematic Risk. Accounting and Social Interests, 13(2), 61-84.
20. Irafahmi, D. T., Nuris, D. M., Zahroh, F., & Nagari, P. M. (2018). Critical Thinking in Accounting Textbooks. Journal of Education and Learning, 12(1), 21–29.
21. Joshi, S., & Li, Y. (2016). What Is Corporate Sustainability, and How Do Firms Practice It? Journal of Management Accounting Research, 28(2), 1–11.
22. Karmsahhi, Behnam. (2021). The Effect of Management Accounting Procedures on Corporate Sustainability: The Role of the Moderating Variable of Organizational Characteristics. Audit Knowledge, 23(91), 68-96.
23. Lee, W. E., Birkey, R. N., & Patten, D. M. (2017). Exposing Students to Environmental Sustainability in Accounting: An Analysis of Its Impacts in a US Setting. Social and Environmental Accountability Journal, 37(29), 81–96.
24. Maas, K., Schaltegger, S., & Crutzen, N. (2016). Integrating corporate sustainability assessment, management accounting, control, and reporting. Journal of Cleaner Production, 136, 237-248.
25. Maas, K., Schaltegger, S., & Crutzen, N. (2016). Integrating corporate sustainability assessment, management accounting, control, and reporting. Journal of Cleaner Production, 136, 237–248.
26. Mburayi, L. & Wall, T. (2018). Sustainability in the professional accounting and finance curriculum: An exploration. Higher Education, 8(3), 291–311.
27. Nassereddine, H., & Ahmad, A. S. (2019). The role of management accounting systems in sustainable development strategies. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Business Excellence (Vol. 13, No. 1, pp. 313-325).
28. Petersen, H., Lühn, M., Nuzum, A.-K., Schaltegger, S., & Wenzig, J. (2021). Controller als Partner im Nachhaltigkeits-Management. Controlling & Management Review, 65(3), 8–14.
29. Rahnamai Rudposhti, Fereydoon, & Homayouni Rad, Raheleh. (2015). Corporate Sustainability Performance and Systematic Risk. Accounting and Social Interests, 13(2), 61-84.
30. Rahnamai Rudpeshi, Fereydoon, Bani Mahd, Bahman, & Mirsaeedi, Seyed Jafar. (2014). Modernity and Management Accounting. Journal of Management Accounting and Auditing Knowledge, 3(12), 1-12.
31. Rezaei, Shoaib. (2022). A Review of the Thematic Literature on Sustainability/Corporate Social Responsibility in Management Accounting. Journal of Applied Research in Management and Accounting, 5(17), 111-131.
32. Samie, Rojan & Jamei, Reza. (2018). Investigating the Relationship between Voluntary Disclosure of Non-Financial Information and Sustainable Performance in Companies Listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange. Master's Thesis in Accounting, University of Kurdistan Campus.
33. Schaltegger, S., Christ, K. L., Wenzig, J., & Burritt, R. (2022). Corporate sustainability management accounting and multi-level links for sustainability—a systematic review. International Journal of Management Reviews, 24(4), 480–500.
34. Schaltegger, S., Horisch, J., & Freeman, R. E. (2019). The business case for sustainability: A stakeholder theory perspective. Organization & Environment, 32(3), 191–212.
35. Sharma, U., & Kelly, M. (2015). The changing role of accounting education and Management Control systems in the age of sustainability. International Journal of Critical Accounting, 7(3), 289–303.
36. Starik, M., & Kanashiro, P. (2013). Towards a theory of sustainability management: Uncovering and integrating the nearly obvious. Organization & Environment, 26(1), 7–30.
37. Vanini, U., & Bochert, S. (2024). Integration of sustainability issues into management accounting textbooks. Journal of Accounting Education, 66, 100886.
38. Wynder, M., Wellner, K.-U., & Reinhard, K. (2013). Rhetoric or reality? Do accounting education and experience increase weighting on environmental performance in a balanced scorecard? Accounting Education, 22(4), 366–381.
39. Zvezdov, D., & Schaltegger, S. (2018). Sustainability and Accounting Education. Accounting and Sustainability, 16(2), 123–140.
40. Zvezdov, D., & Schaltegger, S. (2019). Sustainability performance and managerial accounting. Journal of Business Ethics, 156, 131-152.
