Management accounting (and other) lessons from the Japanese

Article Abstract:

Management accounting and control methods in Japanese corporations significantly differ from those being practiced in their US counterparts. Customer satisfaction and quality improvement are more actively pursued in Japanese companies than in US firms. Also, the Japanese believe that prices inevitably drop over time so they pursue a corresponding decrease in costs to gain a desirable return. In view of this mentality, cost management plays an important role in their strategies and practices. Costs are managed and controlled beforehand during the product planning and development cycle. Return on sales, contextualized in a market environment where prices do not go up, is used as a measure of financial performance. Japanese accountants perform more proactive roles than their US equals. In conclusion, Japanese finance and accounting is participatory and cost/production-oriented, and functions in the business, rather than for the business.

Management, Japan, Cover Story, Corporations, Corporations, Japanese

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Office technology: fax for accountants

Article Abstract:

Facsimile transmission (fax) machines offer accountants distinct advantages over express mail in cost, speed, and efficiency. Fax machines allow accountants to send information more quickly between themselves and another party. All manner of documents can be sent over a fax network, including purchase orders, shipping orders, and memoranda. Fax greatly increases the communication between business branches and central accounting and allows for more efficient processing for information. Errors can be communicated and then corrected between offices in a short period of time. The disadvantages of fax include: it costs more to fax multiple documents than to send them express mail; copies are black and white only; and the speed and quality of fax transmissions is dependent on the machines in use and external conditions such as the quality of phone lines.

Equipment and supplies, Fax equipment, Facsimile equipment

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