Management accounting and control in the age of digital transformation: preconditions, opportunities and challenges

Robert Obermaier and Markus Grottke

Chapter 2 in Research Handbook on Accounting and Organizational Change, 2025, pp 17-37 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: The digital transformation, characterised by Industry 4.0, automation and data-driven decision-making, presents both opportunities and challenges for management accounting and control. This chapter explores how digital technologies, such as cyber-physical systems and artificial intelligence, reshape management accounting's role in value creation, performance measurement and strategic decision support. It discusses the transition from traditional control mechanisms to real-time data governance and evidence-based analytics in dynamic environments. Moreover, the evolving role of management accountants is analysed, highlighting their shift from data reporting to strategic business partners and critical evaluators of automated decision systems. The dialectical approach adopted underscores the interplay between technological advancements, managerial expectations and the adaptability of accounting practices to sustain organisational control and competitiveness.

Keywords: Digital transformation; Management accounting; Industry 4.0; Cyber-physical systems; Real-time data; Strategic control (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
ISBN: 9781803928906
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