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Utilizzare i dati economico-finanziari per creare valore nelle relazioni Impresa-Fornitori

Business Performance Analytics (BPA) entails the systematic use of data and analytical methods (mathematical, econometric and statistical) for performance measurement and management. Although potentially overcoming some traditional diagnostic issues related to Performance Management Systems (PMS), such as information overload, absence of cause-effect relationships, lack of a holistic view of the organisation, research in the field is still in its infancy. A comprehensive model for operationalising analytics for diagnostic and interactive PMS is still lacking. Adopting an action research approach, this paper addresses this gap and develops a five-step framework applied to a company operating in the construction industry. The results show that in addition to encouraging dialogue, BPA can contribute to identifying critical performance variables, potential sources of risk and related interdependencies. A number of critical issues in implementing data-based approaches are also highlighted, including data quality, organisational competences and cultural shifts.

Purpose – For over 20 years, management control literature has indicated the importance of supporting the strategy development and implementation process with strategic performance measurement systems (SPMS) and integrating traditional financial indicators with a set of multidimensional forward-looking measures focusing on the long term and linked to cause-effect relationships. Nevertheless, knowledge on the specific SPMS models used in practice and their effectiveness in supporting the managerial decision-making process is still fragmented and ambiguous. The purpose of this paper is to first analyse the SPMS models used in practice, also considering the role of strategy and firm size as drivers of adoption, thereafter analysing the capability of SPMS models to provide managers with measures that are consistent with their strategic information needs. Design/methodology/approach – The research is based on a survey involving 88 Italian medium-large sized firms (or subsidiaries of multinational firms) operating on a global level. Findings – The cluster analysis identifies two very different SPMS models used in practice. The first is the Short-term Financial Model, and as its name indicates, is based on short-term, internally focused and unconnected financial indicators. The second is the Multidimensional Additive Model, which integrates financial and non-financial measures but without a fully developed fit with the strategy. The research primarily indicates unsatisfied information needs in both clusters, presenting a significant challenge to the further development of existing SPMS models and in defining new theoretical SPMS frameworks. Practical implications – The adoption of an incremental approach to SPMS, simply adding new operational and strategic non-financial measures without a real fit with the strategy does not increase the information effectiveness of the system. Originality/value – The paper analyses the characteristics and use of SPMS models in practice from an exploratory perspective, defining and applying a model to evaluate the information effectiveness of SPMS.

Recent literature on financial reporting underlines that, in order to meet the changing needs of business reporting users, more information with a forward-looking perspective should be provided, with a focus on those factors that are responsible for longer- term value, including non-financial measurers. This article hence focuses on the importance of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in Management Commentary (MC). Through content analysis, we examine a sample of 111 reports from around the world (following different local and/or international regulations). The paper explores how organizations in practice use KPIs for external purposes, first investigating to what extent KPIs provide the information required by the MC frameworks, and, secondly, whether such KPIs have the suggested characteristics. Results show that although KPIs seem to potentially play a valuable and recognized role in providing the information required by the different MC frameworks, a large number of companies have not provided an effective and balanced picture of the drivers and factors that will lead their future performance. This paper contributes to the scarce research on the effectiveness of different approaches to regulate MC reports, with a specific focus on KPIs. It also highlights some critical issues concerning what and how KPI information should be produced and reported.

PurposeIncreased business competition requires even more rapid and sophisticated information and data analysis. These requirements challenge performance management to effectively support the decision making process. Business analytics is an emerging field that can potentially extend the domain of performance management to provide an improved understanding of business dynamics and lead to a better decision making. The purpose of this positional paper is to introduce performance management analytics as a potential extension of performance management research and practice. The paper clarifies the possible application areas of business analytics and their advantages within the context of performance management.Design/methodology/approachThe paper employs a literature based analysis and from this a conceptual argument is established. Finally, a business analytical model is presented to be used to undertake future research.FindingsThe paper clarifies the possible application areas of business analytics and their advantages within the context of organizational performance management.Originality/valueThe main implication is that the paper provides evidence of the use of business analytics for understanding organizational performance. Several insights are provided for management accounting research and education.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop and apply a framework that examines the effectiveness and efficiency of managing knowledge in organizations for competitive advantage.Design/methodology/approachReviews knowledge management and strategic cost management literatures to identify key elements that determine and facilitate the enhancement of competitive advantage. Develops a cost‐knowledge management (CKM) framework that integrates these elements and enables the analysis of how knowledge utilization in organizational activities can be made more effective and efficient.FindingsThe CKM framework is usefully applied to a sample of four Italian firms operating in the mechanical industry. Both the results of applying the CKM framework and the insights that are generated are discussed.Practical implicationsThe CKM framework allows organizations to analyze the activities performed in terms of cost structure and cost drivers, value created, and knowledge utilized, the latter in terms of knowledge specificity and type. The framework can also be used to highlight specific areas of effectiveness improvements in terms of identifying which activities should be leveraged and how knowledge can be better mobilized. In addition, the framework enables an assessment of the non value added but required and waste elements of organizational activities and the specific drivers of costs in these activities, thereby enabling an identification of efficiency improvement opportunities.Originality/valueThis paper integrates strategic cost management and knowledge management perspectives to examine how organizations can usefully analyze and improve the effectiveness and efficiency of managing knowledge for competitive advantage. Thus far, this integration has not occurred in either literatures.

Recent reviews of the ‘operations management’ (OM) research literature have shown a surprising little shift towards empirical methodologies from traditional modelling solution methods. In addition, there is generally a lack of empirical testing and validation of manufacturing strategies. Coupled to this fact is that empirical work is rarely carried out in an inter-disciplinary manner, with the complete combination of OM, marketing, strategy, lean thinking and accounting approaches particularly poorly researched. Fully cross-functional integrative empirical research is required to help support the understanding of the applicability of OM practices within industry. This paper explores such an integration of approaches developed within the ‘lean thinking, strategic cost management, marketing and policy deployment areas’. In order to investigate the approach a single automotive retailer is used as an instrumental case. The results of the study show that the new approach stands up well as an integrative approach that can prove highly beneficial results. However, the pilot work also identified a number of limitations that are the basis of further refinement and testing of the method.

Understanding of the relationship between the costs of the firm and the value the firm provides to its customers is the key to the ability of the firm to reach its profit potential. From this perspective the firm needs to have a thorough understanding of its activities, their costs and their relation to market prices. Advanced cost management studies and practices suggest a variety of different tools that help us understand the relationship between value and cost. However, most of these studies provide us with qualitative tools only. An exception is studies related to product cost planning, as in the case of target costing or value analysis/value engineering. This paper, while being a part of emerging literature on strategic cost management, extends the existing knowledge of the relationship between costs and value by introducing the value creation model (VCM). In particular, the VCM model defines the firms' cost structure in terms of value added, non-value added but required activities, as well as of was...

Knowing what customers value, and why, is the foundation of a sound business. But we often don't hear the customer's voice during our hectic, busy day. When that happens, your business falters. Instead, say the authors, you've got to embrace a customer value perspective. And that means a new approach for cost management. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

This chapter focuses on the most important characteristics that Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) should have in order to reinforce their informative effectiveness in stakeholders’ decision processes. To this aim, we discuss the role that KPIs can potentially play within Integrated Reporting (IR)—i.e. measuring the ability of the company to create value, by increasing or transforming its tangible and intangible capital. Moreover, given the lack of a generally accepted model for measuring and communicating the integrated performance of a company, this chapter introduces a theoretical framework in accordance with IR guidelines and principles. It provides an innovative perspective that contributes to integrate internal- and external-oriented performance measurement systems.

Integrated reporting systems are the wave of the future from two points of view: for their support to management decision making processes, and as stra-tegic information source for annual Integrated Reporting (IR). This chapter describes Value-based Cost Management (VCMS) as one tool available to the financial and marketing communities that can be used in the integration effort because it naturally joins data streams from across the organization to provide a unified picture of the firm’s performance. Furthermore this chapter shows the twofold potential contribution of VCMS to IR. First, it supports the management and monitoring of the company performance with specific regard to customers and internal processes as fundamental dimensions of an integrated performance measurement system. Second, the role played by waste in VCMS is argued to support the sustainability movement and reporting.

Organisations should focus their supplier selection and control process on several different dimensions, including price, quality, service level, delivery and their ability to support the innovation process. (Dickson, 1966). Obviously, the roles that these dimensions play differ from one product/service to another. For example, the price dimension is more relevant for a low-tech and easy-to-replace commodity than for a high-tech component that might be crucial for the performance of the supplier’s final product.

Despite several studies on the importance of Performance Measurement Systems (PMS), often their implementation is considered insufficient or unsatisfactory. This situation is motivating research on several issues: PMS design and focus, cultural and technological aspects, and the specific contexts of implementation. This paper introduces Business Performance Analytics (BPA) as an important framework for successful PMS design and adoption. Specifically, it defines BPA as the use of data and analytical methods to understand and control business dynamics and performance. Based on an exploratory survey on a group of global companies, the paper highlights the importance of measurement not fully delivered by current PMS, together with a first examination of the implementation of BPA in practice. The analysis shows a low level of adoption of BPA both for strategic and operational decisions. At the same time, companies adopting BPA have a higher perception of relevance of statistical and mathematical tools for supporting the decision-making process. The results also show the presence of the two clusters with very different approaches to performance measurement. The "advanced" one is characterized by the implementation of Business Intelligence tools, together with advanced management accounting and PMS approaches. Compared with the "basic" one, the "advanced" cluster shows a higher perception of BPA effectiveness in supporting the decision-making process and also a higher satisfaction for the contribution provided by the information system to the management action.

The Lean Management philosophy is based on the idea that companies should set their strategies according to what customers really value, systematically banishing waste both within the firm and along the supply chain. Many companies when implementing Lean Management complain that traditional Management Accounting Systems are unable to support these kinds of projects. At best, they are perceived as bureaucratic tasks, and at worst, they are considered a key constraint to both the acceptance and success of lean projects. The failure of these traditional Management Accounting tools and techniques has led to management consultancies developing a range of Lean Accounting approaches that are nevertheless not entirely satisfactory either. In particular, they do not support the analysis of the expected results of lean projects, which are crucial in obtaining top management commitment. Moreover, they still focus on the short term and on cost dimensions while neglecting the value creation potential of lean projects. Thus, this paper develops an innovative Lean Accounting model based on the Strategic Cost Management framework, more aligned to the specific needs of lean environments. In detail, this model is based on two main goals: (1) exploring the lean performance potential, at the planning and commitment stages of a lean transformation; (2) controlling lean management effects in terms of cost reduction and value creation, at the implementation and consolidation stages of an ongoing lean process.

Hypercompetitive businesses are increasingly requiring the need for more rapid and sophisticated information and data analysis. This challenges management accounting's role in effectively supporting the management decision making process. The emerging area of business analytics can potentially extend the domain of management accounting to the comprehension of business dynamics and provide more solid inputs for managing its performance. This paper introduces performance management analytics (PMA) as the next extension in management accounting research and practice. Specifically, it defines PMA as the understanding of relevant business dynamics through the use of data and analytical methods. In addition, it suggests PMA as a relevant part of performance management systems and moreover as the missing link between the existence of highly sophisticated performance management systems and their effective implementation. Furthermore, it provides a framework that incorporates a set of key components (input, process, output, outcome) where performance is grounded in its context, captured, coupled, and controlled. This framework might be useful for research and practice in the area of performance management. The relevance of performance analytics might be a predestinated subject for further empirical research in the field of the advances in management accounting with specific regards to performance management systems. If relevance and effectiveness of performance management analytics will arise, education on management accounting would have to be redesigned and integrated with performance analytical topics and new skills and competences on IT and analytical methods might be required for management accountants.

This paper analyses and compares the informative capability of diffused financial ratios to point out future financial distress. A panel of 76 Italian food and beverage firms (6 bankrupt and 70 non bankrupt, from 1997 to 2001) was utilized and a set of 11 relevant financial ratios was investigated. Two fundamental dimensions are considered: the profitability one (e.g. earnings, cash flows and growth), and the financial one (e.g. capital structure, debt level, liquidity). The analysis was carried out using a classification approach based on benchmarking and implementing ROC curves method. The evidence shows that there are not significant differences in terms of informative capability between a linear combination of ratios concerning financial dimension, and a linear combination of ratios concerning growth, profitability and cash flows.

Networked organizations are receiving increasing attention in the management literature because of their perceived success in terms of fast growth, increased flexibility and efficiency of operations, lower overhead costs, and effective competitive positioning. For all firms, the choice of which activities to perform internally and which to outsource is a critical issue. Cost information can play a fundamental role in the decision about how much "market" and how much "hierarchy." Indeed, outsourcing is, basically, a cost and benefits evaluation. Management accounting and strategic management studies have, so far, not addressed this perspective explicitly. Management accounting is too internally focused on the costs of the firm rather than the entire supply chain. The strategic management perspective, on the contrary, focuses its attention on the supply chain, but only deals very generally with those transaction costs which emerge in using the market. Both approaches fall short in providing a well articulated financial rationale for which activities should be outsourced and which should be entrusted to the market. Neither approach does much to help managers understand where value is created in the value chain, the costs of the activities involved or their cost drivers. Strategic cost management (SCM) studies provide a useful cost analysis framework which is too often missing in the strategic decision making process. Competitive analysis, value or supply chain mapping, and cost driver analysis are, in particular, the tools of SCM. The aim of this paper is to apply SMC to the theory of networked organizations. In this paper we will use SCM to explain the Italian motor bike industry where both vertically integrated and network organizations exist. In particular, we will try to interpret different firms performance by comparing their value chains and their positions along the value system. The financial impact of the complexity involved in these different organization models and its impact on profitability and competitive position is our main theme.

Despite the continued importance of outsourcing agreements as one form of inter-organisational relationship, there is growing evidence of failure amongst these arrangements. In turn, this has initiated a renewed concern about the mechanisms that govern and control inter-organisational networks and alliances. This paper investigates one of these gaps; specifically the use of contractual and accounting mechanisms in the governance of inter-organisational relationships. Despite both accounting and contracts forming part of the formal control mechanisms that parties can employ to govern inter-organisational relationships, there has been little research that has simultaneously examined both. This is especially problematic given the convergence of these mechanisms in practice, a prime example being the growing practice of developing key performance indicators and service level agreements, and incorporating these either in the contract document proper, or in schedules to contractual documentation. Thus, the objectives of the paper are two-fold. The first objective of the paper is to re-examine the role of formal controls and specifically, contractual and accounting mechanisms. The second objective is to examine the utilisation of these mechanisms in practice. This is achieved through a content analysis of contracts governing outsourcing relationships in the Australian financial services industry. Thus the paper is exploratory in explicating the mix of formal controls comprising both contractual and accounting control mechanisms that is explicitly stipulated in contractual and supporting documentation.

In the last decade a plethora of studies have been carried out in the area of new multidimensional performance measurement systems (MPMS). Notable efforts were focused on PMS design issues related for example to the proper dimensions to be considered, new area of measurement(competencies, networks and supply chain), or their role in the strategy formulation. More recently new streams of research were addressed to the critical analysis of claimed effectiveness with specific regard to the linkage with business performance, or with the management control system (MCS). This paper extends the critical stream of research on MPMS to the organizational linkages of performance and presents a new framework based on the measurement of the relations between formal organizational units as units of analysis. Specifically, this framework introduces a new dimension in the designing of MPMS because it focuses on the measurement of the relationships and not on pre-codified indicators even if systematically organized (tableau de bord, balanced scorecard, ...). In this perspective, the approach enables MPMS to be aligned with the organizational structure of MCS and increases the effectiveness of the appraisal because they are based on a shared view of the organizational functioning. The framework is supported by a case study conducted in an Italian top luxury car firm.

The Lean Transformation of the Supply Chain represents a major challenge in Lean Management studies and involves both the reduction of waste (both within and between companies) and supply chain alignment to the actual needs of the final customer. At the same time, Lean Management is looking for an information system able to support a Lean Transformation by incorporating all the drivers of company performance in the development of a cost system. In order to explore the possibility of an integration between the Cost Management practices, the Lean Management principles, and the Value Analysis studies, this paper presents a new integrated methodology, as well as the results of an international and interdisciplinaty research project: the Le.M.A. (Lean Management Accounting) Program. The case study approach adopted reviews an internal supply chain with a view to extending the work at a later point to an external supply chain.

Interfirm organisations are receiving increasing attention in the management literature owing to their superior performance in terms of fast growth, increased flexibility and efficiency. Effective design of these organisations depends on the choice of which activities to perform internally and which to outsource, and also on how to manage relationships within the network. Building on the emerging field of strategic cost management studies, this paper presents a general framework that supports the rationale underpinning the cost structure and effectiveness of interfirm organisations. Specifically, it focuses on three important cost drivers relating to: a) how transactions with partners are settled; b) how technological interfaces with partners are managed; c) how activities are distributed among partners. The model is then applied to an Italian firm operating in the electronics industry. This work is to be considered as a work-in-progress, but nevertheless it provides two major contributions. At a theoretical level, while the traditional transactional approach focuses on the nature and on the object of the relationships, this paper extends its attention on the technological structure and managerial process that make transactions with the external environment possible. At a methodological level, our aim is to operationalise the data collection process in order to analyse the effects on the firm's cost structure of different ways of interacting with the actors of the value chain.

I Business Performance Analytics (BPA) consistono in modelli di performance management che attraverso l’impiego sistematico di apparati e tecnologie infor- matiche (ICT), variegate e ingenti fonti di dati (Big Data), strumenti di misurazione analitica dei risultati aziendali (PMS) e metodi di indagine matematico- statistici ed econometrici, favoriscono una migliore comprensione delle dinamiche di business, lo sviluppo di strategie aziendali, il monitoraggio e la gestione della performance. Con l’applicazione dei BPA l’analisi dei dati interni (ERP, CRM, database locali) ed esterni (open e social data) diventa protagonista della misu- razione e gestione della performance aziendale. L’ap- proccio alla gestione dell’impresa supportata dai BPA prende il nome di Analytical Performance Management (APM). Per alcuni l’APM è l’ennesima moda, argo- mento - al massimo - di cui parlare o essere informati, per altri un passaggio indispensabile per individuare nuove opportunità di creazione di valore (efficienza, razionalizzazione, business innovation) e di certo una nuova frontiera del controllo di gestione. Sintesi di un’attività di ricerca e di evidenze empiriche plurien- nali, questo contributo affronta rilevanza, contenuti, modelli, opportunità e criticità dell’approccio anali- tico alla gestione della performance.