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Questionnaire - last version April 2004

The questions are based upon the first article which appeared in the ACCA journal - Accounting and Business May 2004. To read click here

This questionnaire appears now merely for background to the research method.

About you

 

1. Please indicate which of the following applies to you:

Working Accountant -

Are you a member of professional body?,

yes no

Which body? Please give letters e.g ICAE&W, ACCA, IMA etc.


Accounting Student - registered?,

please state with which body (letters of body)

Or Non Accountant

Regular user of accounting information

Just interested in subject

 
2. Please indicate the role that best describes your present position:

Preparing financial information within an organisation
Consultant
Audit and tax work
Treasury management
I.T. management
Risk management & control
Executive responsibility for either non-accounting function or operational department.

Other

Please give details of other here

self employed - go to question 9 and answer within your experience of the organisations that you work for.

 

Please tell us about the organisation that you work for;

 

3.

Size of organisation - no. of employees

size of organisation - turnover £, $, etc.

4. Number of professionally qualified accountants
5. Which accounting standards does your organisation use to prepare its annual reports?

6. How would you describe the scope and status of the role of the financial function within your organisation?

For example, perhaps it has a limited role simply recording transactions or it may be substantive with significant power and influence over many aspects of strategy and management. Perhaps it is in between. Please tell us below.

7. Does it have a single representative at senior management level?

single head two or more heads at board level

8. What is their title(s)?
9. What is the outlook of the financial function within your organisation? Are they generally proactive (or not) in identifying opportunities for change within the organisation?
Proactive Reactive 50/50
10. Has your department had to formally justify its role/expense?
Yes No Dont know

10a Please comment on this issue.

What was the outcome? Is this a looming concern?

     
11.

Scoremaking v. scorekeeping

Enter table co-ordinates - in form 1A, 1B, etc.

See below

primary role

secondary role

The grid invites you to identify how your financial department is presently orientated.

For example, 1,4 indicates low emphasis on financial accounting and reporting but high emphasis on supporting management and adding value to company. Enter result in box 8 above.

score making /  Scorekeeping chart

Please indicate how you view the following issues for your financial function
12. Accountants are generally dispered into operating teams?
Agree Disagree Don't know/insignificant
13. Accountants are essentially consolidated into a central function?
Agree Disagree Don't know/insignificant
14. Accounting is valued more by management than, say, 5 years ago?
Agree Disagree Don't know/insignificant
15. Greater distinction between financial and management accounting
Agree Disagree Don't know/insignificant

Please answer the last section of questions again based upon your view of the financial functions in general

16. Overall, recent accounting scandals have had a positive effect on the finance function? Perhaps through strengthening their position.
Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree
17. Overall, recent accounting scandals have had a negative effect on the finance function? E.g. loss of trust, confidence.
Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree
18. There is greater emphasis on ethical behaviour in accounting and the contribution that qualified accountants can bring to organisations
Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree

Hot Topics

Please indicate how significant you feel the following issues will be for your financial function in the next 5 years

19. Outsourcing transaction processing accounting functions
Insignificant Reasonably Significant Highly Significant
20. Outsourcing transaction management accounting functions
Insignificant Reasonably Significant Highly Significant

Finally,

please tell us what issues are presently facing the financial function that you work for. For example, is it's role (and existence) under threat or are things getting better.

What issues are there in providing users with the service that they require - does this create any sense of role conflict for accountants? Do users appreciate this conflict?

 

You can either send this on-line form anonymously, or alternatively you can fill in your details below, if you wish to recieve any further information:

willing to be interviewed
willing to complete questionnaire
my company wishes to take part in the research

Name:
Title:
Company:
Address:
Postcode:
E-mail:  
Phone:

 

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