Managing Organizational Culture for Effective Internal Control: From Practice to Theory

Abstract

Book description: In times of economic and financial crises, content of book rings true. Drawing from interviews with executives, senior managers and/or auditors from renowned companies (eBay, Google, Hewlett Packard, Intel, Levi Strauss & Co., Microsoft, Novartis and many others) and theory from fields of sociology and social psychology, research study provides an understanding of how tone at top imprints on an organization and why that imprint works. More specifically, it discusses how managers' principles and practices can actively shape an open-minded culture that enhances effective control. Praise from academics and practitioners: “Dr. Pfister sheds new light on critically important, but often-overlooked, softer forms of control, such as corporate And he does it in a rigorous and engaging way. A very worthwhile read! “ Kenneth A. Merchant, Deloitte and Touche LLP Chair of Accountancy, University of Southern California “In our increasingly complex and multicultural world it is high time that someone tackles implications of different assumptions among team members in finance and accounting groups.” Edgar H. Schein, Professor Emeritus, MIT Sloan School of Management “Dr. Pfister provides a well-written, accessible and comprehensive overview of environment and identification of key practical drivers highly useful to managers in implementing controls and creating culture; and which auditors and boards can use to assess quality of environment: culture.” James Wall, retired CFO Core-Mark International, Board Trustee, Financial Executives Research Foundation “This book is a “must read” and provides a valuable resource for board members, senior management, operations management, systems designers, auditors, consultants, or other practitioners.” H.C. “Pete” Warner, CPA, CIA, CICP, President Internal Control Institute is now accepted that culture has an important impact on management practices. But Dr Pfister's book makes substantial progress in detailing precisely how differences in culture impact on design and use of management systems. It will be of significant use to both business controllers and to academics try to advance our understanding of important area.” David Otley, Distinguished Professor of Accounting & Management (Emeritus), Lancaster University Management School, UK “Many professionals see only relationship between Culture and Control in fact that both start with a C. They could not be more wrong. This highly recommendable book provides key insights on close link between two. ... This book also demonstrates why Finance and HR must start talking to each other instead of practicing disconnected performance management from inside their isolated silos.” Bjarte Bogsnes, Vice President of Performance Management Development, Statoil, Chairman, Beyond Budgeting Round Table Europe Book reviews: this study provides a much-needed next step in academic research aimed at understanding relationships between such complex phenomena as internal control and organizational culture. The Accounting Review the field study should therefore be of interest to academics, practitioners and policy members working in generally, and more specifically control, as well as those interested in culture. The British Accounting Review