Management accounting performance measurement systems in Swedish banks

Purpose - To study the nature of management accounting performance measures in the Financial Services Industry (FSI). The nature of Performance Measurement (PM), specially non-financial PM in FSI (service "shop") has not been explored before. Design/methodology/approach - This exploratory multiple case study consists of survey, interviews with questionnaire, individuals' (senior management and executives) interviews, collecting primary and secondary sources of information as well as literature surveys. Findings - The results of this study demonstrate that the actual practices of the recent trends of management accounting in non-financial PM are negligible in the studied financial institutions, and management of studied banks paying more attention to improve and measure financial performance than that to non-financial performance for different reasons that affect the function/operation of FSI. Research limitations/implications - The field study is being conducted without a conceptual/theoretical framework. An explanatory case study with particular theoretical framework/model could make possible to discuss the factors that affect non-financial PM in this particular industry. Moreover, a comparative study with manufacturing industry would make the research results more robust. Practical implications - A stable economic condition and competition that would increase the need and importance of non-financial PM in FSI as well as in other services (and even in manufacturing industries). Originality/value -This paper explores the nature of management accounting PM particularly in FSI.