Enterprise Management Control Systems in China

This book provides an exhaustive view of China’s Management Control Systems (MCS), examining the development of theory and practice and presenting a framework that integrates China’s unique enterprise regulations, corporate culture and managerial mindset into management control systems. The work offers detail about the effects of China’s economic reforms on management control in Chinese enterprises and insightful comparisons with Western theory and Western examples. Readers will discover important themes and the evolution of theory in MCS, including discussions of frameworks and the links between management control and economics, management, accounting, cybernetics and system theory.

Early chapters explore management control in Chinese enterprises during the period, especially the demands of (guidance, enforcement and external regulation) and the demand for (stakeholders, managers, investors) management control. The work moves on to explore Western management control theory and research, including an examination of the evolution of internal control theory.

The author presents detailed perspectives on the elements of management control systems and introduces masterful new ideas and methods through four general control models and ten critical elements in the management control process. A view of management control in various different types of enterprise is presented, from special enterprises and small to medium enterprises to non-profit organizations. The standards for enterprise management control are explored.

This work is a valuable practical guide for corporate management teams who wish to develop and execute their own internal control strategies. It will also provide foreign researchers, policy-makers and practitioners with a new perspective on Chinese management control experiences. 

Xianzhi Zhang, Professor of Accounting and Finance, is vice-dean of Accounting School and director of Sion-German Management Control Research Center at Dongbei University of Finance and Economics (DUFE). He received his PhD in economics from Dongbei University of Finance and Economics in 1996, studied as senior visiting scholar at State University of New York at Buffalo from 1998 to 1999 and as senior research scholar at SAID Business School, University of Oxford in 2009.

In corporate finance, capital operation, management control, financial analysis and valuation fields, Prof. Zhang has put forward many novel perspective and formed independent academic ideological system. He has published more than 10 books and 200 papers as first / corresponding author and has hosted more than 20 national research projects, including the National Natural Science Fund, the National Philosophy and Social Science Fund.

He teaches more than ten courses at undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral  programs, with mainly focus on financial analysis, finance theory, the study of advanced management accounting, the study of forefront issues in corporate finance, the application of accounting report, management control systems etc.

Prof. Zhang serves as the co-chair of China Finance Annual Meeting, the directors of China Accounting Society and China Audit Society. Likewise, he serves as members of editorial board for Journal of Accounting Research, Journal of management accounting, Controlling & Management Review (German). He is also visiting professor and adjunct professor at many well-known universities, including Taiwan Soochow University, Dalian University of Technology and so on. He is also independent director of several listed companies.

Prof. Zhang has received many national awards like the National Outstanding Teacher in University, the National Social Scientist, the National Advanced Individual Morality Award and the National AdvancedAccounting Workers Award.