Integration of Risk Management into Management Control System from a Pragmatic Constructivist Perspective
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7146/propracon.v5i2.25109Keywords:
Performance measurement, KPIs, risk management, pragmatic constructivism, actor reality constructionAbstract
The idea of the paper is to inform risk management (RM) with the pragmatic constructivist (PC) perspective, and tosimultaneously integrate risk management with management control systems (MCS) bearing in mind that the key to the
PC perspective is that risk information has both subjective and objective components. The paper will (1) Show how to
improve Risk Management systems using the Pragmatic Constructivist perspective. (2) Demonstrate how to use the
Pragmatic Constructivist perspective to integrate Risk Management into Management Control Systems. (3) Provide a
case study to apply the theory by showing how Management Control System can govern Risk Management from
Pragmatic Constructivist perspective. Applying the case study finds out mainly that action control in a form of two-way
communication between actors (managers and technicians) at the process of risk identification, risk analysis, decision
making and monitoring, risk reality is necessary. Results controls direct attention to facts entered by actors according to
their expertise and level of influence. Personnel control enables to choose people with common values and necessary
competencies to share knowledge for risk management. In this way actor-based reality with the actors being co-authors
of the reality can take place. The main implications of the research suggest that: 1) the successful integration of RM into
MCS requires pragmatic constructivist reality to applied by providing the contribution from all the actors so that the
RM system is practical, and 2) RM should be designed to gather some subjective data from the ground level (e.g. on the
probability of an incident recurring and the potential costs of any particular type of incident) to balance the objective
information gathered so that the PC approach can support RM and MCS.
References
Abernethy, M. A., & Brownell, P. 1997. Management control systems in research and development organizations: The
role of accounting, behavior and personnel controls. Accounting, Organizations and Society, 22(3-4): 233-248.
Ahrens, T., & Chapman, C. S. 2007. Management accounting as practice. Accounting, Organizations and Society,
(1–2): 1-27.
Albertsen, O. A., & Lueg, R. 2014. The Balanced Scorecard’s missing link to compensation: a literature review and an
agenda for future research. Journal of Accounting and Organizational Change, 10(4): 431-465.
Alhawari, S., Karadsheh, L., Talet, A. N., & Mansour, E. 2012. Knowledge-based risk management framework for
information technology project. International Journal of Information Management, 32(1): 50-65.
Ancelin-Bourguignon, A. 2012. Getting out of mechanical management: lessons from Chinese thought. Proceedings of
Pragmatic Constructivism, 2(1): 3-9.
Andersen, T. J. 2008. The performance relationship of effective risk management: Exploring the firm-specific
investment rationale. Long Range Planning, 41(2): 155-176.
Anthony, R. N. 1965. Planning and Control Systems: A framework for Analysis. Boston, MA: Harvard Business
School Press.
Baldvinsdottir, G., Johansson, I.-L., & Nørreklit, H. 2011. Actor-based management - The TESCO way. In M.
Jakobsen, I.-L. Johansson, & H. Nørreklit (Eds.), An Actor’s Approach to Management: Conceptual
Framework and Company Practices: 75-98. Copenhagen: DJOEF.
Berry, A. J., Coad, A. F., Harris, E. P., Otley, D. T., & Stringer, C. 2009. Emerging themes in management control: a
review of recent literature. The British Accounting Review, 41(1): 2-20.
Beusch, P. 2012. Highlighting the complex interrelationship between the concepts of trust and control. Proceedings of
Pragmatic Constructivism, 2(2): 33-50.
Boer, N.-I. 2005. Knowledge Sharing Within Organizations. Rotterdam: Erasmus Research Institute of Management
(ERIM).
Borisov, B. G., & Lueg, R. 2012. Are you sure about what you mean by ‘uncertainty’? The actor’s perspective vs. the
institutional perspective. Proceedings of Pragmatic Constructivism, 2(2): 51-58.
Bourdieu, P., & Passeron, J.-C. 1977. Reproduction in Education, Society and Culture. London: Sage.
Brunsson, N. 1989. The Organization of Hypocrisy: Talk, Decisions and Actions in Organizations. New York, NY:
Wiley.
Burkert, M., & Lueg, R. 2013. Differences in the sophistication of Value-based Management – The role of top
executives. Management Accounting Research, 24(1): 3-22.
Chenhall, R. H. 2003. Management control systems design within its organizational context: findings from
contingency-based research and directions for the future. Accounting, Organizations and Society, 28(2-3): 127-
Cinquini, L., Falconer, M., Nørreklit, H., & Tenucci, A. 2012. Methodologies for managing performance measurement.
In F. Mitchell, H. Nørreklit, & M. Jakobsen (Eds.), The Routledge Companion to Cost Management: 342-359.
New York, NY: Routledge.
Cinquini, L., Tenucci, A., Campanale, C., & Passetti, E. 2013. Understanding performance measurement in public
organization under pragmatic constructivism. Proceedings of Pragmatic Constructivism, 3(1): 3-22.
Collier, P. M., & Berry, A. J. 2002. Risk in the process of budgeting. Management Accounting Research, 13(3): 273-
Czarniawska-Joerges, B., & Jacobsson, B. 1989. Budget in a cold climate. Accounting, Organizations and Society,
(1-2): 29-39.
Davenport, T. H., & Prusak, L. 1998. Working Knowledge: How Organizations Manage What They Know. Boston,
MA: Harvard Business Press.
Ditillo, A. 2004. Dealing with uncertainty in knowledge-intensive firms: the role of management control systems as
knowledge integration mechanisms. Accounting, Organizations and Society, 29(3): 401-421.
Ditillo, A. 2012. Designing management control systems to foster knowledge transfer in knowledge-intensive firms: A
network-based approach. European Accounting Review, 21(3): 425-450.
Farrelly, G. E., Ferris, K. R., & Reichenstein, W. R. 1985. Perceived risk, market risk, and accounting determined risk
measures. The Accounting Review, 60(2): 278-288.
Feldman, M. S., & Orlikowski, W. J. 2011. Theorizing practice and practicing theory. Organization Science, 22(5):
-1253.
Ferreira, A., & Otley, D. 2009. The design and use of performance management systems: An extended framework for
analysis. Management Accounting Research, 20(4): 263-282.
Foucault, M. 1977. Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison. London: Vintage.
Grody, A. D., Hughes, P. J., & Toms, S. 2010. Risk accounting–a next generation risk management system for financial
institutions. Journal of Financial Transformation, 29(1): 43-56.
Hansen, M. T. 1999. The search-transfer problem: The role of weak ties in sharing knowledge across organization
subunits. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44(1): 82-111.
Hansen, M. T. 2002. Knowledge networks: Explaining effective knowledge sharing in multiunit companies.
Organization Science, 13(3): 232-248.
Huelsbeck, D. P., Merchant, K. A., & Sandino, T. 2011. On testing business models. The Accounting Review, 86(5):
-1654.
IFAC. 2002. Competency Profiles for Management Accounting Practice and Practitioners. New York, NY:
International Federation of Accountants, Financial and Management Accounting Committee.
Jack, L. 2014. Further explorations of possibilities, methodologies of the future and rogue traders. Proceedings of
Pragmatic Constructivism, 4(2): 32-38.
Jakobsen, M., Johanson, I.-L., & Nørreklit, H. (Eds.). 2011. An Actor's Approach to Management: Conceptual
Framework and Company Practices. Copenhagen: DJOEF.
Jakobsen, M., & Lueg, R. 2012. The Balanced Scorecard: the illusion of maximization without constraints. Proceedings
of Pragmatic Constructivism, 2(1): 10-15.
Jakobsen, M., & Lueg, R. 2014. Balanced scorecard and controllability at the level of middle managers – The case of
unintended breaches. Journal of Accounting and Organizational Change, 10(4): 516-539.
Jarzabkowski, P. 2005. Strategy As Practice: An Activity Based Approach. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Jarzabkowski, P., & Spee, A. P. 2009. Strategy‐as‐practice: A review and future directions for the field. International
Journal of Management Reviews, 11(1): 69-95.
Jørgensen, B., & Messner, M. 2010. Accounting and strategising: a case study from new product development.
Accounting, Organizations and Society, 35(2): 184-204.
Kaplan, R. S., & Norton, D. P. 2008. The Execution Premium: Linking Strategy to Operations for Competitive
Advantage. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Press.
Klinke, A., & Renn, O. 2002. A new approach to risk evaluation and management: Risk‐based, precaution‐based, and
discourse‐based strategies. Risk analysis, 22(6): 1071-1094.
Ko, K.-C. 2004. Prospect Theory and the Risk-Return Relationship: Evidence from Mutual Funds. Puli: National Chi
Nan University - College of Management.
Laine, T., Cinquini, L., Suomala, P., & Tenucci, A. 2013a. Roles of accounting in New Service Development within
Servitization – The viewpoint of pragmatic constructivism. Proceedings of Pragmatic Constructivism, 3(2): 97-
Laine, T., Suomala, P., & Nørreklit, H. 2013b. NPD accounting: unveiling the potential through pragmatic
constructivism. Proceedings of Pragmatic Constructivism, 3(1): 23-34.
Latour, B. 1987. Science in Action: How to Follow Scientists and Engineers through Society. Cambridge, MA:
Harvard University Press.
Lueg, R. 2009. Führt der Einsatz externer Berater zur Überimplementierung innovativer Steuerungsinstrumente?
Zeitschrift der Unternehmensberatung, 4(6): 249-253.
Lueg, R., & Borisov, B. G. 2014. Archival or perceived measures of environmental uncertainty? Conceptualization and
new empirical evidence. European Management Journal, 32(4): 658–671.
Lueg, R., Malinauskaite, L., & Marinova, I. 2014. The vital role of business processes for a business model: the case of
a startup company. Problems and Perspectives in Management, 12(4): 213-220.
Lueg, R., & Nørreklit, H. 2012. Performance measurement systems – Beyond generic strategic actions. In F. Mitchell,
H. Nørreklit, & M. Jakobsen (Eds.), The Routledge Companion to Cost Management: 342-359. New York, NY:
Routledge.
Lueg, R., & Pedersen, L. D. 2014. How do controls and trust interact? The case of failed alliance negotiations in the
financial services industry. International Journal of Business Research: forthcoming.
Malina, M. A., Nørreklit, H., & Selto, F. H. 2007. Relations among measures, climate of control, and performance
measurement models. Contemporary Accounting Research, 24(3): 935-982.
Malina, M. A., Nørreklit, H., & Selto, F. H. 2011. Lessons learned: Advantages and disadvantages of mixed method
research. Qualitative Research in Accounting & Management, 8(1): 59-71.
Malmi, T., & Brown, D. A. 2008. Management control systems as a package - Opportunities, challenges and research
directions. Management Accounting Research, 19(4): 287-300.
Merchant, K. A., & Van der Stede, W. A. 2011. Management Control Systems: Performance Measurement,
Evaluation and Incentives (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Mikes, A. 2009. Risk management and calculative cultures. Management Accounting Research, 20(1): 18-40.
Miller, P., Kurunmäki, L., & O’Leary, T. 2008. Accounting, hybrids and the management of risk. Accounting,
Organizations and Society, 33(7): 942-967.
Neef, D. 2005. Managing corporate risk through better knowledge management. Journal of The Learning
Organization, 12: 112-124.
Nielsen, L. B., Mitchell, F., & Nørreklit, H. 2015. Management accounting and decision making: two case studies of
outsourcing. Accounting Forum, 39(1): 64-82.
Nixon, B., & Burns, J. 2012. The paradox of strategic management accounting. Management Accounting Research,
(4): 229-244.
Nørreklit, H. 2000. The balance on the balanced scorecard – a critical analysis of some of its assumptions. Management
Accounting Research, 11(1): 65-88.
Nørreklit, H., Nørreklit, L., & Mitchell, F. 2007. Theoretical Conditions for Validity in Accounting Performance
Measurement. In A. Neely (Ed.), Business Performance Measurement. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press.
Nørreklit, H., Nørreklit, L., & Mitchell, F. 2010. Towards a paradigmatic foundation for accounting practice.
Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 23(6): 733-758.
Nørreklit, H., Nørreklit, L., Mitchell, F., & Bjørnenak, T. 2012. The rise of the Balanced Scorecard - Relevance
regained? Journal of Accounting and Organizational Change, 8(4): 490-510.
Nørreklit, L. 2011a. Actors and reality: A conceptual framewok for creative governance. In M. Jakobsen, I.-L.
Johanson, & H. Nørreklit (Eds.), An Actor’s Approach to Management: Conceptual Framework and Company
Practices: 7-38. Copenhagen: DJOEF.
Nørreklit, L. 2011b. Actors and reality: a conceptual framework for creative governance. In M. Jakobsen, Lill-
Johansson, & H. Nørreklit (Eds.), An Actor’s Approach to Management: Conceptual Framework and
Company Practices: 7-38. Copenhagen: DJØF.
Nørreklit, L. 2013. Reality as a construct: outline of a pragmatic constructivist perspective. Proceedings of Pragmatic
Constructivism, 3(2): 57-66.
Nørreklit, L., Nørreklit, H., & Israelsen, P. 2006. The validity of management control topoi: towards constructivist
pragmatism. Management Accounting Research, 17(1): 42-71.
Olsson, R. 2007. In search of opportunity management: Is the risk management process enough? International Journal
of Project Management, 25(8): 745-752.
Otley, D. T. 1999. Performance management: a framework for management control systems research. Management
Accounting Research, 10(4): 363-382.
Pidgeon, N. 1998. Risk assessment, risk values and the social science programme: why we do need risk perception
research. Reliability Engineering & System Safety, 59(1): 5-15.
Preyssl, C. 1995. Safety risk assessment and management - The ESA approach. Reliability Engineering & System
Safety, 49(3): 303-309.
Roslender, R., & Hart, S. J. 2010. Taking the customer into account: transcending the construction of the customer
through the promotion of self-accounting. Critical Perspectives on Accounting, 21(8): 739-753.
Ross, S., & Westerfield, R. 2015. Fundamentals of Corporate Finance (11th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Ryan, D., & Wentzel, K. 2000. The influence of attributions and budget emphasis on framing and risk preferences
under conditions of unfavorable budget variances, Advances in Accounting Behavioral Research: 133-152:
Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
Schatzki, T. R. 1996. Social practices: A Wittgensteinian approach to human activity and the social: Cambridge Univ
Press.
Seal, W. 2012. Some proposals for impactful management control research. Qualitative Research in Accounting &
Management, 9(3): 228-244.
Seal, W., & Mattimoe, R. 2014. Controlling strategy through dialectical management. Management Accounting
Research, 25(3): 230-243.
Simons, R. 1990. The role of management control systems in creating competitive advantage: New perspectives.
Accounting, Organizations and Society, 15(1-2): 127-143.
Smith, P. G., & Merritt, G. M. 2002. Proactive risk management: Controlling uncertainty in product development.
New York, NY: Productivity Press.
Subramaniam, N., Carey, P., Zaleha Abdul Rasid, S., Rahim Abdul Rahman, A., & Khairuzzaman Wan Ismail, W.
Management accounting and risk management in Malaysian financial institutions: An exploratory study.
Managerial Auditing Journal, 26(7): 566-585.
Turner, K. L., & Makhija, M. V. 2006. The role of organizational controls in managing knowledge. Academy of
Management Review, 31(1): 197-217.
Tversky, A., & Kahneman, D. 1992. Advances in prospect theory: cumulative representation of uncertainty. Journal of
Risk and Uncertainty, 5(4): 297-323.
Vandenbosch, B. 1999. An empirical analysis of the association between the use of executive support systems and
perceived organizational competitiveness. Accounting, Organizations and Society, 24(1): 77-92.Vaara, E., & Whittington, R. 2012. Strategy-as-practice: taking social practices seriously. The Academy of
Management Annals, 6(1): 285-336.
Whittington, R. 2006. Completing the practice turn in strategy research. Organization Studies, 27(5): 613-634.
Whittle, A., & Mueller, F. 2010. Strategy, enrolment and accounting: the politics of strategic ideas. Accounting,
Auditing & Accountability Journal, 23(5): 626-646.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Previous and future use of the work
ProPraCon assumes the non-exclusive rights to publish and store the work of its authors, once they have consented to a publication. Since the rights to publish are non-exclusive, authors are free to re-use their work, e.g., to publish it in other media (as ProPraCon aims at publishing proceedings). Hence, it is explicitly allowed that works submitted to ProPraCon may be published in a somehow similar form in other media. Yet, submitting authors warrant that the work is not an infringement of any existing copyright and will indemnify the publisher against any breach of such warranty.
Permissions
By submitting work to ProPraCon, the authors declare that they have permission to use any content that has not been created by them. Specifically, when using tables, figures or excerpts of more than 400 words, it is expected that the authors…
- …obtain written permission of copyright for the use in print and electronic formats of any of their text, illustrations, graphics, or other material, in their work. This includes any minor adaptations.
- …acknowledge the original source in captions and in the reference list.