5.6 Survey Analysis
5.6.1 Descriptive Statistics
Tables 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5 and 5.6 show some descriptive statistics for the research and control variables for the whole dataset and for the sub-datasets regarding financial accountants and controllers; Table5.7shows descriptive statis- tics for the components of the Integration of Accounting System variable for the whole dataset, while Table5.8shows frequency distribution (in %) for the compo- nents of the Integration of Accounting System variable for the whole dataset, demonstrating that Italian managers do not yet perceive a full and deep alignment between FA and MA, since values for each components are not so high. Despite these considerations, few respondents perceive low levels of integration.
Table 5.9 presents the correlation matrix and Pearson index for the whole dataset.
The correlation matrix and Pearson indexes highlight some statistically signif- icant correlations among research variables. In particular, significant correlations were found between ERP and IAS/IFRS. This could be linked to the fact that firms with IAS/IFRS are generally more structured and better-organized than firms without IAS/IFRS, and thus are able to adopt integrated information systems, such as an ERP. Furthermore, correlations were found between ERP and Integration of Accounting System and between IAS/IFRS and Integration of Accounting System. This means that both integrated ERP and IAS/IFRS are correlated to Integration of Accounting System. Significant correlations were also found between: (1) ERP and Perceived Quality of FA; (2) Perceived Quality of FA and Integration of Accounting System; (3) Perceived Quality of MA and ERP; (4) Per- ceived Quality of MA and Integration of Accounting System; and (5) Perceived Quality of MA and Perceived Quality of FA.
Despite these considerations, correlations were generally moderate and did not affect the reliability of the research model.
35107 out of 200 questionnaires that have been sent to Italian managers.
36Van der Stede et al. obtained a response rate around 55 %.
Table 5.2 Descriptive statistics for the control variables for the whole dataset (N¼107)
Variable Mean Min Max Std. Dev.
Respondents’role 0.69 0 1 0.464
Respondents’age 1.89 1 3 0.588
Respondents’education 1.75 1 2 0.600
Respondents’gender 0.80 0 1 0.399
List 0.24 0 1 0.431
Industry 1.71 1 3 0.727
Size 1.59 1 3 0.658
Table 5.3 Descriptive statistics for the research variables for the sub-dataset of financial accountants (N¼33)
Variable Mean Min Max Std. Dev.
ERP 0.97 0 2 0.728
IAS/IFRS 0.45 0 1 0.506
Integration of accounting system
4.65 2.2 7 1.332
Perceived quality of FA 4.88 1 7 1.364 Perceived quality of MA 4.79 2 7 1.341
Table 5.4 Descriptive statistics for the control variables for the sub-dataset of financial accountants (N¼33)
Variable Mean Min Max Std. Dev.
Respondents’age 2.09 1 3 0.522
Respondents’education 1.76 1 3 0.561
Respondents’gender 0.85 0 1 0.364
List 0.15 0 1 0.364
Industry 1.73 1 3 0.719
Size 1.94 1 3 0.788
Table 5.5 Descriptive statistics for the research variables for the sub-dataset of controllers (N¼74)
Variable Mean Min Max Std. Dev.
ERP 1.14 0 2 0.689
IAS/IFRS 0.45 0 1 0.500
Integration of accounting system
4.37 2 7 1.174
Perceived quality of FA 4.58 1 7 1.658 Perceived quality of MA 4.27 1 7 1.690
Table 5.6 Descriptive statistics for the control variables for the sub-dataset of controllers (N¼74)
Variable Mean Min Max Std. Dev.
Respondents’age 1.80 1 3 0.596
Respondents’education 1.74 1 3 0.621
Respondents’gender 0.78 0 1 0.414
List 0.28 0 1 0.454
Industry 1.70 1 3 0.735
Size 1.43 1 3 0.526
5.6 Survey Analysis 107
With regard to Fig.5.6, 69 % of survey respondents were controllers, with the remainder being CFOs (13 %), CEOs (4 %), Administrative Managers (5 %); Heads of Financial Accounting (4 %) and Other FA roles (5 %).
Figure5.7shows that 64 % of respondents (69 out of 107) are between 35 and 50 years old, 23 % (25 out of 107) are less than 35 years old and just 12 % (13 out of 107) are more than 50 years old.
Table 5.7 Descriptive statistics for the components of the integration of accounting system variable for the whole dataset (N¼107)
Variable Mean Min Max
Std.
Dev.
Consistency between information produced for internal purposes and information required for external purposes
4.65 1 7 1.733
Consistency between deadlines for management reporting and financial reporting
4.49 1 7 1.679
Consistency between short-term planning and financial GAAP 4.41 1 7 1.504 Consistency between medium and long-term planning and
financial GAAP
4.04 1 7 1.517
Consistency between internal measures for operating income and the operating income published in the financial statements
4.71 1 7 1.473
Table 5.8 Relative frequency distribution (in %) for the components of the Integration of Accounting System variable for the whole dataset (1 very low integration,. . ., 7 very high integration) (N¼107)
Variable 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Consistency between information produced for internal purposes and information required for external purposes
6.54 7.48 9.35 17.76 24.30 18.69 15.89
Consistency between deadlines for management reporting and financial reporting
5.61 6.54 15.89 21.50 20.56 15.89 14.02
Consistency between short-term planning and financial GAAP
1.87 9.35 19.63 17.76 25.23 18.70 7.48 Consistency between medium
and long-term planning and financial GAAP
2.80 17.76 15.89 21.49 25.23 12.15 4.67
Consistency between internal measures for operating income and the operating income published in the financial statements
1.87 5.61 13.08 21.49 28.04 16.82 13.08
Table 5.9 Correlation matrix and Pearson index for the whole dataset (N¼107) ERP
IAS/
IFRS
Integration of accounting
system PQFA PQMA
ERP Pearson Sig (two-tailed)
1 0.322**
0.001
0.384**
0.000
0.196* 0.043
0.295**
0.002 IAS/IFRS
Pearson Sig (two-tailed)
0.322**
0.001
1 0.310**
0.001
0.105 0.284
0.110 0.258 Integration of accounting system
Pearson Sig (two-tailed)
0.384**
0.000
0.310**
0.001
1 0.508**
0.000
0.395**
0.000 Perceived quality of FA (PQFA)
Pearson Sig (two-tailed)
0.196* 0.43
0.105 0.284
0.508**
0.000
1 0.634**
0.000 Perceived quality of MA (PQMA)
Pearson Sig (two-tailed)
0.295**
0.002
0.110 0.258
0.395**
0.000
0.634**
0.000 1
*Correlation is significant at 0.05 (2-tails)
**Correlation is significant at 0.01 (2-tails)
Controllers 69%
CFOs 13%
CEOs 4%
Administrave Managers
5%
Heads of Financial Accounng
4%
Other FA roles 5%
Fig. 5.6 Respondents’role (Source: author’s presentation)
25
69
13 Less than 35
years
Between 35 and 50 years
More than 50
Fig. 5.7 Respondents’age (Source: author’s presentation)
5.6 Survey Analysis 109
Figure5.8shows that 58 % of respondents (62 out of 107) have a degree, 34 % (36 out of 107) have a Ph.D. or have attended Master’s courses, and just 8 % (9 out of 107) with just a diploma.
Figure5.9shows that around 50 % of respondents (54 out of 107) work for large firms, whereas 40 % (43 out of 107) work for medium-size firms and 9 % (10 out of 107) for small firms.
Figure5.10shows that 45 % (48 out of 107) of respondents work in the industrial sector, whereas 39 % (42 out of 107) work in the service sector and 16 % (17 out of 107) for other industries.