Information Technology and Accounting - An Empirical Study

The role of information technology (IT) in the business arena has continuously shifted over the last decades, and it has become an important part of how companies manage and control their resources. During the last years business computing has changed from these basic local data administrative systems into international computer networks, and as the sophistication of the computer systems increased, so did the investment cost. So, traditionally, companies tend to perceive their IT-systems as costs, often due to IT being looked at as a support function. And user satisfaction in IT usage is critical because this construct is often viewed as a surrogate for IT success. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the body of knowledge about to what extent IT affects the ability to solve accounting tasks. We will measure the impact of IT on user satisfaction, on accounting information use and, finally, on accountants' tasks. The relationship between IT and accounting practices was investigated qualitatively and quantitatively, using a survey and six case studies. The findings suggest that user satisfaction in IT usage and the use of accounting techniques and accounting information increases with new IT investments. We also find a tendency for change and the decentralization of accounting tasks.