What is differences in access to financial information
Distinction between the two areas of accounting reflects, to some extent, differences in access to financial information. Managers have much more control over form and content of information they receive. Other users have to depend on what managers are prepared to provide or what the financial reporting regulations require to be provided. However the scope of financial accounting reports has increased over time, fears concerning loss of competitive advantage and user ignorance concerning the reliability of forecast data have led businesses to resist providing other users with same wide-ranging as well as detailed information available to managers. In the past, it has been argued that accounting systems are far too geared to meeting regulatory requirements of financial accounting to be able to provide information most helpful to managers. This is to say that financial accounting requirements have been main priority and management accounting has suffered as a result. Recent survey evidence proposes, however, this argument has lost its force. Modern management accounting systems incline to provide managers with information which is relevant to their requirements instead of what is determined by external reporting requirements. Financial reporting cycles, though, retain some influence over management accounting and managers are aware of expectations of external users.