CHAPTER ONE

BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

1.0     INTRODUCTION

In the world today, record keeping is very necessary in any business organization, this leads to accounting.

 Accounting can be defined as the application of professional knowledge in the field of cost analysis and cost accounting to provide necessary information that is useful to the management in the exercise of their decision making, duties and functions.

Accounting is also a process of collecting data analysis and presentation of information for the purpose of assisting the management in effective decision making.

Accounting extends far beyond actual making up of records, it is concerned with the use of records to compute the analysis and interpretation, studying the various alternatives open to the firm and using this accounting experiences in order to aid management decision making as information has value if it is used judiciously for decision making and utilized by individuals.

As a result, the requirement of each individual and the relevance of the information to be provided should be that which is within the understanding and control of decision making process.

Accounting generally serves as a mirror which shows to the outside world the image of an enterprise.

It enables the final consumers of the report to take proper decision.

Account is all about accountability most organizations are externally accountable in some ways for their actions and activities. They will produce reports on their activities that will reflect their objectives and the people to whom they are accountable to.

1.1STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Due to vital roles played by accounting in management decision making process, the researcher tends to find out those causes that hinders accounting and to highlight the implication of accounting towards decision making.

1.2PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The purpose of this research project is to review and to evaluate the performance of the organisation as regards to accounting as an aid to decision making with particular reference to its functions and the role as its relates to the industrial sector of the Nigerian Economy.

To examine to what extent these functions and objectives for which the decision making was established and how far it has been achieved.

Also to examine the areas of problems such as “bottleneck” in accounting to achieve desired goals.

To also examine areas such as operational policies and orientations, disbursement procedures, interest charges on account and other commitments.

1.3RESEARCH  HYPOTHESIS

The researcher wishes to make the following hypothesis:

HO1:  Are there any relationship between accounting as a tools and the decision of the management.

          Are there any relationships between accounting as profession?

H O2:  Are there any relationship between the accounting department and other departments?

H O3:  Are there any relationships between records keeping and accounting as a profession?

1.4SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study will be of great significance in so many ways in the following aspects:

This study will reveal some of the work carried out in the past in specific area of study i.e accounting as an aid to decision making.

This study will also provide an indepth information on how accounting tools can be used in increasing, analyzing, recording and presenting human resources investment and all cost associating to accounting.

This study will also help to highlight some ways in which management information can be valued in monetary terms and be included in annual financial statements.

This study is also important in the area of revealing all the associated costs of accounting and how they can be controlled through techniques.

1.5DELIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

This research work is directed to examining the relevance of accounting to management decision making in tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

Since there are so many tertiary institutions all over the country it is therefore not possible to carry out a research on all tertiary institutions in the country. As a result, this research has been limited to Lagos state university to represent all the tertiary institution in Lagos state.

1.6DEFINITION OF TERMS

i.                   Accounting: The activities of recording and reporting on the movement of money, stock or other human financial activities.

ii.                Financial Statement: They are made up of balance sheet, profit and loss account, cash flow statement, notes and other statements which collectively are intended to give a true and fair view of the financial position and profit and loss.

iii.             Assets: Assets are economic resources from which benefits can be obtained by the owner whether immediately or in the future e.g land, buildings, equipment, plant and machinery. It could be fixed, current and fictious in nature.

iv.             Historical Cost: It is a convention valuation concepts used in accounting. Resources are valued in accountancy with their acquisition cost by the enterprise.