Profit manipulation has been largely studied through Positive Accounting Theory (PAT). However, the weakness of the results obtained would suggest using different theoretical and methodological approaches to examine this subject. In France, management controllers play a central role in profit...

This paper studies the reasons that lead to change in an organisation’s system of control. From the standpoint of neo-institutional theory, it argues that change in the system of control is largely explained by the evolution in the “institutional logic” of the sector to which the...

Based on an ethnographic study, this paper analyzes hidden activities in management controllers’ practice. We show that, while they wish to appear as business partners, they do not “sell” themselves to managers. On the contrary, they adopt avoidance strategies, intending to delegate or...

Numerous critical studies argue that control of individuals is obtained through domination. In this article, we focus on the design and on the development of a panoptic organization and not on its implementation. By taking this point of view, we demonstrate the possibility of going beyond the...

In this paper, based on an ethnographic study, we show how management controllers craft their jobs through their daily practice and try to stretch their occupational identity. We adopt an original posture, developing a ‘negative ontology’ of practice, identity at work and professional...