FACTORS AFFECTING MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING PRACTICES IN THAILAND: A STUDY ON SMES IN THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE INDUSTRY

Abstract

Thailand is a primary tourist destination known for its culture and tradition, dazzling cityscapes, profound nature immersions, excellent beaches as well as food. The food and beverage industry in Thailand has seen growth in both manufacturing and export sectors in 2021 yet, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in this sector are facing immense pressure to compete and grow their businesses as they overcome the hurdles of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many large firms today in Thailand grew from SMEs, hence the sustainability and growth of SMEs may lie through the application of management accounting practices (MAPs). Based on the review of past literature, this study aimed to investigate the relationships of variables such as competitive strategy, total quality management, organization structure and just-in-time on MAPs of SMEs in the food and beverage industry of Thailand. Data was collected using online questionnaires from 145 respondents ranging from business owners, managers, and accountants from SMEs in Thailand. The results of this study found that competitive strategy and total quality management had significant positive relationships with MAPs in the Thailand SMEs food and beverage industry. The scientific novelty of this research is that both organizational structure and just-in-time were insignificant. The implications of the research findings of this study are discussed.