ABSTRACT
This chapter considers two approaches to Accounting Information Systems (AIS) acquisition: bespoke development and off-the-shelf purchase. Companies with a unique set of requirements corresponding to their business strategies are likely to end up developing their own software. For many strategy-sensitive business decisions, business controllers and executives around the world rely on spreadsheets to make one-off business decisions. According to Porter business strategies fall under two main headings: cost leadership and differentiation. Cost leadership emphasises the cost element of the business profit formula; firms that follow such a strategy place continual emphasis on keeping their costs down. Companies with a unique set of requirements corresponding to their business strategies are likely to end up developing their own software. Bespoke AIS can support either cost leadership or differentiation strategies, but in different ways. There are many options for cost leader firms of all sizes to have access to a plain vanilla AIS.
