ABSTRACT
This article was the outcome of a speech presented to public accountants telling them that they have not adequately explored the opportunities for developing their management consulting skills so that they can become advisers to management on management problems in addition to their usual services of taxes, bookkeeping, and auditing. He identifies three areas of management services: accounting services, information needs, and general management advice. He makes the point that much of accounting information is useless in making management decisions and that if accountants want to be management advisers they need to broaden the scope of their education and training, including attendance at general management executive programs. He rightly places part of the blame for the narrow view of accounting practice on the narrow scope of accounting education at the college level. He goes on to suggest that those desiring to broaden their accounting services to include management services must increase their education, broaden their experience, and above all, of necessity must develop a management point of view. He illustrates this point of view by indicating which costs are relevant in making management decisions.
