JOURNAL OF BUSINESS DIVERSITY

Secular Tools and Sacred Goals: A Case Study of How Anglican Priests Are

Embracing Management Accounting and Strategic Planning

Author(s): Daphne Rixon, Alex Faseruk

Citation: Daphne Rixon, Alex Faseruk, (2012) "Secular Tools and Sacred Goals: A Case Study of How Anglican Priests Are

Embracing Management Accounting and Strategic Planning," Journal of Business Diversity, Vol.12, Iss. 1, pp.19 - 32

Article Type: Research paper

Publisher: North American Business Press

Abstract:

The purpose of this paper is firstly, to explore the role of financial information in assisting churches to

achieve their operational and strategic goals and secondly, to determine the degree of discord between

the sacred goals of the church created by the use of accounting and other secular management practices.

The research found there was no resistance or occupational bias by priests to secular accounting and

management practices. Priests were highly supportive of professional accountants who provided

accounting and management information since they relied on this information to assist them in their

decision making and to achieve the sacred goals of the church.