CHANGE IN STRATEGY AND MCS: A MATCH OVER TIME?

Abstract

This paper examines the relationship between strategy and MCS over time to study whether MCS changes when there is a change in strategic typology. This was achieved through the use of a questionnaire, supplemented with documentation review and interviews, in a public sector organization that had experienced a strategic change. The results showed that, as strategy changed, the MCS also changed. There was a significant increase in the use of both formal and informal control mechanisms over the period examined, which is consistent with Simons (1987). Furthermore, the manner in which some controls were used became more interactive.