Strategy and control form an important relationship in management accounting because they illuminate the nature and use of control systems to guide decision makers. Strategy is about strategic issues and the goal of having a sustainable competitive advantage. Strategies should be well thought out, specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely. Controlling involves setting standards, measuring performance, and taking corrective action to ensure that objectives are met. Strategy and control frameworks help determine the relationship between strategy and control. One framework is Ferreira and Otley's performance management system, which provides a more holistic view of the organization to ensure valuable information is available to decision-makers. A second framework is Kaplan and Norton's strategy map which shows the steps and connections between strategy development and the organization's operations to provide decision makers with information on difficult operational areas. Strategy can be defined as complementary actions aimed at maintaining a competitive advantage. ; however, it might be more important to understand the definition of strategic management accounting. Hopper, Ashton, and Scapens (1995) define this as “an approach to management accounting that explicitly highlights strategic issues and concerns.” It places management accounting in a broader context in which financial information is used to develop superior strategies as a means of achieving sustainable competitive advantage (p. 162). The importance of an organization's strategy can be noted when implementing control system tools, as guidance is needed. This often comes in the form of strategies. Strategy can provide... middle of paper ...... decision makers would not otherwise have and will have a positive impact on the outcome of the decisions made. Works Cited Brookes, A., Eldenburg, LG, Oliver, J. , Wolcott, S. and Vesty, G. (2011). Management accounting. Queensland, Australia: John Wiley & Sons Australia Ltd. Ferreira, A. and Otley, D. (2009). The design and use of performance management systems: an extended analytical framework. Management Accounting Research, 20(4), 263-282 Hopper, T. M., Ashton, D., & Scapens, R. W. (1995). Issues in Management Accounting (2nd ed.). Edited by D. Ashton, T. Hopper and R. Scapens. , United Kingdom: Prentice Hall. Kaplan, RS and Norton, DP (2000). Are you having difficulty with your strategy? Then map it. Harvard Business Review78(5), 167-176Sanchez, M. (2007). 8 Strategies to Achieve SMART Goals. Retrieved from http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/8-strategies-for-achieving-smart-goals.html