Advancing management accounting through integrated budgeting: an educational model for experiential production training

Abstract

Accelerated industrial transformations and the advancing digitalization of production systems call for a renewed approach to teaching management accounting in higher education. In this context, budgeting is not merely a financial planning tool but a central mechanism that links operational coordination, resource allocation, and performance evaluation, particularly within manufacturing enterprises. Despite these developments, university curricula continue to focus predominantly on theoretical explanations, offering limited exposure to real production flows or decision-oriented variance analysis. Addressing this gap, the present study develops an integrated educational model that connects budgeting, production costs, and performance indicators into a coherent experiential learning framework. Through the use of scenario-based budgeting, production-flow simulations, and structured managerial analysis, the model enables students to understand the planning–execution–control cycle in an environment that mirrors industrial practice. The study contributes to the modernization of management accounting education by providing an application-oriented framework that enhances professional judgment and equips future accountants with the competencies required to support performance optimization in manufacturing firms. CZU: 657.3:378.02; JEL: M41; M49, I23