The management control system of Italian SMEs. A survey in the wine sector

This paper aims to analyse the management control systems (MCS) adopted in Italian family-managed small and medium enterprises (SMEs) operating in the wine sector. This study has a particular focus on the design, implementation and use of a strategy map as a tool to facilitate strategy implementation by measuring a wide range of strategic variables on a long time horizon and integrating economic and financial indicators with non-financial indicators through cause-and-effect links. This research was conducted through the qualitative method of case studies where theory and empirical research are intertwined. The study shows how the four companies identified the critical success factors to reach success in their businesses. This paper has some theoretical and practical implications, as it contributes to integrating the existing literature on management control systems in family-managed small and medium firms, but the sample has to be enlarged.