The Influence of Spreadsheets on the Growth of Cameroonian Firms: Case of Cabinet Nyeck Mvan-Yaounde

Abstract

Systematic and effective accounting is a priority for all large and small companies or government agencies. Manual accounting systems are seen to be more backward due to the rapidly changing and thriving technology changes. More recent versions of Microsoft Excel bring not only a redesigned user experience but also additional data capacity, processing efficiency and, in some cases, version compatibility issues. This, combined with increased use in schools, enables more previously basic users to consider themselves ‘super users’ in the development of spreadsheets. Thus, the objective of this report was to examine the influence of Spreadsheets on the growth of the firm: case of “Cabinet NYECK” Mvan-Yaoundé. To achieve this objective, we made use of primary sources of data collected with the use of a structured questionnaire that was answered by the management and employees of “Cabinet NYECK”. A deductive approach was then adopted in which we use the descriptive analysis and inferential statistics, to analyze the data and bring out the relationship between Spreadsheet and the growth of firms [Cabinet NYECK]. The result obtained shows that Spreadsheets strongly affects the growth of the firm. This can be seen through the high positive frequencies from the result analysis. Further, many companies rely on spreadsheets as a key application that supports their operational and financial reporting processes. The use of spreadsheets in business is widespread, limited only by the imagination and proficiency of users, ranging from performing complex modelling for trading decisions to accounting reconciliations and calculating employee bonuses. We therefore recommend, “Cabinet NYECK”ways to reduce the level of compound errors, ways to reduce the level of integration of the spreadsheet and ways to reduce the level of spread between the sheets. Finally, understanding and controlling the functionality, usage and evolution of spreadsheets makes all the difference. Organisations should embrace spreadsheet usage when coupled with good control principles.