Evolution of the control system: the financial application Tradition in a strategic and integrated vision

Abstract

This article offers a renewed and in-depth perspective on the role of management control, highlighting the evolution of its foundations, tools, and objectives. The aim is to go beyond the traditional view—centered on financial indicators and cost control—to explore the new dynamics that reposition management control as a strategic lever at the heart of organizational governance. Using a critical and evolutionary approach, the study examines how management control tools—historically designed to measure and rationalize economic performance—can be transformed into true instruments of anticipation, value creation, and strategic decision-making support. The analysis reveals the emergence of a hybrid model at the intersection of financial logic and strategic imperatives, integrating human, environmental, social, and technological dimensions. This work seeks to better understand the transformation of management control into a transversal, systemic, and globally oriented function, in a context marked by growing complexity, uncertainty, and the need for greater organizational agility. As such, it provides valuable insights for both researchers and practitioners interested in rethinking performance management practices and the evolving role of controllers in contemporary organizations.