Management accounting — also called managerial accounting — focuses on providing financial data to people inside the company (managers, executives) to help them plan, control, and make decisions.
Unlike financial accounting (which produces reports for outsiders like investors and regulators), management accounting is internal and forward-looking. It includes budgets, forecasts, cost analyses, and performance reports.
For example, a factory manager might use management accounting reports to decide whether it is cheaper to produce a part in-house or outsource it. The data helps optimize operations and maximize profitability.