Abstract
The paper explores controlling developments in the particular environment of an economy involved in a transition process for almost two decades. The results presented in the paper were founded on the empirical analysis of the most successful Croatian companies, which were used as the sampling population. The presentation of controlling department existence in Croatian companies and the analysis of management perception of controlling importance were performed together with research on controlling information sources and users. All the information presented allowed us to make some conclusions about controlling development and to assess its future. Also, recent controlling developments were analyzed in the sample of Croatian SMEs to evaluate its implementation in this group of entities and to assess the factors of potential influence on its development level in a given enterprise, such as: size of the enterprise, management performance (ownermanagers or managers), intensity of accounting information use and relation to the business abroad.
The results were evaluated considering the controlling evolution in developed economies. Thus, the controlling evolution was monitored in the Croatian corporate sector, from its "registering" stage, still dominant on the scene, to its "innovation" stage. In addition to the current findings, future perspectives on controlling development flows in Croatia were also assessed.