1,721,090 research outputs found
Are SDGs being translated into accounting terms? Evidence from European cities
Full text linkIMPACT: The challenge launched by the United Nations (UN) on the achievement of SDGs requires local governments to rethink how to devote their resources and report on their results regarding SDGs. The article analyses how existing frameworks communicate, through financial indicators, the efforts done towards sustainable development. The Voluntary Local Reviews (VLR) published by European cities and made available on the UN website can stimulate further reflection and actions toward making SDGs an accounting issue
Financial Sustainability as a Driver for Transparency and E-Democracy: A Comparative Study in Italian and Spanish Local Governments
No full textToday expectations of accountability and trustworthiness in governing entities is greater than ever before. The process of change has been given impetus by new information and communication technologies resulting in e-government and e-democracy. This research aims to analyze transparency and democratic participation in Italian and Spanish LGs. The web pages of Italian and Spanish LGs with more than 100,000 inhabitants are analyzed using twenty determinants of fiscal transparency and eight determinants of e-democracy. Results show considerable similarity between Italian and Spanish LGs with regards to the disclosure of financial information, while the adoption of e-democracy tools requires further development in both countries
Performance Measurement in Italian and Spanish Local Governments: Comparative Policy Analysis
No full textNPM reforms have become a global trend and performance management systems are considered suitable to enhance the decision-making process and accountability. The aim of the paper is to carry out a comparative study on the adoption of performance measurement tools in Italian and Spanish (medium-sized and large) local governments. It seeks to find out how widespread these tools are and how their usefulness is perceived. The results show differences between the two countries and that the presence of professional managers–experienced with performance measurement tools–positively affects the adoption of these tools. Moreover, performance measurement tools are perceived as a support for accountability purposes
The academic voice in the EPSAS project
No full textThis paper investigates how much of a voice academics have had to date in the development
of the European Public Sector Accounting Standards (EPSAS). The authors found that the role
of academics has been minimal. This situation deprives standard-setting of being informed by
empirical research which is considered to be unbiased, rigorously crafted, grounded in the
theory and can better legitimate the standards. The paper offers an original analysis of the
process used by the EC for the harmonization of public sector accounting and explains why
academic involvement in standard-setting is so important
Public sector accounting harmonization in the European Union through the lens of the garbage can model
Full text linkThe public sector accounting harmonization process that started in the European Union in the aftermath of the financial crisis led the European Commission to launch a project for the development of a set of European Public Sector Accounting Standards (EPSAS). This paper analyses the process and the decision-making around development of the EPSAS through the lens of the garbage can model (Cohen, M. D., March, J. G., & Olsen, J. P. (1972). A garbage can model of organizational choice. Administrative Science Quarterly, 17(1), 1–25). More specifically, by identifying problems, participants, solutions, and choice opportunities, it discusses why the development of the EPSAS is taking so long and why the process does not seem to be progressing as planned. To this end, documents related to the process of EPSAS development are analyzed. The results provide evidence of problematic preferences and fluid participation possibly coupled with flight decisions—three elements of the garbage can model. Postponing decisions can be an option to dampen reluctance. The more the public sector becomes accustomed to the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) by adopting IPSAS-like accrual accounting standards while waiting for the completion of the EPSAS, the less resistance there might be to moving to accrual accounting standards. However, at the same time, an imminent change to a new set of EPSAS standards might become less plausible if changes demand extra reform
Financial Sustainability of Public Sector Entities The Relevance of Accounting Frameworks
No full textThe theme of this book centres around the role of public sector accounting frameworks in the endeavour to make public sector entities financially sustainable. The overall objective of the book is to analyse the role of public sector accounting in the provision of information that would assist financially sustainable policy making, with a focus on the relevance of accounting frameworks in this process.
In this book, the term accounting frameworks is taken to encompass budgeting, management accounting, financial reporting, and other reporting requirements, for example, Governmental Financial Statistics. Besides analysing the suitability of current accounting frameworks for financial sustainability of public sector entities, the book also delves into emerging forms of reporting, for example, popular reporting and integrated reporting, which may also be considered by policy makers, standard setters, and managers of public sector entities as tools suitable to make citizens aware of the financial condition of a local government
The usefulness of performance reporting in local government: Comparing Italy and Spain
No full textThis article presents a comparative analysis of the perceived usefulness of performance information by managers in local authorities in Italy and Spain. Italy and Spain have similar cultural and administrative characteristics and in both countries there are external requirements (from central government) to adopt performance indicators. The adoption of performance indicators was found to be almost symbolic in both states
The accounting harmonization challenge in the European Union and the EPSAS
No full textThe European Commission decided in 2013 that a new set of accrual-
based standards named European Public Sector Accounting
Standards (EPSAS), which would have International Public Sector
Accounting Standards (IPSAS) as a reference, should be developed
for the EU Member States (MS). This signalled the beginning of the
public sector harmonization journey in the European Union that
is still in progress despite the long time that has already elapsed.
In this chapter, we present the process that the development ofEPSAS has followed so far, and we discuss the structures created
to deal with EPSAS development, the content of the EPSAS conceptual
framework and the EPSAS governance issues. Moreover,
we analyze the issue papers and the screening reports developed
during the process. Finally, the EPSAS implementation challenges
are addressed, concentrating on the cost of implementation and
the ambiguous relation between IPSAS and EPSAS
The usefulness of performance reporting in local government: Comparing Italy and Spain.
No full textThis article presents a comparative analysis of the perceived usefulness of performance information by managers in local authorities in Italy and Spain.
Italy and Spain have similar cultural and administrative characteristics and in both countries there are external requirements (from central government) to adopt
performance indicators. The adoption of performance indicators was found to have been almost symbolic in both states
Supplemental material for Local government administration systems and local government accounting information needs: is there a mismatch?
No full text- …
