The creation and acceptance of public sector accounting standards in Canada

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 407-432 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ron Baker ◽  
Morina D Rennie
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Accounting Standards ◽  
Government Accounting ◽  
Public Sector Accounting ◽  
The Status ◽  
The Creation ◽  
The Government ◽  
Government Of Canada ◽  
Auditor General ◽  
Accounting Standard Setting

This study explores the events leading up to the origination of public sector accounting standards in Canada by the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants (CICA) and their adoption by the Government of Canada. We interpret these events from the perspective of institutional theory. We find that a long-standing institutionalized practice of self-developed government accounting policies was disrupted by a series of challenges. An influential actor in this process was the Office of the Auditor General of Canada which first pushed for the creation of independent government accounting standards and then pushed the government toward the implementation of the accounting policies developed by the CICA’s public sector accounting standard-setting body. Two CICA studies served to further disrupt the status quo. We also find evidence of the role played by an inter-organization professional network in defining and labeling problems that ultimately resulted in the change.

scholarly journals A Perspective on the Proposal for European Public Sector Accounting Standards, in the Context of Accruals in UK Government Accounting

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rowan Jones ◽  
Josette Caruana
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Accounting Standards ◽  
Accounting System ◽  
Monetary Policies ◽  
Government Accounting ◽  
European Public ◽  
Public Sector Accounting ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Eu

AbstractThis paper offers a UK perspective on the proposal to develop European Public Sector Accounting Standards (EPSAS). It offers the fundamentals of the UK government’s system of budgeting and accounting, which is the responsibility of the UK Treasury, being one part of its responsibilities for the UK’s fiscal and monetary policies. In the light of this, the EPSAS proposal remains a puzzle and a peripheral one at that. The paper ponders on the forces underlying the EPSAS proposal and notes that for the government practitioner in an EU member state, rules emanating from the EU would naturally have a macro-level focus. Consequently, any potential advantages of an accrual accounting system at micro-level may not be fully appreciated.

scholarly journals Factors Influencing the Implementation of International Public Sector Accounting Standards in Pakistan

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (9) ◽  
pp. 15
Author(s):  
Javed Miraj ◽  
Zhuquan Wang
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Population Sample ◽  
Accounting Standards ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Financial Reporting Standards ◽  
Accountability Measures ◽  
Public Sector Accounting ◽  
The Government ◽  
Poor Management

The significance and impact of Accrual-based Public Sector Accounting Standards (APSAS) in financial reporting has in recent times gained traction and has prompted debates which are aligned towards APSAS reporting. This implies that reforms in the government’s management systems are becoming critical towards examination of actions and steps taken to enhance demands for better transparency and accountability in the management of public finance. As is presently presented in Pakistan, there are numerous fundamental challenges that currently inhibit the efficiency of the government’s finance and accounting management. These problems arise due to poor supervision, poor management of basic financial functions, inefficient financial information including support for decision making, poor staff motivation and finally lack of proper accountability measures. Due to these arising challenges, the purpose of this study is to determine the factors affecting the implementation of Accrual-based International Public sector Accounting Standards (AIPSAS) in public sector of Pakistan. The study whose objective was to evaluate the barriers in the adoption of AIPSAS in Pakistan adopted a descriptive qualitative study model. A five-point Likert type scale was utilized to evaluate the results of the study. The study adopted simple randomization process to obtain the population sample group/respondents. The results of the research study recommended improvement of capacity building through training and offering educational courses which will help advance the enforcement of strong financial reporting standards.

Unrecognized assets created by public-sector investments in health and social services

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Deborah Milinkovic ◽  
Jeremiah Hurley ◽  
Arthur Sweetman ◽  
David Feeny ◽  
Jean-Éric Tarride ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Capital ◽  
Public Sector ◽  
Intangible Assets ◽  
Accounting Standards ◽  
Social Program ◽  
Intangible Asset ◽  
Social Programs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Public Sector Accounting ◽  
The Government

PurposeThis paper analyzes two types of potential intangible public-sector assets for consideration by public-sector accounting boards. Government investments in health and social programs can create two potential intangible assets: the intangible infrastructure used to deliver the health or social program and the enhanced human capital embodied in the recipients of program services. Because neither of these assets is currently recognized in a government's year-end financial statements or broader general-purpose financial reports (GPFR), these reports may underrepresent the government's true fiscal and service capacity.Design/methodology/approachThe paper uses an international accounting standards framework to analyze: whether investments in health and social programs create intangible assets that meet the definition of an asset as set out by International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS), whether they are assets of the government and whether they are recognizable for the purpose of financial reporting.FindingsThe intangible infrastructure asset created to facilitate the delivery of health and social programs would often qualify as a recognizable asset of the government. However, the enhanced recipient human capital asset created through the delivery of health and social programs would, in most instances, not qualify as a recognizable asset of the government, though there likely would be benefits from reporting on it through GPFRs or other mechanisms.Originality/valueThis paper makes two contributions. First, it identifies a previously overlooked intangible asset – the infrastructure created to facilitate the delivery of health and social programs. Second, it presents an argument regarding why, even when it fails to generate a recognizable intangible asset to government, it would be valuable for government to report such investments in supplementary statements.

The Reporting Entity in Private-Public Accounting Harmonisation. Is Control Enough for the Local Government Consolidated Financial Statements?

2017 ◽  
pp. 5-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristian Carini ◽  
Laura Rocca ◽  
Claudio Teodori ◽  
Monica Veneziani
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Accounting Standards ◽  
Financial Statements ◽  
Consolidated Financial Statements ◽  
The Public ◽  
Financial Accountability ◽  
Public Sector Accounting ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Reporting Entity

The European Commission initiated a discussion on the expediency of using the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS), based on the IAS/IFRS, as a common base for harmonizing the public sector accounting systems of the member states. However, literature suggests that accounting is not neutral with respect to the economic, social and political dimensions. In the perspective of evolution of the accounting regulation outlined, balanced between accountability, with the need to represent phenomena for reporting pur-poses, and decisionmaking issues, which concentrates on the quantitative importance of the values, the paper aims to analyse the effects of the application of different criteria for the definition of the reporting entity of the local government consolidated financial statements (CFS). The Italian PCA 4/4, the test of control and the financial accountability approaches are examined. The evidence that emerged from the case studies examined identifies several criticalities in the Italian PCA 4/4 and support the thesis that the financial accountability approach is more effective in providing a complete representation of the public resources entrusted to and managed by the group, whereas the control approach better approximates quantification of the group results in terms of central government surveillance. The analysis highlights the importance of the post implementation review period and the opportunity to contextualize the adoption of the consolidated financial statement in the broader spectrum of the accounting harmonization process, participating in the process of definition of the European Public Sector Accounting Standards (EPSAS).

Comparison of the perception of overt and covert options in IPSAS financial statements by intergovernmental organizations

Tékhne ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-39
Author(s):  
Berit Adam
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
European Commission ◽  
Accounting Standards ◽  
Financial Statements ◽  
Criminal Court ◽  
Intergovernmental Organizations ◽  
Accounting System ◽  
Accrual Accounting ◽  
Public Sector Accounting ◽  
Primary Reference

AbstractSince 2012, the European Commission has embarked on the ambitious project to harmonize public sector accounting rules on all levels of government within Europe, mainly to improve the quality as well as the comparability of financial data. Although International Public Sector Accounting Standards were deemed not to be suitable for a simple take-over because of various reasons, they nevertheless shall function as a primary reference point for developing European Public Sector Accounting Standards. A total of 21 out of 28 central governments have already reformed their accounting standards to accrual accounting, and some of them have also relied on IPSAS in this exercise. Apart from governments, various international and supranational governmental organizations have also since the end of the 2000’s been reforming their accounting system to accrual accounting, and have in the same way relied on existing IPSAS. This paper explores accounting practices found in ten intergovernmental organizations (Commonwealth Secretariat, Council of Europe, European Commission, IAEA, INTERPOL, ITER, NAPMA, OECD, International Criminal Court, WFP) whose statements are prepared in compliance with IPSAS. It analyzes how overt and covert options contained in IPSAS with relevance to the activities of intergovernmental organizations are exercised and evaluates in which areas of accounting material differences in accounting practices can be found, which may hinder the comparability of financial statements prepared on the basis of IPSAS.

First-time adoption of International Public Sector Accounting Standards by Russian universities: Practical aspects

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 364-383
Author(s):  
L.I. Kulikova ◽  
I.I. Yakhin
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Public Sector ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Accounting Standards ◽  
Educational Process ◽  
Academic Excellence ◽  
Public Sector Accounting ◽  
First Time ◽  
Russian Universities

Subject. This article examines the practice of first-time applying the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) by Russian higher education institutions. Objectives. The article aims to identify and address the problems associated with such application, and conduct a critical analysis of Russian universities' compliance with the requirements of the International Standards on their first-time adoption. Methods. For the study, we used observation, systematization, and a comparative analysis. Results. The article examines and describes the practical experience of the first-time use of IPSAS in the preparation of reporting by Russian educational institutions participating in the Russian Academic Excellence Project (5Top100 Project). It presents the results of the most typical reclassification adjustments of reporting items made by the universities when preparing their inductive statements of financial position as of the date of transition to IPSAS. Conclusions and Relevance. Most of the universities studied complied with the requirements of the IPSAS first-time adoption and provided comparative information in their first IPSAS financial reporting. The importance of the study is to justify the provision that financial reporting in accordance with IPSAS is appropriate to improve the international competitiveness of universities, which makes it possible to better reflect financial information on the activities of universities. The results of the study can be used in the practical activities of the Russian economy public sector organizations, and in the educational process of higher education institutions.

ENVIRONMENTAL ACCOUNTING FOR WASTE PROCESSING IN SITI AISYAH HOSPITAL LUBUKLINGGAU CITY

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-7
Keyword(s):  
Accounting Standards ◽  
Environmental Accounting ◽  
Environmental Cost ◽  
Environmental Costs ◽  
Administrative Costs ◽  
Government Accounting ◽  
Living Things ◽  
The Republic ◽  
The Government ◽  
And Behavior

The concept of Green (environmental) Accounting (Kusumaningtias, 2013; Ratnaningsih et al., 2004; Suparmoko, 2005; Susilo, 2008) namely Environmental Accounting has actually begun to develop since the 1970s in Europe. However, until the mid 1990s, the concept of Environmental Accounting was not much spread. Based on the Constitution of The Republic of Indonesia Number 32 year 2009 concerning Protection and Management of the Environment, Environment is the unity of space with all objects, power, circumstances, and living things, including humans and behavior, which affect nature itself, sustainability and humans and other living things welfare. The focus of this study lies in the application of Environmental Accounting at Siti Aisyah Hospital in Lubuklinggau, based on Government Accounting Standards (SAP) Number 71 year 2010 on Waste Management (Government Accounting, 2011). The problem in this study is to find out whether the application of Environmental Accounting at Siti Aisyah Hospital is in accordance with the Government Standards. The results of this study have shown that Siti Aisyah Hospital in Lubuklinggau has implemented environmental cost accounting. These environmental costs are included in maintenance costs, but the hospital has not presented a specific report on Environmental Accounting in more detail. This hospital has carried out the process of identifying, measuring, recording, presenting, and also disclosing as already explained in Government Accounting Standards No. 71 year 2010, namely presenting environmental costs by including components of environmental costs on general and administrative costs. This hospital has also managed its waste properly and has also incurred environmental costs.

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