The pervasive role of accounting and accountability during the COVID-19 emergency

PurposeThis paper introduces the second part of a AAAJ special issue on accounting, accountability and management during the COVID-19 emergency. The authors analyse the themes that emerge from the second part of the special issue, which allows us to identify the diverse accounting and accountability practices across different geographical and organisational contexts. The authors also provide an overall picture of the contributions of the special issue, with insights into avenues of future research.Design/methodology/approachBuilding on the first part of the AAAJ special issue, the paper draws together and identifies additional emerging themes related to research into the COVID-19 pandemic and how it impacts accounting, accountability and management practices. The authors reflect on the contributions of the special issue to the interdisciplinary accounting research project.FindingsThe authors identify two macro-themes and outline their contributions to the accounting literature. The first deals with the changes and dangers of accounting and accountability practices during the pandemic. The second considers accountability practices in a broader sense, including reporting, disclosure and rhetorical practices in the management of COVID-19.Practical implicationsThe paper shows the pervasive role of accounting and accountability in the unprecedented and indiscriminate health crisis of COVID-19. It highlights the important role of special issues in producing timely research that responds to unfolding events.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to current debates on the roles of accounting and accountability during COVID-19 by drawing together the themes of the special issue and identifying future interdisciplinary accounting research on the pandemic's aftermath.

“We hebben afgesproken dat…”: hoe verantwoorden zorgprofessionals hun handelen in rapportages?

“We agreed to….”: how do health care professionals account for their performance in reports? For many health care professionals, reporting is a daily, necessary task. Reports play a key role in the accountability practice of the care provided, like quality assurance, evaluation, coordination and continuity of health care. However, to write an efficient report in the Electronic Client Dossier (ECD) is not an easy task for professionals. Research illuminates that health care reports do not meet the required quality level, stressing the importance to address writing skills of these professionals. In this study, consisting of 50 health reports of two mental health care organizations, we explore accountability practices of health care providers in reports. The analysis demonstrates how professionals actively give accounts for their performance at two levels, namely (1) the interaction: accounts for the accomplishment of mutual understanding and the unfolding of the institutional conversation and (2) the care content: accounts for the directions of the health care process and/or future steps. These practices of ‘being accountable’ illuminate how the writing process of professionals is embedded in the institutional context of health care. Therefore, to improve the efficiency and quality of reports, it is crucial to train the strategic competence of professionals instead of just training writing skills.

Strategic accountability for sustainability of natural resources – public discharge and optimism in sub-Saharan Africa

Purpose This study aims to explore individual perceptions about how the government, as the main architect of policies and regulations, discharges strategic accountability in Ghana’s oil and gas sector and, in so doing, promotes resource sustainability. Design/methodology/approach The study reports on a series of interviews with key actors using institutional theory as a lens for discussion and interpretation of results. This approach forms the basis for a number of specific contributions to knowledge regarding strategic accountability around natural resource discoveries. Findings Whilst many deeply-set problems appear to persist, the paper reports some favourable movement in public perceptions regarding institutional accountability that has not been identified previously. The empirical findings demonstrate how the three elements of institutional theory work together in an emerging country’s natural resource industry to drive a potentially holistic strategic institutional legitimacy, contrary to the existing pervasive picture of detrimental regulative, normative and cognitive institutionalism found within the region. Practical implications The findings suggest that, contrary to existing regional evidence regarding institutional financial accountability practices around natural resources, Ghana has made favourable strides in terms of strategic accountability discharge. This discovery implies that with persistence and commitment, a meaningful degree of intelligent strategic accountability can be achieved and, with appropriate empirical methodology, identified and rationalised. Social implications The persistent coercive pressure from the Ghanaian society that caused the government to listen to overtime and take positive steps in the institutionalisation of their strategic accountability process which translated into a holistic institutional legitimacy that has eluded the sub-region for decades, is a glimmer of hope for other societies within the sub-Saharan region that all is not lost. Originality/value The paper suggests an empirically driven approach to understanding the institutionalisation of strategic accountability practices and their impact on sustainability around natural resources in sub-Saharan Africa. The focus on the strategic aspect of accountability – rather than the financial as in most prior work – and the consideration of opinions at more than a single point in time permits the identification of novel evidence regarding accountability in emerging economies.

Managing expectations in financial markets: voluntary accountability practices of capital market regulators in Spain and Turkey

In recent decades, independent regulatory agencies (IRAs) have been introduced as part of public administration reforms around the world. Unlike traditional administrative agencies, most IRAs are not accountable to the executive and their accountability relationship to the legislative tends to be weak. Nevertheless, these agencies often engage in acts of voluntary explanation and justification of their decisions to stakeholders. Based on a comparative study of financial regulation agencies, this article shows that these IRAs resort more actively to voluntary accountability when the expectations of actors interacting with the agency are at conflict. Specifically, we argue that the agency’s ability to manage expectations is shaped by the level of agency independence and the degree of organizational capacity. Our findings contribute to the existing debates by conceptualizing voluntary accountability as a mechanism for managing stakeholders’ conflicting expectations through the lens of financial regulation based on original evidence from Spain and Turkey.

Accountability Studies in Religious Non-Profit Organizations: Possible Contextual and Application Gaps

Having substantial accountability standards and practices is a vital practice to ensure the survival of Religious-Based Non-Profit Organisations (RNPOs). This is because the RNPOs are not only representing the religion’s ideals but at the same time, there are also responsible in disseminating ethical massage and good values in the community. Since the RNPOs played a significant role in society, many studies have highlighted the need to explore more accountability issues involving RNPOs. Hence, this study aims to provide a taxonomical review of literature that examined RNPOs’ accountability practices and subsequently, suggesting plausible contextual and application gaps for future research. In so doing, this study utilised van Helden and Nortcott’s (2010) and Rozaidy, Siti Nabiha, Rasid, and Raman (2017) taxonomical methods in categorising accountability studies in RNPOs. As a result, four main themes have been identified from 60 selected high-impact journal articles. The four themes are 1) examining the outcomes of corporate integrity and accountability practices; 2) evaluating the RNPOs’ internal control practices; 3) identifying financial reporting disclosures practices among RNPOs; and 4) exploring the influence of leadership skills on RNPOs’ accountability practices.

Environmental Accountability Practices of Environmentally Sensitive Firms in Ghana: Does Institutional Isomorphism Matter?

Operational activities of firms accumulate over time and adversely impact the environment, which, in turn, threaten the earth’s ecosystem and sustainable development agendas. Both internal- and external-specific pressures may play a crucial part in a firm’s decision to conform to environmental accountability practices (EAP). This paper examines the associations between institutional isomorphic forces and EAP among environmentally sensitive firms in Ghana. A representative sample of 166 environmentally sensitive firms were randomly selected and included in this study. A structured questionnaire was used to obtain relevant data for the analysis. Multiple regression models estimated the hypothesized crude and adjusted associations between EAP and isomorphic factors (mimetic, normative and coercive pressures). Initial adjustment with the isomorphic factors revealed significant associations of mimetic pressure which arises when companies engage in competition seeking superior performance and normative force with EAP but not coercive. A further control for the firm’s characteristics found a strong association of normative pressure with EAP. The findings suggest that mimetic and normative pressures may be essential in an attempt to stimulate EAP among environmentally sensitive firms in Ghana. Our results are broadly consistent with the predictions of institutional theory as it applies to EAP. Efforts to ensure environmental reporting among firms should strengthen normative and mimetic forces, particularly in the low- and middle-income settings.

Accounting for the “transcendent self”: spirituality, narcissism, testimony and gift

PurposeThe paper explores the process of construction of the “accountable self”, particularly as this process engages with the spirituality of the self. This study examines the “space of accountability” within which the accountable self constructs itself as such and investigate how different accounts of the self are drawn upon in the making of this space, both defining and transcending it.Design/methodology/approachThe paper relies upon archival material concerning accounting and accountability practices about the project for building the altar of St. Ignatius in the Church of Gesù, Rome, Italy (1691–1706). This study examines calculative and narrative accounts about the project from the perspective of the superintendent, who was the sole person accountable for the building works.FindingsWhereas calculative accounts enabled the self to account for actions within the specific space of accountability of the project, narrative accounts opened up this space, providing for a testimony of actions and a gift of accountability towards future indefinite others. This process was prompted by the spirituality of the self and the narcissistic gratification of fulfilling this spirituality.Originality/valueThe paper adds to the literature on the accountable self and to theological perspectives into accountability. This study suggests exploring how different accounts of the self engage with each other through testimony, gift, narcissism and spirituality in the construction of the accountable self, providing for a “transcendent” space of accountability. This research also adds to studies on narrative accounts by showing that they are drawn upon alongside calculative accounts in the construction of the transcendent, accountable and self.

Accounting, management and accountability in times of crisis: lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to discuss the themes emerging from the first studies exploring accounting, accountability and management practices during the COVID-19 pandemic and coming from a diversity of experiences, across countries, organizations and individuals. In so doing, the paper gives an overview of the most recent findings about the role of accounting and accountability in times of crisis that are hosted in this special issue of Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal (AAAJ).Design/methodology/approachThe paper draws together and identifies emerging themes related to the current COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts on accounting, accountability and management practices and considers how the studies in this issue extend one’s knowledge of accounting and contribute to accounting research.FindingsThree emerging themes are drawn and their contribution to accounting scholarship is discussed. The first theme deals with the role of accounting and numbers in supporting governmental responses to COVID-19. The second theme considers accounting practices used to make exceptional decisions at the organizational level in times of crisis. The third theme addresses a relevant frontier of research into accounting and inequalities.Practical implicationsIn considering the diverse contributions of this special issue, the paper points out how uncertainty and change can impact the design, use and understanding of accounting, management and accountability practices and can be accepted by scholars and practitioners as part of such practices.Originality/valueThis paper provides a timely and comprehensive picture of the first reflections and research findings on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on one’s interpretation of accounting, accountability and management practices.

Resilience Reporting for Sustainable Development in Cities

Recently, a new paradigm has emerged—the resilient city. It is an evolutionary concept rooted in recent—but more consolidated—city visions, such as a smart city or a sustainable city, from which it inherits the interweaving of different dimensions. This paper investigates the factors behind effective resilience reporting, as well as how a city should draw up an urban resilience strategy report to be accountable to its citizens. We first highlighted the main factors to design and implement reporting for the achievement of strategic resilience goals, by combining research on a resilient city and accountability practices. These factors could be organized following two different perspectives: political and sociotechnical. Then, we applied our framework to four pioneering municipalities selected as paradigmatic case studies. A qualitative content analysis applied to the city resilience reports has provided depth to our framework. We found that the “weak factor” is the ability to embed the resilience strategy in rooted connections and transform itself into an ecosystem that crosscuts different sectoral urban processes. Our exploratory research claims could be used for future research in this field, as cities are becoming increasingly complex systems, where the quality of life and well-being of a larger population depends.