This paper presents a challenge to public sector managers, policy-makers and interested academics. Drawing on the findings of previous international comparative studies of new public financial management (NPFM) reforms, it concludes that public services and their providers are caught in an...

In most countries around the world there are differences in the systems of accounting in the business and non-business sectors. In recent years, however, the governments in some countries have started to apply the accrual-based accounting principles that are used in the business field. In...

From the many accounting objectives which have been suggested, it seems that the intended function of accounting is to reduce uncertainty in control and decision-making processes. However, after conducting a literature search of empirical studies of accounting in action we came to three...

This paper focuses on the way in which accounting is becoming institutionalized. A comparative and historical study of municipal accounting in Sweden and Norway is presented. Accounting is regarded as consisting of two systems -- the norm system and the action system. The relations between...

The programme concept poses a contradictory problem. On the one hand it has been subjected to extensive criticism in connection with PPBS (the Programming-Planning-Budgeting-System) and other budgetary reforms. On the other it has long been a core concept in municipalities. It is therefore...

This paper explores how regulatory relationships in the global audit arena are being affected by the current financial crisis. Key policy initiatives and debates are analyzed, along with institutional interactions, in particular between the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC),...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review the contribution made by auditing research over the last three decades to understandings of audit practice and to consider the implications for the future development of the discipline. Design/methodology/approach – The approach takes the form...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review the way in which auditing issues have been raised and addressed during the credit crunch and developing global financial crisis. Design/methodology/approach – Analysis is based on a review of the academic auditing literature, regulatory and...