Practice Relevant Accrual Accounting For The Public Sector

This book addresses the necessary developments and adjustments that can be regarded as a promising starting point for making accrual accounting a more practice-relevant for the public sector entities. Specifically, the main focus is on Reshaping the application of accrual accounting principles and assumptions to fit the context of public sector entities; Developing a practice-relevant holistic accounting approach for governmental capital assets, which has been based on developing and reshaping the assets recognition criteria; Scope of general purpose financial reporting from an accountability perspective; Suggesting a sustainable accounting approach for reporting on the long-term fiscal sustainability; Developing a dynamic model for making public sector accrual accounting a more user practice relevant; and finally, Developing a theory of accounting information usefulness, which explains how cognitive aspects do influence the use/non-use of accounting information by the politicians. Fundamentally, the book has tackled these necessary developments and adjustments from both the producer’s and the user’s perspectives.

This book addresses the necessary developments and adjustments that can be regarded as a promising starting point for making accrual accounting more practice-relevant for the public sector entities. Specifically, the main focus is on reshaping the application of accrual accounting principles and assumptions to fit the context of public sector entities; developing a practice-relevant holistic accounting approach for governmental capital assets, which has been based on developing and reshaping the assets recognition criteria; scope of general purpose financial reporting from an accountability perspective; suggesting a sustainable accounting approach for reporting on the long-term fiscal sustainability; developing a dynamic model for making public sector accrual accounting a more user practice relevant; and finally, developing a theory of accounting information usefulness, which explains how cognitive aspects do influence the use/non-use of accounting information by the politicians. Fundamentally, this book has tackled these necessary developments and adjustments from both the producer's and the user's perspectives. Hassan Ouda is Professor of Accounting at Faculty of Management Technology, German University in Cairo (GUC), Egypt. His research interests include public sector accounting and budgeting reform, particularly in relation to implementation of accrual accounting and budgeting, performance-based budgeting, and performance audit in public sector.

This book addresses the necessary developments and adjustments that can be regarded as a promising starting point for making accrual accounting more practice-relevant for the public sector entities. Specifically, the main focus is on reshaping the application of accrual accounting principles and assumptions to fit the context of public sector entities; developing a practice-relevant holistic accounting approach for governmental capital assets, which has been based on developing and reshaping the assets recognition criteria; scope of general purpose financial reporting from an accountability perspective; suggesting a sustainable accounting approach for reporting on the long-term fiscal sustainability; developing a dynamic model for making public sector accrual accounting a more user practice relevant; and finally, developing a theory of accounting information usefulness, which explains how cognitive aspects do influence the use/non-use of accounting information by the politicians. Fundamentally, this book has tackled these necessary developments and adjustments from both the producer’s and the user’s perspectives. Hassan Ouda is Professor of Accounting at Faculty of Management Technology, German University in Cairo (GUC), Egypt. His research interests include public sector accounting and budgeting reform, particularly in relation to implementation of accrual accounting and budgeting, performance-based budgeting, and performance audit in public sector.

This technical note and manual (TNM) explains what accrual accounting means for the public sector and discusses current trends in moving from cash to accrual accounting. It outlines factors governments should consider in preparing for the move and sequencing of the transition. The note recognizes that governments considering accounting reforms will have different starting points across the public sector, different objectives, and varying coverage of the existing financial statements, it therefore recommends that governments consider each of these, and the materiality of stocks, flows and entities outside of government accounts when planning reforms and design the sequencing and stages involved accordingly. Building on international experiences, the note proposes four possible phases for progressively increasing the financial operations reported in the balance sheet and operating statement, with the ultimate aim of including all institutional units under the effective control of government in fiscal reports.

As change sweeps across the public sector, a huge range of accounting and financial management challenges are created. This textbook analyses the reforms that are being introduced to deal with these challenges and their global impact on the public sector. Readers are provided with an international overview of government accounting, reporting, management control, cost accounting, budgeting and auditing. In explaining how innovative financial management tools are utilized in the public sector, the authors address a number of emerging issues: Harmonization trends in public financial management and International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSASs) Financial reporting and consolidated financial statements in the public sector Public sector management accounting and control methods Financial and performance auditing in the public sector This concise and accessible textbook will be core reading for public sector accounting and financial management students and will also be required reading for students of public management and administration more generally. Managers, accountants, consultants and auditors working in the public sector will also find the book a useful reference.

Public Sector Accounting uses an integrated approach to the study of public sector accounting by linking accounting theory and practice for each of the main areas of financial accounting, management accounting and auditing. Examples from a range of Public Sector experiences are woven into the text to illustrate the issues involved. The introduction of the book reflects managerial developments in the public sector, by giving a brief history of these in the UK and internationally then commenting on the adoption of quality assurance in the public sector. The management accounting section discusses developments in the use of internal markets and compulsory competition and the more recent emphasis on public-private partnership and performance indicators and also explains the techniques of programme and zero-based budgeting and investment appraisal. The financial accounting section updates and internationalises the discussion of financial accounting theory and regulation. The final section of the book is on auditing has been updated with UK and international developments.

The importance of public financial management for the health and wellbeing of citizens became dramatically apparent as governments sought to respond to the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. Now, governments and other public sector organizations face the challenge of recovering from the pandemic whilst also seeking to achieve Sustainable Development Goals, with squeezed budgets and ever-increasing demands for public services. Public sector managers are confronted daily with targets and demands that are often set in confusing accounting and financial language. In Financial Management and Accounting in the Public Sector, Gary Bandy employs a clear and concise narrative to introduce the core concepts of public financial management to help those managers to deliver programmes, projects and services that are value for money. As the author puts it, managing public money is an art, not a science. This third edition has been revised and updated throughout, offering: a structure that is more clearly linked to the stages of the public financial management cycle greater coverage of transparency and accountability issues a broader view of public procurement to include goods, works and services and effective contract management; and an increased focus on public spending in the context of a post-COVID environment. With a glossary of terms to help managers understand and be understood by accountants, as well as learning objectives, discussion questions and exercises, this practical textbook will help students of public management and administration to understand the financial and accounting aspects of managing public services.

Funded by taxation, public spending cannot be separated from politics and ensuring efficiency and effectiveness is always high on the political and policy agenda. Accounting, accountability, governance and auditing are essential ingredients in evaluating public sector performance. Australia and New Zealand are world leaders when it comes to public sector accounting—such as being the first to introduce transaction-neutral accounting standards. This edited collection considers current issues impacting the public sector by primarily drawing upon experiences of Australia and New Zealand. Then, by combining history (from the time of the Domesday book, early sovereignty and Shakespeare) with current practice (differential reporting, international financial reporting standards, government performance, voter turnout, joined-up government and auditing practices), we use these experiences to illuminate the global issues of public sector accounting, accountability and governance. Based on rigorous research by top public sector researchers, this edited collection offers a multitude of future research ideas to enable those interested in following this pathway—whether they are in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Europe, the United States of America, Africa or anywhere else in the world—an avenue to traverse.