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

Titolo Rivista FINANCIAL REPORTING
Autori/Curatori Cristian Carini, Laura Rocca, Claudio Teodori, Monica Veneziani
Anno di pubblicazione 2017 Fascicolo 2017/1
Lingua Inglese Numero pagine 25 P. 5-29 Dimensione file 354 KB
DOI 10.3280/FR2017-001001
Il DOI è il codice a barre della proprietà intellettuale: per saperne di più clicca qui

Qui sotto puoi vedere in anteprima la prima pagina di questo articolo.

Se questo articolo ti interessa, lo puoi acquistare (e scaricare in formato pdf) seguendo le facili indicazioni per acquistare il download credit. Acquista Download Credits per scaricare questo Articolo in formato PDF

Anteprima articolo

FrancoAngeli è membro della Publishers International Linking Association, Inc (PILA)associazione indipendente e non profit per facilitare (attraverso i servizi tecnologici implementati da CrossRef.org) l’accesso degli studiosi ai contenuti digitali nelle pubblicazioni professionali e scientifiche

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).

Keywords:Accounting regulation, accounting harmonisation, consolidated financial statement, IPSAS, public sector accounting.

  1. Anessi Pessina E. (2007), L’evoluzione dei sistemi contabili pubblici. Aspetti critici nella prospettiva aziendale. (Milano: Egea).
  2. Benito B., Brusca I. and Montesinos V. (2007), The harmonization of government financial information systems: The role of the IPSASs, International Review of Administrative Sciences, 73 (2), pp. 293-317.
  3. Bergmann A., Grossi G., Rauskala I. and Fuchs S. (2016), Consolidation in the public sector: methods and approaches in Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development countries, International Review of Administrative Sciences, 82 (4), pp. 763-783.
  4. Biondi Y. (2014), Harmonising European Public Sector Accounting Standards (EPSAS): Issues and Perspectives for Europe’s Economy and Society, Accounting Economics and Law, 4 (3), pp. 165-178.
  5. Bisogno M., Santis S. and Tommasetti A. (2015), Public-Sector Consolidated Financial Statements: An Analysis of the Comment Letters on IPSASB’s Exposure Draft No. 49, International Journal of Public Administration, 38 (4), pp. 311-324.
  6. Borgonovi E. and Mussari R. (2011), Pubblico e privato: armonizzare gli opposti, Azienda pubblica, pp. 103-121.
  7. Broadbent J. and Guthrie J. (2008), Public sector to public services: 20 years of ‘contextual’ accounting research, Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal, 21 (2), pp. 129-169.
  8. Broadbent J. and Laughlin R. (2005), Government concerns and tensions in accounting standard setting: the case of accounting for the private finance initiative, Accounting and Business Research, 35 (3), pp. 207-222.
  9. Broadbent J. and Laughlin R. (2013), Accounting Control and Controlling accounting. Interdisciplinary and Critical Perspectives. (Bingley, UK: Emerald Group Publishing Limited).
  10. Broadbent J., Jacobs K. and Laughlin R. (2001), Organisational resistance strategies to unwanted accounting and finance changes: the case of general medical practice in the United Kingdom, Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal, 14 (5), pp. 565-586.
  11. Brusca I., Caperchione E., Cohen S. and Manes Rossi F. (2015), Public Sector Accounting and Auditing in Europe. The Challenge of Harmonization. (Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave Macmillan).
  12. Buding T., Grossi G. and Tagesson T. (2014), Public Sector Accounting. (Abingdon-on-Thames, UK: Routledge).
  13. Carini C. and Teodori C. (2016), Potential uses and usefulness of the Italian local government consolidated financial reporting. The case of town council of Brescia in Ferreira A., Azevedo G., Oliveira J. and Marques R.P. (Eds.), Global Perspectives on Risk Management and Accounting in the Public Sector. (Hershay PA, Usa: IGI Global).
  14. Carini C., Rocca L., Veneziani M. and Teodori C. (2016), Il Bilancio Consolidato negli Enti Locali: Prime Considerazioni sulla Qualità della Regolamentazione in Italia, Azienda Pubblica, 2, pp. 145-169.
  15. Christiaens J., Brecht R. and Rollé C. (2010), Impact of IPSAS on reforming governmental financial information systems: A comparative study, International Review of Administrative Sciences, 76 (3), pp. 537-554.
  16. Christiaens J., Cauwenberge P. and Rommel J. (2009), IPSAS 6 and 22-new standards for whole of governmental accounting?, Public Money & Management, 29 (4), pp. 216-226.
  17. D’Alessio L., Simeone C., Barbato M. (a cura di) (2015), L’armonizzazione contabile degli enti territoriali: analisi della sperimentazione e linee evolutive. (Milano: Giuffrè).
  18. Di Pietra R. (2005), La comunicazione dei comportamenti aziendali mediante i dati contabili. (Padova: Cedam).
  19. Eisenhardt K.M. (1989), Building Theories from Case Study Research, The Academy of Management Review, 14 (4), pp. 532-550.
  20. Ellwood S. and Newberry S. (2007), Public Sector Accrual Accounting: Institutionalising neoliberal principles?, Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 24 (4), pp. 549-573.
  21. Fornaciari L. (2011), Il prospetto di raccordo nella comunicazione economico-finanziaria consolidata, Financial Reporting, 4, pp. 81-106.
  22. Grossi G. (2004), Il bilancio consolidato negli enti locali. (Padova: Cedam).
  23. Grossi G. and Steccolini I. (2008), Il bilancio consolidato negli enti locali: principali e condizioni operative, Azienda Pubblica, pp. 395-411.
  24. Grossi G. and Steccolini I. (2015), Pursuing Private or Public Accountability in the Public Sector? Applying IPSASs to Define the Reporting Entity in Municipal Consolidation, International Journal of Public Administration, 38 (4), pp. 325-334.
  25. Hood C. (1991), A public management for all seasons?, Public Administration, 69 (1), pp. 3-19.
  26. Hood C. (1995), The New Public Management in the 1980s: variations on a theme, Accounting Organizations and Society, 20 (2-3).
  27. Hopwood A.G. (1983), On trying to study accounting in the contexts in which it operates, Accounting, Organisations and Society, 8, pp. 287-305.
  28. Jones R. and Caruana J. (2014), A perspective on the proposal for European Public Sector Accounting Standards, In the context of accruals in UK government accounting, Accounting Economics and Law, 4 (3).
  29. Jones R.H. and Caruana J. (2015), EPSAS – Worrying the Wrong End of the Stick?, International Journal of Public Administration, 38 (4), pp. 240-252.
  30. Lombrano A. and Zanin L. (2011), Dalle prassi emergenti e dai principi contabili internazionali, una riflessione critica sul consolidamento degli enti pubblici locali, Azienda Pubblica, pp. 123-144.
  31. Lombrano A. and Zanin L. (2013), IPSAS and local government consolidated financial statements-proposal for a territorial consolidation method, Public Money & Management, 33 (6), pp. 429-436.
  32. Manes Rossi F., Jorge S., Jesus M.A. and Caperchione E. (2015), Introduction to a Symposium on New Challenges for Public-Sector Accounting: IPSAS, Budgetary Reporting, and National Accounts, International Journal of Public Administration, 38 (4), pp. 237-239.
  33. Mussari R. (2014), Epsas and the Unification of Public Sector Accounting Across Europe, Accounting Economics and Law, 4 (3), pp. 299-312.
  34. Newberry S. (2014), The use of accrual accounting in New Zealand’s central government: second thoughts, Accounting Economics and Law, 4 (3).
  35. Nobes C. (2014), The development of national and transnational regulation on the scope of consolidation, Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 27 (6), pp. 995-1025.
  36. Public Sector Committee (1996), Study 8 – The Government Financial Reporting Entity. (International Federation of Accountants).
  37. Ramassa P. (2011), Case Study Method in Financial Communication Studies: A Review and a Systemic Approach Proposal, Financial Reporting, 2, pp. 63-93.
  38. Sannino G. (2016), Il framework nel modello IAS/IFRS, in AA.VV., Il bilancio secondo i principi contabili internazionali IAS/IFRS. (Torino: Giappichelli).
  39. Stake R.E. (1995), The art of Case Study Research. (Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications).
  40. Teodori C. (2012), Il bilancio consolidato. La metodologia di costruzione e il profilo informativo. (Milano: Giuffrè).
  41. Vollmer H. (2007), How to do more with numbers. Elementary stakes, framing, keying and the three-dimensional character of numerical sings, Accounting, Organisations and Society, 32, pp. 577-600.
  42. Walker R.G. (2009), Public Sector Consolidated Statements – An Assessment, Abacus, 45 (2), pp. 171-220.
  43. Walker R.G. (2011), Issues in the preparation of Public Sector Consolidated Statements, Abacus, 47 (4), pp. 477-500.
  44. Yin R.K. (2013), Case Study Research: Desing and Methods. (Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications).

  • In Search of the Creative Economy: Analyses of the Provincial and Territorial 2015-2016 Budgets from the Perspective of Arts, Culture and Heritage M. S. Jeannotte, Alain Pineau, in SSRN Electronic Journal /2015
    DOI: 10.2139/ssrn.3148226
  • Financial Sustainability of Public Sector Entities Cristian Carini, Claudio Teodori, pp.103 (ISBN:978-3-030-06036-7)
  • Handbook of Research on Modernization and Accountability in Public Sector Management Cristian Carini, Claudio Teodori, Davide Giacomini, pp.55 (ISBN:9781522537311)
  • Accounting Reform in Italy and Perceptions on the Local Government Consolidated Report Cristian Carini, Davide Giacomini, Claudio Teodori, in International Journal of Public Administration /2019 pp.195
    DOI: 10.1080/01900692.2017.1423500

Cristian Carini, Laura Rocca, Claudio Teodori, Monica Veneziani, The Reporting Entity in Private-Public Accounting Harmonisation. Is Control Enough for the Local Government Consolidated Financial Statements? in "FINANCIAL REPORTING" 1/2017, pp 5-29, DOI: 10.3280/FR2017-001001