scholarly journals Sustainability Reporting in the Public Realm—Trends and Patterns in Knowledge Development

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 4128
Author(s):  
Cristina Alexandrina Stefanescu
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Information Disclosure ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Environmental Accounting ◽  
Knowledge Development ◽  
Public Realm ◽  
The Public ◽  
Bibliometric Review

In the wake of increased awareness, as there has been an increasing need for sustainability reporting, research studies have evolved over time. Addressing the challenges and pathways of research in the particular realm of public entities was appropriate to enrich the scientific literature. Since prior studies either conducted a structured literature review on non-financial reporting formats or were focused exclusively on social and environmental accounting, and no bibliometric review has yet been conducted on sustainability reporting in the public sector, this study aims to fill this gap. The objective of the paper is to identify the trends and patterns in knowledge development in the area of sustainability reporting in the public sector to investigate its structure and derive inferences and insights. Bibliometric results reveal that research in this field is still at an early stage, showing an unsteady, slightly upward trend. The literature responded well to the need to enhance the understanding of the public institutions’ role in advancing non-financial reporting and evolved along with the continuous development of the related voluntary frameworks (e.g., GRI, <IR>). In this assent, further studies approaching the first mandatory regulation of non-financial information disclosure (Directive 95/2014/EU) are encouraged.

scholarly journals Sustainability, Popular and Integrated Reporting in the Public Sector: A Fad and Fashion Perspective

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 3112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucia Biondi ◽  
Enrico Bracci
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Public Sector ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
Specific Reference ◽  
Public Accountability ◽  
Integrated Reporting ◽  
The Public ◽  
Italian Context

This paper provides a comparative analysis of different public accountability means used in the public sector - namely sustainability reporting, popular financial reporting and integrated reporting - in order to highlight their similarities and differences, and reflect on their development, with specific reference to the Italian context. In particular, we speculate about the practical and research implications of their emergence, through the lenses of accountability and managerial fad and fashion literature. The main novelty of the paper is that it is one of the first studies providing a comparative analysis of the three reporting tools debated both in practice and in research. We argue about their diffusion patterns, the commonalities and differences, which suggests different stages of evolution, different actors and forces at play. We provide some preliminary evidence on the risk that accountability innovations may end up just in a fad and fashion uptake, creating inefficiencies and not achieving the aims they are intended for. We also show how the available frameworks and standards have more in common than not, and that there is a risk of creating only new labels, without real innovation or improvement of public accountability.

scholarly journals Non-financial reporting in the public sector: alternatives, trends and opportunities

2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 122-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vicente Montesinos ◽  
Isabel Brusca
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Balance Sheet ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Financial Information ◽  
Integrated Reporting ◽  
Financial Reports ◽  
The Public ◽  
Information Models ◽  
Private And Public

In recent years, different non-financial information models have arisen, both in the private  and  public sectors, trying to complete the traditional financial reports prepared by companies and public administrations. The fundamental objective of these models has been to satisfy the interest of the stakeholders, which goes beyond the numbers included in the balance sheet and the income statement. In the case of the public sector, this is coupled with the discontent and distrust of citizens towards politicians and administrators of institutions, which makes it necessary to emphasize tools and strategies that can improve the transparency and accountability of administrations and restore citizen trust. Therefore, this article highlights the different non-financial information alternatives that have emerged in the literature, their practical application in the public sector and the opportunities that these models offer for the future. Specifically, we refer to sustainability reporting, integrated reporting, the non-financial report recently regulated for the business sector and, finally, popular reporting. En los últimos años han irrumpido con fuerza distintos modelos de información no financiera, tanto en el sector privado como en el público, tratando de completar el tradicional informe financiero preparado por empresas y administraciones públicas. El objetivo fundamental de estos modelos ha sido satisfacer el interés del conjunto amplio de los stakeholders, que va más allá de los números recogidos en el balance de situación y la cuenta de resultados. En el caso del sector público, a esto se une el descontento generalizado y la desconfianza de los ciudadanos hacia los políticos y administradores de las instituciones, lo que hace necesario poner el acento en todas aquellas herramientas y estrategias que puedan perfeccionar la transparencia y responsabilidad de las administraciones y reintegrar la confianza de sus administrados. Por ello, en este artículo se ponen de relieve las distintas alternativas de información no financiera que han ido surgiendo en la literatura, su aplicación práctica en el ámbito del sector público y las oportunidades que estos modelos ofrecen para el futuro. En concreto nos referimos a la información sostenible, la información integrada, la información popular y por último, al informe no financiero regulado en nuestra normativa para el sector empresarial.

scholarly journals Disclosure of Non-Current Tangible Assets Information in Local Government Financial Statements: The Case of Lithuania

Economies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 116
Author(s):  
Rasa Kanapickiene ◽  
Greta Keliuotyte-Staniuleniene
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Information Disclosure ◽  
Accounting Information ◽  
Financial Statements ◽  
Disclosure Quality ◽  
The Public ◽  
Tangible Assets ◽  
Public Sector Accounting

The aim of the research is to examine and evaluate the accounting information disclosure quality of the non-current tangible assets in the financial statements of the municipalities of Lithuania and identify municipality characteristics having an impact on the accounting information disclosure quality. Although the question of Lithuania public sector accounting information disclosure quality has been relevant since the Public Sector Accounting and Financial Reporting Reform in 2010, this research is the first of its kind in Lithuania. Based on the legal and regulatory requirements and related scientific literature, the research model of the accounting information disclosure quality in the financial statements has been created. Using the content analysis of consolidated annual financial statements of Lithuanian municipalities (years 2013–2016), the disclosure quality index has been calculated, as well as the accounting information disclosure quality of the tangible assets has been evaluated and compared. The results show that the quality of accounting information disclosure of Lithuanian municipalities in 2013 was low (revealed 37.87% of the mandatory information), while in subsequent years, the disclosure of mandatory information increased (to 45.50% in 2016) and the quality of information disclosure became average. Multiple panel regression analysis revealed that specific factors such as size of the municipality, municipality debt-paying capacity, municipality tangible assets, and municipality revenue, have a statistically significant impact on the accounting information disclosure quality.

Tamed Transparency: How Information Disclosure under the Global Reporting Initiative Fails to Empower

2010 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 74-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Klaus Dingwerth ◽  
Margot Eichinger
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Voluntary Disclosure ◽  
Information Disclosure ◽  
Corporate Sustainability ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Global Reporting Initiative ◽  
Reporting Scheme ◽  
Corporate World ◽  
Four Levels ◽  
The Relationship

In this contribution, we explore the tensions that seem inherent in the claim that transparency policies “empower” the users of disclosed information vis-àvis those who are asked to provide the information. Since these tensions are particularly relevant in relation to voluntary disclosure, our analysis focuses on the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) as the world's leading voluntary corporate non-financial reporting scheme. Corporate sustainability reporting is often hailed as a powerful instrument to improve the environmental performance of business and to empower societal groups, including consumers, in their relations with the corporate world. Yet, our analysis illustrates that the relationship between transparency and empowerment is conflictual at all four levels of activity examined in this article: in the rhetoric and policies of the GRI as well as in the actual reporting practice and in the activities of intermediaries in response to the organization's disclosure standard.

scholarly journals Institutional Isomorphism And Adoption Of International Public Sector Accounting Standards By African Countries

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (05) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dr. Muganda Munir Manini
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Financial Management ◽  
Public Funding ◽  
Accounting Standards ◽  
Target Population ◽  
Institutional Isomorphism ◽  
African Countries ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Sector Accounting

The international harmonization of financial reporting standards in the public sector is one of the significant public sector accounting reforms which have gained prominence in the recent past under the New Public Financial Management order. However, previous empirical evidence provided mixed results on the extent of African countries’ decision on the adoption of International Public Sector Accounting Standards and its relationship with institutional isomorphism factors. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of institutional isomorphism (normative, mimetic and coercive) on the adoption International Public Sector Accounting Standards by African countries. The target population was 54 countries; however the final sample was 29 countries which comprised the dataset. A logistic regression analysis was thereafter conducted. Based on the Institutional Theory, the study revealed external public funding (coercive isomorphic pressure), the countries’ global competitiveness (mimetic isomorphic pressure), and human capital (normative isomorphic pressure) were non significant factors in a countries decision to adopt IPSAS. This study contributes to the literature on the international accounting in the public sector. The results of the study have significant managerial and theoretical implications for accounting standards regulators, researchers, and multilateral organizations.

scholarly journals ACCOUNTINGS AND FINANCIAL REPORTINGS REFORM IN THE GEORGIAN PUBLIC SECTOR

InterConf ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 58-62
Author(s):  
Levan Grigalashvili ◽  
Bidzina Grigalashvili
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Retrospective Review ◽  
Modern State ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Reformation

The paper includes a retrospective review of the reformation of accounting and financial reporting of the public sector of Georgia. The modern state of regulation of this particular field is analyzed and existing disadvantages are emphasized. Also, based on the analysis, proposals in regards to perfecting the accounting and the financial reporting in the public sector are developed.

What is the stock of the situation? A bibliometric analysis on social and environmental accounting research in public sector

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Floriana Fusco ◽  
Paolo Ricci
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Environmental Accounting ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Academic Journals ◽  
Environmental Reporting ◽  
Bibliometric Method ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Social And Environmental Reporting

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide a picture of the state of the art in social and environmental accounting research applied to the public sector, highlighting different streams and the main gaps in current literature and providing input for future research.Design/methodology/approachA bibliometric method was used to analyse the characteristics, citation patterns and content of 38 papers published in international academic journals.FindingsThe findings show that the research on social and environmental reporting in the public sector is still at an early stage. Current investigations, although slowly on the increase, are still very few and localised. Most papers are about the reasons why public organisations report, what and how they report, but there are so many aspects that need to be investigated more in-depth or require extra validation in order to open new directions for future research, among which the relationship with and the differences between other non-financial type of reporting, namely ICR and IR.Research limitations/implicationsThe study shows some limitations, mainly related to the adoption of the bibliometric method. Indeed, it does not take into account books and chapters but only papers published in international and academic journals. This leads to exclude a significant part of the existing literature and other relevant contributions on the field.Originality/valueSocial and environmental reporting practices are quickly spreading in the public sector. The field is particularly interesting, given the specific connotations of this kind of organisations. However, the literature is clearly not exhaustive and there is not a comprehensive and systematic review of the state of the art on the subject.

scholarly journals Who wants to work in bureaucracy? Career intentions of post-millennial students

2018 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tim Jäkel ◽  
George Alexander Borshchevskiy
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Public Administration ◽  
Civil Service ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Public Employment ◽  
Public Servants ◽  
Millennial Students ◽  
The Public ◽  
Career Plans

This article investigates who wants, or does not want to work in Russian public administration, and why. A majority of Russians believe that public servants are concerned with improving their personal well-being rather than serving the public interest. Understanding working sector choices is thus the first step to attract talent into the civil service. We study public employment intention among a group of students of public administration in two elite Moscow universities who are relatively early undergraduates. Parents working in the civil service are the most important public sector career motivators of students in Russia, more important than positive perceptions of public sector compensation and its impact on society. Our findings imply that early-stage career plans are shaped outside university lecture rooms. We conclude that teaching public administration in Russia will have to focus on drawing a line between behavior that falls below standards of the profession and efforts to contribute to the well-being of citizens.

The potential of integrated reporting to enhance sustainability reporting in the public sector

2018 ◽  
Vol 38 (5) ◽  
pp. 365-374 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monica Montecalvo ◽  
Federica Farneti ◽  
Charl de Villiers
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Integrated Reporting ◽  
The Public
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