A Chaotic field of practice: Financial reporting of the Library collections of Australia's public Universities, 2007-2011
- Authors: Carnegie, Garry , Sidaway, Shannon , West, Brian
- Date: 2013
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Australian Academic and Research Libraries Vol. 44, no. 4 (2013), p. 195-216
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: The accounting practices adopted by Australia's 36 public universities in accounting for their library collections - including heritage and special collections - are identified and analysed. The data is collected from a survey of these institutions' annual reports over the period 2007 to 2011 and the analysis is guided by theoretical perspectives drawn from new institutional sociology (NIS). Consistent with prior research by West and Carnegie (2010), accounting for university library collections is depicted as a chaotic field of practice. Inconsistent and idiosyncratic policies that compromise the overall reliability, comparability and usefulness of university financial reports are observed, along with instances of dramatic valuation adjustments. However, the beginnings of some amelioration of the chaos are also detected, as regulatory activity and a voluntary homogenisation of accounting policies begin to take effect. In particular, a general trend towards more conservative accounting practices is evident as universities perhaps seek to guard against accounting debacles - most notably massive valuation write-downs - of the kind that have been suffered by several institutions over the last decade. Assigning financial values to the library collections and other non-financial resources of not-for-profit public institutions remains a problematic issue. © 2013 Australian Library & Information Association.
- Description: The accounting practices adopted by Australia's 36 public universities in accounting for their library collections - including heritage and special collections - are identified and analysed. The data is collected from a survey of these institutions' annual reports over the period 2007 to 2011 and the analysis is guided by theoretical perspectives drawn from new institutional sociology (NIS). Consistent with prior research by West and Carnegie (2010), accounting for university library collections is depicted as a chaotic field of practice. Inconsistent and idiosyncratic policies that compromise the overall reliability, comparability and usefulness of university financial reports are observed, along with instances of dramatic valuation adjustments. However, the beginnings of some amelioration of the chaos are also detected, as regulatory activity and a voluntary homogenisation of accounting policies begin to take effect. In particular, a general trend towards more conservative accounting practices is evident as universities perhaps seek to guard against accounting debacles - most notably massive valuation write-downs - of the kind that have been suffered by several institutions over the last decade. Assigning financial values to the library collections and other non-financial resources of not-for-profit public institutions remains a problematic issue. © 2013 © 2013 Australian Library & Information Association.
A Commentary on 'Contextualising the Intermediate Financial Accounting Courses in the Global Financial Crisis'
- Authors: Carnegie, Garry , West, Brian
- Date: 2011
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Accounting Education Vol. 20, no. 5 (2011), p. 499-503
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Accounting is a practical discipline, existing to satisfy particular human needs which are usually depicted in terms of decision-making processes and accountability evaluations. Proposals for how accounting education may be infused with learning from the ‘realworld’ contexts in which it operates are always welcome. However, as the recent global financial crisis (GFC) and other phenomenal episodes have repeatedly revealed, accounting practice is itself neither perfect nor uncontroversial. Examining the ‘real world’ contexts of accounting offers not just the prospect of learning more about what accounting is and how it is currently practised, but also the limitations and deficiencies of that practice.
A conceptual analysis of price setting in Australian local government
- Authors: Carnegie, Garry , West, Brian
- Date: 2010
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Australian Accounting Review Vol. 20, no. 2 (2010), p. 110-120
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: A complex set of issues underlies the pricing of the diverse range of goods and services from which Australian local governments derive a significant portion of their revenues. Although local governments have a not-for-profit orientation, they are expected to be financially viable and embrace a broad notion of accountability. They are also expected to influence the behaviour of constituents in accordance with policy decisions, but be equitable in doing so. These and related parameters are discussed and illustrated in order to reveal and elucidate the nature of pricing decisions in local government, and to differentiate the local government context from other price-setting environments.
Accounting's chaotic margins : Financial reporting of the library collections of Australia's public universities
- Authors: West, Brian , Carnegie, Garry
- Date: 2004
- Type: Text , Conference paper
- Relation: Paper presented at the Fourth Asia Pacific Interdisciplinary Research in Accounting Conference, Singapore : 4th - 6th July, 2004
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: This paper explores the circumstances and implications of an episode of accounting change arising from the extended use of accrual accounting within the Australian public sector. The matter under scrutiny is the financial reporting of the library collections of Australia's public universities. Accounting standards applying within the Australian public sector imply that such collections should generally be accounted for as assets in the statements of financial position of the entities that manage them. A survey reveals considerable diversity and subjectivity in the accounting practices adopted in seeking to satisfy this requirement. This raises questions about the reliability and usefulness of the information reported, and renders problematic the technical propriety of attempting to express and account for non-financial resources in financial terms. The financial reporting of library collections is posited as a 'chaotic margin' of accounting and consideration is given to possible explanations for the disorderly state of practice observed.
- Description: E1
- Description: 2003000769
Accounting's chaotic margins : Financial reporting of the library collections of Australia's public universities, 2002-2006
- Authors: West, Brian , Carnegie, Garry
- Date: 2010
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal Vol. 23, no. 2 (2010), p. 201-228
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the circumstances and implications of an episode of accounting change arising from the extended use of accrual accounting within the Australian public sector. The matter under scrutiny is the reporting of the library collections of Australia's public universities as assets in general purpose financial reports. Design/methodology/approach: A survey is undertaken of the annual reports of Australia's 36 public universities for the period 2002 to 2006. The analysis of the findings is informed by new institutional sociology (NIS), with a focus on mimetic processes, and the concept of "accounting's margins". Findings: The survey reveals considerable diversity and subjectivity in the accounting practices adopted, as well as instances of sudden and dramatic changes in carrying values. The financial reporting of library collections is depicted as a "chaotic margin" of accounting, and the technical propriety of attempting to express and account for these non-financial resources in financial terms is rendered problematic. Originality/value: The study questions the reliability and usefulness of the information reported, with implications for the accountability of the institutions surveyed as well as the accounting profession in the comparatively neglected domain of the public sector. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
Accounting’s chaotic margins : Financial reporting of the library collections of Australia’s public universities
- Authors: West, Brian , Carnegie, Garry
- Date: 2007
- Type: Text , Conference paper
- Relation: Paper presented at 2007 AFAANZ Conference, The Gold Coast, Queensland : 1st-3rd July 2007
- Full Text: false
- Description: This paper explores the circumstances and implications of an episode of accounting change arising from the extended use of accrual accounting within the Australian public sector. The matter under scrutiny is the financial reporting of the library collections of Australia’s public universities. Accounting standards applying within the Australian public sector may be interpreted as requiring such collections to be accounted for as assets in the statements of financial position of the entities that manage them. A survey reveals considerable diversity and subjectivity in the accounting practices adopted in seeking to satisfy this requirement. Consideration is given to possible explanations for the disorderly state of practice observed, and questions raised regarding the reliability and usefulness of the information reported. The financial reporting of library collections is depicted as a “chaotic margin” of accounting, and the technical propriety of attempting to express and account for these non-financial resources in financial terms is rendered problematic.
- Description: 2003005170
Australia's divided accounting profession : the 1969 merger attempt and its legacy
- Authors: Sidhu, Jasvinder , Carnegie, Garry , West, Brian
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: British Accounting Review Vol. 53, no. 3 (2021), p.
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: The Australian accounting environment is dominated by two competing brands – Chartered Accountant (CA) and Certified Practising Accountant (CPA) – which signal that the profession has been unable to achieve full unification. Focussed on 1969, this dual theory-informed, in-depth study examines the first of four unsuccessful attempts to merge the two professional accounting associations from which the two brands originate: The Australian Society of Accountants (the Society) and The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia (the Institute). Primary data from public archives and oral history interviews, combined with secondary sources, are drawn upon to explain the failure of this proposed merger and to consider its legacy. The complementary theoretical perspectives of “boundary-work” and “institutional work” are applied. Amidst other challenges, corporate collapses during the 1960s precipitated a legitimacy crisis for the profession and raised the prospect of there being sufficient commonality of purpose to enable a merger. While there was overwhelming support from Society members, the merger proposal was defeated by a comprehensive “no” vote from Institute members. This pattern of voting was repeated in three subsequent merger attempts, leading to the persistence of the curious binary structure of the Australian accounting profession and associated ongoing differences and tensions. © 2021 British Accounting Association
Does accounting history matter?
- Authors: Gomes, Delfina , Carnegie, Garry , Napier, Christopher , Parker, Lee , West, Brian
- Date: 2011
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Accounting History Vol. 16, no. 4 (2011), p. 389-402
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Building upon panel discussion held at the sixth Accounting History International Conference, a resounding "yes" is offered in response to the question of whether accounting history matters. However, reflecting the viewpoint that accounting history can and should matter more, various suggestions are presented for advancing the quality, relevance and significance of historical research in accounting, commencing with the need to redress persistent misconceptions about the discipline. Practical strategies for enhancing the impact of accounting history scholarship are then developed around the themes of promoting its contemporary relevance and implications, fostering engagement with diverse groups of scholars, writing accounting history in informative and engaging ways, and articulating and developing appropriate methodologies. Finally, the role of accounting historians as "change agents" is explored and advocated. © The Author(s) 2011.
F.E. Vigars' "Station Book-keeping": A specialist Australian text enabling the adaptation and transfer of accounting technology
- Authors: Carnegie, Garry , Foreman, Peter , West, Brian
- Date: 2006
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Accounting Historians Journal Vol. 33, no. 2 (2006), p. 103-130
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Studies of early Australian accounting texts and their authors have yet to be augmented by examinations of the subsequent specialist books which were written to guide accounting practice within specific domains, such as the pastoral and mining industries. This study examines the contents, use, and influence of an early specialist pastoral accounting text entitled Station Book-keeping, which was published in Australia in five editions over the period 1900 to 1937. The life and career of the book's author, Francis Ernest Vigars, are also outlined. Station Book-keeping described and advocated a comprehensive system of double-entry accounting for pastoral stations and is posited as a key medium by which this technology was adapted and transferred for use by these entities. In turn, it is argued that Vigars' book, by extending the use of conventional accounting technique, facilitated greater involvement by professional accountants within a major Australian industry.
- Description: C1
- Description: 2003001787
How well does accrual accounting fit the public sector?
- Authors: Carnegie, Garry , West, Brian
- Date: 2003
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Australian Journal of Public Administration Vol. 62, no. 2 (Jun 2003), p. 83-86
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: In this 'controversy' we challenge the unqualified application of full accrual accounting within the Australian public sector. In particular attention is directed to the recognition and valuation for financial reporting purposes of public sector resources that are of a non-financial nature, such as library and museum collections. Our main contention is that attempting to recognise such resources at monetary values within the financial reports of public sector organisations is a contrived, imprecise and inappropriate practice that threatens to occlude rather than enable the accountability of public sector institutions and their managers. Building from this accountability theme, we present perspectives on promoting accountability for the technical accounting practices which have been imposed within the public sector.
- Description: C1
- Description: 2003000618
Making accounting accountable in the public sector
- Authors: Carnegie, Garry , West, Brian
- Date: 2005
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Critical Perspectives on Accounting Vol. 16, no. 7 (2005), p. 905-928
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Accounting is conventionally constituted and practised as a quantitative discipline which emphasises the use of money values. Where such values are unavailable or inappropriate, non-money quantifications or qualitative forms of information take precedence. However, the boundaries of conventional accounting remain imprecisely defined and this creates a jurisdictional tension between monetary and non-monetary systems of accountability. This issue is examined within the context of the Australian and New Zealand public sectors, where recent regulatory changes have mandated the valuation for financial reporting purposes of a broad range of government controlled resources that are of a non-financial character. Rationales for this expanded use of money values are re-evaluated within the context of practical and theoretical issues associated with their application, particularly with regard to the accountability of public sector institutions. This accountability theme is then extended in terms of the need to make accounting itself more accountable within the public sector. © 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
- Description: C1
- Description: 2003001073
Price setting practices in Australian Local Government
- Authors: Carnegie, Garry , Tuck, Jacqueline , West, Brian
- Date: 2011
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Australian Accounting Review Vol. 21, no. 2 (2011), p. 193-201
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Revenues generated on a 'fee-for-service' or 'user-pays' basis are a significant source of income for Australian local governments. However, how local governments set prices and charges remains under-explicated. This article reports empirical evidence obtained on the pricing policies and practices of Australian local governments. The responses to a national survey reveal considerable diversity - and often an apparent lack of 'rationality'- in setting specific prices. Instead, general 'across the board' adjustments to historical prices are typically made to assist in balancing budgets. The cost of service delivery is neither a prominent nor standardised input to pricing decisions. © 2011 CPA Australia.
The accountability of public museums in Portugal
- Authors: Menezes, Carlos , Carnegie, Garry , West, Brian
- Date: 2009
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal Accounting and Management Vol. 7, no. March (2009), p. 69-96
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: The land within the boundaries of present-day Portugal has been settled continuously since prehistoric times and this long history has delivered the country a rich heritage. Reflective of these circumstances, Portugal has nearly 600 museums (including 386 public institutions) which hold extensive collections of a diverse range of artefacts that are of historical, cultural, scientific, artistic and archaeological significance. While many of these artefacts originated within Portugal, others are sourced from the many locations throughout the world where the Portuguese established a presence during the colonial era. Portugal’s museums thereby hold collections that are of significance for the citizens of the country and of the world. This exploratory study identifies and examines accountability issues arising within Portugal’s public museums. It focuses on assessing the stewardship of management for organisational performance, including the conservation and preservation of the unique and valuable public collections of these institutions and the role of performance measurement in accountability regimes under “New Public Management” (NPM). The study outlines the development of the Portuguese public museums sector, identifies accountability issues in the sector and presents proposals for enhancing public accountability based on international contributions and developments.
- Description: 2003007349
Understanding the dynamics of the Australian accounting profession : A prosopographical study of the founding members of the Incorporated Institute of Accountants, Victoria, 1886 to 1908
- Authors: Carnegie, Garry , Edwards, John , West, Brian
- Date: 2003
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal Vol. 16, no. 5 (2003), p. 790-820
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Numerous studies have examined the institutional setting of accounting as a professional occupation. However, institutional deeds and outcomes derive from the behaviour of individual actors, particularly those key players who drive the creation, policy development and outlook of practitioner associations. Recognising this, and in search of a more detailed understanding of the dynamics of professional formation, this study applies the prosopographical method of inquiry to accounting development in Australia during the period 1886 to 1908. Motives and actions are identified with the founding members of the Incorporated Institute of Accountants, Victoria, during this formative era, which saw key personalities transfer their allegiance to the Australasian Corporation of Public Accountants. The beliefs, preferences and ambitions of individual participants are shown to exert significant influence over the process of professional formation, highlighting the capacity of prosopographical studies to augment the predominantly vocational and institutional focus of the prior sociology of professions literature.
- Description: C1
- Description: 2003000616