公共受托责任、政府会计边界与政府财务报告的理论定位

公共受托责任的复杂性与会计系统的固有缺陷决定了单一的会计系统难以满足公共受托责任多元化的信息需求。会计系统在公共领域是该保持固有属性并优化其功能,还是应扩展功能以满足公共领域复杂的信息需求,必须进行抉择。政府会计边界概念在考虑公共受托责任复杂性的前提下,运用成本效益分析,结合系统设计原理界定了政府会计功能选择的范围,并明确了政府财务报告的理论定位。     

解析有效政府会计体系

政府会计有三级目标：基本目标是检查、防范舞弊贪污行为，保持公共资金的安全完整。它关注忠实受托责任和过程受托责任，强调内部受托责任。政府会计需要采用基金会计、加强预算控制并提供符合性报告来实现。中级目标是促进健全的财务管理，关注业绩受托责任和项目受托责任．也强调内部受托责任。[第一段]     

我国政府会计改革历程与展望

政府会计改革是公共财政建设和政府预算管理改革的重要组成部分。政府会计改革的方向选择,是摆在政府部门和会计理论界、实务界面前的一个现实课题。划分了我国政府会计改革的时期,针对政府职能转变、公共受托责任和会计确认多基础的挑战,从改革目的、改革基础、改革方法和改革评价等方面提出了我国政府会计改革的展望。     

我国政府会计改革历程与展望

政府会计改革是公共财政建设和政府预算管理改革的重要组成部分。政府会计改革的方向选择．是摆在政府部门和会计理论界、实务界面前的一个现实课题。划分了我国政府会计改革的时期,针对政府职能转变、公共受托责任和会计确认多基础的挑战,从改革目的、改革基础、改革方法和改革评价等方面提出了我国政府会计改革的展望。     

我国政府会计改革取向定位与改革路径设计——基于Lüder政府会计变革模型分析

政府会计是财政管理的重要方面,是政府提高自身的财政透明度,解脱其公共受托责任,完成社会监督的要求的重要实现手段。公共危机的凸显,透明型、服务型政府的建设,社会监督的加强都强调了完善政府会计改革,强化政府公共财务管理的需要。政府会计改革时间、路径、模式的确定都需要建立在对政府会计影响因素分析的基础之上。Lüder政府会计变革模型为政府会计改革的研究提供了一个可行的分析框架．本文拟借鉴Lüder政府会计变革模型对我国政府会计改革的因素进行综合分析,设计我国政府会计改革的取向定位与改革路径选择。     

构建我国政府财务报告体系的设想

随着我国公共管理水平的不断提高,全面监督政府对其受托管理的各项公共资源的受托责任已成为必然.如何尽快建立一整套立足于我国国情,并且符合国际惯例的政府财务报告已受到越来越多的关注.在此背景下,政府财务报告无疑是政府贯彻公共管理理念、履行公共受托责任的重要途径之一.本文通过对政府财务报告改革现状及现行做法和存在的缺陷进行探...     

我国政府会计改革取向定位与改革路径设计——基于Lüder政府会计变革模型分析

政府会计是财政管理的重要方面,是政府提高自身的财政透明度,解脱其公共受托责任.完成社会监督的要求的重要实现手段。公共危机的凸显,透明型、服务型政府的建设,社会监督的加强都强调了完善政府会计改革,强化政府公共财务管理的需要。政府会计改革时间、路径、模式的确定都需要建立在对政府会计影响因素分析的基础之上。L(u|¨)der政府会计变革模型为政府会计改革的研究提供了一个可行的分析框架,本文拟借鉴L(u|¨)der政府会计变革模型对我国政府会计改革的因素进行综合分析,设计我国政府会计改革的取向定位与改革路径选择。     

我国政府会计与报告目标宜强调受托责任兼顾决策有用

"受托责任观"与"决策有用观"是财务报告目标的两种主流观点,二者的价值取向各有侧重。本文认为,我国的政府会计改革宜借鉴企业会计准则的目标界定,兼顾决策有用与受托责任;鉴于政府会计的特殊性,应更强调受托责任观。     

我国政府会计与报告目标宜强调受托责任兼顾决策有用

＂受托责任观＂与＂决策有用观＂是财务报告目标的两种主流观点,二者的价值取向各有侧重。本文认为,我国的政府会计改革宜借鉴企业会计准则的目标界定,兼顾决策有用与受托责任;鉴于政府会计的特殊性,应更强调受托责任观。     

政府会计要素的确认与计量问题研究

我国政府会计改革近期的首要任务是全面反映和控制预算收支的状况,满足财政管理的需要。中期任务是反映公共预算的绩效和政府的受托责任。基于此,我国政府会计应当改革现行单一的预算会计,实行以预算会计为主、预算会计与财务会计有机结合的模式。在去年的研究报告中,我们将预算会计的对象界定为全口径的预算收支,反映预算执行情况;将财务会计的对象界定为除企业会计和民间非营利组织会计以外的所有单位（基金）的价值运动,即政府财务状况。     

我国政府会计改革的若干问题

文章系统分析了当前我国市场经济环境和改革开放的新形势对政府会计改革提出的要求 ,重点探讨了我国政府职能的转换、公共财政体制的改革、政府收支分类科目的变化、政府绩效评价制度的建设以及政府监督的加强等与政府会计改革之间的内在关系 ,提出了当前加大我国政府会计准则研究的必要性和紧迫性。文章还介绍了政府会计标准方面的国际惯例和我国政府会计改革与国际协调的问题。最后 ,文章就如何推进我国政府会计改革提出了若干亟需研究的问题     

政府会计基础比较研究——传统的收付实现制与崛起的权责发生制,孰优孰劣?

传统上 ,政府受托责任的核心是反映政府部门预算执行情况以及支出是否符合有关法律法规要求 ,这一定位并不完全适应剧变了的经济环境的内在要求。在当今经济全球化的大背景下 ,政府受托责任的具体内容与形式发生了根本性的变化。是关注现金流以做到切实遵守预算 ,还是注重资源及其使用以提高效率和效果 ,这种由不同的公共管理理念决定的会计目标差异 ,必然导致不同的会计技术选择 ,更直接地说 ,它决定了政府会计方法基础的选择。本文通过对两种会计基础的深入研究 ,认为在政府会计领域采用传统的单一会计基础有一定局限性 ,应该借鉴国际经验有选择地进行权衡取舍 ,循序渐进地实施相关改革。     

Accounting infrastructure and accountability in the management of public expenditure in developing countries: A focus on Nigeria

Accountability in the control and management of public funds is one of the most sensitive aspects of the activities of government in all democracies. Hence, the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria contains provisions relating to legislative powers and control over public funds. However, the required level of accountability in public expenditure has not been achieved in Nigeria. The situation has remained worrisome even though the country does not lack in the appropriate laws and regulation required to bring sanity into the system. Though there have been some bold steps and initiatives in the recent past by the government by strengthening existing institutions and creating new ones with responsibility for fraud and other controls, the issue of weak accounting infrastructure has not been addressed. The paper argues that accountability in public expenditure can more easily be realized within the context of a sound accounting infrastructure and a robust accounting profession and not in the multiplicity of laws and anti-corruption agencies; all of which are reactive in nature. Therefore, the paper reports on the current state of accounting infrastructure in Nigeria, and conclude with an assessment of the existing agencies and current reform initiatives in ensuring accountability in public expenditure in Nigeria.     

我国政府会计改革取向定位与改革路径设计——基于多重理论视角

当前我国政府会计中存在众多改革议题,如何依次合理安排各种改革议题是顺利推进政府会计改革的先决条件。这需要解决两个问题:一是改革取向的定位,即我国当前及未来政府会计改革应坚持何种取向?二是改革路径的设计,即如何对各种改革议题进行优先次序安排并加以协调?本文基于多重理论视角,在综合考察各国政府会计改革所坚持取向及所涉及改革议题的基础上,探讨了我国政府会计改革的取向定位,并对改革路径进行了初步设计。     

Accounting for public space

How is accounting implicated in the ordering of public space? Starting from the assumption that public space is that portion of an institutional field where, in part because of the participation of the media, there is relatively more openness in the flow of information and in the ability of field participants to engage in public discussion and debate, the study examines the relationship between accounting and public space in the context of educational reforms in Alberta, Canada. Using a variety of archival, conversational, interview and focus group data as well as the theoretical insights of Bourdieu and Foucault, the analysis highlights how the financial and accountability mechanisms used by the provincial government as part of its reform initiatives facilitated changes in the types and amounts of capital of certain field participants, encouraged the partitioning of generic social groupings such as parents and academic labour into more finely distinguished social groupings, and introduced new ways of saying and doing into the field. While these accounting and accountability changes were constraining on certain field participants they were also productive in that the new flows of accounting information created new opportunities within the field for certain field participants.     

A Trusteeship Theory of Accounting for Natural Capital Assets

One of the problems encountered in implementing accrual accounting in the government sector is that of accounting for natural capital assets provided freely to government and which are used as public goods. Professional accounting standards require that these assets be valued and included in the government's statement of assets and liabilities. The problem is not encountered in business accrual accounting because business neither acquires assets freely nor provides services to the public on a non-commercial basis.
Various issues surrounding accrual accounting for natural capital assets used as public goods are examined in this article. The nature and characteristics of such assets, and the distinctions between private goods and public goods markets, are first explained to set the context for examination of the issues. Then the issues as to whether natural capital assets should be treated as assets for accounting purposes and included in the government's statement of financial position are analysed according to FASB standards; it is concluded that they are not assets. Rather, it is proposed that these assets used for the provision of non-commercial services to the public should be treated in a separate category as public goods assets which are held in trust by the government on behalf of the nation, for the benefit of current and future generations and for the preservation of the natural ecology of the nation. Commercial valuations are not relevant for these assets and they need not be valued in financial terms for their good management.     

ACCOUNTABILITY AND THE POLL TAX: THE IMPACT ON LOCAL AUTHORITY BUDGETS OF THE REFORM OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCE IN ENGLAND

In 1990 the United Kingdom government introduced major reforms to the system of local government finance in England. The most dramatic change was the replacement of domestic property taxation by a flat rate community charge, or poll tax. The government's principal argument for this reform was that it would enhance the accountability of local authorities to their electorates. This paper examines the nature of this accountability link, and develops measures of the extent to which the new arrangements have increased accountability. A model is presented which seeks to determine whether the changes in accountability have led to changes in the expenditure patterns of local authorities in the first year of the reforms. The results are negative, and this preliminary evidence therefore suggests that the accountability arguments for the reforms are spurious.     

The Commercialization of Government's Departmental Accounting (AAS 29): Quasi Rents and Public Welfare

In the Australian public sector. departmental administrative reform is intent on producing lean. efficient. commercially orientated government entities. An accounting regulatory response is AAS 29. Financial Reporting for Governtizetzt Departments. which requires all government departments as reporting entities to adopt in principle much of the whole corpus of private sector accounting standards and statements including. importantly, current cost accounting. This paper explores the proposition that the commercialization of departmental accounting through AAS 29 or similar pronouncements is directly associated with a significant reduction in social and public welfare accountability. Accounting processes are powerful. value-laden agents of social change. Benston (1980) states that 'benefits (net of costs) of accounting standards to society' cannot be measured but can be specified for individuals. Here. accounting outcomes are identified to be the residuals of economic policies to eliminate quasi rents in government. Standardization in AAS 29 rests on the assumption that rights and obligations being equities of generations of participants can be periodically measured as A -L = E at current factor prices. This economic notion lacks cultural heritage in financial disclosure of continuing equities in government and may, for any generation of consumers. induce an excess of social costs over social benefits for the accounting standardization process under prevailing managerialist philosophies.     

Government Accounting: An Assessment of Theory, Purposes and Standards

Government accounting and financial reporting aims to protect and manage public money and discharge accountability. These purposes, and the nature of public goods and tax financing, give rise to differences with commercial accounting. This is not yet reflected either in government accounting standards in English–speaking developed nations or in international public sector accounting standards. All of these are heavily influenced by private sector practices, which favour the accrual basis and consolidated reporting. This article argues for a gradual symmetric approach to accruals and a combination of government–wide and fund reporting. The author also proposes some broad accounting principles to promote political and economic accountability.     

The day after: newly-elected politicians and the use of accounting information

Most democracies expect accounting information to be used by public managers and elected politicians to support decision-making and accountability to both the public and higher levels of government. This paper shows that Italian local government politicians also use accounting information to influence public opinion and to win political benefit after elections when there has been a change in the ruling party.