On Being a Financial Manager in a Church Organisation: Understanding the Experience

Accountants and financial managers, as individuals and as occupational groups, are largely invisible in the growing body of financial management literature. In particular, limited privilege has been given to the experiences of financial managers in organisations dominated by social or value‐based goals, rather than financial motives. To begin to address this lacunae, this paper presents a micro study of financial managers 'in motion'( Hopwood, 1987 ) in the state division of a large Australian church. By explicating the financial managers' own perspectives of their experiences, the study provides a unique perspective of understanding of what it is to 'be' a financial manager in a non‐profit entity.     

The effect of board‐manager agency conflicts on non‐profit organisations’ earnings and cost allocation manipulations

Taking into account agency problems between board and management within non‐profit organisations, for the first time a comprehensive formal model of earnings manipulations is developed. Both organisational earnings as well as disaggregated financial performance indicators are looked at, the last ones being affected by possible indirect cost allocation manipulations. The model takes into consideration the impact of disclosed earnings and performance indicators on externally raised funds, and assumes risk‐neutral managers. In the last section, it is generalised by introducing risk‐averse managers.

The conditions for optimal manipulation levels (from a managerial point of view) are derived. Depending on the (dis) utility parameters involved, different solutions emerge. As to the agency problems, it is shown that, at least for all interior solutions, a single mechanism is at work in all the situations analysed: more agency problems lead to more manipulations, both at the organisational level and the disaggregated level.     

Differentiated regulation: the case of charities

The increasing number and influence of charities in the economy, evidence of mismanagement and the need for information for policymaking are all reasons for establishing charity regulators. Public interest and public choice theories explain charity regulation which aims to increase public trust and confidence in charities (and thus increase voluntarism and philanthropy) and to limit tax benefits to specific organisations and donors. Nevertheless, regulation is resource intensive, and growing pressure on government budgets requires efficiencies to be found. This study proposes regulation differentiated according to charities' main resource providers, to reduce costs and focus regulatory effort, and provides a feasible segmentation.     

Accountability and not‐for‐profit organisations: Implications for developing international financial reporting standards

This paper provides empirical evidence which informs contemporary debates on developing international financial reporting standards for not‐for‐profit organisations (NPOs). Drawing on a global survey with respondents showing experience of NPO reporting in 179 countries, we explore: practice and beliefs about NPO financial reporting internationally; perceptions of accountability between NPOs and stakeholders; and implications for developing international financial reporting standards. Interpreting our research in the context of accountability, we find considerable support for developing international financial reporting standards for NPOs, recognising broad stewardship accountability to all stakeholders as important, but prioritising accountability upwards to external funders and regulators.     

Non‐profit vulnerability: An exploratory study

This mixed‐method study explores the symptoms and potential causes of non‐profit vulnerability within the Australian context. Following two focus groups with CEOs and Chairs of non‐profit organizations, an online survey was developed, pilot tested and distributed to non‐profit CEOs. Our findings suggest three symptoms that might be particularly useful in identifying non‐profit vulnerability: a substantial increase in unit costs/delivery hours; a substantial increase in the proportion of administration to program expenses; and a reduced ability to pursue the organization's mission. The results also suggest various potential causes of non‐profit vulnerability; in particular, Board inadequacies; External environmental threats; Project management issues; and Funding constraints.     

Research Techniques and Their Use in Managing Non–profit Organisations – An Illustration of DEA Analysis in NPO Environments

This article examines nonprofit organisations from the managerial viewpoint. The objective is to study the applicability of efficiency information in managing NPOs. For this purpose important conceptual and methodological aspects are addressed. An efficiency measurement technique (DEA) is then analysed as a case in point, and its main characteristics critically reviewed. DEA applications in four NPO environments are examined. The aim is to pinpoint possibilities and limitations in using DEA–based efficiency information in the management process of NPOs. The article argues in favour of a more profound comprehension of the use of efficiency information and the application of research techniques.     

政府购买医疗保障服务政策下商业健康保险的盈利模式

新医改提出政府向商业健康保险公司购买医疗保障管理服务的思路,为私营医疗保险市场的进一步发展提供了政策支持。但医改方案公布后,除人保健康进入这一市场外,其他公司仍举旗观望,提供该类服务的公司寥寥无几。这一困境出现的原因是保险机构对政府购买经办服务政策下,相关产品组合的盈利模式缺乏认识。对可得的有限数据进行分析,期望总结中...     

美国医疗保险扩面改革之路的里程碑

虽然美国有两大类三大层次的医疗保险体系,但没有实现如其他大多数发达国家那样的全民医保,缺乏一张覆盖全国的社会医疗网络,始终是美国近10年来备受诟病的社会问题.没有医疗保险的问题始终处于社会政策争议的前沿和核心.之前克林顿总统失败的改革方案核心就是实现全民医保,15年后,奥巴马新医改方案又明确将扩大覆盖面作为其改革的重中之重.然而,历经波折得以通过的奥巴马医改法案却依然面临诸多反对和抗议,其中最为核心的是关乎强制参险的条款.2012年6月28日,美国最高法院裁定奥巴马医疗保险改革的大部分条款合乎宪法,最具争议的强制参险也得以保留,这意味着美国在实现全民医保时代的进程中向前迈出了一大步.     

Revenue Recognition: Judgment in the Spotlight / LA CONSTATATION DES PRODUITS: PLEINS FEUX SUR LE JUGEMENT

This paper examines recent history in the area of revenue recognition in financial reporting by Canadian public companies. Revenue recognition is critical because of the profound impact this accounting policy has on the financial statements, but it can be highly judgmental. Restatement of public financial statements is taken as evidence that the reliability of the reported results, as initially presented, is questionable ‐ that is, the financial statements do not fairly reflect the financial position of the organization. We examine recent newsworthy examples of restatement of revenue by Canadian public companies to determine whether this can be traced to faulty professional judgment or to other circumstances, such as deliberate misrepresentation. Les auteures se penchent sur l'histoire récente de la constatation des produits, dans l'information financière communiquée par les sociétés ouvertes canadiennes. L'importance cruciale de la constatation des produits tient aux répercussions profondes qu'a la méthode de constatation sur les états financiers et au fait qu'elle peut faire largement appel au jugement. Les auteures évaluent certains exemples canadiens récents de retraitement des produits qui sont dignes d'être rendus publics, afin d'en déterminer les paramètres.     

Irish voluntary hospitals: an examination of a theory of voluntary failure

This paper examines the success and failure of voluntary hospital organisations in Ireland during the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. The study draws on (and extends) Salamon's theory of voluntary failure by examining the activities of religious organisations responsible for the ownership, management and delivery of acute hospital care. This theoretical perspective identifies a number of dimensions of organisational life for voluntary organisations, which precipitated the demise of organisations as voluntary sector entities, particularly issues of resource-dependency. This study shows that in the Irish hospital context many religiously owned voluntary hospitals have followed the predictable route to failure - culminating either in closure or transfer to public sector ownership, although some others have withstood the difficulties commonly encountered by voluntary organisations (VOs) as outlined by Salamon.     

Management Control Systems in NPOs: An Italian Survey

This paper tries to point out the role and the characteristics of management control systems (MCS) in organisations whose main goal is not for profit (NPO). Are MCS a necessary or (at least) a useful tool to manage these organisations? How have they to fit the typical nature of NPOs? Are the traditional control processes (planning, programming, budgeting, reporting) effective in NPOs? What kind of information do they use? What is the 'state of the art' and the degree of sophistication of MCS in NPOs? To address these issues, a survey has been conducted among 76 Italian NPO top managers, and the results are reported in this paper.     

Audit as Leviathan: Constructing Quality Registers in Swedish Health Care

This paper explores the rise of an audit practice: the national quality registers in Swedish health care. Based on actor‐network theory, the study tells the story of an actor‐network formed by physicians in the 1970s who mobilized themselves around a common object; to develop the knowledge‐base of medical professionals. However, over time more actors became persuaded of the potential of the network and associate themselves with it, resulting in reformed registers. The study shows how the network develops into a macro‐actor, a Leviathan in health care, how this macro‐actor comes to affect health care practices and how it contributes towards maintaining a new governance regime.     

日本老年人养老设施的现状与趋势

应用案例分析的方法探究日本目前老年人养老设施及福利政策上存在的问题,进而在日本现行的护理社会保险制度下如何完善老年人养老设施的经营与管理提出自己的见解。其见解主要集中在社会资源即民间资本引入时,政府如何发挥作用,对营利型养老设施带来的问题,护理人员的人力资源如何确保等等。这些问题的探究在老龄化社会中具有一定的共性,因此对中国的老年人福利政策及老年人养老设施的建设有一定的借鉴意义。     

Are health insurers in multiple lines of business less profitable? An examination of scope economies in health insurance

In markets where companies can offer multiple products or services, production costs may decline, and profitability may increase as business scope expands. Using a sample of health insurers from 2015 to 2018 with data reported in the annual NAIC Supplemental Health Care Exhibit, we test whether scope economies exist among health insurers. We evaluate the relationship between scope and four profitability metrics—the medical loss ratio, the expense ratio, the underwriting profit ratio, and a profit efficiency measure obtained using a data envelopment analysis technique. We test two competing hypotheses from prior literature on scope economies in insurance. The strategic focus hypothesis states performance is higher for insurers that specialize in one line of business. The conglomeration hypothesis states performance is higher for insurers that operate in multiple lines of business. Our results provide evidence in support of the strategic focus hypothesis among US health insurers.     

医保改革面临挑战

当前,许多国家仍存在医疗服务可得性差、医疗成本高昂、公共卫生支出效率低下等问题,医保改革面临重大挑战。医保改革目标存在两难—既要改善人们的健康状况,又要控制支出成本,因而提高公共卫生支出效率是改善社会健康状况的最优选择。各国政府的干预形式和公共卫生支出水平因国别、时间等的不同而变化。财政状况较好的新兴经济体需在保证财政可持续的前提下扩大基本医保覆盖面;发达经济体则应注重提升公共卫生支出的效率并限制支出增长速度。     

Making charity effectiveness transparent: Building a stakeholder‐focussed framework of reporting

Effectiveness in achieving mission is fundamental to evaluating charity performance, and is of central concern to stakeholders who fund, regulate and otherwise engage with such organisations. Exploring the meaning of transparency in the context of stakeholder engagement, and utilising previous research and authoritative sector discussion, this paper develops a novel framework of transparent, stakeholder‐focussed effectiveness reporting. It is contended that such reporting can assist the charity sector in discharging accountability, gaining legitimacy and in sharpening mission‐centred managerial decision making. Then applying this to UK charities’ publicly available communications, it highlights significant challenges and weaknesses in current effectiveness reporting.