Accounting and accountability in local government: Contributions from accounting history research

Abstract

This work provides an analysis of published historical research on accounting and accountability in local government (LG) and in public organizations that have links to LG. Within this context, the study identifies the main themes and trends in this historical research, the extent of adoption of particular theoretical perspectives, the nature of sources examined, the periods of time investigated, and the main contributions of published research on accounting’s past within LG settings. By so doing, this article highlights possible future research topics and makes a call for rigorous and robust research on the development of systems of accounting and accountability in LG around the globe. Such research will recognize that accounting, besides being perceived as a technical practice, is also a social practice, with implications for organizational and social functioning.