Accounting, management and accountability in times of crisis: lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic

Alessandro Lai,Giulia Leoni,Martina Linnenluecke,Riccardo Stacchezzini,Istemi Demirag,Ileana Steccolini,Stephen Brammer

doi:10.1108/aaaj-05-2021-5279

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to discuss the themes emerging from the first studies exploring accounting, accountability and management practices during the COVID-19 pandemic and coming from a diversity of experiences, across countries, organizations and individuals. In so doing, the paper gives an overview of the most recent findings about the role of accounting and accountability in times of crisis that are hosted in this special issue of Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal (AAAJ).Design/methodology/approachThe paper draws together and identifies emerging themes related to the current COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts on accounting, accountability and management practices and considers how the studies in this issue extend one’s knowledge of accounting and contribute to accounting research.FindingsThree emerging themes are drawn and their contribution to accounting scholarship is discussed. The first theme deals with the role of accounting and numbers in supporting governmental responses to COVID-19. The second theme considers accounting practices used to make exceptional decisions at the organizational level in times of crisis. The third theme addresses a relevant frontier of research into accounting and inequalities.Practical implicationsIn considering the diverse contributions of this special issue, the paper points out how uncertainty and change can impact the design, use and understanding of accounting, management and accountability practices and can be accepted by scholars and practitioners as part of such practices.Originality/valueThis paper provides a timely and comprehensive picture of the first reflections and research findings on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on one’s interpretation of accounting, accountability and management practices.

Highlights

This paper provides a timely and comprehensive picture of the first reflections and research findings on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on one’s interpretation of accounting, accountability and management practices
The Global Preparedness Monitoring Board (GPMB) (2019) warned in September 2019 that the world was at risk from deadly pandemics and governments should prepare for – and mitigate – the effects of a widespread global health emergency that could kill millions and damage the global economy
Accounting and COVID-19 special issue: emerging themes With this special issue we aimed to reveal the role played by accounting, accountability and management practices in the COVID-19 pandemic at a global level to extend our knowledge of accounting, accountability and management in times of emergency and to reflect on the lessons to be learned to improve the preparedness of organizations and society and prevent future crises

Summary

Introduction

The Global Preparedness Monitoring Board (GPMB) (2019) warned in September 2019 that the world was at risk from deadly pandemics and governments should prepare for – and mitigate – the effects of a widespread global health emergency that could kill millions and damage the global economy. This involves an attempt to understand the charity’s capacity to cope with the financial impacts of the crisis (Barbera et al, 2020) and shows how the calculative practices have enabled sense shaping, based on accounting calculations in terms of boxes of supply, with their financial implications This analysis has some relevance to the prior research theme on the role of accounting in crisis (Boin et al, 2016; Newberry, 2020; Sargiacomo, 2015) and complements it by highlighting how a sense shaping process is carried out in a charity organization by senior and operational managers sharing their knowledge and expertise through planning meetings and by developing calculative practices in order to resolve financial issues in exceptional times. Accountants and accounting, as key stewards and standard-setters in the global economic system, have a vital role to play in continuing to expose, measure, understand and repair global inequalities of many kinds, as the research discussed above demonstrates

Accounting and management in Conclusions times of crisis