Global Accounting Research Articles

The Progression of Forensics and Transitional Justice within the Framework of Technological Advancements in the Justice System

The academic community has paid surprisingly little attention to the transformative impact that forensic science has had on the way in which nations deal with their violent history. This contrasts with the growing interest in institutional and normative aspects that promote global accountability. This research contributes to the current body of literature on transitional justice by drawing attention to the innovative but unappreciated role that forensic justice technology plays in empowering victims to pursue justice, responsibility, and human rights. Even though forensic technology has made it feasible to positively identify human remains for humanitarian purposes, strong evidence from exhumations is still required in order to bring those responsible for egregious violations of human rights to justice. Within the scope of this research, interviews were conducted with forensic specialists, judges, prosecutors, and lawmakers to gain an understanding of the ways in which these tools influence accountability in post-conflict environments. It provides an explanation of how transitional justice developed concurrently with the expansion of forensic tools for investigating possible violations of human rights.

Globalized accounting profession and the U.S. certified public accountancy

Globalization has affected the accounting profession most throughout the world. In today’s environment, many international accountants have recently become Chartered Accountants (CA) of the United Kingdom or Certified Public Accountants of the United States and Territories, even though they do not live in those countries. In addition, the number of international candidates has been increasing gradually, and they should know how to be licensed for one or both of those designations. In this context, the paper argues how anglophone accounting institutes and associations of English-speaking countries overwhelmingly have impacted the global accounting profession during the last two decades. In addition, it discusses the requirements for international candidates to become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in the United States. Consequently, the paper summarizes and documents the education requirements for international candidates who want to be licensed as a certified public accountant in the United States. National and global stakeholders, such as accounting students, accounting organizations, and regulators, may find this helpful information.

PISA in the mirror

This paper offers a conceptual analysis of the OECD’s Programme of International Student Assessment (PISA) through the lens of the organizational sociology. Building upon a narrative review of the literature, it explores drivers behind the current prominence of PISA, using concepts derived from rational systems, social efficiency, and new institutionalist approaches. From the analysis of PISA’s rationales, logics of operation and impacts, the key finding is that PISA’s power and limitations function as a mirror, reflecting coinciding features of the program’s design and OECD’s characteristics mobilized by critics and supporters in opposite directions. Given PISA’s appeal for policymakers, the paper calls for further research to uncover its cross-cultural learning potential, rather than reinforce it as a tool of global accountability and standardization.

Experimental investigation of steady state power balance in double null and single null H mode plasmas in MAST Upgrade

Global power balance calculations in steady state H mode plasmas varying the distance between separatrices (drsep) and the divertor configuration have been performed in MAST Upgrade. As drsep becomes more negative, more of the power crossing the separatrix goes to the lower divertor. The inner divertor receives a higher fraction of the power exhaust in a Super-X divertor plasma compared to a conventional divertor plasma at similar negative drsep, which is a concern for high power devices employing alternative divertor configurations for power exhaust handling. Global power accounting suggests >30% of the input power is unaccounted for with the power loss channels quantified in this work. Charge exchange and orbit losses from the NBI could account for a large fraction of unaccounted power but it is not possible to precisely determine this without further diagnostic calibration.

Robotic Process Automation and Global Accounting Services: An Evaluation of Technology Acceptance Theory

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) has revolutionized Global Accounting Services (GAS) by automating repetitive and rule-based tasks traditionally performed by human workers. This study investigates the impact of RPA on the efficiency and accuracy of accounting services and examines factors influencing its acceptance among accounting professionals using the Technology Acceptance Theory (TAT). The study employed a survey research approach, which required quantitative data to provide a comprehensive analysis. The sample comprised 62 accounting professionals with varied qualifications and experience. The research instrument was composed of a structured questionnaire and semi-structured interviews which were validated for reliability and validity, ensuring accurate measurement of RPA’s perceived usefulness, ease of use, and its effects on accounting tasks. The findings showed a significant positive correlation between RPA implementation and improvements in the efficiency and accuracy of accounting services (r= 0.811). Furthermore, the study confirms that perceived usefulness and ease of use are critical factors influencing RPA acceptance among professionals (r=0.776). The regression analysis supports the hypotheses: RPA significantly enhances accounting efficiency and accuracy (R² = 0.684); and, perceived usefulness and ease of use significantly impact RPA adoption (R² = 0.657). Based on this, incorporating RPA into Global Accounting Services (GAS) offers a strategic advantage by automating repetitive and time-consuming accounting tasks such as data entry, reconciliation, and reporting. This automation ensures a significant boost in operational efficiency as RPA software robots perform these tasks tirelessly and accurately, eliminating the risks of human errors and fatigue. Lastly, it is vital to evaluate how accounting professionals perceive the ease of use and usefulness of this technology. This research contributes to the understanding of RPA’s role in transforming global accounting services and provides insights into the factors driving technology acceptance. The findings are relevant for both practitioners and policymakers aiming to navigate the complexities of RPA implementation and maximize its benefits in the accounting industry.

INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL REPORTING STANDARDS (IFRS) VS. US GAAP: A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE

In light of the growing tendency of firms extending their operations into international markets, the adoption of worldwide accounting standards has become more urgent. The direction of attempts to bring international accounting standards closer to parity with US GAAP has been drastically changed as a result of two recent opinions issued by the SEC with a considerable impact. This article discusses the consequences that the SEC's decision to allow international enterprises to use IFRS in financial reporting, separate from reconciliation to US GAAP, has had on investors, multinational corporations, and global financial reporting by examining the implications of this decision. The idea that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has to bring together foreign authorities to discuss the harmonization of accounting standards is also discussed. According to the Securities and Exchange Commission (2018), the International Accounting Standards Committee Foundation (IASCF) is planning to establish a Monitoring Group that will include of the European Commission, the Japan Financial Services Agency, and the International Organization of Securities Commission (IOSC). In this section, we will examine the differences between IFRS and US GAAP. After careful consideration, the authors have arrived at the conclusion that there is an immediate need for a unified set of global accounting standards that are based on both IFRS and US GAAP. Many of the problems that have been plaguing the globe's financial reporting system will be resolved, and as a consequence, the economy of the whole world will become more secure and prosperous.

Moderating Effect of IFRS Compliance on the Relationship between Ownership Structure and Financial Reporting Quality

This study investigates the moderating effect of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) on the relationship between corporate governance, specifically ownership structure, and financial reporting quality in listed non-finance firms in Nigeria. Utilizing an ex-post facto research design, the study drew its data from 67 non-finance firms listed on the Nigerian Exchange Group over a ten-year period (2012-2021). The study employs purposive sampling and hierarchical regression analysis to explore the complex connection between IFRS adoption and ownership structures, revealing that IFRS plays a significant role in enhancing the quality of financial reporting. The findings indicate that while ownership concentration may weaken financial reporting quality in the absence of IFRS, the adoption of IFRS significantly moderates this effect, leading to improved transparency and reduced earnings manipulation. This study contributes to the existing literature by providing empirical evidence from a less developed market context, emphasizing the critical interaction between global accounting standards and corporate governance mechanisms. The study concludes that robust enforcement of IFRS compliance, combined with targeted capacity building for financial professionals, is essential to ensure high-quality financial reporting in Nigeria. Key implications include the need for enhanced regulatory oversight and collaboration between regulatory bodies and professional accounting organizations to foster consistent adherence to IFRS, thereby improving the reliability of financial statements and boosting investor confidence.

Distinct codes for environment structure and symmetry in postrhinal and retrosplenial cortices

Complex sensory information arrives in the brain from an animal’s first-person (‘egocentric’) perspective. However, animals can efficiently navigate as if referencing map-like (‘allocentric’) representations. The postrhinal (POR) and retrosplenial (RSC) cortices are thought to mediate between sensory input and internal maps, combining egocentric representations of physical cues with allocentric head direction (HD) information. Here we show that neurons in the POR and RSC of female Long-Evans rats are tuned to distinct but complementary aspects of local space. Egocentric bearing (EB) cells recorded in square and L-shaped environments reveal that RSC cells encode local geometric features, while POR cells encode a more global account of boundary geometry. Additionally, POR HD cells can incorporate egocentric information to fire in two opposite directions with two oppositely placed identical visual landmarks, while only a subset of RSC HD cells possess this property. Entorhinal grid and HD cells exhibit consistently allocentric spatial firing properties. These results reveal significant regional differences in the neural encoding of spatial reference frames.

The Big Four: Multiple Functions and Power in Global Value Chains

ABSTRACTMany believe that the Big Four are simply global accounting firms with a large menu of additional services. Using both quantitative and qualitative data, we show that their role in the world political economy extends much beyond such description. We argue that the Big Four play a coordinating role in the organization and expansion of global value chain (GVC) in multiple territories, value‐chain segments and at multiple scales. Building on the literature of the multidimensionality of power in the GVC, we investigate the multiple dimensions through which the power of the Big Four is exercised. Uncovering the power manifestations of the Big Four as global actors, the article contributes both empirically and conceptually to the dialogue among the literatures on the international political economy, critical accounting and GVC.

Navigating Challenges: Groundnut Cropping Systems Realities in Tumkur District, Karnataka, India

India is the fourth largest oilseed producer in the world, contributing 20.80 % of the total global cultivation area and accounting for 10 per cent of the global production. Inspite of this India is one of the largest importers of vegetable oil in order to meet the growing needs of the population by bridging the demand and supply gap. This scenario is due to climatic factor and decrease in area under groundnut cultivation as well as in productivity. Adoption of cutting-edge crop production technologies in our nation led to a significant improvement in the output of oilseeds. Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is called as ‘King’ of oilseeds a key oil seed crop in India, and it plays a significant part in bridging the country's vegetable oil deficit. The present study was conducted during 2023 in Tumkur district of Karnataka to know the constraints faced by the farmers practicing groundnut based cropping systems and suggestions given to overcome the problems. Sixty farmer of each CS-Ⅰ (Groundnut alone) and CS-Ⅱ (Groundnut + Redgram) were selected respectively thus, the total sample size was 120. An ex post facto research design was adopted. Data was collected using a pre-tested personnel interview method. The study revealed the major production, marketing, technical and financial constraints by the faced by the groundnut growers like high wage rate, price fluctuation, low price for the produce, exploitation by the middleman and non-availability of quality inputs at reasonable rate. The majority of these farmers advocate for a reasonable minimum support price for groundnut and seeds and fertilizers availability at affordable rates in time.

Back from the dead: the ecology of IR

Rather than dealing in death, if IR is to retain relevance among the social sciences in seeking to both account for and change a world in the midst of a deepening ‘polycrisis’, it needs to recognise and take its place in the web of life. In this article, I firstly argue for the need to ‘choose life’ by de-centring three key (interrelated) pillars of the discipline: the normalisation of militarism as a means and end of foreign policy; economic growth as the means and end of industrial economies and anthropocentrism and its unstated ideology of human supremacy in world affairs. Secondly, I propose a series of conceptual and methodological innovations by which a more ecological view of IR might take hold in the discipline, as well as concrete political strategies for embedding it in the conduct of IR. I suggest that these moves form the basis of both an improved account of the underlying sources of key threats in world politics such as war, poverty and ecological crises and an alternative source of solutions focussed on transcending dominant features of the discipline through a more than human account of IR and a more global and pluriversal account of world politics and the relations which matter most within it.

Counting women? Gendered sustainability and inclusivity for an ocean accounting framework

ABSTRACT The oceans are increasingly pivotal in scholarly and policy dialogues focused on achieving inclusive economic and social prosperity. The Ocean Account Global Framework (2020) underscores oceans' role as essential for social and economic development, crucially contributing to human well-being and gender equality. With oceans holding significant economic potential, governments face mounting pressure to systematically account for ocean resources and their utilisation (Ocean Account Global Framework, 2020). This need is particularly acute given the evolving relationships between economic prosperity, inclusive development, social well-being, and oceans. However, a knowledge gap persists, impairing governments' ability to make informed and gender inclusive decisions about oceans and undermining long-term commitments outlined in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (Ocean Global Account Framework, 2020). This article examines ocean governance, focusing on gender-related aspects and integrating gender perspectives into the ocean accounting framework using a political economy lens, supported by environmental and gender political economy analyses.

IFRS Adoption and Performance of Stock Markets: A Comparative Analysis of Frontier Stock Markets in Sub‐Saharan Africa

ABSTRACTThe International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) is a set of global accounting standards that tries to provide truer and fairer accounting figures by recommending more realistic measurement and recognition criteria, increasing the disclosure of relevant information, and increasing the comparability of financial statements across borders. Most of the literature on IFRS adoption addresses its impact on the value relevance of accounting figures but ignores the wider picture in terms of impact on stock market performance. The few studies that address IFRS adoption and stock market performance focus on advanced economies and lack proper theoretical underpinning. This study addresses the impact of IFRS adoption on stock market performance in Sub‐Saharan Africa. The study applied the autoregressive distributed lag model to test the research hypotheses. The Johannesburg, Nigerian, and Nairobi stock exchanges were selected as the sample markets because they constitute the major frontier markets for foreign investors wishing to penetrate the Sub‐Saharan African market. The sample period was from 1990 to 2020. The results of the study showed that IFRS adoption had a positive and significant impact on market efficiency and size for all the selected countries. IFRS adoption had a positive and significant impact on market liquidity in Kenya only. The study recommends that IFRS adopters should implement stock market policies that encourage the participation of foreign investors following the increase in financial statements comparability brought about by IFRS adoption.

Preventing medication errors in patients with decompensated heart failure and cognitive impairment following hospital discharge, in Saudi Arabia

Abstract Background Heart failure (HF) is a progressive health challenge, with an increased prevalence of 30% in older adults. It is estimated that approximately 50% of patients with HF have a degree of cognitive impairment, affecting adherence to self-care and medication taking. Therefore, medication errors are becoming a global health challenge and account was estimated at 44.4% in Saudi Arabia. Purpose To explore the perspectives of patients with cognitive impairment and their caregivers on the pre-discharge medication education received. Methods A qualitative study, using semi-structured interviews. 7 dyads were recruited from a Cardiac center in Saudi Arabia The purposive sample was selected of patients who are identified as having cognitive impairment, as assessed by Montreal Cognitive Assessment scale (MoCA). Caregivers were nominated by the respective patient. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed in Arabic, and translated into English. Transcripts were checked for authenticity. Data were analysis using thematic analysis. Results Most patients identified as male (n=5), including both patients with mild cognitive impairment (n=4) and moderate cognitive impairment (n=3). Four major themes were identified Complexity of Medication Management: Patients and caregivers struggle with the multifaceted nature of medication regimens, indicating a need for simplified schedules and clear instructions. Importance of Clear Communication and Education: There’s a critical need for comprehensive, understandable information about the indications and side effects of the medications. This should be tailored to individual learning preferences. Crucial Role of Caregiver Support: Caregivers have an important role in ensuring medication adherence. Some highlighted the benefit of being included in educational interventions. Challenges with Post-Discharge Support: All participants expressed a sense of abandonment post-discharge, with difficulties in accessing follow-up. Conclusion The study highlights the need for simplified medication regimens, enhanced communication, and comprehensive education for heart failure patients with cognitive impairment and their caregivers. Addressing these interconnected challenges through a multifaceted approach is crucial for improving medication management, adherence, and overall patient outcomes.

Economic Impact of the Drought in Spain: Measurement for the Adoption of Measures

This paper aims to evaluate the economic implications of meteorological drought in Spain. The study seeks to provide decision-makers with crucial insights into the macroeconomic effects of drought, enabling them to devise mitigation strategies and minimize its impact on economic activity. The Partial Hypothetical Extraction Method (HEM) is employed within the Input-Output analysis framework extended to a Social Accounting Matrix (SAM) of Spain to achieve this goal. The database utilized for this analysis is the FNAM for Spain in 2017, in millions of euros, obtained from the Full International and Global Accounts for Research in Input-Output Analysis (FIGARO) project, a collaboration between Eurostat and the European Commission. The study aims to estimate the economic impact of drought on the productive sectors of the Spanish economy in terms of sectoral production and GDP. This involves simulating the partial reduction in value-added resulting from variations in average water productivity per gross value added, based on the drought indicator SPI-24. Three scenarios are generated: (1) drought, (2) moderate drought and (3) severe drought. In quantitative terms, the simulated drought scenarios could lead to a drop in GDP of 0.88% for the drought scenario, 1.61% for the moderate drought scenario, and 1.76% for the severe drought scenario. Additionally, it is important to recognize that water scarcity hampers the social and economic development of cities and regions beyond the results in quantitative terms.

Reshaping an issue-based field: assessing the impact of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) on the global development aid agenda

PurposeThe paper studies how the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) positioned itself in the process through which capacity building in developing countries was interpreted and enacted within the global development aid agenda from 1999 to 2016.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is an in-depth case study drawing on a comprehensive analysis of publications, reports and archival materials.FindingsThe paper unveils how IFAC shaped the interpretation of capacity building and its associated practices in a manner aligned with its expansionary aims thereby transforming itself into a prominent actor within, what we term, the capacity building issue-based field. It unpacks the strategies pursued by IFAC as it mobilised economic, social and cultural resources in support of its global capacity building ambitions for the accountancy profession. It reveals how key interactions between actors in the international development exchange field and the professional exchange field of accounting underpinned IFAC’s infiltration of, and impact on the evolution of, the capacity building issue-based field. We show how IFAC increased its influence in this field despite initially operating on the periphery of the global development aid agenda.Practical implicationsThe paper reveals how the global accountancy profession’s engagement with the capacity building activities of international development agencies became central to its commitment to serving the public interest. Our analysis suggests that deeper explorations of capacity building by the global accountancy profession in specific developing countries are required in order to determine whether these efforts have effectively catered to the needs of the citizens of those countries.Originality/valueThe work of professional accountancy organizations (PAOs) operating at the global level in the area of capacity building has been addressed in a fragmented fashion in prior research. This paper presents a unique analysis of developing alliances between the global accountancy profession and international aid agencies aimed at supporting the globalising efforts of IFAC within the realm of capacity building in international development aid. Theoretically, the paper advances prior work exploring the evolution of issue-based fields, in particular the role of inter-field relations in interstitial spaces within these processes.

Smart Robots and Civil Liability in Jordan: A Quest for Legal Synthesis in the Age of Automation

This paper embarks on a pivotal scholarly journey to scrutinize the civil liability implications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) within the Jordanian legal framework. As AI transforms from a speculative concept into an omnipresent reality, it presents unique jurisprudential challenges, particularly civil liability. This study aims to bridge the jurisprudential vacuum in Jordan, where an absence of judicial precedents highlights the urgency for legal exploration in this emerging field. Adopting a doctrinal legal research methodology, the study rigorously examines Jordanian liability theories and their applicability to AI and undertakes a comparative analysis with more advanced legal systems in AI regulation. The paper navigates the intricacies of AI in the context of traditional Jordanian legal theories, such as objective and personal liability theories. It extends to explore the challenges of attributing liability in the age of AI. Key findings reveal significant inadequacies in Jordan’s current legal provisions to address AI-induced liabilities, the disconnection between civil liability and AI accountability, jurisdictional ambiguities, and challenges in applying traditional legal concepts to the unpredictable nature of AI. The study proposes granting AI legal personality, legislative intervention, enforcing global accountability standards, advocating for international cooperation, and exploring technological limitations with ethical programming. This research contributes profoundly to academic discourse and policy formulation, particularly in the Jordanian context, highlighting the need for a comprehensive, adaptable, and robust legal framework that addresses the unique challenges posed by AI and robotics in the legal domain.

Unresolved Financial Reporting Issues: Opportunities for International Accounting Research

ABSTRACT This article identifies unresolved financial reporting issues that research can help resolve and provides examples of how adopting an international perspective can deepen the insights obtained from the research. Some of the issues pertain to well-established literatures—intangible assets, risk and uncertainty, fair value accounting, conservatism, and earnings management. Others are relatively new—namely, sustainability, particularly climate change, and digital assets, particularly crypto assets. Addressing these issues could require a reconsideration of the concepts underlying accounting standards, including thinking more broadly about accounting information to encompass more than information in financial statements, including more nonfinancial information. Regardless, there are many opportunities for international accounting research to address open questions these issues raise to provide insights into how global financial accounting and reporting might be improved.

Teacher Agency of Novice Teachers: A Scoping Review

Global policies, accountability standards, and various challenges in education around the world have a negative impact on the professional lives of novice teachers. Teacher agency has gained attention as a popular topic that offers different, new perspectives for teachers' professional development and efforts to improve the quality of education. The present study aims to examines the agency of novice teachers. For this purpose, the distribution of the compiled studies by years, countries, research method, sample size, experience level, and subject was examined. It also examined the barriers to novice teachers' agency and the findings of studies focusing on novice teacher agency. In order to identify the relevant peer-reviewed studies in the literature for scoping, research was conducted in the Web of Science, ERIC, Scopus, PsychINFO, and MEDLINE databases. The studies obtained from the databases were accessed in 53 studies using PRISMA research methodology. The study was prepared according to the stages of the scoping review methodology created by Hilary Arksey and Lisa O'Malley. As a result, the conditions affecting the agency of novice teachers were evaluated from teacher education, school context, and policy perspectives, and recommendations were made to researchers, teacher educators, and policymakers.

Estimating fisheries catch from space: Comparing catch estimates derived from AIS fishing effort with reported catches for Indian Ocean industrial fisheries

Indian Ocean Rim countries (IOR) rely on fisheries for socio-economic well-being and food security. Monitoring fisheries equipped with Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) enables the evaluation of fishing activities. However, only small fractions of large vessels use AIS, and increasingly vessels are avoiding or circumventing AIS use. We used Global Fishing Watch AIS fishing effort data for 2018–2020, combined with independently derived gear- and country-specific catch rates to estimate catch volumes by AIS equipped industrial vessels in the Indian Ocean. We compared these estimates to the catches reported by countries to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which represent global accountability. Results suggest that AIS-equipped industrial vessels caught an average of 400,000 t∙year−1, of which 57% was by Distant-Water Fishing (DWF) vessels from countries outside the region. Spain, France and South Korea had AIS derived catch estimates substantially lower than catches officially reported by these countries, suggesting these vessels may turn off AIS transponders to potentially elude detection either by authorities or for other operational reasons. In contrast, Taiwan and China had 6 and 4 times more AIS estimated catches than they reported to the FAO. This suggests that these countries may not meet their international reporting obligations. Underreporting fisheries catches undermines management efforts and contributes to the unsustainable use of marine resources. Our study revealed an important role AIS technology can play in estimating fishing activities in the Indian Ocean, despite its currently limited adoption and the increasing evasion tactics by some fleets. Discrepancies between AIS-derived catch estimates and officially reported data underline the challenges in fisheries monitoring and enforcement, and highlight the lack of compliance enforcement by many flag countries.