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The purpose of this paper is to analyse the nature and comparability of budget balance (surplus/deficit) numbers headlined by the Australian Commonwealth Government and the governments of the six Australian States and the two Australian Territories. It does this in the context of the transition to Australian accounting standard AASB 1049 Whole of Government and General Government Sector Financial Reporting.

A case study research method is adopted, based on a content/documentary analysis of the headline budget balance numbers in the general government sector budget statements of each of the nine governments for the eight financial years from 2004-2005 to 2011-2012.

Findings indicate some variation in the measurement bases adopted and a number of departures from the measurement bases prescribed in the reporting frameworks, including AASB 1049. Findings also reveal that none of the nine governments have headlined a full accrual based budget balance number since the implementation of AASB 1049 in 2008.

While the study focuses on the Australian general government sector environment, it has significant implications in highlighting the ambiguity in the government budget balance numbers presented and the monitoring and information asymmetry problems that can arise. Research findings have wider relevance internationally in highlighting issues arising with the public sector adoption of accrual accounting.

The paper highlights the manner in which governments have been selective in the manner in which they present important budget aggregates. This has important practical and social implications, as the budget balance number is one of the most important measures used to evaluate a government’s fiscal management and responsibility.

The paper represents the first detailed examination of aspects of the effect of the transition to AASB 1049.

Government accounting shows the assets and resources of the government, the changes that occur in them, to provide the necessary information to evaluate the effectiveness of the government in revenue and expense management, and to produce the information required by economic management. In this context, the past, present, and future of the Turkish government accounting system discussed in the theoretical framework in the study.

This paper tries to shed light on the international progress regarding the adoption of International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS), to accentuate the benefits resulting from the application of IPSAS, and to highlight the main differences between IPSAS and IFRS.

A comprehensive literature review is conducted which focuses on issues concerning the factors that induce the adoption of IPSAS, the obstacles that must be overcome, the degree of IPSAS’ proliferation worldwide, the repercussions from adopting IPSAS, the benefits of IPSAS, and the differences between IPSAS and IFRS. The selection process of the cited articles focuses on journals with high rankings in the ABS list.

It is accentuated that IPSAS carry significant benefits regarding the improved quality of the financial information reported by the public sector, the enhancement of transparency and accountability, the upgrading of the decision-making process and the restored trust in public finances. However, there is more work that needs to be done toward the global proliferation of IPSAS.

This study provides insights regarding the implementation process of IPSAS, which should be useful to all the parties engaged in the reform of the public administration, such as national governments, local or international regulators, accounting standard setters and institutional organizations.

The current study clarifies whether the public sector should move from using the business focused IFRS, as it is frequently the case, to the adoption of IPSAS. In addition, this study comprehensive literature review can be used by academics and researchers as a basis for further research on the issue. More importantly, policymakers and other officials who need to make informed decisions about financial reporting issues at the government level and the public sector in general can benefit from this study.

Purpose – This empirical article aims at studying whether, how, and to what extent the South Asian countries have or are planning to move in the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSASs) direction.

Design/methodology/approach – By applying the institutional perspectives, the article seeks to explore the roles and contributions of international financial institutions in the dissemination of public sector accounting reform ideas, particularly IPSASs ideas in South Asia. Document search represents the major method of collecting data for this study.

Findings – The present article demonstrates that the majority of the South Asian countries have envisaged the adoption of the cash basis IPSAS as a way forward in order to implement accrual accounting. International financial institutions have seemingly created a myth in the region that accrual accounting cannot be introduced without first complying with the cash basis IPSAS. However, the countries’ efforts are to a large extent directed at adapting rather than adopting IPSASs in all material respects. In relation to this, the article suggests that the acceptance of IPSASs in South Asia is better understood in terms of legitimacy.

Research limitations/implications – It is beyond the scope of this article to cover the ongoing public sector accounting reforms in South Asia other than IPSASs reforms as well as to reveal accounting changes at other levels than central government level.

Practical implications – The article raises doubts as to whether and to what extent the cash basis IPSAS will help public sector management reforms in South Asia.

Originality/value – Given the paucity of consistent research efforts on the topic in Western English language literature, the present article strives to bring ongoing IPSASs reforms in South Asia into the international arena. The article also contributes to the growing body of the comparative public sector accounting research by presenting the similarities and differences in government accounting reforms, particularly IPSASs reforms, in South Asia.

The objective of this chapter is to compare the measurement bases of income and expenditures found in International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) used in Public Accounts with those in the statistical rules used in National Accounts/Government Finance Statistics (GFS). Both frameworks apply an accrual methodology, but, while some governments appear dubious about adopting the IPSAS framework, the National Accounts framework is more ‘tried and tested’ for government financial reporting on an international scale. The practical application of the accrual methodology in the two frameworks differs to a certain extent. These differences provide learning opportunities for both frameworks.

The debate on the public sector has been central in structural adjustment programmes applied in developing countries during recent years. The common grounds of the discussion have been the size of the public sector, its role and its efficiency in delivering services. The common criticisms of the 1980s are that the public sector is too big, overstaffed and inefficient. Examines these issues under a long‐term perspective. Finds that at the aggregated level there is no clear‐cut evidence to support those criticisms of the size of the public sector in developing countries. Compared with industrialized countries, there is no particular evidence of the public sector being too big in the developing world. However, it appears that the sequence of the adjustment process has negatively affected the performance of important parts of the public sector by distorting the proportion of wage and non‐wage expenditures, disregarding their complementarity. The consequent imbalance between inputs and employment has resulted in practical overstaffing.

This study aims to fill the research gap regarding the usability of group reporting information in the central government. It answers the question of how the consolidated information should be formed to benefit the real needs of governmental information users.

The empirical research is based on a survey and interviews among key internal preparers and users in the central government sector in the case country, Finland.

Results show that the private sector approach regarding consolidation is not appropriately transferable to the central government sector. The key stakeholders identified several economic and financial reporting needs that exceed what formal Consolidated Financial Statement (CFS) can offer. Consolidation is needed but not according to the extensive full control approach, but rather following the budgetary approach consolidating units of the legal person of the government, and further using the partial control approach for consolidating by discretion essential special purpose SOEs.

Respondents and interviewees represented governmental internal organisations, free experts, auditors and financial managers from the group entities. Politicians and citizens were not directly represented.

Research gives applicable insights into central governments planning and developing group reporting for information needs in a favourable cost-benefit ratio. Findings benefit the development of EU's EPSAS (European Public Sector Accounting Standards) project which is still incomplete.

Research recommends governments to make a thorough analysis before deciding on a new financial reporting system. A critical analysis prevents governments to waste money and resources on a reporting system not fulfilling the real needs of information users.

The value of this research is that the private sector approach in consolidation was not taken as granted. This study investigated critically and empirically the real need for consolidated information serving steering and overseeing purposes of the government's group entities.

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to knowledge about Russian public sector accounting in times of change by exploring the emergence of a new way of accounting for Russian central government.

In this paper, accounting is viewed as a social and institutional practice. A frame of reference guided by three theoretical perspectives is elaborated on. This troika incorporates a system approach to accounting, an accountability approach, and an institutional approach. Document search represents the major method of collecting data for this paper.

This paper suggests that launching a nascent version of Russian central government accounting is better comprehended in terms of legitimacy rather than in terms of instrumentality.

This paper focuses on the appearance of up‐to‐date accounting provisions at macro‐level and does, therefore, have limitations with regard to scope. This makes it intellectually rewarding to link the central government initiatives with endeavours to implement them at different levels of government and in specific public sector organizations.

Bearing in mind, the lack of consistent research efforts on the topic in Western English‐language literature, this paper strives to bring rather “alien” Russian central government accounting into the international arena for the purposes of cross‐national comparisons and wide‐ranging discussions. It also contributes to the literature dealing with the role of international organizations in the reform of public sector accounting.

This paper aims to analyze the superior economic sector by looking at its contribution to the gross regional domestic product (GRDP) of East Kalimantan Province, the economic base, the multiplier effect and the strength of inter-sectoral linkages.

This study was designed through two research approaches, namely, quantitative and qualitative method. This is intended to complement the results of the phenomenon under study and to strengthen the analysis. Secondary data were analyzed by the level of contribution of the economic sectors to the GRDP, and the base sector was determined through the location quotient approach. The two methods of calculation helped to reveal the dominant economic sectors in East Kalimantan Province. The Input Output (IO) Table in 2016 was made up dated from the 2009 IO Table to be used as a basis for building Social Accounting Matrix data or known as the East Kalimantan Regional Socio-Economic Balance System (SEBS) (a matrix of 49 × 49 sectors) in 2017 by using the RAS method. To be consistent, these SEBS data are then aggregated so all commodities are combined into economic sectors used to determine the leading sector on the East Kalimantan Province SEBS in 2016 (a matrix of 41 × 41 sectors).

Based on the assessment by scoring of the criteria for determining the leading economic sectors in East Kalimantan, i.e. the contribution of the economic sector to GRDP, the economic base, the multiplier effect (income, production factor, and output) and the linkages between sectors, both backward and forward linkage, shows the ten leading sectors as follows: the trade; paper and printed goods; financial institutions and other financial services; fertilizer; chemical and other rubber products; hotel and restaurant; general government; fisheries; excavation; and mining without oil and gas.

Similar research has never been done before in East Kalimantan; this is one of the originalities of this present study. No previous study has comprehensively studied the mediating effects of tourist value perception on the determination of economic sector, especially in Kalimantan, Indonesia.