Academic literature on the topic 'Journal of accountancy'

This article presents the initial stage of creating the Polish journal “Rachunkowość” (“Accountancy”). Contemporary Polish accounting scientists are well acquainted with world literature and current Polish studies, including publications contained in the journal “Rachunkowość”. The author believes that the content of this journal from 60-70 years ago is not well known, as evidenced by the lack of references in present time scientific papers to articles from this period, which were very important for shaping Polish accounting after World War II. The aim of this paper is to present the activities of the Editorial Board and the Program Board, as well as the content of the journal “Rachunkowość” in the years 1949–1970. This study, on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the journal Accounting, links the theory of accounting with practice, presents the beginning of Accounting Departments conferences, Congresses of the Association of Accountants in Poland and training courses for accountants, and also describes the problems of Polish economy of that time.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess the performance and current position of the Meditari Accountancy Research Journal by building a profile of the articles published over the 21 years since its inception. Design/methodology/approach – A descriptive meta-analysis of 293 articles published in 30 issues was conducted and comparable South African and international studies to structure the research were drawn upon. Contributors, research fields, research methods, citations and jurisdictions were examined and emerging trends assessed. Findings – Meditari Accountancy Research Journal has a strong relationship with the South African accounting community. All dimensions of this article indicate that Meditari Accountancy Research has evolved over the 21 years since its inception and has made progress towards an international research journal. Research limitations/implications – Given that this study relates to one accounting research journal only, there is no specific benchmark against to which to assess its progress. However, the literature offers a basis for comparison. Practical implications – The challenge is to maintain the traditional South African links while meeting the needs of a changing international accounting research environment. Originality/value – The current study provides a comprehensive basis for an evaluation of the journal and its future potential by reviewing the full history of Meditari Accountancy Research Journal, which presents insights into the articles published within it, including the range and predominance of contributing authors, research methods, research fields, nature of research, citation rates and jurisdictions.

The 1930s in the U.S. were marked by an economic crisis, governmental regulatory response, and a significant audit failure. This paper examines the profession's struggle for legitimacy during these times through its choice of narratives regarding professional ethics and independence as revealed in the national professional organization's monthly, the Journal of Accountancy. Initially “ethics is a state-of-mind” or narrative of character was used but transitioned to a more objectively determinable narrative of technique as the decade progressed. To counter governmental regulation, the profession attempted to shift the independence discourse away from regulation of accountants to regulation of client companies.

ABSTRACT The 19th century brought on much economic growth and advancement in accounting in the United States. The teaching of accounting began to veer away from rules and instead sought the logical underpinnings of the system. It was a time when accounting evolved into accountancy through the development of theory, such as the proprietary theory and the theory of two-account series. The Townsend Journal (1840–1841), which chronicles the joint venture between two young men in the Boston maritime trade, is a case study of this progression in commerce and accounting during this pivotal time. B. F. Foster's contemporaneous Boston publications on bookkeeping provide the framework to understand this evolution in accountancy, as well as the recordings in the Townsend Journal. Through the examination of the Townsend Journal alongside B. F. Foster's texts, this paper preserves and illustrates a historical link in the evolution of the field.

Information technology plays a critical role in modern business, especially regarding the accounting function. Thus, one might expect that information technology and accounting systems would be a major component of accounting research. This study seeks to answer the questions: To what extent does the accounting literature include technology and systems research, and is technology and systems research adequately addressed in the accounting literature? To answer these questions, this study examines the proportion of technology and systems articles in seven top-ranked accounting journals, four academic and three professional. Journals examined include: The Accounting Review, Journal of Accounting Research, Journal of Accounting and Economics, Contemporary Accounting Research, Journal of Accountancy, CPA Journal, and Strategic Finance (formerly Management Accounting). The findings indicate that while there has been a dramatic increase in the proportion of systems articles published in the professional journals, there were very, very few technology and systems articles published in the academic journals. This might suggest a lack of appropriate attention by academic accounting journals to this important area. Consequently, accounting information systems (AIS) professors who are doing research in systems have a disadvantage in publishing research in top-ranked academic journals. This may result in adverse career consequences for AIS professors if they are expected to publish in these particular academic journals. Further, lack of systems research published in academic journals is detrimental to the perceived and actual relevance of these journals, as technology and systems issues are vitally important to the accounting profession.

I welcome you with most significant pleasure and honour to the Volume 1 Issue 4 of Indian-Pacific Journal of Accounting and Finance. In this Issue 4, the emphasis is placed on accounting, taxation, business administration, corporate governance and risk management, accounting regulation and financial reporting, and accounting. In the first paper entitled “Board Characteristics, Corporate Performance and CEO Turnover Decisions: An empirical study of listed Non-financial Companies”, Mr Yahya Uthman Abdullahi (Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz School of Accountancy, Universiti Utara Malaysia), Dr. Rokiah Ishak (Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz School of Accountancy, Universiti Utara Malaysia) and Dr. Norfaiezah Sawandi (Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz School of Accountancy, Universiti Utara Malaysia) examine the influence of board characteristics and corporate performance on CEO turnover decisions using a sample of 144 firms from non-financial companies listed on the Nigerian Stock exchange between the periods of 2011 to 2015. The study adopts agency and resource dependency theories to support its objectives and applies a logistic regression statistical technique to analyse the results. The results show that board nominating committee has a significant positive relationship with CEO turnover and board gender diversity has a negative influence on CEO turnover. Also, the study also finds that poor corporate performance leads to CEO turnover. In concurring with the findings, the study suggests to the government to enact legislation on gender quota for more women appointment on the board of the corporation to better the performance of the firm, and as well to enhance the monitoring role of the board. In the second paper with the caption “Factors affecting the productivity of IRBM Field Tax Auditor: A Case Study in Malaysia”, Mr Sabin Samitah (Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz School of Accountancy, Universiti Utara Malaysia), Prof Dr Kamil Md Idris (Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz School of Accountancy, Universiti Utara Malaysia) and Dr Saliza Abdul Aziz (Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz School of Accountancy, Universiti Utara Malaysia) explore the idea of factors affecting the productivity of field tax auditors in the Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia (IRBM). This study is significant because IRBM has not yet implemented a systematic method of deploying officers to the field tax audit unit throughout Malaysia. The factors identified could be used as a reference in designing future human development programme in IRBM with particular emphasis on field tax auditors. Several variables have been defined, which broadly classified into individual characteristics and external factors. Data for the analysis are sourced from IRBM’s internal database, unpublished records and direct questionnaire of all respondents engaged in the field audit in Klang Valley. The proposed idea would analyse the relationship between auditors’ productivity and various variables based on the initial assumption that all variables are influencing the productivity through direct impact. This is, however, merely an initial expectation and subject to further data analysis once the data collection is implemented and completed. In the third paper with the title “Knowledge sharing and barriers in Organisations: A conceptual paper on Knowledge-Management Strategy”, Mr Saravanan Nadason (School of Business Management, Universiti Utara Malaysia), Associate Prof Dr Ram Al-Jaffri Saad (Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz School of Accountancy, Universiti Utara Malaysia) and Dr Aidi Ahmi (Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz School of Accountancy, Universiti Utara Malaysia) investigates the barriers that give impact towards the knowledge sharing among individuals in organisations. Knowledge sharing becomes the significant part of many organisations’ knowledge-management strategy. Even though the knowledge sharing is signifying practice for organisations’ competitiveness directly and market performance indirectly, several barriers make it difficult for knowledge management to achieve the goals and deliver a positive return on investment (ROI). The barriers were identified through literature reviews. The findings of previous studies revealed that several factors affect the knowledge sharing in organisations. This paper provides the analysis of significant factors that influence knowledge sharing in organisations, which comprise the individuals, culture, technology and organisation. In the fourth paper entitled “Ownership Structure and Earnings Management of listed Conglomerates in Nigeria”, Dr Musa Adeiza Farouk (Department of Accounting, Ahmadu Bello University) and Dr Nafiu Muhammad Bashir (Department of Business Administration, Ahmadu Bello University) examine the effect of ownership structure on earnings management of listed conglomerates in Nigeria. Ownership structure is represented with managerial ownership, institutional ownership, block ownership and foreign ownership, while earnings management is measured using modified Jones model by Dechow, Sloan and Sweeney (1995). Data were obtained from the six listed conglomerates on the Nigerian Stock Exchange covering the period 2008-2014 through their annual reports and accounts. The findings show that managerial ownership and ownership concentration have a significant and adverse effect on earnings management of listed conglomerates in Nigeria, while foreign ownership recorded positive and significant impact on earnings management of firms, institutional ownership was however reported to have an insignificant but negative influence on earnings management. The study, therefore, recommends that management should be encouraged to have more interest through shares in the organisation as it enables them to have more sense of belonging, which in turn will help mitigate their opportunistic tendencies. Also, the institutional ownership should be improved upon through allotment of more shares as these categories of investors are well informed and could be more vigilant over their stake in the organisation thereby performing monitoring role to mitigate earnings management. In the fifth paper with the title “Corporate Governance Structure and Firm Performance: A Case Study of Malaysian University Holdings Companies”, Prof Dr Wan Nordin Wan Hussina (Othman Yeop Abdullah Graduate, College of Business, Universiti Utara Malaysia), Dr. Norfaiezah Sawandi (Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz School of Accountancy, College of Business, Universiti Utara Malaysia), and Dr Hasnah Shaari (Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz School of Accountancy, College of Business, Universiti Utara Malaysia) analyse the corporate governance structure and performance of Malaysian public university holding companies from 2010 to 2014. The sample comprises eight public university holding companies. Data were obtained by using three methods, namely: survey, semi-structured interview, and documentation review. The board structure and board sub-committees practices of these case organisations were evaluated against the best practice recommendation of (i) the Malaysian Code on Corporate Governance (MCCG) 2012, (ii) the Green Book 2006, and (iii) other relevant acts. The firm performance is measured using four indicators which are sales, profit before tax, net profit margin and return on equity. Overall, their study finds that the practice and structure of corporate governance of the holding companies are excellent. However, their study reveals non-compliance by companies about certain aspects of the recommendations of Malaysian Code on Corporate Governance 2012 (MCCG) and the Green Book. The study also observed that the practice of governance between the university companies is not uniform. The findings provide an insight into the competence of the ministry of higher education as the shareholder to improve the monitoring of the public university holding companies. As you read through this Vol. 1 Issue 4 of IPJAF, I would like to reiterate that the success of the journal depends on your active participation and those of your colleagues and friends through submission of high-quality articles within the journal scope for review and publication. I acknowledge your support as we endeavour to make IPJAF the most authoritative journal on accounting and finance for the community of academic, professional, industry, society and government.

It is a great pleasure to introduce the second volume second issue of our journal into the global community yearning for high-quality, impactful papers. IPJAF continues to seek and provide readers throughout the world with technology supported peer-reviewed scholarly articles on a broad range of established and emergent areas of accounting, finance, business, economics, and social sciences. I am resolute to maintain the high-quality standard of research and publication which is anchored on the exemplary service and dedication of our editorial board, editorial review and the editorial office. This volume 2, issue 2 comprises five manuscripts dealing with financial accounting, taxation, and auditing. The first article entitled “Examining the independent audit committee, managerial ownership, independent board member and audit quality in listed banks” by Dr. Hisar Pangaribuana (Adventist University of Indonesia, Bandung, Indonesia), Dr. Jenny Sihombinga (Adventist University of Indonesia, Bandung, Indonesia), and Dr. Oluwatoyin Muse Johnson Popoola (Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz School of Accountancy, College of Business, Universiti Utara Malaysia) examines the effects of the independent audit committee on the relationship between managerial ownership and independent board member on audit quality in the Indonesian listed banks. The unit of analysis is companies carrying on the banking business and listed on the Indonesian stock exchange (IDX) between the period of 2010 to 2015. This study is explanatory (i.e., causal predictive), and uses the second generation structural equation modelling statistical analysis tools, PLS-SEM and PROCESS Partial Least Square for hypotheses testing. The results show that the independent board member has a significant impact on the independent audit committee and the audit quality. The study reveals that managerial ownership does not influence audit quality. The adoption of the independent audit committee with a long tenure of years can be potentially risky and less creative. As a result, their oversight functions may be in jeopardy, impaired or reduced performances. The research findings reveal no significant indirect effects of the independent audit committee on the relationship between managerial ownership, independent board member and audit quality in the banks listed in IDX. Independent board members need to renew the appointment of the independent audit committee members to improve the quality of the oversight functions undertaken by the audit committee, and hence, enhance audit quality. The authors suggest further research on the ideal level of managerial ownership and number of an independent board member to produce a good audit quality in the Indonesian listed banks. The second article titled “Salaried taxpayers’ internal states and assessment performance under self-assessment system: a quasi-experimental evaluation” by Dr. Noraza Mat Udin (Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz School of Accountancy, College of Business, Universiti Utara Malaysia) takes a look at the first reform that impacts taxpayers, that is, the implementation of self-assessment system (SAS) to replace the old assessment system in 2004. The perception is that SAS had entirely changed the taxpayers’ responsibilities from being assessed by the tax authority to a person who is responsible for assessing own income tax liability. Her study explores the public fora debates on whether taxpayers can perform their responsibilities that were previously handled by trained tax personnel in Malaysia. Her paper reports the findings of a quasi-experimental evaluation of salaried individual taxpayers’ in the early stage of SAS implementation. She argues that a lot needs to be done, notwithstanding SAS had been implemented for more than a decade, the problem of taxpayer performance is continuing due to the dynamic nature of taxation in reality. The data were collected using a quasi-experimental method known as posttest-only no-treatment control group design. The sample comprised post-graduate students, who were actual taxpayers. Among the elements of the taxpayer’s internal states considered in this study, tax knowledge was found to have a significant relationship with assessment performance. Further analysis was conducted which showed that the majority of tax knowledge dimensions had a significant relationship with taxpayer assessment performance. The findings of this study have contributed to the body of knowledge because there is a general dearth of published research, particularly in Malaysia that investigates taxpayer assessment performance especially using an experimental approach. The third article with a caption, “Working capital management and firm performance: lessons learnt during and after the financial crisis of 2007-2008 in Nigeria” by Mr. Sunday Simon (Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz School of Accountancy, College of Business, Universiti Utara Malaysia), Dr. Norfaiezah Sawandi (Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz School of Accountancy, College of Business, Universiti Utara Malaysia), and Prof. Dr. Mohamad Ali Abdul-Hamid (Department of Accounting, College of Business Administration, University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirate) examines the relationship between working capital management (WCM) and firm performance during and after the financial crisis of 2007-2008 in Nigeria. The authors argue that the financial crisis could be attributable to the deterioration and ultimate failure of WCM performance that affected many Nigerian firms. During the crisis, lending conditions were deeply affected, and financing operations became challenging for firms. Although research findings on the causes and effects of the crisis on the economy are known, what remains unknown is whether the financial crisis had a significant impact on WCM performance. The differences between the two periods, the crisis period and then after the crisis period, is operationalised through two analyses. The findings indicate that WCM variables have more explanatory power (R2) in the period after the crisis than during the crisis. Also, the results of the Cramer Z-statistic, which examined between sample comparisons of the R2, revealed that the Z-scores are significant, implying that a significant difference existed between the two periods. It suffices to say that WCM was affected during the financial crisis and led to low profitability, whereas, during the after-crisis period, WCM associates with higher profitability. These findings have implications for managers and policymakers because access to financing has become a global problem and adequate WCM management increases a company’s resilience to financial and external shocks. The fourth article entitled “The Influence of Technology Readiness on Information Technology Competencies and Civil Conflict Environment” by Prof. Dr. Kamil Md. Idris (Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz School of Accountancy, College of Business, Universiti Utara Malaysia), Associate Prof. Dr. Akilah Abdullah (Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz School of Accountancy, College of Business, Universiti Utara Malaysia), Haetham H. Kasem Alkhaffaf (OYA Graduate School of Business, College of Business, Universiti Utara Malaysia), and Al-Hasan Al-Aidaros (Islamic Business School, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Malaysia). Their study confirms prior findings that the Technology Readiness scale can capture the association among technology readiness and technology usage behaviours. The study also expands earlier research by investigating the impact of technology readiness on individual competency among accountants to using IT in a workplace under the intensity of civil conflict in Iraqi environment. The result shows that there is a positive significant relationship between technology readiness and the IT competencies of Iraqi accountants. It implies that the technology readiness regarding willingness, enthusiasm, and motivation of accountants using IT has an impact on their IT competencies. In other words, the higher the readiness of the accountants in making use of technology, the higher their competence in the use of IT. This study contributes to the body of knowledge in terms of theory, method and practice in Iraq especially and developing countries in general. The fifth article titled “Mediating effect of Quality-differentiated Auditor on the relationship between Managerial ownership and Monitoring mechanisms” and authored by Dr. Rachael Oluyemisi Arowolo (Chrisland University, Nigeria), Prof. Dr. Ayoib Che-Ahmad (Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz School of Accountancy, College of Business, Universiti Utara Malaysia), Dr. Oluwatoyin Muse Johnson Popoola (Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz School of Accountancy, College of Business, Universiti Utara Malaysia) and Dr. Hisar Pangaribuana (Adventist University of Indonesia, Bandung, Indonesia) examines the relationship between Managerial Ownership (MO) and MMs with quality-differentiated auditors (QDA) as the channel for the relationship. Over the past decade, most studies in corporate governance and audit market emphasised the importance of monitoring mechanisms (MM), especially after the global economic meltdown resulting from the Enron saga. The literature on MM continues growing as many countries especially the Sub-Saharan Africa are still struggling to come out of the effect of the economic meltdown and businesses continues to fail or merge. The study used data from non-financial listed companies in Nigeria providing empirical supports that MO significantly associates with MMs in the right direction. Likewise, QDA also influences the MMs in the right direction suggesting that QDA is necessarily required to enhance adequate MMs. The findings of this study provide support for the association of MO and MMs with the intervention of QDA for solutions to agency problems. Companies should, therefore, motivate the management to own shares within the reasonable range that aligns the interest of the management with that of the shareholders. This paper adds to knowledge especially in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa by examining a mediating effect to depict the relationship between MO and MM, which are not evident in prior studies It is my conviction that in the coming year, the vision of IPJAF to publish high-quality manuscripts in the established and emergent areas of accounting and finance from academic and professional researchers will be sustained and appreciated. As you read throughout this volume 2, issue 2 of IPJAF, I would like to remind you that the success of our journal depends on you, your friends and colleagues as stakeholder through the submission of high-quality articles for review and publication. Once again, I acknowledge with gratitude your continued support as we strive to make IPJAF the most authoritative journal on accounting and finance for the community of academic, professional, industry, society and government. Oluwatoyin Muse Johnson Popoola, PhD Editor-in-Chief popoola@omjpalpha.com

Citations were collected for education articles published from 1956–1990. The journals selected for the study are International Journal of Accounting Education and Research (IJAER), Issues in Accounting Education (IAE), Journal of Accountancy (JOA), Journal of Accounting Education (JOAE), and The Accounting Review (TAR). An analysis of the data has revealed: (1) the maximum average citation per paper peaked around 1981–82; (2) the 1976–1985 decade was the most productive in terms of the number of articles, average number of pages per article, and the average number of citations per paper; (3) JOA had the highest average citations per paper; (4) sixty-seven percent of the twelve most highly cited papers in accounting education were published in TAR; (5) accounting education scholars tend to cite very recent literature; (6) the immediacy index for the accounting education literature is approximately the same as that for agency theory literature; and (7) the content of education articles has changed from professional development, five year accounting programs, student testing and teaching aids to improving upon methodologies used to conduct education research and the ranking of accounting faculty and accounting concepts.

Cloud computing is transforming the accounting profession and gaining worldwide attention. According to Jeff Drew, senior editor covering technology for the Journal of Accountancy, cloud computing was one of the most talked about topics during a recent AICPA Practitioners Symposium and TECH+ Conference. Gartner Inc., a world leader in information technology and analysis, projects worldwide cloud service revenues to reach $148.8 billion in 2014. Notwithstanding its rave reviews, many continue to resist the cloud. Whether from ignorance of its workings and advantages or uncertainty due to its newness and challenges, questions and concerns weigh heavily among those contemplating its adoption. Accountants who stay abreast of new developments within the field of cloud computing, becoming not only educated but experienced, will be able to provide assistance and advice in an organizations assessment process of this new cloud-based delivery platform. This article defines cloud computing and highlights some of the associated advantages and challenges faced by organizations considering cloud services.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the profile of accounting research in the two academic accounting research journals in South Africa (Meditari Accountancy Research and SA Journal of Accounting Research) during the ten‐year period from 2000 to 2009.Design/methodology/approachThe archival research method is applied, which analyses existing data (in this case the articles published in the South African (SA) accounting research journals) to come to research conclusions. The research method used to analyse the related articles in the SA accounting research journals is based on various international studies. The following dimensions are assessed: authorship; research field; the nature of the research; and research methods. Authorship is classified by institution, and the top seven authors by relative contribution are also identified. Both empirical and theoretical work are classified separately in different research methods.FindingsThese different dimensions provide a broad‐based review of the current profile of accounting research in South Africa.Research limitations/implicationsOther refereed academic articles in the field of accounting have been published in non‐accounting specific SAPSE‐approved journals. These articles are also excluded from the scope of this research since the journals in which they are published have not been established by accounting academics specifically.Practical implicationsThe motivation for doing this research is to identify the current profile of accounting research in South Africa that could be used as a basis for future research‐related development.Originality/valueKnowledge of the profile of accounting research in South Africa could provide opportunities for scholars to expand identified research areas and explore methods that are currently under‐developed in the South African accountancy research field. The paper also acknowledges the contributions by the most prolific authors in the identified journals.

In this chapter I describe my initial attempts at investigating, during the early 1970s, what Alan Turing did during the Second World War. My investigations grew out of a study of the work of Charles Babbage’s earliest successors—in particular, the Irish pioneer Percy Ludgate—a study that led me to plan an overall historical account of the origins of the digital computer. The investigation resulted in my learning about a highly secret programmable electronic computer developed in Britain during the Second World War. I revealed that this computer was named Colossus, and had been built in 1943 for Bletchley Park, the UK government’s wartime codebreaking establishment. However, my attempt to get the details of the machine declassified were unsuccessful, and I came to the conclusion that it might be a long time before anything more would become public about Bletchley Park and Colossus. Around 1970, while I was seeking information about the work of Charles Babbage and Ada Lovelace to use in my inaugural lecture at Newcastle University, I stumbled across the work of Percy Ludgate. In a paper he wrote about Babbage’s ‘automatic calculating engines’, Ludgate mentioned that he had also worked on the design of an Analytical Engine, indicating that he had described this in an earlier paper in the Proceedings of the Royal Dublin Society.From a copy of that paper I learned that an apparently completely forgotten Irish inventor had taken up and developed Babbage’s ideas for what would now be called a program-controlled mechanical computer. Previously I had subscribed to the general belief that over a century had passed before anyone had followed up Babbage’s pioneering 1837 work on Analytical Engines. This discovery led me to undertake an intensive investigation of Ludgate, the results of which I published in the Computer Journal. With the help of a number of Irish librarians and archivists I managed to find out quite a few details about the tragically short life of this Irish accountant, and even to make contact with one of his relatives. Unfortunately, I found nothing more about his design for a paper-tapecontrolled analytical machine beyond what was given in his 1909 paper. My investigations into the background to Ludgate’s work left me with a considerable amount of information on pre-computer technology and on other little-known successors to Babbage.