The appearance of agency theory in the publications of Polish authors – the need to expand research in behavioral accounting

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of the article is to assess the use of agency theory by Polish authors in articles in the field of accounting published by the end of 2020. Methodology/approach: The study was carried out using a structured literature review, which is a recognized method of conducting literature analysis, also in the field of accounting. Findings: The results of the review show little use of agency relations in empirical re-search. Both in theoretical and empirical research, the issues in financial reporting were most often addressed. In most publications, agency theory constitutes the theoretical back-ground for the considerations, while there is a lack of research that focuses on the impact of the agency relationship between the owner and manager or between employees at vari-ous levels on accounting. The empirical studies analyzed only external factors that influ-ence decision-making, while there is a gap in studies that focused on individual human characteristics. Research limitations/implications: The structured literature review covers articles pub-lished between 1993 and 2020 written by Polish authors. Originality/value: The originality of the article arises from the identification of shortcom-ings in the publications of Polish authors in contrast to global achievements, in particular in the fields of management accounting and behavioral accounting. Thus, we indicate the directions of further development of research already carried out by the few Polish authors. The guidelines concern the development of research in the field of behavioral accounting, which will deepen the knowledge about the impact of the principal-agent relationship on the decisions people make in creating reporting and management information. Keywords: agency theory, agency relation, behavioral accounting, SLR, literature review.