{"title":"The Effect of the Interaction of Peer Influence and Affect on Budgetary Slack*","authors":"Xin Geng, Arron Scott Fleming, Alyssa S. J. Ong","doi":"10.1111/1911-3838.12403","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1911-3838.12403","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Given the strong financial incentives embedded in participative budgeting, the creation of budgetary slack is prevalent and constant. Research has shown that peer influence is related to budgetary reporting. However, such an effect is likely to be moderated by other factors. We argue that the effect of peer influence on budgetary slack depends on budget-setters' affect. In an experiment where participants set budgets and work on production tasks, we find that positive affect leads to a greater decrease in budgetary slack under honest peer influence compared to negative affect—specifically, budget-setters create the least amount when they are in positive affect and peer influence is honest. We also find that participants' moral judgment and moral obligations are negatively associated with the amount of budgetary slack created.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":43435,"journal":{"name":"Accounting Perspectives","volume":"24 2","pages":"441-468"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144220321","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A Survey of Research on Fair Value Accounting for Financial Institutions*","authors":"Darren Henderson, Kaleab Mamo","doi":"10.1111/1911-3838.12391","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1911-3838.12391","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Even though fair value accounting (FVA) enjoys widespread support from standard setters around the world, the practice of marking assets and liabilities to market remains controversial. While FVA affects all firms to a certain extent, financial institutions are most affected due to the nature of the assets that they hold. In this paper, we first discuss fair value measurement and its application before exploring the consequences of FVA, including its impact on regulatory capital. We then discuss key benefits and challenges of FVA. Standard setters believe that FVA provides the most relevant information to financial statement users; however, the increased relevance comes with a cost of reduced reliability due to the estimation involved. More recently, concerns have been raised about FVA leading to procyclicality and contagion that can cause or exacerbate boom and bust cycles. After summarizing the literature, we identify opportunities for additional research.</p>","PeriodicalId":43435,"journal":{"name":"Accounting Perspectives","volume":"24 2","pages":"307-342"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/1911-3838.12391","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144220444","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Accrual Versus Cash Basis of Accounting in the Canadian COVID-19 Subsidy Programs*","authors":"Amin Mawani, Salim Hajee","doi":"10.1111/1911-3838.12398","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1911-3838.12398","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The principal eligibility criterion for the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) during the COVID-19 pandemic was a reduction of at least a prespecified percentage in monthly revenues compared to the same months in the prior year, or compared to January and February 2020 (just prior to the launch of CEWS in March 2020). The revenues could be measured using accrual or the cash basis of accounting. Since subsidy applicants could choose the cash method of accounting and use January and February 2020 as reference periods, seasonal businesses that generated most of their revenues in January and February could claim subsidies without experiencing any reductions in revenue. We illustrate how a seasonal business with higher monthly accrued revenues compared to the pre-pandemic year could be eligible for CEWS by using the cash basis of accounting in the subsidy application even though it would not qualify using the accrual accounting method. It seems inequitable for business or wage subsidies to be based on the choice of accounting methods. There is no sound public policy reason to subsidize (or tax) one firm more than another just because they use a different method of accounting. Evaluating accounting methods embedded within government subsidy programs is an important endeavor to ensure neutrality and effectiveness of public spending programs.</p>","PeriodicalId":43435,"journal":{"name":"Accounting Perspectives","volume":"24 2","pages":"423-440"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/1911-3838.12398","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144220108","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Embracing the Perks of Faulty Roadmaps: A Literature Review of Sociological Perspectives on Budgeting*","authors":"Kai DeMott","doi":"10.1111/1911-3838.12394","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1911-3838.12394","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This literature review provides an overview of sociological perspectives on budgeting. The organizational relevance of budgeting has made it the subject of many perspectives and comprehensive reviews. However, the “niche” of sociological budgeting research deserves more attention as it helps us understand how and why budgets thrive—not necessarily by providing direction, but precisely because they offer faulty roadmaps that evoke conflict, human interaction, individual reflection, power struggles, and change. The study reviews 115 publications concerned with these social dynamics of budgeting. The analysis is structured along Czarniawska-Joerges and Jacobsson's (1989, <i>Accounting, Organizations and Society 14</i>(1), 29–39) discussion of three interrelated social functions of budgeting: a symbolic performance, a means of communication, and an expression of values. Based on this analysis, the study endorses sociological perspectives as a fruitful and often underrepresented resource to advance the discussion of the benefits and drawbacks of budgeting, identifying promising areas for future research that remain largely underexplored.</p>","PeriodicalId":43435,"journal":{"name":"Accounting Perspectives","volume":"24 2","pages":"553-591"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/1911-3838.12394","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144220109","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Effect of Operating Leverage on Managers' Capital Investment Decisions*","authors":"Sangmok Lee","doi":"10.1111/1911-3838.12397","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1911-3838.12397","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Holding all else constant, a larger proportion of fixed costs in the cost structure (i.e., higher operating leverage) implies a greater profit volatility for a given level of demand fluctuation. In a setting where operating leverage is irrelevant to the choice of investment projects, I experimentally examine whether managers under high operating leverage (as opposed to low operating leverage) choose a less profitable project for lower variability in anticipated earnings. Inconsistent with the hypothesis, I find that the level of operating leverage has an insignificant impact on managers' investment choices, providing preliminary evidence that managers may correctly identify the level of operating leverage as irrelevant. Notably, providing the cost structure information to managers, regardless of whether it pertains to high or low operating leverage, increases the likelihood of selecting the more profitable investment. Additional analyses suggest that the excerpt on operating leverage might prime managers to deliberate more on the investment decisions. Managers who receive the cost structure information dedicate more time to assessing the investment projects, which in turn aids in identifying the more profitable project.</p>","PeriodicalId":43435,"journal":{"name":"Accounting Perspectives","volume":"24 2","pages":"393-422"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/1911-3838.12397","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144220048","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Job Market Competency Requirements for Accounting Professionals: A Comparative Analysis of Online Job Ads from SMEs and Large Enterprises*","authors":"Sylvestre Uwizeyemungu, Jacques Bertrand","doi":"10.1111/1911-3838.12396","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1911-3838.12396","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Compared to large enterprises (LEs), small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have unique characteristics that may affect their needs in several areas. Thus, the “one-size-fits-all” approach to meeting the needs of both groups of enterprises would be inappropriate in different circumstances. In this study, we examine the current competency requirements of the Canadian market for professional accounting jobs with the following research question in mind: To what extent do SMEs' requirements for professional accounting positions differ from those of large companies? The study draws on person-environment fit theory and job market signaling theory. It is based on a content analysis of 310 online job postings (of which 111, or 35.8%, are from SMEs) for accounting professionals or for positions requiring strong accounting knowledge. Our results show a complex picture made up of similarities and differences between SMEs and LEs' requirements when recruiting professionals in accounting-related positions. The study points to some paradoxes and contributes to the debate about the evolution of accounting education in relation to specific business needs. In particular, the study suggests that SMEs' competency requirements are not necessarily commensurate with the needs dictated by their specific context. From a practical point of view, the results of the study could be of interest to SME managers and organizations dedicated to SMEs' development; recruitment services; national accounting organizations, such as the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada; and the academic and professional communities involved in the training of professional accountants.</p>","PeriodicalId":43435,"journal":{"name":"Accounting Perspectives","volume":"24 2","pages":"343-391"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/1911-3838.12396","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144220437","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Assure or Insure Cyber Risk? Nonprofessional Investors' Willingness to Invest*","authors":"Kevin Gauch, Reiner Quick","doi":"10.1111/1911-3838.12389","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1911-3838.12389","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Organizations face severe cyber risks, which may lead companies to contract related insurance or to demand cybersecurity assurance services to signal risk management. This paper experimentally investigates how cybersecurity assurance and insurance against cyber risks impact nonprofessional investors. We conducted an experiment with a 2 × 2 between-subjects design with 100 UK nonprofessional investors and manipulated the assurance provision and insurance purchase to analyze their impact on willingness to invest. Our results suggest that cybersecurity assurance and cyber risk insurance positively affect willingness to invest. The results confirm the usefulness of measures to handle cyber risks and are of interest to managers, auditors, regulators, and academics.</p>","PeriodicalId":43435,"journal":{"name":"Accounting Perspectives","volume":"24 2","pages":"517-552"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/1911-3838.12389","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144220436","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Sociology of Exclusion: A Knowledge Synthesis of Imperialism, Colonialism, and Postcolonialism in Accounting Research*","authors":"Akolisa Ufodike","doi":"10.1111/1911-3838.12378","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1911-3838.12378","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The ways in which accountancy (accounting, accountability, and accountants) has been a device of imperialism, colonialism, and postcolonialism, and therefore has had deleterious effects on Indigenous peoples in former colonies and continues to negatively impact immigrants in postcolonial OECD countries, is under-researched. This structured literature review synthesizes studies in the accounting literature that have investigated imperialism, colonialism, and postcolonialism and identifies opportunities for future research. This study is part of a broader research project that reviewed 161 articles on accounting and discrimination. This article, based on 65 of the articles reviewed for the broader project, discusses existing knowledge on imperialism, colonialism, and postcolonialism. The author finds that the exclusion of Indigenous peoples in colonial times is shaped by perpetual oppressive relations. In the postcolonial United States and Old Commonwealth countries (Canada, Australia, and New Zealand), these power relations are sustained by professions through the continuing exclusion of racialized people and immigrants, many from previous colonies. This study proposes future research directions to advance the decolonization of accounting research by foregrounding alternative perspectives of Indigeneity—such as Black Indigeneity—and enabling accounting scholars to confront the various subthemes of imperialism and postcolonialism in accounting, including Western accounting and accountability, professionalization, emancipatory accounting, and Indigenous knowledge and accounts.</p>","PeriodicalId":43435,"journal":{"name":"Accounting Perspectives","volume":"24 2","pages":"469-515"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/1911-3838.12378","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144220374","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}