Showing papers in "Accounting History in 2006"

Accounting and religion: a historical perspective:

Abstract: Research on the relationship between accounting and religion or religious institutions is remarkably sparse. The lack of academic interest in studying accounting in religious institutions is rather perplexing, given the prominence of such institutions in most historical and contemporary societies, both spiritually and economically. In this introductory article, we first address research with a historical focus and then move on to study research on accounting and contemporary religious institutions. Our review of the literature indicates that research in this area remains at an embryonic state and that studies included in this special issue may contribute to the literature on the sacred–profane divide as well as on forms of accounting and accountability. We conclude by identifying a number of research areas that may attract the attention of scholars in the fields of accounting and accounting history.

Accounting and power: evidence from the fourteenth century

Abstract: During the past few years research on cultural, behavioural and social aspects of organizational activities and interactions have proliferated considerably in the accounting literature, thereby emphasizing the role played by accounting practices in shaping and/or balancing power relations in modern organizations. A relevant contribution to understanding the origins of the power of accounting can be found in accounting history. The present article examines a fourteenth-century case, that of the Opera della Metropolitana di Siena, an institution in charge of the construction and maintenance of the cathedral of the city of Siena, Italy, to explore the potential role played by accounting systems in influencing power relations. By analysing institutional and organizational change as well as the evolution of accounting practices within theOpera, this article shows that, since the medieval age, accounting data has played an important role not only in recording operational activities but also in managing power re...

The accounting records of the Monastery of Silos throughout the eighteenth century: the accumulation and management of its patrimony in the light of its accounts books

Abstract: This article firstly presents the sophisticated bookkeeping system used by the Benedictine monks of the Monastery of Silos (Spain) during the eighteenth century, the procedures for which were set down in the Constitutions of 1701 of the Congregation of Saint Benedict of Valladolid. In the light of these regulations and the bookkeeping records that are still preserved to this day at the monastery, the activities that sustained the economic life of the monastery and led to the accumulation of its patrimony are examined. The study includes an itemized breakdown of the different types of income: capital rents, rents from land and livestock, ecclesiastical dues, and retributions for religious services. Similarly, the use made of the financial flows arising from the income is also analysed and a summary of the results is presented for the period under analysis (1694–1801), which sheds light on the role of the monastery as an administrator of its assets and its rights. Both sections lead to a set of conclusions ...

The first 10 years of Accounting History as an international refereed journal: 1996–2005:

Abstract: This article undertakes a content analysis of publications in the first 10 years of the new series of the journal Accounting History. In so doing, it adds to the prior literature examining publishing patterns in the accounting history discipline. The article commences by providing an historical background to the introduction of the new series and the journal's editorial team. This is followed by a content analysis of the journal's research publications. This analysis examines patterns of authorship, the journal's most published authors, institutional and geographical affiliations of authors, author gender and article classifications.

Cross-border competition and the professionalization of accounting: the case of Sri Lanka

Abstract: This article explores the accountancy profession in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka obtained independence from Britain in 1948, and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka (ICASL) was established in 1959. The influence of the British (ACCA and CIMA), coupled with the support of the Sri Lankan government for the ICASL, would seem to have provided an environment conducive to the development of the local profession. Such expectations, however, have not been met. The ICASL has produced 2,170 accountants - a number far short of that required to serve the needs of the economy. It appears that the ICASL has pursued an agenda of closure by seeking to restrict the supply of public practitioners. Therefore, the profession in Sri Lanka can be characterized as being beset by cross-border competition between British institutions seeking to exert influence within a former colony and a local organization concerned with achieving closure over practitioners.

Accounting at the boundaries of the sacred: the regulation of the Spanish brotherhoods in the eighteenth century

Abstract: Recently, accounting research on religious organizations has concentrated on the sacred/profane dichotomy. We analyse how dissimilar perceptions of the sacred led to different roles of accounting i...

People and periods untouched by accounting history: an ancient Yoruba practice

Abstract: This article is based on a plenary address presented at the fourth Accounting History International Conference, Braga, Portugal held in September 2005. It is an extension of earlier calls (for example Carmona, 2002; Carnegie & Potter, 2000) to broaden research beyond those settings and periods that have so far dominated accounting history. Using precolonial Africa as an example, the article identifies the challenges and opportunities associated with historical research in non-western and/or pre-industrial cultures and sites. It then goes on to illustrate some of the conceptual breaks needed to examine the ancient Yoruba practice of the (e)susu and identifies the potential insights that one can gain from historical research into the “truly unfamiliar”. It concludes on a hopeful note, suggesting that by taking accounting history research beyond the familiar settings of Europe and the West we create the potential for profound growth in our discipline.

Using accounting records to enhance an understanding of a seventeenth-century Italian feudal community: the case of the Commune of Penne (1664–90):

Abstract: Through the analysis of recently discovered accounting records of the Commune of Penne, this study is concerned with enhancing an understanding of a seventeenth-century Southern Italian feudal commune. Surviving public records and other primary sources are used to both elucidate the commune's organization, administration and accounting procedures and to portray key aspects of community life through a classification analysis of the entries contained in the town Register of the Exchequer. The analysis of these original documents discloses the ways in which money was spent in the Commune of Penne in the period 1664–90, thus specifying the major homogeneous groups of expenses of the Commune and thereby elucidating the adopted social priorities and concerns of the time. Such studies are important in enhancing an understanding of life and times in specific local, time-specific contexts, thus offering the potential to augment our literature on social history.

Hallowed treasures: sacred, secular and the Wesleyan Methodists in New Zealand, 1819–1840

Abstract: John Wesley, the eighteenth century reformer, preached that regarding money, his Methodist followers should “gain all you can, save all you can and give all you can”. Methodist attitudes required user reflection and careful recording to ensure good use of money. This attitude towards the pecuniary challenges the sacred–secular dichotomy suggested by Laughlin (1988) and Booth (1993). The early Methodist missionaries in New Zealand provide an example where acculturation demands tempted men with a strong sacred focus to eschew secular accounting for their mission. Steeped in Wesley's writings, Methodist culture and the Bible, however, their letters and diaries included regular stocktakes of barter goods and ledger accounts, suggesting economic accountability. When one missionary misappropriated mission money for personal ends, he was ostracised. Wesleyan Methodist missionaries’ dependence on their supporters required commitment to mission and stewardship of the mission's ‘hallowed treasures’, but not a sacre...

A Biblical statement of accountability

Abstract: The aim of this article is to shed light on a Biblical statement of accountability, which was presented by Moses to the Israelites following the exodus from Egypt. This statement of accountability is at the level of leader towards his people, and as such differs from other forms of accountability in ancient civilizations – in particular Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt – which existed only at the levels of the individual towards the individual, the individual towards the state, and the state towards the individual. Since Moses had a unique status as a leader, this study looks towards this status to try to explain the reasons that compelled him to provide the statement. I suggest that Moses, who led his people from slavery to freedom, also fulfilled the role of educator towards freedom. I posit that he provided the account as part of his capacity as educator as well as from his desire to be above suspicion, and out of his personal humility. The article concludes with some reflections of this account from late...

Towards a genealogy of wealth through an analysis of biblical discourses

Abstract: A primary concern of accounting is the determination of the financial position or “wealth” of an entity. Using an interpretive methodology adapted from Michel Foucault, this contribution seeks to develop a genealogy of wealth through an analysis of Biblical discourses pertaining to wealth. In particular, the article examines narratives depicting the life of Abraham as these relate to discourses about wealth. The objective is to explore ways in which the discourses changed between the Old and New Testaments. As Foucault might suggest, the “regime of truth” surrounding the idea of wealth has changed through time; there have been discontinuities and transformations. There have been periods in which wealth has been appreciated, and other periods in which wealth has been denigrated, particularly by religious authorities. In the Old Testament, Abraham's wealth was seen as a blessing from God, while in the New Testament, seeking after wealth was viewed as sinful. The article suggests several reasons for this tra...

Creating a supranational institution: the role of the individual and the mood of the times

Abstract: This study notes that, while the research literature which addresses accounting change in different countries is preoccupied with issues such as economic and legal environment, culture and consensus, research in accounting history recognizes, in biographical studies, the role sometimes played by individuals in influencing the outcomes in moments where change takes place. The article looks at the case of the creation of the International Accounting Standards Committee and analyses the evidence concerning the roles of the central individuals, Henry Benson, Douglas Morpeth and Wally Olson. It concludes that while it is difficult to disentangle the strands of institutional politics and responses to prevailing policy issues, the individuals concerned did play major roles and there is a case for the intervention of individuals to be considered in the international accounting literature as one of the issues that helps build accounting infrastructure.

The professional journal as a signal of movement to occupational ascendancy and as legitimation of a professional project: the early history of The Accountant's Magazine 1897–1951:

Abstract: This article chronicles the early history of The Accountant's Magazine and provides explanations of its role within the professional project of the first generations of Scottish chartered accountants. The journal appeared in 1897 as part of a federal structure constructed to promote a unified image of chartered accountancy in Scotland in response to challenges to its occupational ascendancy. Between 1897 and 1951, the journal was managed and edited on a part-time basis by practitioners and required continuous financial support from its three sponsoring professional bodies. Also during this period, its content portrayed public accountancy as a profession of diverse skills and marketable services. However, the journal's subscription membership included only a small minority of members of the three sponsoring bodies. The article argues that the early history of TAM is consistent with sociological explanations of the professional project. At the time of its creation, it was a signal of movement to occupationa...

Professional closure by proxy: the impact of changing educational requirements on class mobility for a cohort of Big 8 partners

Abstract: Closure events impacting on class mobility may include mechanisms initiated by bodies other than the professional body. The research examines if the introduction of full-time study requirements at ...

Using William the Conqueror's accounting record to assess manorial efficiency: a critical appraisal:

Abstract: Professor McDonald (2005) is to be congratulated on his boldness and the readability of his comparative study based on the limited data available in the Domesday Book. It is, however, argued that the data is not sufficient or reliable enough to justify any conclusions as to postconquest farming efficiency. Furthermore, to draw such conclusions necessitates valiant attempts at generalization and standardization as to land measurements such as “hides”, the value and productivity of slave labour, variable soil qualities, land values and uniform farming practices. To theorize based on “constant returns to scale”, where conscripted labour is employed, is to deny the empirical farming experiences of Cambodia under Pol Pot and the Soviet Union under Stalin. That Professor McDonald concludes from such an analysis that Norman farming practices compare favourably with modern farming practices is both controversial and courageous.

Analysing historical data: a justification of the use of quantitative methods:

Abstract: Instead of answering point-by-point the issues raised by Hooper (2006), the response in this rejoinder is to the general thrust of the argument. It is maintained that it is possible to measure how ...

Depreciation theory in the 1960s

Abstract: This article is based on a seminar paper presented by the author in the Department of Accounting and Business Information Systems, The University of Melbourne, on 27 May 2005. It reviews a series of articles that were published in The Accounting Review during the 1960s on the topic of depreciation, and re-presents and re-evaluates the author's own contributions to the debate.

Ernest Adams Ltd: the demise of a family business

Abstract: This article tells of the changes experienced by a family business, through restructuring under outside professional management, until being taken over by a multinational company. Evidence was collected from interviews, annual reports and media articles. As a family business, the company exploited lower agency costs and sustained its profitability. Debt levels remained low. Under external professional managers, profitability declined and debt levels rose sharply. Informal communication networks were no longer utilized, and the professional managers were subject to criticism for excessive spending, inappropriate skills and a lack of industry knowledge. The board of directors began to function less effectively. Poor performance led to restructuring under three different CEOs, yet costs continually increased, profitability declined, and a takeover bid was successful. However, all responsibility, of course, cannot be placed on the new professional managers, who inherited responsibility for some decisions made...

Bookkeeping in the sixteenth-century building yard of the Castello of Crotone: an accountancy and architectural analysis

Abstract: This article aims to promote interdisciplinary research between the history of accounting and that of architecture, and recognizes the different point of view that ancient accounting documentation offers to two scientific branches of study that only appear to be distant. The article analyses the surviving registries prepared during the renovation of the fortification of Crotone in Calabria (Italy) during the sixteenth century and, accordingly, it allows the reconstruction of a sufficiently broad outline of the architectural events that occur in a large building yard, connecting this intervention to an architectural history frame of reference that surpasses the limits of regional boundaries. At the same time, the specificity of the examined documentation has allowed us to identify the roles and the subjects assigned to keep accounts, within the complex system with which the disorderly Spanish administration managed its extremely vast dominion.