IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/crpeac/v90y2023ics1045235421000976.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Use and non-use of accounting information: The case of controversial projects in public and non-profit settings

Author

Listed:
  • van Helden, Jan
  • Caperchione, Eugenio
  • Pattaro, Anna Francesca

Abstract

This paper investigates whether and how accounting information is used in debates and decision-making processes about controversial projects in public sector and non-profit settings in the Netherlands and Italy. The research is based on two case studies and relies on multiple methods of qualitative data collection, including documents, interviews with key actors and media reports. The research finds a more limited extent of accounting information use than expected given the controversiality of the projects. It raises various types of explanations for this limited accounting information use, especially that ruling groups of actors supporting the project do not give room to the opposing minority for putting forward their concerns and preferences. The power position of the ruling majority thus matters in mitigating opportunities for a dialogic use of accounting information leading to the decision-making about the projects. So, controversiality is a determining factor, but insufficient as an explanation for the extent to which accounting information is used. In addition, the type of accounting information use is depending on the actors’ appreciation of the project. Advocates and opponents concerning both projects were in general inclined to an ammunition type of accounting information use, whereas actors holding a neutral position used available accounting information in a more rational way.

Suggested Citation

  • van Helden, Jan & Caperchione, Eugenio & Pattaro, Anna Francesca, 2023. "Use and non-use of accounting information: The case of controversial projects in public and non-profit settings," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:crpeac:v:90:y:2023:i:c:s1045235421000976
    DOI: 10.1016/j.cpa.2021.102378
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1045235421000976
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.cpa.2021.102378?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. repec:eme:aaaj00:aaaj-12-2015-2350 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Covaleski, Mark A. & Dirsmith, Mark W., 1988. "The use of budgetary symbols in the political arena: An historically informed field study," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 13(1), pages 1-24, January.
    3. Josette Caruana & Brady Farrugia, 2018. "The use and non-use of the government financial report by Maltese Members of Parliament," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 31(4), pages 1124-1144, May.
    4. Bino Catasús & Paolo Ferri & Sofi von Laskowski, 2016. "Accounting and the Hope of Action," European Accounting Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(2), pages 403-419, June.
    5. Birnberg, Jacob G. & Turopolec, Lawrence & Young, S. Mark, 1983. "The organizational context of accounting," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 8(2-3), pages 111-129, May.
    6. Marcia Annisette & Alan J. Richardson, 2011. "Justification and accounting: applying sociology of worth to accounting research," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 24(2), pages 229-249, February.
    7. Chapman, Christopher S., 1997. "Reflections on a contingent view of accounting," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 22(2), pages 189-205, February.
    8. Bay, Charlotta, 2018. "Makeover accounting: Investigating the meaning-making practices of financial accounts," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 44-54.
    9. repec:eme:aaaj00:09513570710748544 is not listed on IDEAS
    10. Ahrens, Thomas & Chapman, Christopher S., 2006. "Doing qualitative field research in management accounting: Positioning data to contribute to theory," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 31(8), pages 819-841, November.
    11. repec:eme:aaaj00:aaaj-07-2017-3013 is not listed on IDEAS
    12. Burchell, Stuart & Clubb, Colin & Hopwood, Anthony & Hughes, John & Nahapiet, Janine, 1980. "The roles of accounting in organizations and society," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 5(1), pages 5-27, January.
    13. Eugenio Anessi-Pessina & Carmela Barbera & Mariafrancesca Sicilia & Ileana Steccolini, 2016. "Public sector budgeting: a European review of accounting and public management journals," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 29(3), pages 491-519, March.
    14. Kerry Jacobs & Suresh Cuganesan, 2014. "Interdisciplinary accounting research in the Public Sector," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 27(8), pages 1250-1256, October.
    15. Jan van Helden & Christoph Reichard, 2019. "Making sense of the users of public sector accounting information and their needs," Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting & Financial Management, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 31(4), pages 478-495, November.
    16. repec:eme:aaaj00:09513571111100690 is not listed on IDEAS
    17. Jan van Helden & Daniela Argento & Eugenio Caperchione & Josette Caruana, 2016. "Editorial: Politicians and accounting information—a marriage of convenience?," Public Money & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(7), pages 473-476, November.
    18. Davide Giacomini & Mariafrancesca Sicilia & Ileana Steccolini, 2016. "Contextualizing politicians’ uses of accounting information: reassurance and ammunition," Public Money & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(7), pages 483-490, November.
    19. Pesch, Udo & Correljé, Aad & Cuppen, Eefje & Taebi, Behnam, 2017. "Energy justice and controversies: Formal and informal assessment in energy projects," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 825-834.
    20. Richardson, Alan J., 1987. "Accounting as a legitimating institution," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 12(4), pages 341-355, June.
    21. Jan van Helden, 2016. "Literature review and challenging research agenda on politicians’ use of accounting information," Public Money & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(7), pages 531-538, November.
    22. Wolf, Eva & Van Dooren, Wouter, 2017. "How Policies Become Contested: A Spiral of Imagination and Evidence in a Large Infrastructure Project," SocArXiv 8grp4, Center for Open Science.
    23. Sargiacomo, Massimo, 2015. "Earthquakes, exceptional government and extraordinary accounting," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 67-89.
    24. repec:dau:papers:123456789/10730 is not listed on IDEAS
    25. Ansari, Shahid & Euske, K. J., 1987. "Rational, rationalizing, and reifying uses of accounting data in organizations," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 12(6), pages 549-570, October.
    26. Lotta-Maria Sinervo & Petra Haapala, 2019. "Presence of financial information in local politicians’ speech," Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting & Financial Management, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 31(4), pages 558-577, November.
    27. Hofstede, Geert, 1981. "Management control of public and not-for-profit activities," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 6(3), pages 193-211, July.
    28. Anne-Laure Farjaudon & Jérémy Morales, 2013. "In search of consensus: The role of accounting in the definition and reproduction of dominant interests," Post-Print hal-01630501, HAL.
    29. Covaleski, Mark A. & Dirsmith, Mark W., 1986. "The budgetary process of power and politics," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 11(3), pages 193-214, May.
    30. E. E. A. Wolf & Wouter Van Dooren, 2017. "How policies become contested: a spiral of imagination and evidence in a large infrastructure project," Policy Sciences, Springer;Society of Policy Sciences, vol. 50(3), pages 449-468, September.
    31. Jan Bebbington & Judy Brown & Bob Frame & Ian Thomson, 2007. "Theorizing engagement: the potential of a critical dialogic approach," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 20(3), pages 356-381, June.
    32. repec:eme:aaaj00:aaaj-11-2013-1532 is not listed on IDEAS
    33. José R. San Cristóbal & Luis Carral & Emma Diaz & José A. Fraguela & Gregorio Iglesias, 2018. "Complexity and Project Management: A General Overview," Complexity, Hindawi, vol. 2018, pages 1-10, October.
    34. Anne-Laure Farjaudon & Jérémy Morales, 2013. "In Search of Consensus: The Role of Accounting in the Definition and Reproduction of Dominant Interests," Post-Print halshs-00864761, HAL.
    35. Janet Mack & Christine Ryan, 2006. "Reflections on the theoretical underpinnings of the general-purpose financial reports of Australian government departments," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing, vol. 19(4), pages 592-612, July.
    36. Bertrand Fauré & François Cooren & Frédérik Matte, 2019. "To speak or not to speak the language of numbers: accounting as ventriloquism," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 32(1), pages 337-361, January.
    37. Janet Mack & Christine Ryan, 2006. "Reflections on the theoretical underpinnings of the general‐purpose financial reports of Australian government departments," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 19(4), pages 592-612, July.
    38. Farjaudon, Anne-Laure & Morales, Jérémy, 2013. "In search of consensus: The role of accounting in the definition and reproduction of dominant interests," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 24(2), pages 154-171.
    39. Baxter, Jane & Chua, Wai Fong, 2003. "Alternative management accounting research--whence and whither," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 28(2-3), pages 97-126.
    40. Marcia Annisette & Alan J. Richardson, 2011. "Justification and accounting: applying sociology of worth to accounting research," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 24(2), pages 229-249, February.
    41. William G. Ouchi, 1979. "A Conceptual Framework for the Design of Organizational Control Mechanisms," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 25(9), pages 833-848, September.
    42. Enrico Guarini, 2016. "The day after: newly-elected politicians and the use of accounting information," Public Money & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(7), pages 499-506, November.
    43. Judy Brown & Jesse Dillard, 2015. "Dialogic Accountings for Stakeholders: On Opening Up and Closing Down Participatory Governance," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(7), pages 961-985, November.
    44. Aimee Pernsteiner & D’Arcy Becker & Matthew Fish & William F. Miller & Dawna Drum, 2016. "Budget repair or budget spectacle? The passage of Wisconsin’s Act 10," Public Money & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(7), pages 507-514, November.
    45. Eefje Cuppen, 2012. "Diversity and constructive conflict in stakeholder dialogue: considerations for design and methods," Policy Sciences, Springer;Society of Policy Sciences, vol. 45(1), pages 23-46, March.
    46. repec:eme:aaaj00:09513570610679146 is not listed on IDEAS
    47. Daniel, Elizabeth & Myers, Andrew & Dixon, Keith, 2012. "Adoption rationales of new management practices," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 65(3), pages 371-380.
    48. Mouritsen, Jan & Kreiner, Kristian, 2016. "Accounting, decisions and promises," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 21-31.
    49. Grisard, Claudine & Annisette, Marcia & Graham, Cameron, 2020. "Performative agency and incremental change in a CSR context," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    50. Jan Bebbington & Judy Brown & Bob Frame & Ian Thomson, 2007. "Theorizing engagement: the potential of a critical dialogic approach," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 20(3), pages 356-381, June.
    51. Eugenio Anessi-Pessina & Carmela Barbera & Mariafrancesca Sicilia & Ileana Steccolini, 2016. "Public sector budgeting: a European review of accounting and public management journals," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 29(3), pages 491-519, March.
    52. Brown, Judy, 2009. "Democracy, sustainability and dialogic accounting technologies: Taking pluralism seriously," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 20(3), pages 313-342.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sorola, Matthew, 2022. "Q methodology to conduct a critical study in accounting: A Q study on accountants’ perspectives of social and environmental reporting," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    2. Aresu, Simone & Monfardini, Patrizio, 2023. "Oppressed by consumerism: The emancipatory role of household accounting," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).
    3. Fasshauer, Ingrid, 2012. "Les interactions entre contrôle et stratégie : redéfinition du rôle des cadres intermédiaires et du levier interactif de contrôle," Economics Thesis from University Paris Dauphine, Paris Dauphine University, number 123456789/11150 edited by Berland, Nicolas.
    4. Godowski, Christophe & Nègre, Emmanuelle & Verdier, Marie-Anne, 2020. "Toward dialogic accounting? Public accountants’ assistance to works councils − A tool between hope and illusion," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    5. Susana Jorge & Sónia Nogueira & Maria Antónia Jesus, 2023. "Financial Information Use In Parliamentary Debates In A Changing Context," Public Organization Review, Springer, vol. 23(4), pages 1611-1638, December.
    6. Morales, Jérémy & Sponem, Samuel, 2017. "You too can have a critical perspective! 25 years of Critical Perspectives on Accounting," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 149-166.
    7. Ang, Soon Yong & Wickramasinghe, Danture, 2023. "Ethical disputes, coordinating acts and NGO accountability: Evidence from an NGO river-care programme in Malaysia," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    8. Ben Khaled, Wafa & Gérard, Benoît & Farjaudon, Anne-Laure, 2022. "Analysis of the political and identity dynamics of a dominant mode of control: The case of business ethics control and its legalization," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    9. Moore, David R.J., 2011. "Structuration theory: The contribution of Norman Macintosh and its application to emissions trading," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 22(2), pages 212-227.
    10. Brown, Judy & Tregidga, Helen, 2017. "Re-politicizing social and environmental accounting through Rancière: On the value of dissensus," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 1-21.
    11. Papi, Luca & Bigoni, Michele & Deidda Gagliardo, Enrico & Funnell, Warwick, 2019. "Accounting for power and resistance: The University of Ferrara under the Fascist regime in Italy," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 59-76.
    12. George, Sendirella & Brown, Judy & Dillard, Jesse, 2023. "Social movement activists’ conceptions of political action and counter-accounting through a critical dialogic accounting and accountability lens," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    13. Tanima, Farzana Aman & Brown, Judy & Wright, Jan & Mackie, Vera, 2023. "Taking critical dialogic accountability into the field: Engaging contestation around microfinance and women’s empowerment," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    14. Baudot, Lisa & Cooper, David J., 2022. "Regulatory mandates and responses to uncomfortable knowledge: The case of country-by-country reporting in the extractive sector," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    15. Chakhovich, Terhi & Virtanen, Tuija, 2023. "Accountability for sustainability – An institutional entrepreneur as the representative of future stakeholders," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    16. Samuel Sponem, 2010. "Diversité des pratiques de contrôle budgétaire:approches contingentes et néo-institutionnelles," Revue Finance Contrôle Stratégie, revues.org, vol. 13(3), pages 115-153., September.
    17. Samuel Sponem, 2002. "L'Explication De La Diversite Des Pratiques Budgetaires : Une Approche Contingente," Post-Print halshs-00584534, HAL.
    18. Martinez, Daniel & Himick, Darlene, 2023. "Accounting in (direct) action: Prefiguring emancipation in accounting research," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    19. Gun Abrahamsson & Hans Englund & Jonas Gerdin, 2011. "Organizational identity and management accounting change," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 24(3), pages 345-376, March.
    20. Artz, Martin & Homburg, Christian & Rajab, Thomas, 2012. "Performance-measurement system design and functional strategic decision influence: The role of performance-measure properties," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 37(7), pages 445-460.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:crpeac:v:90:y:2023:i:c:s1045235421000976. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/critical-perspectives-on-accounting/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.