Subject of Accounting: Unfinished Discussion

In modern conditions, to ensure the progressive development of accounting, it is necessary to improve its basic foundations, one of the elements of which is the concept of "subject of accounting". Taking into account the lack of unity in views among scientists on this concept and the significant changes that have occurred in recent years in the national accounting system, it is necessary to improve the position regarding the understanding of this concept and its clarification. The purpose of the article is to describe the subject of accounting in accordance with national legislation and IFRS and determine the directions for the development of the basic foundations of accounting. The main reasons for the lack of unity in the views of scientists regarding the understanding of the essence of the subject of accounting have been grounded. The need to differentiate the subject of accounting as a practical activity and as a science has been noted. The subject of accounting as a practical activity is what is accounted for (transactions, events and conditions). The subject of accounting as a science is practical, theoretical, meta-theoretical, methodological and organizational aspects of the functioning of the accounting system and the impact of accounting information on users. The existing approaches of scientists to the selection of the subject of accounting have been analyzed and the absence of their application at the level of national accounting legislation has been identified. The procedure for the formation of the subject of accounting at the present stage of the development of the national accounting system has been disclosed. The subject of accounting has been described based on the provisions of national accounting legislation. The subject of accounting has been described based on the provisions of international financial reporting standards. The necessity of including conditions as one of the elements of the accounting subject has been grounded. The reasons for the need for a deeper study of the subject of accounting based on the development of the theory of accounting reflection has been disclosed. The result of such research should not be the invention of another concept of the subject of accounting, but it should be more detailed and scientific description based on the application of new theoretical constructs as elements of the theory of accounting reflection.