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Cameral accounting and cash flow reporting: some implications for use of the direct or indirect method

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  • Norvald Monsen

Abstract

The most thoroughly debated format issue in designing a cash flow statement for a business enterprise concerns use ofthe direct or indirectmethod when reporting cash from operating activities. The article argues that the reason why we cannot solve this dilemma of using the direct or indirect method is related to the fact that our discussion is limited to using the axiom of double-entry bookkeeping within commercial accounting. In this article, however, the discussion of whether to use the direct or indirect method is not limited to commercial double-entry bookkeeping; it is also based upon another accounting framework, specifically designed to deal with cash transactions of governmental organizations: single-entry cameral accounting. The article argues that commercial accounting could learn from cameral accounting, separating cash from non-cash balance sheet changes, and directly prepare a cash flow statement from the single-entries of the cash transactions on the cash account, before they are entered into the double-entry bookkeeping system, to provide a performance result (revenues minus expenses) and related balance sheet information (assets, liabilities and equity). By applying this procedure, the direct method of preparing a cash flow statement becomes the natural method to use.

Suggested Citation

  • Norvald Monsen, 2001. "Cameral accounting and cash flow reporting: some implications for use of the direct or indirect method," European Accounting Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(4), pages 705-724.
  • Handle: RePEc:taf:euract:v:10:y:2001:i:4:p:705-724
    DOI: 10.1080/09638180120103305
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    Cited by:

    1. J. Christiaens & J. Rommel & A. Barton & P. Everaert, 2008. "Should All Capital Goods of Governments be Recognised as Assets in Financial Accounting?," Working Papers of Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Ghent University, Belgium 08/505, Ghent University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration.
    2. J. Christiaens & C. Vanhee, 2003. "Capital Assets in Governmental Accounting Reforms," Working Papers of Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Ghent University, Belgium 03/207, Ghent University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration.
    3. De Andrés Fazio, Salvador & Urquía Grande, Elena & Pérez Estébanez, Raquel, 2022. "The “secret life” of the Statement of Cash Flow: A bibliometric analysis," Cuadernos de Gestión, Universidad del País Vasco - Instituto de Economía Aplicada a la Empresa (IEAE).

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