Accounting

The purpose of this paper is to first critique approaches to ethics education based on the application of frameworks and models for ethical decision making. We argue that underlying such approaches is a number of assumptions which fail to fully capture the nature of ethics and the nature of the individual and suggest that when applied in the classroom such would only offer limited possibilities for developing students' moral and imaginative capacities. The paper then offers an alternative perspective of the nature of the individual and the link between the self and the ethical. Rather than regarding the individual as an autonomous decision maker who sporadically interacts with the ethical domain we, following Dewey, J. (1983, 1987 [Dewey J. Human nature and conduct. Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press; 1983; Dewey J. Art as experience. Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press; 1987]) conceive of the individual as a self in the making and suggest a closer nexus between the individual and the ethical. In this paper ethics is seen as permeating all aspects of our lives and always being relevant. For Dewey, imagination is at the core or moral inquiry and based on this perspective we make a case for using literature and stories for ethics education. We discuss the role of fiction in cultivating the moral imagination Fesmire, 2003 [Fesmire S. John Dewey and moral imagination: pragmatism in ethics. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press;), and show why teaching ethics through literature is likely to yield more fruitful results than approaches based solely on frameworks and models.

Within the sociology of the professions, the link between the professions and the universities has come to be seen as natural and ineluctable because of their common association with knowledge [Abbott A. The System of Professions, University of Chicago Press, Chicago, IL; 1988]. There is a consensus in the literature that the link brings all round benefit to a professional occupation and that the active pursuit of such a link is an important component of the professionalization process. England's largest and most prestigious accountancy body -the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales -however stands out as an empirical anomaly in that it has not developed its training, education or certification within the university sector. In this paper we suggest that, although not fulfilling many of the roles traditionally attributed to the university in professional life, the university in general and academic departments of accounting in particular have played a number of crucial roles in establishing and reinforcing the high status of ICAEW members. This unique and arguably anomalous relationship, we argue, has contributed to the success of ICAEW members when competing with related and rival occupational groups both for jurisdictions and for new recruits. In turn, accounting academia in England has derived a number of unique benefits.

This paper examines the disclosure practices in the Annual Reports of the Banco de España spanning the period 1872 to 1894. Although established as a privately owned bank, the Banco de España developed a close and increasingly symbiotic relationship with the Spanish State during the nineteenth century. This relationship was further strengthened in 1874 when the State conferred upon the Bank the exclusive right to issue bank notes for use throughout the country. With this privilege, the relationship between the Bank and the State was sealed. The paper argues that it was more this relationship rather than factors associated with it size, nature of operations or the nature of its competitive environment that influenced the disclosure practices of the Bank.

By locating professionalisation within the wider context of imperialism, this paper seeks to understand and explain the dominance of the British-based Association of Chartered Certi®ed Accountants (ACCA) in the education and certi®cation of professional accountants in Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) Ð an erstwhile British colony. The paper illustrates how the interests of a UK-based accountancy institution intermeshed with those of the local accounting elite to subvert the nationalistic goal of indigenizing accountancy training in T&T. This intermeshing of the indigenous and the external constitutes the`internal logic of imperialism' [Galtung, J. (1971). A structural theory of imperialism.

In Saravanamuthu's article, "What Is Measured Counts", the World Bank's dismal record in promoting sustainable economic development is used to illustrate accounting's role in privileging the economic over the social. Saravanamuthu argues that the accounting standards used to evaluate the overall performance of the World Bank are the cause of the Bank's failure. She further argues that if a 'socially responsible' institution such as the World Bank cannot get the balance between the economic and the social right how can lesser organizations-such as commercial corporations-be expected to behave in a socially responsible manner. In this commentary, I argue that Saravanamuthu's choice of the World Bank as a test case of accounting's role in this tension is misguided because of a naïve interpretation of the nature of the Bank and its role in the management of today's global capitalist economy. I will reveal the financial and institutional pressures that drive the Bank to pursue the interest of private international capital and will show how these pressures, coupled with operational factors ensure that the Bank's socio-environmental goals remain at best marginal to its overall agenda. Further I will explore the role of accounting in the nexus of relationships within which the World Bank is situated and will consider critical accounting's potential contribution to research on the role of accounting and accountants in Third World Development.

By locating professionalisation within the wider context of imperialism, this paper seeks to understand and explain the dominance of the British-based Association of Chartered Certi®ed Accountants (ACCA) in the education and certi®cation of professional accountants in Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) Ð an erstwhile British colony. The paper illustrates how the interests of a UK-based accountancy institution intermeshed with those of the local accounting elite to subvert the nationalistic goal of indigenizing accountancy training in T&T. This intermeshing of the indigenous and the external constitutes the`internal logic of imperialism' [Galtung, J. (1971). A structural theory of imperialism.

In Saravanamuthu's article, "What Is Measured Counts", the World Bank's dismal record in promoting sustainable economic development is used to illustrate accounting's role in privileging the economic over the social. Saravanamuthu argues that the accounting standards used to evaluate the overall performance of the World Bank are the cause of the Bank's failure. She further argues that if a 'socially responsible' institution such as the World Bank cannot get the balance between the economic and the social right how can lesser organizations-such as commercial corporations-be expected to behave in a socially responsible manner. In this commentary, I argue that Saravanamuthu's choice of the World Bank as a test case of accounting's role in this tension is misguided because of a naïve interpretation of the nature of the Bank and its role in the management of today's global capitalist economy. I will reveal the financial and institutional pressures that drive the Bank to pursue the interest of private international capital and will show how these pressures, coupled with operational factors ensure that the Bank's socio-environmental goals remain at best marginal to its overall agenda. Further I will explore the role of accounting in the nexus of relationships within which the World Bank is situated and will consider critical accounting's potential contribution to research on the role of accounting and accountants in Third World Development.

We write this editorial in the wake of the horrible events in Paris which began on January 7, 2015, when two gunmen reportedly forced the doors of Charlie Hebdo's headquarters and killed 12 individuals, including many journalists. Charlie Hebdo is a French weekly newspaper specializing in satirical caricatures. This was followed by more deaths. The people who were killed were from many different faiths and none. While the focus of the media in the economic north was on Paris, across the globe many people suffer and die in the face of imperialism and extreme sectarianism every day. The editorial team of Critical Perspectives on Accounting is deeply saddened by this carnage. Like many others, we consider the outrageous crime at Charlie Hebdo a despicable act against the freedom of thought and speech, and the freedom of press. While Critical Perspectives on Accounting has many differences with Charlie Hebdo, we share a profound belief in the freedom to think, speak and write. We are concerned that in the wake of the events in Paris, academic freedom, the right to openly debate and critically analyze all aspects of society will be curtailed. Critical Perspectives on Accounting is strongly opposed to all forms of imperialism, sexism, racism, classism, homophobia, religious fundamentalism, and inequality. The journal is also against excessive adherence to political economic ideologies such as neoliberalism and globalism. As accounting researchers, we should not be oblivious of the role that accounting can play in promoting dogmatism and injustice in society. On the other hand, it might be possible that radically new forms of accounting could be a progressive force in society, supporting intelligent thought and action and encouraging more inclusive behavior. While the practice of accounting is very much dependent upon its economic, political and social context, accounting can be enhanced, substantively speaking. We therefore would like to remind researchers that Critical Perspectives on Accounting is significantly committed to accounting research that aims to denounce dogmatism, document its detrimental consequences, and reflect on ways to enhance our societies while at the same time respecting our differences. Enfin, a` tous ceux et celles qui ont perdu des proches lors de ce triste évènement, nous offrons nos plus sincères condoléances.

The paper expresses deep concern for the paucity of critical accounting scholarship in the contemporary period that can only be deemed hyper-racial (Alim and Reyes, 2011). By reflecting on how the concept of race has been mobilized in the critical accounting literature, we identify the contours of extant accounting research on race and we discuss the pitfalls and the challenges of pursuing scholarship in this area. In addition, we develop a framework for future research on race and accounting aimed at rendering our efforts more impactful and more subversive in challenging contemporary systems and practices of inequality based on race. ã 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. There is amyth in this country, a fable some people cherish because it makes them feel good and demands nomoral or intellectual heavy lifting. That myth holds that we are done with race and have been for a very long time, that we overcame, learned our lesson, reached the Promised Land and built luxury condos th...

Plant UDP-glucose (UDPG) pyrophosphorylase (UGPase) is involved in the production/metabolism of UDPG, a key metabolite for sucrose and cell wall biosynthesis. Two highly similar cDNAs (UGP1 and UGP2) corresponding to UGPase were isolated from cDNA libraries of hybrid aspen (Populus tremula x tremuloides). Expression of both UGPs, as studied by DNA microarrays and EST abundance, was compared to that of three sucrose synthase genes (SUS1-3), also involved in UDPG synthesis. Generally, the UGPs had lower expression than SUS1 and SUS2 genes (especially in tension wood and cambium), with the notable exception of leaves, primary roots and flowers. Based on real-time quantitative PCR, UGP1 in root xylem, leaves and male flowers was by far the predominant transcript, while in other tissues both UGP1 and UGP2 had comparable expression. In leaves, the UGP1 gene, but not UGP2, was upregulated by light and short-term sucrose feeding. Cold treatment led to dramatic organ-specific changes in relative expression of both genes, with UGP2 being upregulated either transiently (leaves), long-term (stems) or not at all (roots), whereas UGP1 was cold-upregulated in all organs. Individual or overall UGP expression patterns only weakly correlated with UGPase activity/protein; however, UGPase activity and protein were correlated in all tissues/conditions. The data suggest that UGPs are differentially expressed at the tissue level and in response to metabolic feedback (sucrose) and cold stress, and point to a tight posttranscriptional/translational control and, possibly, distinct roles for those genes.

glucose which is essential for sucrose and polysaccharide synthesis. Using Arabidopsis, we demonstrated that two UGPase genes ( UGP1 and UGP2 ) are differentially expressed in a variety of organs, with UGP1 being predominant. Co-expression analyses of UGP genes suggest that UGP1 is closely co-regulated with carbohydrate metabolism genes, late embryogenesis and seed loading, while UGP2 is co-regulated with stress response genes, fertilized fl owers and photosynthetic genes. We have used Arabidopsis mutants for the UGP genes to characterize the role of both genes. The UGPase activity/protein was reduced by 70, 10 and 85 % in ugp1 , ugp2 and ugp1/ugp2 double mutant (DK) plants, respectively. A decrease in UGPase activity/protein was accompanied by an increase in expression of USP , a gene for UDP-sugar pyrophosphorylase, suggesting a compensatory mechanism. Generally, the mutants had no effects on soluble sugar/ starch content (except in certain cases for DK plants), and there were no differences in cell wall composition/content between the wild type and the mutants. On the other hand, DK plants had greater hypocotyl and root lengths. When grown in the fi eld, the mutants had as much as a 50 % decrease in the number of seeds produced (consistent with a substantial decrease in fi eld fi tness), suggesting that they would be outcompeted in the fi eld in a few generations. Overall, the data suggest that UGPase is not rate limiting for sucrose/starch and cell wall synthesis, but that it is essential in Arabidopsis.

This paper compares the moral reasoning of 363 auditors from Canada and the United States. We investigate whether national institutional context is associated with differences in auditors' moral reasoning by examining three components of auditors' moral decision process: (1) moral development, which describes cognitive moral capability, (2) prescriptive reasoning of how a realistic accounting dilemma ought to be resolved and, (3) deliberative reasoning of how a realistic accounting dilemma will be resolved. Not surprisingly, it appears that institutional factors are more likely to be associated with auditors' deliberative reasoning than their prescriptive reasoning in both countries. Additionally, our findings suggest that the national institutional context found in the United States, which has a tougher regulatory and more litigious environment, appears to better encourage auditors to deliberate according to what they perceive is "the ideal" judgment as compared to the Canadian context. We then discuss the implications of these findings for regulators and for ethics research.

This paper compares the moral reasoning of 363 auditors from Canada and the United States. We investigate whether national institutional context is associated with differences in auditors' moral reasoning by examining three components of auditors' moral decision process: (1) moral development, which describes cognitive moral capability, (2) prescriptive reasoning of how a realistic accounting dilemma ought to be resolved and, (3) deliberative reasoning of how a realistic accounting dilemma will be resolved. Not surprisingly, it appears that institutional factors are more likely to be associated with auditors' deliberative reasoning than their prescriptive reasoning in both countries. Additionally, our findings suggest that the national institutional context found in the United States, which has a tougher regulatory and more litigious environment, appears to better encourage auditors to deliberate according to what they perceive is "the ideal" judgment as compared to the Canadian context. We then discuss the implications of these findings for regulators and for ethics research.

This paper compares the moral reasoning of 363 auditors from Canada and the United States. We investigate whether national institutional context is associated with differences in auditors' moral reasoning by examining three components of auditors' moral decision process: (1) moral development, which describes cognitive moral capability, (2) prescriptive reasoning of how a realistic accounting dilemma ought to be resolved and, (3) deliberative reasoning of how a realistic accounting dilemma will be resolved. Not surprisingly, it appears that institutional factors are more likely to be associated with auditors' deliberative reasoning than their prescriptive reasoning in both countries. Additionally, our findings suggest that the national institutional context found in the United States, which has a tougher regulatory and more litigious environment, appears to better encourage auditors to deliberate according to what they perceive is "the ideal" judgment as compared to the Canadian context. We then discuss the implications of these findings for regulators and for ethics research.

Despite Stock Option Plans' (SOPs) widespread use, evidence regarding their use and their effectiveness is relatively sparse and typically relies on an agency theory perspective that emphasizes the principal's interests in a market context. This study focuses on the agent as an individual who is involved in SOP management. Eighteen interviews with senior executives were conducted. Their responses indicate that SOPs are used to (a) initially align management's incentives, (b) attract and retain key personnel, and (c) facilitate the payment of high levels of executive compensation. SOPs are successful when they are paid to employees whose actions influence stock prices. Our analysis suggests that no single theory provides a comprehensive explanation of SOP management. A critical assessment of agency theory as the dominant paradigm in executive compensation research and practice is presented, and the need for an integrated theoretical perspective for understanding SOPs is discussed.