Financial sustainability of public sector entities : the relevance of accounting frameworks

Abstract

The theme of this book centres around the role of public sector accounting frameworks in the endeavour to make public sector entities financially sustainable. The overall objective of the book is to analyse the role of public sector accounting in the provision of information that would assist financially sustainable policy making, with a focus on the relevance of accounting frameworks in this process. In this book, the term accounting frameworks is taken to encompass budgeting, management accounting, financial reporting, and other reporting requirements, for example, Governmental Financial Statistics. Besides analysing the suitability of current accounting frameworks for financial sustainability of public sector entities, the book also delves into emerging forms of reporting, for example, popular reporting and integrated reporting, which may also be considered by policy makers, standard setters, and managers of public sector entities as tools suitable to make citizens aware of the financial condition of a local government.