Purpose: This paper aims to identify the possible sources of organizational decoupling and their effects in public universities, as they transition from cash to accrual accounting, by assessing the phases of the innovation assimilation process. Design/methodology/approach: To assess the transition, the authors develop a framework that integrates the possible sources of decoupling with the phases of the innovation process. This framework is then applied to the analysis of six Italian public universities moving from cash to accrual accounting. Findings: The results point to regulation gaps and adverse organizational conditions as the main culprits of decoupling behaviours in the production and use of information. Delays in the characterization of the legal framework and ambiguities in the definition of accounting standards by the regulator are the first barriers to an effective transition. The organizational barriers, instead, depend on lack of adequate skills, over-bureaucratization, limitations of the IT systems and organizational complexity. Such limitations generate hybrid accounting systems that jeopardize the informative function of financial reporting. Originality/value: From a theoretical viewpoint, this paper contributes to a conceptualization of accounting innovations and reforms as processes whose impact depends on dynamics that arise and interact differently across phases. From a practitioner’s point of view, it highlights the factors that may produce adverse effects during the implementation process: these may be taken into account during planning, so as to develop the appropriate remedial actions.

(2018). Assimilating accounting innovations: lessons from Italian public universities [journal article - articolo]. In JOURNAL OF ACCOUNTING & ORGANISATIONAL CHANGE. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10446/137618

Assimilating accounting innovations: lessons from Italian public universities

Mariani, Laura;
2018-01-01

Abstract

Purpose: This paper aims to identify the possible sources of organizational decoupling and their effects in public universities, as they transition from cash to accrual accounting, by assessing the phases of the innovation assimilation process. Design/methodology/approach: To assess the transition, the authors develop a framework that integrates the possible sources of decoupling with the phases of the innovation process. This framework is then applied to the analysis of six Italian public universities moving from cash to accrual accounting. Findings: The results point to regulation gaps and adverse organizational conditions as the main culprits of decoupling behaviours in the production and use of information. Delays in the characterization of the legal framework and ambiguities in the definition of accounting standards by the regulator are the first barriers to an effective transition. The organizational barriers, instead, depend on lack of adequate skills, over-bureaucratization, limitations of the IT systems and organizational complexity. Such limitations generate hybrid accounting systems that jeopardize the informative function of financial reporting. Originality/value: From a theoretical viewpoint, this paper contributes to a conceptualization of accounting innovations and reforms as processes whose impact depends on dynamics that arise and interact differently across phases. From a practitioner’s point of view, it highlights the factors that may produce adverse effects during the implementation process: these may be taken into account during planning, so as to develop the appropriate remedial actions.
articolo
2018
Gigli, Sabrina; Mariani, Laura; Trivellato, Benedetta
(2018). Assimilating accounting innovations: lessons from Italian public universities [journal article - articolo]. In JOURNAL OF ACCOUNTING & ORGANISATIONAL CHANGE. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10446/137618
File allegato/i alla scheda:
File Dimensione del file Formato  
JAOC-10-2017-0101.pdf

Solo gestori di archivio

Versione: publisher's version - versione editoriale
Licenza: Licenza default Aisberg
Dimensione del file 246.24 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
246.24 kB Adobe PDF   Visualizza/Apri
Mariani 137618.pdf

accesso aperto

Descrizione: 'This author accepted manuscript is deposited under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC) licence.'
Versione: postprint - versione referata/accettata senza referaggio
Licenza: Creative commons
Dimensione del file 792.81 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
792.81 kB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri
Pubblicazioni consigliate

Aisberg ©2008 Servizi bibliotecari, Università degli studi di Bergamo | Terms of use/Condizioni di utilizzo

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10446/137618
Citazioni
  • Scopus 8
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 7
social impact