Public Accounting and IPSAS in Portugal： The Accounting Standardization System for Public Administrations

The Accounting Standardization System for Public Administrations （SNC-AP） was approved by Decree-Law No. 192/2015, of September 11 and constituted the new accounting system for public administrations in Portugal, which will take effect from January 1, 2017, although there were pilot entities that are already applying it in the year 2016. The reasons for the approval of these accounting regulations are presented in the approval diploma itself, the existence of a strong fragmentation and outdated accounting standardization for the public sector. This paper intends to analyze the public accounting reform in Portugal based on the SNC-AP and the impacts that it will determine in public institutions in terms of accounting in relation to the previous POC-P regime and sectoral plans as well as the resources involved in the Implementation. Likewise, it is intended to assess whether all public bodies subject to its adoption will proceed to its implementation on January 1, 2017, as planned. For this purpose, the data available on this subject will be used, in particular those of the Directorate-General for the Budget of the Ministry of Finance.

Belgian Public Accounting： Towards Accrual Accounting

Belgian public accounting has faced many changes since the law of May 15, 1846 on state accounting and is continuously evolving. Originally, only cash-based budgetary accounting existed, but the will to evolve towards an accounting system allowing the follow-up of the public patrimony and debt and ensuring a better transparency of accounts appeared. So, after several changes in budgetary and accounting practices, the legislative authorities introduced an accrual-based accounting system and double-entry general accounting. The reform of 2003 is the main element of this accounting modernization, which is inspired by the new public management. This papert first describes the development of Belgian public accounting since 1846 and then dwells on the accounting reform of 2003, and more specifically, on its content and triggering factors, which can be linked not only to the development of Belgium but also to the international development. Finally, the level of implementation of this reform in different Belgian public entities is studied.

Evaluation of the Impact of International Accounting Standards Board （IASB） Framework Concepts on the Public Accounting Profession

Accounting profession has, in recent times, been regulated mainly by the private accounting standard setters mainly the International Accounting Standards Board （IASB）, which has taken a center stage and redefined the accounting information systems beyond the knowledge discernment of the average users and stakeholders. Public accounting profession＇s overreliance on the ever-changing IASB conceptual frameworks and their subsequent publications International Financial Reporting Standards （IFRS） standards has strongly compromised the ethics and objectivity of the profession, especially the accounting fundamental qualitative characteristics of the fair representation. Public accountants are, by ethics, required to issue an accurate, independent, and objective opinion of the financial state of the reporting entity. A review of various literatures from the IASB and the related bodies including independent auditors was employed during the evaluation process so as to minimize bias and evaluate objectively. The results revealed that currently, the IASB conceptual frameworks and IFRS contain inconsistent and opposing objectives including an inconclusive definition of elements and measurement basis mainly of profit and loss transactions and other comprehensive income, and hence the public accounting profession has been ethically challenged and compromised. Financial reporting is now premised on estimates, judgments, and models as opposed to a definitive measurement in accounting. A recommendation of further study on the IASB fundamental qualitative characteristics of decision usefulness should be pursued objectively.

IPSAS and Accounting Systems in the Italian Public Administrations： Expected Changes and Implementation Scenarios

This paper proposes to identify the main features of a possible implementation path of the International Public Sector Accounting Standard （IPSAS） standards within the Italian local public administration. In perspective, local Public Administrations （PA） may represent the reference target for the introduction of IPSAS standards but a direct application in the short-run can hardly be imagined in the Italian context. According to the CFOs of medium-small Municipalities in the Lazio Region, the IPSAS enforcement strategy swings between the ＂forced＂ model and the ＂spontaneous＂ model. The application of IPSAS standards to Italian PAs depends on specific law provisions at all institutional levels and requires a process of implementation based on a bottom-up model ＂governed by the center＂.

International Public Sector Accounting Standards （IPSAS） Implementation in the European Union （EU） Member States

The aim of this paper is to analyze the implementation level of International Public Sector Accounting Standards （IPSAS） in the member states of the European Union （EU）. After an introduction of the legislative framework in the EU and a review of the literature about the implementation of IPSAS in the EU member states, this paper classifies, on the basis of a survey, the states according to their formal implementation levels of IPSAS. It also analyzes the types of accounting （cash basis accounting, modified cash basis accotmting, accrual accounting, and modified accrual basis accounting） used by the states studied. The survey shows that there are important disparities among the member states, both for the application of IPSAS and for the type of accounting that is used. Furthermore, it appears that even if IPSAS is not legally adopted in most European member states, there is a tendency to use modern accounting systems based on accrual accounting close to IPSAS.

Application of International Public Sector Accounting Standards in Vietnam in Current Conditions

The objective of improving the state accounting system is to build a state accounting system based on a single and complete database which is applied uniformly across all public authorities and agencies from central to local. Such an accounting system must ensure a reliable and smooth flow of information among all the entities that take part in the preparation, allocation, execution, and finalization of the state budget. In order to improve the quality of financial information, to harmonize, and to develop accounting profession globally, the trend of international economic integration requires the standardization of accounting legislative framework among countries and first of all, the harmonization and unification of the preparation, presentation, and disclosure of financial information. Financial statements of each business in the private sector and financial statements of the government in the public sector in different countries should be transparent and presented in accordance with the accounting standards and principles and in line with international practices so that the financial information will be able to be compared and evaluated. Therefore, financial statements of each entity in the public sector and the consolidated financial statements of public sector entities issued by the government in different countries must be prepared and presented in a unified form to suit the international public sector accounting standards. Accordingly, with the application of the interview method in research, the main objective of this article is to focus on searching for the bases and consideration for the application of international public sector accounting standards in Vietnam in current conditions. This article consists of eight sections： （1） what are international public sector accounting standards？ （2） accounting entities of the public sector; （3） the limitations of current public sector accounting in Vietnam; （4） financial information to meet the requirements of state management and to comply with international practices; （5） the advantages of applying international public sector accounting standards in Vietnam; （6） the difficulties and challenges of applying international public sector accounting standards in Vietnam; （7） learning experiences from other countries; and （8） conclusion.

Exploring Public Finance Management Reform and Building up Model of General State Accounting （GSA）： The Case of Vietnam

There is no doubt that public finance and accounting have been playing a pivotal role in supporting the government＇s aspirations in the development in any countries. Through the receipt of funds from the state budget, the organizations in the public sector use country＇s resources towards the implementation of objectives as well as social policies set by national government. Therefore, most countries will aim to gradually improve the management of public finance, but control of public finance has faced challenges because of the existing limitations As a result, the public finance management needs to be reformed. In Vietnam, this process has been performed in recent years. To enhance the effectiveness of improvement, public finance has to combine with the transformation of public sector accounting. In fact, there are a lot of researches in public sector accounting together with financial management. However, in the world, from the past to present, very little research has been conducted to examine the change in management to the public finance and relationship to public accounting, especially to the model of general accounting. Because of the significance of above matters, the main purposes of this paper are to identify the role of public finance and the process of reforming it and to build up the new model in Vietnam, called as General State Accounting （GSA） which is applied for Vietnamese government in the near future. By using the mixed method for research, the author will analyze the figures of last budget data, administer the described statistics, and collect information about the budget from Vietnamese experts.

A Study of the Factors Affecting Choice of the Accounting Profession

An accounting professional is called a ＂Certified Public Accountant Financial Advisor （CPAFA）＂ in Turkey and the profession has a notable status in the country. Individuals choosing this profession have to complete a minimum 3-year internship program before becoming members of this profession. They have to pass an exam both to start and finish the internship program. The profession and the reasons for choosing it are highly significant issues. Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate the factors directing the professional choices of prospective individuals who wish to be CPAFAs and the significance of such factors. Along with these objectives, a nation-wide study was conducted on candidates who took the CPAFA internship exam in periods of 2012-3, 2013-1, and 2013-2 （three periods）. The factors affecting candidates＇ choices to be an accountant professional were gathered under five groups. The factors ＂influence of immediate surroundings＂, ＂prestigious social status of the profession＂, ＂high life-long income potential＂, ＂flexible working hours＂, and ＂future guarantee of the profession＂ had higher factor loadings than other factors.

The Benefit of State Audit and Significance to Enhancing the Validity of Vietnamese State Budget Accounting

For achievement of common goals, state accounting is used and applied by the government for adjusting the activities of public organizations that are in compliance with the social-economic policies in the country. Indeed, public sector has been playing a pivotal role in supporting the government＇s aspirations in the development in any countries. To conduct these responsibilities, public entities have to provide valuable financial information for making the decisions. These figures will be extracted from accounting documents and reports, because accounting is a financial resources measurement of any firms. As a result, public sector accounting, also known as budget accounting, is an important tool for reflecting the governmental transactions to general statements. However, there are some limitations or errors in the public sector accounting reports. Therefore, state audit is established for checking, monitoring, and inspecting figures made from pubic accounting. Moreover, from the past to the present, very little research has been conducted to define the usefulness of public auditing to general accounting. With causes necessary for examining economic activities of any organizations, the main purpose of this paper is to identify the theory of state budget accounting, the activities, characteristics, and tasks of state audit for improving the value of accounting data in the Vietnamese public sector. This article has given five points of view as well as five solutions for enhancing the state audit.

Performance on the 2011 Certified Public Accountant （CPA） Examination for Large, Middle, and Small Historically Black Colleges and Universities （HBCUs）

There are over 100 historically black colleges and universities （HBCUs） in the United States. The majority of these HBCUs are located in the southeast section of the United States. HBCUs are a major supplier of certified public accountants （CPAs） to the profession. Therefore, the performance of candidates from HBCUs should be of interest to various constituents including educators, employers, parents, students, and other stakeholders. The purpose of this paper is to provide statistical performance on the 2011 CPA examination for large, middle, and small HBCUs based upon the number of testing events taken. Taking a testing event is not the same as passing a testing event. This was the dichotomy between quantity and quality of HBCUs＇ performances. For large HBCUs, Morehouse University, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University （NC A＆T）, and Tennessee State University （TSU） were cited. For middle HBCUs, Albany State University, Norfolk State University （NSU）, and North Carolina Central University （NCCU） were cited. For small HBCUs, Alcorn State University, Fisk University, and University of Maryland Eastern Shore （UMES） were cited. The dichotomy between quantity and quality is real.

The Choice of Accounting Firm： Based On the ＂Supply Side＂ Structural Reforms

Supply-side structural reform brought different opportunities and challenges to various industries. Here, the author focuses on the influence of supply -side reform to accounting firm which as the high-end service industry, and firms how to cope with this reform, promote the healthy development of industry and economy.

The Choice of Accounting Firm： Based On the ＂Supply Side＂ Structural Reforms＂

Supply-side structural reform brought different opportunities and challenges to various industries. Here, the author focuses on the influence of supply -side reform to accounting firm which as the high-end service industry, and firms how to cope with this reform, promote the healthy development of industry and economy.

An Analysis on the US New Media Public Diplomacy Toward China on WeChat Public Account

Nowadays, with the development of the Internet, especially the mobile Internet, the appearance of WeCbat has a deep influence on the communication among people, WeChat public accounts have changed a lot to the experience of getting information for people of all ages at the same time. As a new platform for public diplomacy, many foreign embassies and consulates in China have built their own public accounts of WeChat. These public accounts have become a new type of media to learn about these countries＇ culture, society, and so on. The paper takes the WeChat public account of the US embassy in China as an example, collecting information during a period of time and summarizing their characteristics and revelations. As a model of new media public diplomacy, WeChat public accounts have a silent transforming influence of public diplomacy. In addition, the new media public diplomacy plays an important role in promoting the development of China＇s public diplomacy strategy, which increasingly becomes a useful supplement to China＇s foreign policy. Therefore, in the mobile lnternet era, the research of new media public diplomacy has an important implication.

A Glance for Mexico CPA Auditing Market in the Era of Rapid Changes

The technological revolution moves recording and analysis activities that were traditionally professional performance lines of activities focused to high operational content, but now are being met largely by integrated computer systems. The scientific and technological progress, growth and internationalization of markets, processors are processes in which the accounting profession plays a leading role. This paper aims to review the interrelated subjects in the era of public accounting and also its background comes as we

Application of Digitization in Offshore Oilfield

With the rapid development of information technology, the systematization and informatization of equipment management has become the goal of world advanced enterprises. With the rapid development of offshore oil fields, equipment maintenance management and safety control have been promoted to a new level. With the rapid growth of the company’s business and asset scale, the system users have increased year by year, the functions have been deepened and applied, and the investment in asset management informatization has also increased year by year. By analyzing the actual situation of personnel shift management on offshore platform, combined with the advantages of equipment personnel management in the system framework, this paper makes a digital exploration. Take informatization as the support, innovate working methods, improve management efficiency, and create intelligent shift handover, so as to achieve the purpose of improving quality and efficiency. Improve system application efficiency, business tightness and management efficiency.

Whistleblowing behaviours and anti-corruption approaches in public administration in Kenya

This article demonstrates that whistleblowing often receives little attention in public administration due to ambivalence regarding administrative roles held by public administrators,the fluid scalar chain and horizontal linkages,and competitive and intricate public,organisational and private interests.Drawing on comparative analysis to elucidate the broader scope of anti-corruption reforms and whistleblowing in public administration,the article explores the influence of the administrative culture on the relationship between whistleblowing behaviours and implementation of anticorruption reforms in public administration in Kenya.It illustrates how bureaucratic oversight mechanisms such as internal auditing procedures and ethical guidelines tend to underperform where administrative environments largely feature autocratic bureaucratic authority,parochial management styles and centralised decision-making processes.Despite the functional specialty of public institutions,these cultural composites potentially elicit administrative behaviours that generally make whistleblowing anti-organisational,anti-social and an outright illegality in public administration.The absence of whistleblowing legislation or weak whistleblowing laws exacerbate these conditions.Whistleblowing becomes even more complex at the local-state level as social networks and working groups tend to be strengthened by the collectivist associational culture in public administration.Consequently,non-performance of anti-corruption reforms were found to stem from the collective chastisement of whistleblowing practices in public organisations in Kenya.Furthermore,institutional deficits typical in local-state administration seemingly made it riskier for potential whistleblowers to come forth,mainly attendant to loose and inconsistent legislation on corruption.Therefore,to enhance whistleblowing,there is a need to insulate potential whistleblowers from legal retaliation,including cultural retaliations that come in forms of emotional and professional‘attacks’.