Robyn Pilcher

Consequences and costs of financial reporting compliance for local government

Local governments are continuously being subjected to changing legislation in regard to reporting requirements. Results of this research indicate that the amount of time allocated to complying with external reporting requirements was often considered excessive and not always relevant – detracting from the ‘doing’. It was also revealed that the bottom line is perceived to be the most important indicator of a councils performance by stakeholders. From this, several implications emerge – including the potential for manipulation of accounting figures to achieve a target operating result. Another includes councils losing their original identity as service providers to the community. Hence, financial, political and social costs appear to be associated with continually changing financial reporting requirements imposed on local government. Future research proposes to take the derived questionnaire used here to other countries in order to determine whether data prepared using financial accounting standards (like the International Financial Reporting Standards) distort the information used by the various council decision makers.

Implementing IFRS in Local Government: Institutional Isomorphism as NPM Goes Mad?

Abstract The impact the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) has on business has been considered by various authors, such as Jones and Higgins (2006). However, there has not been the same research conducted with respect to local government. As Australia and New Zealand are leading the world by being the first to introduce IFRS into local government financial reporting, this study is timely in order todetermine the impact of compliance on local government. With the New Public Management (NPM) introduced in the late 1970s, accrual accounting and the desire to enhance transparency became embedded in financial reporting across the world. The paper adds to the growing literature on institutional theory with results of the study suggesting that a form of coercive isomorphism is present in regards to local government compliance with IFRS. It also suggests that the philosophy behind NPM – especially that espousing the benefits of public sector reporting in a private sector vein–may not be as relevant to Australian local government as the policy makers would have us believe. The thrust to implement IFRS may have finally pushed local government into a world they struggle to cope with. For example, findings indicate that there is now, more than ever, a perception in the community that the bottom line is an important indicator of a councils performance. Results reported here determined that the implementation process was time-consuming and costly with, in general, very little perceived benefit. Councils are conforming to the coercive pressure from legislative bodies, but they are not converging as part of the ‘transaction-neutral’ reporting regime.

Performance measurement in Indonesia: The case of local government

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the implementation of performance measurement systems (PMSs) in Indonesian local government (ILG) using Smart PLS. Couched within an institutional theory framework, it explores a conceptual model developed to explain the hypothesised relationships between technical and organisational factors and the development and use of performance indicators and accountability practices. Design/methodology/approach: Surveys were sent to senior finance officers in all local governments (457) across Indonesia with a response rate of 21.4 percent being achieved. Smart PLS was used to assess the quality of the data and analyse the research model proposed. Findings: Findings revealed that ILGs developed performance indicators more to fulfil regulatory requirements than to make their organisation more effective and efficient. As a way of increasing the success of PMS implementation management commitment through good leadership was found to be a major contributor. Coercive pressure from central government impacted on the result as did normative isomorphism by way of widespread training by universities (and others) and the subsequent sharing of this knowledge.

Malaysian local government internet sustainability reporting

Purpose – This study aims to examine determinants of the extent of sustainability reporting on Malaysian local council web sites using a disclosure index within an institutional theory framework. Design/methodology/approach – Adopting a simplified disclosure index to measure the extent of sustainability reporting, the unit of analysis for this research is Malaysian local council web sites. To reduce any subjectivity, the disclosure index is unweighted and consists of 57 items. Findings – Several findings were apparent including size, Local Agenda (LA) 21 and public sector award all being found to be significant predictors of disclosure. Overall, the findings indicate the presence of institutional isomorphism – particularly coercive pressure – in explaining the extent of sustainability reporting on web sites. Research limitations/implications – The research has multiple implications as it provides insights into web site sustainability reporting in a developing country. It also adds support to institutional...

Implementing IFRS in local government: value adding or additional pain?

Purpose - The aim of this paper is determine the impact financial reporting obligations and, in particular, the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) have on local government management decision making. In turn, this will lead to observations and conclusions regarding the research question: “Does reporting under the IFRS regime add value to the management of local government?” Design/methodology/approach - Following analysis of a survey instrument distributed to all local governments in all states of Australia, this research reports on interviews within Australias largest state – New South Wales (NSW). Findings - In general, findings suggest that for smaller councils and those situated away from the major cities, the time spent on complying with IFRS and various other legislative demands results in management accounting issues often being downplayed. Research limitations/implications - A further paper needs to be conducted in order to determine in the second year of implementation the impact of IFRS – both in Australia and, in the future, in other countries – where local government is implementing IFRS. Practical implications will be evident when all Australian states are compared as NSW is the only state where an IFRS template has been produced for all local authorities. Originality/value - This is the first known analysis of IFRS in local government in Australia, and possibly the world. It utilises both survey and interview instruments within an institutional theory framework to capture the full richness of data available.

Implementing performance measurement systems: Indonesian local government under pressure

Purpose - – This paper aims to explore the perceived drivers behind the implementation of performance measurement systems (PMSs) in Indonesian local government (ILG). It analytically assesses Indonesia’s attempt to introduce PMSs by addressing three research questions: Do organisations in developing countries actually use PMSs to aid decision-making and help plan for future performance improvement? ( Design/methodology/approach - – This research explores the perceived drivers behind the implementation of performance measurement systems (PMSs) in Indonesian local government (ILG). It analytically assesses Indonesia’s attempt to introduce a PMS by addressing three research questions: Findings - – Results determined that although employees perceived coercive isomorphism as being a driver of ILG compliance with President B.J. Habibie’s presidential instruction (Inpres No. 7/1999), the Laporan Akuntabilitas Kinerja Institusi Pemerintah/Performance Accountability Report of State Apparatus (known as LAKIP), many councils were still not reporting and those who were, were not doing it well. Many councils lacked management motivation, with some choosing to merely mimic (mimetic isomorphism) what others were doing. Better-resourced councils made use of external consultants or local universities where knowledge was shared (normative isomorphism). Practical implications - – An understanding of factors influencing the development and use of performance measures, in turn, can be used not only to improve PMSs in the future but to improve the quantity and quality of LAKIP reporting. Originality/value - – The theoretical development and interpretation of this research is drawn from institutional theory with a major contribution being that it provides an in-depth conceptual overview and understanding of factors influencing the development and use of performance measures. Further, it fills a gap in the literature exploring PMSs and accountability in a developing country – in this case, Indonesia.

Deconstructing local government performance and infrastructure measurement

Purpose - This paper revisits the debate regarding myriad measurement bases and begins a new discussion within a public sector environment. It does this by considering the under-researched technical aspect of measurement within Neely Design/methodology/approach - Using the full population from Australias largest state, New South Wales (NSW), the annual reports of all local councils were analysed over a seven-year period. In addition, interviews were conducted with a sample of councils representing all geographical areas of the state. Findings - Under the auspices of the modified Neely Research limitations/implications - The limitations include the research using an untested model; local councils in only one Australian state and one performance indicator analysed. Future research will examine the behavioural aspects of local councils as a result of being judged on an inappropriate indicator. Originality/value - This paper considers two research issues – the imposition of private sector ideas to public sector entities and problems associated with combining myriad measurement bases to produce performance indicators used for decision making in local government. By introducing the CER as an exemplar within Neely

Role of Internal Audit in Australian Local Government Governance: A Step in the Right Direction

While the functions of local government are many and varied, the primary role is to provide effective performance which arguably will coincide with good governance for its municipality. Internal audit and relevant controls play a key role in ensuring that good governance. The introduction of accrual accounting in local government certainly has added complexity and additional risks, with cases of fraud, corruption and high risk investments in several Australian local councils being reported periodically by the media. Those cases have been accompanied by proposed governance reforms including the introduction of an internal audit function to address the issues raised. Although seen as an essential part of the governance process, the results here suggest there is still some confusion as to the role of the internal audit and its perceived effectiveness in Australian local government.