Sébastien Rocher

The Paradox of Globalised Accounting in the Public Sector: An Analysis of the Reform of Public Accounting in Madagascar

In a move to reform their public administration, more and more countries implement international public sector accounting standards released by the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB). It is a surprising paradox that many developing countries are, as a priority, and even though they lack the necessary human, material and financial resources, developing the application of these standards, originally created by and for developed countries. Parallel goals such as addressing illiteracy, infant mortality, epidemics of infectious diseases, malnutrition, access to water and so on, appear to be higher priorities. This discovery raises a fundamental question: why do countries in the developing world apply the international benchmark?