Accrual accounting by Anglo-American governments: Motivations, developments, and some tensions over the last 30 years

Abstract

This article takes a comparative international accounting history (CIAH) approach (Carnegie and Napier, 2002) to describe and discuss motivations for, and developments in the adoption of accrual accounting in five Anglo-American countries: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Although the adoption of accrual accounting across these countries over the last two decades can be attributed to the 1980s philosophy of new public management (NPM), the CIAH perspective illuminates similarities and differences in the nature of accrual accounting practices. The differences are due, in large part, to the timing and speed of change required by government, as well as the role played by the profession. Several tensions have arisen from the adoption of accrual accounting and these are also outlined. Given the inclusion of five countries and a span of 30 years, this article is necessarily in the nature of an overview.