Title: The effects of corporatisation on financial reporting: the experience of the Italian local governments

Authors: Giuseppe Grossi, Riccardo Mussari

Addresses: Department of Business and Social Studies, University of Siena, Piazza San Francesco, 8, 53100 Siena, Italy. ' Department of Business and Social Studies, University of Siena, Piazza San Francesco, 8, 53100 Siena, Italy

Abstract: Much has changed over the past few years regarding the quantity and the quality of the financial information the Italian Local Governments (LGs) publish, even as a consequence of the corporatisation of the local public services. The paper is aimed at describing the causes and effects of the corporatisation process, which interested the Italian LGs, and at identifying the possible financial tools in order to improve internal and external accountability. The different dimensions of financial performance are briefly discussed, as well as the technical tools used to measure them according to the accountability and stakeholder approaches.

Keywords: accountability; stakeholder approach; local government; corporatisation; Italy; consolidated reports; financial information; financial performance; financial reporting.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPP.2009.023492

International Journal of Public Policy, 2009 Vol.4 No.3/4, pp.268 - 282

Published online: 25 Feb 2009 *

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