Title: What about operational economics? How international accounting standards neglects social structures and special cultures

Authors: Per Forsberg

Addresses: Department of Business Studies, Uppsala University, Box 513, 751 20 Uppsala, Sweden

Abstract: This article argues that the International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) neglects social structures and the special culture of operational economics. The article refers to an ethnographic study of a family-owned shipping company in Sweden (Forsberg, 2001). Based on an understanding of how the people in this company actually think and work the article suggests that an accounting system suitable for a family-owned shipping company should consider the relevance of operational economics, income smoothening and prevention of speculations.

Keywords: critical accounting; International Financial Reporting Standard; IFRS; International Accounting Standard Board; IASB; Swedish tax system; operational economics; critical ethnography; Sweden; accounting standards; social structures; culture; family firms; shipping industry.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEA.2010.033904

International Journal of Economics and Accounting, 2010 Vol.1 No.1/2, pp.107 - 122

Published online: 03 Jul 2010 *

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