Practice-induced theory reduction in accounting; evolutionary biology, history and the interdisciplinary base
by Max Aiken, David Gowland
International Journal of Critical Accounting (IJCA), Vol. 2, No. 2, 2010

Abstract: This article induces the pragmatic structure of what financial reporting can be – it does not deduce what financial reporting should be. Empirical studies can show that opportunism is not a feature generally of financial accounting in practice, but challenges exist in the post-Enron era. One task is to explain the nature of macro evolutionary hypotheses of practice underlying international accounting standardisation for firms as whole entities. These hypotheses are to be applied within an interdisciplinary theoretical structure of financial accounting. The focus of financial accounting research is applied to a philosophical framework of accountability and standardisation of measurement. Interdisciplinary aspects of management accountability can promote identification of the 'common good' undefined (Dewey, 1922) for the firm, towards which periodic invested costs are directed for the induction of periodic gain. Non traditional additions of economic values in balance sheets remains subjective for practice in this sense, leading consequently to community uncertainty, chaos and ultimately to uncertainty.

Online publication date: Tue, 02-Feb-2010

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