Title: Changing role of accounting and its systems: a new vision of accounting as knowledge processing systems

Authors: Ahmed Ali Mohammad

Addresses: Department of Accounting and Information Systems, College of Business and Economics, Qatar University, P.O. Box 2713, Doha, State of Qatar

Abstract: This paper introduces a new vision for defining what can be titled "Knowledge accounting and its systems". A review of accounting and information systems literature provides a milestone in the way of architecting a new style of accounting. A key proposition of this paper is that the change in the triangle of process, knowledge, and technologies has drawn new realities for accounting and its systems. Using a nature-based inquiry and structural content analysis paradigm, this paper investigates change aspects and new realities of accounting practices to architect a future catalyst of accounting. Extant, span, scope, and identity of current accounting practices, have been analysed to indicate change aspects in terms of knowledge, process, and technologies. A new vision of knowledge accounting has been mapped and extended to match knowledge necessities of businesses. A new knowledge accounting process map consists of data, information, knowledge, wisdom, trust, and success. The most important finding of this paper is that accounting is no longer data or information services activities, instead accounting is becoming knowledge services that support survival of business organisations. The proposed vision of accounting suggests several directions for further research into transformations in the nature of accounting and its practical systems.

Keywords: accounting change; accounting information systems; accounting practices; accounting process; accounting technologies; knowledge accounting; knowledge processing systems; knowledge services.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMFA.2016.076666

International Journal of Managerial and Financial Accounting, 2016 Vol.8 No.1, pp.23 - 38

Received: 22 Jan 2016
Accepted: 11 Mar 2016
Published online: 19 May 2016 *

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