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Contextualizing politicians' uses of accounting information: reassurance and ammunition

Lookup NU author(s): Professor Ileana Steccolini

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Abstract

This paper explores the use of accounting information by local government politicians. The authors examined three very typical council decisions in both their policy formulation and decision-making stages, which had different levels of political conflict. During policy formulation, accounting information was used mostly to provide answersimproving understanding. At the decision-making stage, the level of conflict influenced the quantity of information used, as well as the way it was used. Under low political conflict, accounting information primarily provided reassurance, whereas when there were conflicts between majority and opposition politicians, accounting information was used to (de)legitimize political positions and decisions. This paper is one of the first to contextualize politicians' use of accounting information and has important implications for practice and future research.

Publication metadata

Author(s): Giacomini D, Sicilia M, Steccolini I

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Public Money & Management

Year: 2016

Volume: 36

Issue: 7

Pages: 483-490

Online publication date: 27/09/2016

Acceptance date: 02/04/2016

Date deposited: 21/12/2016

ISSN (print): 0954-0962

ISSN (electronic): 1467-9302

Publisher: Routledge

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09540962.2016.1237128

DOI: 10.1080/09540962.2016.1237128

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