How do public sector accounting practitioners perceive faithful representation of financial statements? Evidence from Poland

• Authors: Szewieczek Aleksandra , Maruszewska Ewa Wanda , Strojek-Filus Marzena , Adamek-Hyska Dorota

Title variants

PL

Jak praktycy rachunkowości sektora publicznego postrzegają wierną prezentację w sprawozdaniach finansowych? Doświadczenia z Polski

• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

Purpose: The purpose of the article is to expand the discussion on the truth and fairness concept and faithful representation in financial statements, and to investigate how accounting practitioners perceive the qualitative characteristics of faithful representation. Methodology/approach: We conducted a questionnaire survey of public sector accounting practitioners. Findings: The perceptions of faithful representation are based on the International Fed-eration of Accountants' and International Accounting Standards Board's conceptualiza-tions of this attribute and the applicable legal regulations. In the opinion of accounting practitioners, faithful representation signifies that financial statements disclose infor-mation that has been positively evaluated by control and audit authorities. Effectively, the accuracy of financial statements depends on the quality of accounting law in the public sector and the control process. The respondents knew and understood principle-based accounting but were more concerned with rule-based regulations. Research limitations/implications: The limitation of our study is the sample size, which only permitted an analysis of qualitative variables. The research is a pilot study and will be extended in future work. Originality/value: In Poland, a country governed by a code of law, the perception of faith-ful representation is oriented toward precise accounting and is based on legitimization by control and audit authorities demanding high-quality accounting legislation. This study confirms the importance of harmonizing accounting law in Poland. Principles-based stand-ardization in the public sector should replace the existing detailed, technical legislature.

PL

Cel: Celem artykułu jest poszerzenie dyskusji dotyczącej koncepcji jasnego i rzetelnego (uczciwego) obrazu i wiernej prezentacji w sprawozdawczości finansowej oraz zbadanie, jak praktycy rachunkowości postrzegają cechę jakościową sprawozdań finansowych, tj. rzetel-ność informacji. Metoda/podejście badawcze: Badania ankietowe praktyków rachunkowości w sektorze publicznym w Polsce. Wyniki: Postrzeganie wiernej prezentacji wynika z konceptualizacji tej cechy przez Mię-dzynarodową Federację Księgowych i Radę Międzynarodowych Standardów Rachunkowo-ści oraz z obowiązujących regulacji prawnych. W opinii specjalistów z zakresu rachunkowo-ści wierna prezentacja oznacza, że sprawozdania finansowe prezentują informacje, które zostały pozytywnie ocenione przez organy kontroli i audytu. W rezultacie rzetelność spra-wozdań finansowych zależy od jakości prawa bilansowego w sektorze publicznym i realizo-wanego procesu kontroli. Respondenci rozumieli rachunkowość opartą na zasadach, ale bardziej koncentrowali się na rachunkowości opartej na regułach. Ograniczenia/implikacje badawcze: Ograniczenie badania wynika z liczebności próby, która umożliwiła jedynie analizę zmiennych jakościowych. Badanie ma charakter pilota-żowy i będzie kontynuowane. Oryginalność/wartość: W Polsce, jako kraju zdeterminowanym przez regulacje prawne, postrzeganie wiernej prezentacji (jak również wiarygodności) jest zorientowane na rachun-kowość bardzo precyzyjną, opartą na regułach. Istotną determinantą wiernej prezentacji jest także legitymizacja przez organy kontroli i audytu, co równocześnie wymaga wysokiej jakości prawa bilansowego. Prezentowane badanie potwierdza istotność procesu harmoni-zacji prawa rachunkowości. Rachunkowość oparta na zasadach powinna stopniowo wypie-rać istniejącą w sektorze publicznym szczegółową, techniczną legislację.

Keywords

EN

public sector accounting; faithful representation; truth and fairness concept; financial statement; rule-based accounting.

PL

rachunkowość sektora publicznego; wierna prezentacja; prawda i rzetelność; sprawozdanie finansowe; rachunkowość oparta na regułach

• Publisher: Stowarzyszenie Księgowych w Polsce (SKwP), Zarząd Główny, Rada Naukowa
• Journal: Zeszyty Teoretyczne Rachunkowości
• Year: 2024
• Issue: 48(1)
• Pages: 137-154

Contributors

author

Szewieczek Aleksandra

• University of Economics in Katowice, Faculty of Finance, Department of Accounting

author

Maruszewska Ewa Wanda

• University of Economics in Katowice, Faculty of Finance, Department of Business Informatics and International Accounting

author

Strojek-Filus Marzena

• University of Economics in Katowice, Faculty of Finance, Department of Accounting

author

Adamek-Hyska Dorota

• University of Economics in Katowice, Faculty of Finance, Department of Accounting

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