IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/zbw/vfsc20/224630.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Accrual Accounting and the Local Government Budget - A Matching Evaluation

Author

Listed:
  • Raffer, Christian

Abstract

The transition from cash to accrual accounting is said to change a government's perception of its budget quite fundamentally. Although an exorbitant number of governments have reformed the mode of accounting at high costs in past years, reliable empirical evidence of consequences on their financial situation and decision-making is still scarce. In this paper, budget variables are analysed which are hypothesized to react to the reform: investment expenditure and revenue from asset sales. Microdata from 1,100 local governments in the German state of Baden-Württemberg over the period 2005-2016 is exploited with different matching techniques combined with the conditional DiD estimator. Results imply a robust effect on municipal investment behaviour and indicate an impact on sales revenue. This corroborates the latest empirical results. This not only provides external validation. For the first time a common understanding of the budgetary effects of the accrual accounting reform based on econometric analyses seems to be emerging.

Suggested Citation

  • Raffer, Christian, 2020. "Accrual Accounting and the Local Government Budget - A Matching Evaluation," VfS Annual Conference 2020 (Virtual Conference): Gender Economics 224630, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:vfsc20:224630
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/224630/1/vfs-2020-pid-40401.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bryson, Alex, 2002. "The union membership wage premium: an analysis using propensity score matching," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 4953, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    2. Hainmueller, Jens, 2012. "Entropy Balancing for Causal Effects: A Multivariate Reweighting Method to Produce Balanced Samples in Observational Studies," Political Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 20(1), pages 25-46, January.
    3. Martin Gornig, 2019. "Investitionslücke in Deutschland: Und es gibt sie doch! Vor allem Kommunen sind arm dran," DIW aktuell 19, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    4. Yeny Andriani & Ralph Kober & Juliana Ng, 2010. "Decision Usefulness of Cash and Accrual Information: Public Sector Managers’ Perceptions," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 20(2), pages 144-153, June.
    5. Florian Dorn & Stefanie Gaebler & Felix Roesel, 2021. "Ineffective fiscal rules? The effect of public sector accounting standards on budgets, efficiency, and accountability," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 186(3), pages 387-412, March.
    6. Marco Caliendo & Sabine Kopeinig, 2008. "Some Practical Guidance For The Implementation Of Propensity Score Matching," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(1), pages 31-72, February.
    7. Barbara Sianesi, 2004. "An Evaluation of the Swedish System of Active Labor Market Programs in the 1990s," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 86(1), pages 133-155, February.
    8. Drazen, Allan & Eslava, Marcela, 2010. "Electoral manipulation via voter-friendly spending: Theory and evidence," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(1), pages 39-52, May.
    9. Sebastian D. Becker & Tobias Jagalla & Jürgen Weber, 2011. "A taxonomy of the perceived benefits of accrual accounting and budgeting: Evidence from German states," Post-Print hal-00623217, HAL.
    10. H. W. Lampe & D. Hilgers & C. Ihl, 2015. "Does accrual accounting improve municipalities' efficiency? Evidence from Germany," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(41), pages 4349-4363, September.
    11. Christofzik, Désirée I., 2019. "Does accrual accounting alter fiscal policy decisions? - Evidence from Germany," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    12. Suzanne Flynn & Delphine Moretti & Joe Cavanagh, 2016. "Implementing Accrual Accounting in the Public Sector," IMF Technical Notes and Manuals 16/06, International Monetary Fund.
    13. A. Smith, Jeffrey & E. Todd, Petra, 2005. "Does matching overcome LaLonde's critique of nonexperimental estimators?," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 125(1-2), pages 305-353.
    14. Mari Kobayashi & Kiyoshi Yamamoto & Keiko Ishikawa, 2016. "The Usefulness of Accrual Information in Non‐mandatory Environments: The Case of Japanese Local Government," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 26(2), pages 153-161, June.
    15. Charles R. Shipan & Craig Volden, 2008. "The Mechanisms of Policy Diffusion," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 52(4), pages 840-857, October.
    16. Vicente Pina & Lourdes Torres & Ana Yetano, 2009. "Accrual Accounting in EU Local Governments: One Method, Several Approaches," European Accounting Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(4), pages 765-807.
    17. Ms. Suzanne Flynn & Delphine Moretti & Joseph Cavanagh, 2016. "Implementing Accrual Accounting in the Public Sector," IMF Technical Notes and Manuals 2016/006, International Monetary Fund.
    18. Adi Brender & Allan Drazen, 2008. "How Do Budget Deficits and Economic Growth Affect Reelection Prospects? Evidence from a Large Panel of Countries," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 98(5), pages 2203-2220, December.
    19. Brender, Adi, 2003. "The effect of fiscal performance on local government election results in Israel: 1989-1998," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(9-10), pages 2187-2205, September.
    20. Howard Mellett, 1997. "The Role of Resource Accounting in the UK Government's Quest for ‘Better Accounting’," Accounting and Business Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(2), pages 157-168.
    21. Mark Christensen, 2007. "What We Might Know (But Aren't Sure) About Public-Sector Accrual Accounting," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 17(41), pages 51-65, March.
    22. Michela Arnaboldi & Irvine Lapsley, 2009. "On the Implementation of Accrual Accounting: A Study of Conflict and Ambiguity," European Accounting Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(4), pages 809-836.
    23. Sandra Cohen & Nikolaos Kaimenakis & George Venieris, 2013. "Reaping the benefits of two worlds," Journal of Applied Accounting Research, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 14(2), pages 165-179, September.
    24. Louviere,Jordan J. & Hensher,David A. & Swait,Joffre D. With contributions by-Name:Adamowicz,Wiktor, 2000. "Stated Choice Methods," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521788304.
    25. Évelyne Lande & Sébastien Rocher, 2011. "Prerequisites for applying accrual accounting in the public sector," Post-Print hal-02480846, HAL.
    26. Suzanne Flynn & Delphine Moretti & Joe Cavanagh, 2016. "Implementing Accrual Accounting in the Public Sector," IMF Technical Notes and Manuals 2016/06, International Monetary Fund.
    27. Marc Robinson, 1998. "Measuring compliance with the Golden Rule," Fiscal Studies, Institute for Fiscal Studies, vol. 19(4), pages 447-462, November.
    28. Stefan Bach & Guido Baldi & Kerstin Bernoth & Björn Bremer & Beatrice Farkas & Ferdinand Fichtner & Marcel Fratzscher & Martin Gornig, 2013. "More Growth through Higher Investment," DIW Economic Bulletin, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research, vol. 3(8), pages 5-16.
    29. Hood, Christopher, 1995. "The "new public management" in the 1980s: Variations on a theme," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 20(2-3), pages 93-109.
    30. Evelyne Lande & Sébastien Rocher, 2011. "Prerequisites for applying accrual accounting in the public sector," Public Money & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 31(3), pages 219-222, May.
    31. Shu Lin, 2010. "On the International Effects of Inflation Targeting," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 92(1), pages 195-199, February.
    32. James J. Heckman & Hidehiko Ichimura & Petra Todd, 1998. "Matching As An Econometric Evaluation Estimator," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 65(2), pages 261-294.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Bessho, Shun-ichiro & Hirota, Haruaki, 2023. "Do public account financial statements matter? Evidence from Japanese municipalities," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    2. Sebastian Blesse & Florian Dorn & Max Lay, 2023. "Do Fiscal Rules Undermine Public Investments? A Review of Empirical Evidence," ifo Working Paper Series 393, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich.
    3. Désirée I. Christofzik & Florian Dorn & Stefanie Gäbler & Christian Raffer & Felix Rösel, 2020. "Bremst die Doppik öffentliche Investitionen? Ergebnisse aus drei aktuellen Evaluationsstudien [Does Accrual Accounting Reduce Public Investment? Evidence from Three Recent Evaluation Studies]," Wirtschaftsdienst, Springer;ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 100(9), pages 707-711, September.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Zubir Azhar & Ervina Alfan & Krishnen Kishan & Nurul Husna Assanah, 2022. "Accrual Accounting at Different Levels of the Public Sector: A Systematic Literature Review," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 32(1), pages 36-62, March.
    2. Bessho, Shun-ichiro & Hirota, Haruaki, 2023. "Do public account financial statements matter? Evidence from Japanese municipalities," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    3. Florian Dorn & Stefanie Gaebler & Felix Roesel, 2021. "Ineffective fiscal rules? The effect of public sector accounting standards on budgets, efficiency, and accountability," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 186(3), pages 387-412, March.
    4. Désirée I. Christofzik & Florian Dorn & Stefanie Gäbler & Christian Raffer & Felix Rösel, 2020. "Bremst die Doppik öffentliche Investitionen? Ergebnisse aus drei aktuellen Evaluationsstudien [Does Accrual Accounting Reduce Public Investment? Evidence from Three Recent Evaluation Studies]," Wirtschaftsdienst, Springer;ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 100(9), pages 707-711, September.
    5. Dorn, Florian, 2023. "Elections and Government Efficiency," VfS Annual Conference 2023 (Regensburg): Growth and the "sociale Frage" 277700, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    6. Hanane Jafi & Said Youssef, 2021. "Public sector accounting education and training as supportive mechanisms of the ongoing accrual-based accounting reforms," Technium Social Sciences Journal, Technium Science, vol. 25(1), pages 1-8, November.
    7. repec:thr:techub:10025:y:2021:i:1:p:1-8 is not listed on IDEAS
    8. Florian Dorn, 2021. "Elections and Government Efficiency," ifo Working Paper Series 363, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich.
    9. Dettmann, E. & Becker, C. & Schmeißer, C., 2011. "Distance functions for matching in small samples," Computational Statistics & Data Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 55(5), pages 1942-1960, May.
    10. Balima, Wenéyam Hippolyte & Combes, Jean-Louis & Minea, Alexandru, 2017. "Sovereign debt risk in emerging market economies: Does inflation targeting adoption make any difference?," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 360-377.
    11. Kodjo Adandohoin & Vigninou Gammadigbe, 2022. "The revenue efficiency consequences of the announcement of a tax transition reform: The case of WAEMU countries," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 34(S1), pages 195-218, July.
    12. Weneyam Hippolyte Balima & Jean-Louis Combes & Alexandru Minea, 2015. "Sovereign Debt Risk in Emerging Countries: Does Inflation Targeting Adoption Make Any Difference?," CERDI Working papers halshs-01128239, HAL.
    13. Ugur, Mehmet & Trushin, Eshref, 2018. "Asymmetric information and heterogeneous effects of R&D subsidies: evidence on R&D investment and employment of R&D personel," Greenwich Papers in Political Economy 21943, University of Greenwich, Greenwich Political Economy Research Centre.
    14. Manuela Deidda & Adriana Di Liberto & Marta Foddi & Giovanni Sulis, 2015. "Employment subsidies, informal economy and women’s transition into work in a depressed area: evidence from a matching approach," IZA Journal of Labor Policy, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 4(1), pages 1-25, December.
    15. Alexandru Minea & René Tapsoba & Patrick Villieu, 2021. "Inflation targeting adoption and institutional quality: Evidence from developing countries," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(7), pages 2107-2127, July.
    16. Wenéyam Hippolyte Balima & Jean‐Louis Combes & Alexandru Minea, 2016. "Bond Markets Initiation and Tax Revenue Mobilization in Developing Countries," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 83(2), pages 550-572, October.
    17. Yigezu, Y.A. & El-Shater, T. & Boughlala, M. & Bishaw, Z. & Niane, A. & Aw-Hassan, A., 2018. "Is there an economic case for legume-cereal rotation? A Case of Faba-beans in the Moroccan Wheat Based Production Systems," 2018 Conference, July 28-August 2, 2018, Vancouver, British Columbia 277523, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    18. Wendimu, Mengistu Assefa & Henningsen, Arne & Gibbon, Peter, 2016. "Sugarcane Outgrowers in Ethiopia: “Forced” to Remain Poor?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 84-97.
    19. repec:wly:soecon:v:83:2:y:2016:p:550-572 is not listed on IDEAS
    20. García, Israel & Hayo, Bernd, 2021. "Political budget cycles revisited: Testing the signalling process," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    21. Stefan Denzler & Jens Ruhose & Stefan C. Wolter, 2022. ""The Double Dividend of Training" - Labor Market Effects of Work-Related Continuous Education in Switzerland," CESifo Working Paper Series 10009, CESifo.
    22. Feddersen, Arne & Maennig, Wolfgang, 2012. "Sectoral labour market effects of the 2006 FIFA World Cup," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 19(6), pages 860-869.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Accrual Accounting; Propensity Score Matching; Public Finance;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H72 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Budget and Expenditures
    • H83 - Public Economics - - Miscellaneous Issues - - - Public Administration
    • M41 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - Accounting

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:zbw:vfsc20:224630. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/vfsocea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.