Cost-informed operational process support

The ability to steer business operations in alignment with the true origins of costs, and to be informed about this on a real-time basis, allows businesses to increase profitability. In most organisations however, high-level cost-based managerial decisions are still being made separately from process-related operational decisions. In this paper, we describe how process-related decisions at the operational level can be guided by cost considerations and how these cost-informed decision rules can be supported by a workflow management system. The paper presents the conceptual framework together with data requirements and technical challenges that need to be addressed to realise cost-informed workflow execution. The feasibility of our approach is demonstrated using a prototype implementation in the YAWL workflow environment

Reconciling structure and agency in strategy -as-practice research: Towards a strong- structuration theory approach

An overwhelming focus of research on the micro agency of strategic actors has led to the literature being characterized as demonstrating a micro-myopia, resulting in a micro-isolationism. This means we know little about how the micro interrelates with the macro in strategy work. We address this problem in our conceptual article which adopts a structurationist stance to explicate how strategy-as-practice (SaP) research could be enhanced and extended by paying equal attention to both agency and structure. Specifically, we advance strong structuration theory (SST), a promising development from Giddens’ seminal work on structuration theory, to show how strategic activity can be understood as an ongoing process of structuration unfolding over time. We argue for the use of both types of methodological bracketing (context and conduct analysis), advocating systematic attention to the interplay between macro-societal and micro-local levels of analysis. Our discussion concludes with guidance for researchers inviting them to undertake empirical fieldwork that overcomes SaP’s current micro-myopia, creating a more balanced corpus of work

Monitoring international migration flows in Europe. Towards a statistical data base combining data from different sources

The paper reviews techniques developed in demography, geography and statistics that are useful for bridging the gap between available data on international migration flows and the information required for policy making and research. The basic idea of the paper is as follows: to establish a coherent and consistent data base that contains sufficiently detailed, up-to-date and accurate information, data from several sources should be combined. That raises issues of definition and measurement, and of how to combine data from different origins properly. The issues may be tackled more easily if the statistics that are being compiled are viewed as different outcomes or manifestations of underlying stochastic processes governing migration. The link between the processes and their outcomes is described by models, the parameters of which must be estimated from the available data. That may be done within the context of socio-demographic accounting. The paper discusses the experience of the U.S. Bureau of the Census in combining migration data from several sources. It also summarizes the many efforts in Europe to establish a coherent and consistent data base on international migration. The paper was written at IIASA. It is part of the Migration Estimation Study, which is a collaborative IIASA-University of Groningen project, funded by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO). The project aims at developing techniques to obtain improved estimates of international migration flows by country of origin and country of destination

Corporate culture and shareholder value in banking industry

This paper analyses the casual relationship between corporate culture and shareholder value using a sample of large banks in the French, German, Italian and U.K. banking systems over the 2000 to 2003 period. Firstly, we measure shareholder value using an Economic Value Added estimated through a procedure tailored to account for banking peculiarities. Secondly, we measure corporate culture using language as its particular artifact and developing a cultural survey based on the application of a text-analysis model to a corpus of reference texts produced by the sample of banks. We posit six hypotheses regarding the relationship between corporate culture and bank profits and shareholder value. Our results noticeably show that bank profits and shareholder value benefit from different orientations of banking corporate culture.

Adoption of AI in the Auditing Practice: A Case study of a Big Four Accounting Firm

This paper explores and explains key factors affecting the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the auditing practice by a Big Four accounting firm, through the lens of the technology-organisation-environment (TOE) framework. Using the case study method, we conducted semi-structured interviews with decision-makers of the firm, complemented by secondary data. The data analysis identified significant anomalies to existing theories, revealing the specificity of adopting AI in audits. The findings showed that the firm’s adoption process was influenced by technology affordance, technology barriers, communication process, linking agents, firm scope and readiness, regulatory environment, predicted industrial changes and client’s acceptance. This study will contribute to the literature by providing a better understanding of AI adoption at the firm level, thus filling the gaps in the literature. It may strengthen the theories that underpin our understanding of the technology adoption by firms, revising, extending, and elaborating the TOE framework with more empirical evidence

Literature review on the utility and toles assigned to the accounting information system and accounting data in SMEs

The literature on the management systems of the SME manager shows that many small and medium sized entreprises would have only rudimentary management tools, this would explain the perference of SME managers for more informal media and verbal information (Mintzberg, 1990; Fallery, 1983). However, empirical research on this topic has led to nuanced conclusion. Therefoe, the vision of an embryonic accounting information system does not correspond to the real situation of all SMEs. The managers of SMEs are reported to have differentiated attitudes towards such data. In this context, the aim of this article is to try to determine, through a literature review, the extend to which SME managers consider formal accounting data to be relevant and useful. Relevance represents the ability of infirmation to influence user's decision by allowing them to either assess past, present, and future events or to confirm or correct their past assessments. The literature review carried out shows that the results of many studies have refuted the findin advanced a priori in the literature that the AIS of SMEs. Even if this word concludes that accounting pratices are not generalized to all SMEs, in-depth analysis of empirical studies indicates that SMEs have fairly complex AISs, various accounting practices and that their managers use accounting data their management. As a result, the idea of a simple, rudinmentary and systematically underutilized accounting information system would in reality only be a trend.The literature on the management systems of the SME manager shows that many small and medium sized entreprises would have only rudimentary management tools, this would explain the perference of SME managers for more informal media and verbal information (Mintzberg, 1990; Fallery, 1983). However, empirical research on this topic has led to nuanced conclusion. Therefoe, the vision of an embryonic accounting information system does not correspond to the real situation of all SMEs. The managers of SMEs are reported to have differentiated attitudes towards such data. In this context, the aim of this article is to try to determine, through a literature review, the extend to which SME managers consider formal accounting data to be relevant and useful. Relevance represents the ability of infirmation to influence user's decision by allowing them to either assess past, present, and future events or to confirm or correct their past assessments. The literature review carried out shows that the results of many studies have refuted the findin advanced a priori in the literature that the AIS of SMEs. Even if this word concludes that accounting pratices are not generalized to all SMEs, in-depth analysis of empirical studies indicates that SMEs have fairly complex AISs, various accounting practices and that their managers use accounting data their management. As a result, the idea of a simple, rudinmentary and systematically underutilized accounting information system would in reality only be a trend

Continuous Auditing: A Practical Maturity Model

Continuous Auditing (CA) is a methodology for issuing audit reports simultaneously with, or a short period of time after, the data is entered into the information system. The possibilities and challenges of CA have been researched previously. However, limited studies focus on the practical application of CA maturity models. In this study, we bridge this gap by developing a maturity model, including measurements to evaluate the current state of an organizations’ CA. To accomplish this goal, we adopted a focus group approach to create the maturity model in multiple iterations. During these iterations, the model was developed in concurrence with three pension funds, one accountancy firm, one mortgagor and two consultancy firms for the pension market. This resulted in a maturity model, which consists out of five maturity levels and four capabilities. The maturity levels are: 1) initial approach, 2) ad hoc approach, 3) defined approach, 4) managed approach, and 5) optimized approach. The four capabilities are: A) systems, B) data, C) organization, and D) people

Accountability through Environmental and Social Reporting by Wind Energy Sector Companies in Spain

At present, energy transition is a crucial phenomenon that is at the very heart of governmental policies. There are a huge number of stakeholders involved in the change, but among these, the main socioeconomic actors that affect environmental and social impacts are energy companies. In this research, we analyze their institutionalized role in the Spanish wind energy sector, in the framework of the ecological movement. We consult the special views, opinions and motivations given by managers responsible for Institutional Relations in the main wind energy companies in Spain, and their perceptions of environmental reporting. We therefore tackle aspects related to the drivers of the social and environmental disclosure of environmental and social information. Research has been carried out based on documentary secondary analysis, and the use of a qualitative method with semi-structured interviews has revealed tendencies and pressures in the sector. Results suggest that the social context and public opinion pressure organizations to reveal environmental and social information. We also put forward how information is conveyed to the society through accountability practices, and the different institutionalized ways in which this is achieved

Trade, transition paths, and sustainable economies

The main criticisms of trade from a sustainability viewpoint are that it accelerates resource depletion and pollution, harms income distribution both locally and internationally, and undermines democratic institutions. After considering the relationship between trade and "sustainability," this paper discusses a number of feedback mechanisms which promote the kind of trade that is more sustainable - for the South as well as the North. The role of technological change, a model of the relationship between production and "sustaining services," data needs and research priorities are also discussed