This book describes innovative governance arrangements in the public sector based on strategic management accounting and auditing processes and explains the importance of such processes and arrangements for effective governance. The themes discussed are relevant to national, regional, and local (i.e., county, city, or village) government, as well as to public health care bodies and other public organizations. The role of public sector accounting and auditing is described in detail, covering both internal and external public sector auditing, reporting, performance measurement, and ICT support. Questions on the direction of public sector accounting and auditing are addressed, and the benefits of innovative governance initiatives in the public sector are fully explored with the help of informative case studies. The book will be of interest to all who are involved in public sector governance as well as to academics and others with an interest in the subject.

Author Biography

Kerry Jacobs is Professor of Accounting at UNSW Canberra, Australia. His research interests focus on issues of public sector accountability, governance, audit, financial management, and reform, particularly the relationship between accounting and politics. He received his PhD from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland and he has been honored as a fellow of the New Zealand and the two Australian professional accounting associations. Kerry Jacobs has published over 40 papers and contributed to five books on different aspects of public sector accountability and governance. He serves on the editorial board for a range of academic and professional journals on accounting and accountability and has provided international training and consulting in these areas. He is an ACT council member of the ICAA and is on the Audit and Risk Committee for the Victorian and the Queensland Auditor General's Offices. Emidia Vagnoni is Full Professor in Management Accounting Studies at the Department of Economics and Management of the University of Ferrara, Italy. She is also Director of the University Research Center in Health Economics and Management. Performance measurement and management control systems in both private business and public sector organizations are her main research interests. She has written many papers relating to the public and private sectors and has participated in a number of international research initiatives.