Suchergebnisse

The objective of this research is to analyze whether the political-ideological situation of municipalities affects their debt level, considering evidence from Portugal for the period 2004-2013. A static panel data model is applied, incorporating factors such as political ideology, political-electoral cycle, governance format, coincidence of the political parties between Local Executive and Local Assembly and coincidence of the political parties between the Local Executive and Central Government. An additional variable to control the effects of the economic crisis between 2008 and 2010 is also considered. Based on the assumptions of the public choice theory, findings show a statistically significant relationship for the political-electoral cycle, allowing the conclusion that, given the evidence from Portuguese municipalities, debt increases in election years. Nevertheless, this is the only factor in the political-ideological circumstances that was found to be relevant in its effect on local authorities' debt levels. It is also clear that the financial crisis in the period 2008-2010 likewise had a positive impact. The paper contributes to the strengthening of the debate on the association between municipalities' political circumstances and debt, namely, in regards to strategic (electoral) debt cycles in local government. ; info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

In order to keep local public finances balanced, in many countries, measures restraining and controlling debt have been implemented. In Portugal such concerns have been considered too. Accordingly, several legal diplomas have been passed, namely local finances laws, defining rules, mainly related to limits and restrictions to interest, repayments of borrowings, as well as net debt level. Therefore, it should be expected that these legal restrictions would contribute to reduce municipal debt. Within this context, taking into consideration the institutional theory, particularly the coercive isomorphism perspective, this paper analyses the evolution of Portuguese municipalities' debt aiming at assessing whether institutional pressures consubstantiated in the legal framework meanwhile approved have led to a common behaviour for effectively reducing debt. A six-year period was considered (2004-2009) following a positive approach and quantitative methodology. Findings show that, during that period, contrary to what was expected, except for Açores region, municipalities in all other regions have increased their net debt levels. In summary, it may be observed that the introduction of restrictive measures to Portuguese municipalities' debt, during the analysed period, ceteris paribus, does not seem to have had the intended effects, i.e., debt reduction, hence raising questions about the effectiveness of legal control mechanisms.

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the extent to which the perceived usefulness of financial information for internal decision making is affected by the internal control to which that information is subjected. Design/methodology/approach: The research is positivist and quantitative, based on a cross-sectional analysis developed in the local government context. Data were collected from a survey to decision makers (politicians and chief officials) in charge of the financial area in all Portuguese municipalities. The response rate was approximately 49 per cent, assuring representativeness. Findings: Regarding the perceived usefulness of financial and budgetary reporting for internal decision making, the results in the paper show that municipalities' internal users' attitudes towards using accrual-based financial reporting for decision making is changing. Additionally, internal decision makers consider financial and budgetary information as very useful for decision making, and the different types of internal control applicable to that information as very important. The results also clearly point to the existence of a significant and positive relationship between the internal control (including internal auditing) to which financial and budgetary information is subject, and its perceived usefulness for municipal decision making. Research limitations/implications: The main limitations of this study are related to the way in which information was collected in order to obtain empirical evidence. The questionnaire, sent by e-mail, despite reaching a wide-range and dispersed population, cannot guarantee the truthfulness and integrity of the responses. Findings might have been affected by the fact that respondents may have been sympathetic to the reforms brought by the Official Local Government Accounting Plan (POCAL). Certainly, politicians linked to the political party that promoted those reforms would be predisposed in this way. Another limitation might concern the fact that new laws and regulations passed after POCAL, might have somehow affected the answers regarding the perceived usefulness of budgetary and financial information for internal decision making, as well as the importance of the internal control to which that information is subject. Practical implications: The results of this study have important repercussions for the implementation of internal control systems at local government level. Particularly, they highlight the need to develop or improve internal control procedures to ensure budgetary and financial information reliability, which in turn determines its usefulness for decision-making purposes. Originality/value: This research makes a contribution to the (scarce) literature on the relationship between internal control and the perceived usefulness of financial and budgetary information for decision making, particularly in the local government setting. It adds with further empirical evidence concerning the relationship between these two issues, helping to reinforce previous embryonic research in this field. As to policy making, this research also contributes by calling attention for the need to define the types of internal control financial information must be subject, a critical issue while assuring the usefulness of that information for decision making. This is particular important in current contexts of countries moving towards IPSAS-based financial reporting systems. ; info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

This study aims to identify to what extent certain factors perceived by internal decision-makers (politi-cians and financial officials) influence the usefulness they consider the information presented in thefinancial reports of municipalities has for decision-making purposes.It follows a quantitative research approach at a first stage, using a questionnaire. At a second andcomplementary stage, it uses a qualitative research perspective, with interviews in a small group ofmunicipalities, which might be seen as case studies, in order to explore and understand the (external andinternal) contextual factors that determine the usefulness of the financial report in decision-making byinternal decision-makers.The main findings show that the pressure of professional organizations and of a national problem(external factors), as well as the lack of knowledge and training on the accounting information system(internal organizational factor) are factors that most influence the usefulness of the financial report forinternal decision-making. Qualitative analysis confirms these results, reinforcing a factor relating to awork overload.Two important implications of this study are the following: first, professional bodies and the financialsituation in the country; while stimulating informational needs by internal users in the public sectorthey determine the usefulness they offer to financial reporting for decision-making. Second, the lack ofknowledge of the accounting information system, especially by local politicians, is a hindering factor ofthe usefulness given to financial reporting for internal decision-making. Nowadays, when many countriesare considering reforms of public sector accounting in line with the International Public Sector AccountingStandards (IPSAS), supposedly increasing the sophistication

Literature on the field highlights that the usefulness for decision-making, of financial reporting prepared and disclosed by public entities, depends on several factors contextual to entities. This paper tries to identify the explanatory factors (internal and external) of the usefulness of financial reporting for decision-making by internal decision-makers (political and technical) of the Portuguese municipalities. The results show that the pressure of professional organisations and the pressure of a national problem (both external factors) as well as the lack of knowledge and proper training on the accounting information system (internal organisational factor) are the factors that most influence the usefulness of financial reporting. These results are also confirmed in the qualitative analysis, which reinforces the factor relating to work overload.

The purpose of this research is to define a structural/conjunctural model to explain the debt of municipalities. More specifically, the intention is to understand whether there is a relationship between the institutional, tax, budgetary and economic circumstances and municipalities' debt. The paper fits the theories of debt, namely the theories of public choice, tax illusion and institutional theory, allow identification of a range of factors that can influence municipalities' debt, using a structural equation methodology. The results allow concluding that the institutional, tax and budgetary situations present a negative and statistically significant relationship with municipal debt. This means that, in the local government setting, when the institutional, tax and budgetary contexts are favourable, debt levels tend to be lower. Therefore, municipalities should take advantage of their institutional context and of periods of higher tax revenue, increased central government grants and investment expenditure, to reduce their debt levels, so they can face other circumstances pushing for debt increases. ; This work is funded by National Funds through the Foundation for Science and Technology under the project UID/GES/04752/2019. This study was conducted at Research Centre in Political Science (UID/CPO/0758/2019), University of Minho and supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science. ; info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

The control of the States' debt is, increasingly, on the agenda. Local government cannot be excluded from this effort. Thus emerges the need to create mechanisms allowing it to be managed and analysed in a credible manner. In this context, the objective of this research is to identify, for the years 2006 and 2007, the determinants of the local debt in the north of Portugal, trying to understand which ones and how they influence it. In addition to a bivariate analysis, a multiple linear regression model will be tested. The bivariate analysis findings allowed verifying that there are several factors correlated with local debt, namely debt limit, tax revenue, total expenditure, capital expenditure and current balance. The validation of the linear regression model allowed concluding that the variables debt limit, total expenditure, capital revenue and current balance are those that seem to better influence the debt level. Finally we found that the main factors which have statistically significant values in both bivariate and multivariate analysis are the same for the two years.

This article aims at analysing the type of information, as well as its use and usefulness, by politicians, either members of parliament or members of central government in Portugal, addressing particularly the following question: What type of accounting (budgetary and financial) information politicians (parliamentarians and members of government) use, what is its usefulness and for what purposes? The empirical study is based on interviews with head politicians, namely the head of the Parliamentary Commission of Budget, Finance and Public Administration (COFAP) and the Budget Secretary of State. On the other hand, interviews were also conducted with head officials of units that prepare information for politicians – the Technical Unit of Budgetary Support (UTAO) working for the Parliament, and the Budget General Department (DGO), working for the Government. ; info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the perception of internal users regarding the usefulness of municipal financial reporting in the context of decision-making in Portuguese Local Administration. This research is quantitative and positive, based on a cross-section analysis through online application of a questionnaire to decision-makers (politicians and technicians) of the 308 Portuguese municipalities. The approach is based on the information usefulness paradigm. Results indicate a high usefulness for decision-making of the municipal financial reporting, in its current form and content. However, this usefulness would increase if information, other than what is mandatory, were introduced. In general, the two different groups of decision-makers, politicians and technicians, behave somewhat differently, regarding the usefulness financial reporting holds for them. Technical decision-makers consider it of greater value. There is no statistical evidence showing that there is a link between the training area and professional experience of the internal decision-makers and the usefulness of municipal financial reporting. Both types of users show a preference for the information set within the budgetary accounts, although accrual-based information also proved to be of very high value. This study has important repercussions on internal decision-makers concerning the usefulness of municipal financial reporting. Particularly, the general approach towards reporting usefulness could become a solid work basis for the regulatory bodies to enhance the current reporting model in the light of its suitability for internal decision-making.

The aim of this study is to analyse the perceptions of internal users regarding the usefulness of financial reporting in the context of decision-making of Portuguese Local Administration. To do this, a survey questionnaire to all municipalities' decision-makers (both technical and political) was carried out. The main findings suggest that usefulness of municipalities' financial reporting, in its current form and content, is high. Nevertheless, this usefulness would increase with the introduction of other information apart from the one that is currently required to disclose. In general, the two different groups of decision-makers – technical and political – have a slightly different behaviour with respect to the usefulness attributed to municipalities' financial reporting, within the context of internal decision-making. The technical decision-makers assign more usefulness than politicians. Additionally, there is a preference, albeit slight, by all users for cash-based budgetary information, although accrual-based information (patrimonial and cost accounting) also reveals a high usefulness.

The aim of this study is to analyse the perceptions of internal users regarding the usefulness of financial reporting in the context of decision-making of Portuguese Local Administration. To do this, a survey questionnaire to all municipalities' decision-makers (both technical and political) was carried out. The main findings suggest that usefulness of municipalities' financial reporting, in its current form and content, is high. Nevertheless, this usefulness would increase with the introduction of other information apart from the one that is currently required to disclose. In general, the two different groups of decision-makers - technical and political - have a slightly different behaviour with respect to the usefulness attributed to municipalities' financial reporting, within the context of internal decision-making. The technical decision-makers assign more usefulness than politicians. Additionally, there is a preference, albeit slight, by all users for cash-based budgetary information, although accrual-based information (patrimonial and cost accounting) also reveals a high usefulness.

The general aim of this research is to define a structural/conjunctural model to explain the debt of the 308 Portuguese municipalities. More specifically, the intention is to understand whether there is a relationship between the institutional, tax, budgetary and economic circumstances and municipalities' debt. The period from 2004 to 2016 is studied using a structural equation methodology, which is believed to be a major contribution of this research. The results allow concluding that the institutional, tax and budgetary situations present a negative and statistically significant relationship with municipal debt. This means that, in the local government setting, when the institutional, tax and budgetary contexts are favourable, debt levels tend to be lower. Therefore, municipalities should take advantage of their institutional context and of periods of higher tax revenue, increased central government grants and investment expenditure, to reduce their debt levels, so they can face other circumstances pushing for debt increases. ; info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion