Suchergebnisse

Growing public awareness of the need for sustainability raises the need for business settlements in the line with the concept of accountability. This phenomenon contributes to the objective extension of information systems in enterprises, including accounting system. The aim of the study is to assess the impact of accountability on accounting development, showing thus the idea of sustainability accounting. This study investigates the significance of the accountability concept and was conducted, indicating in particular the types of this concept and the areas of its management in the company. Based on inductive and deductive reasoning, the thesis of the article has been proved, showing that the accountability concept directs the development of accounting towards sustainability accounting as one of the basic manifestations of corporate responsibility. The paper shows that a cascading of corporate accountability determines the areas in which accounting is crucial for the company management, like valuation of the results of the implementation of sustainable development principles, managerial control and sustainability reporting. This paper aims to promote the perception of the changes and prospects of the development of accounting towards sustainability accounting, presenting theoretical and practical implementations. Keywords: accountability, accounting development, corporate responsibility, sustainable development, sustainability accounting.

There are many kinds of international operations, and entities from different countries can operate in different regulatory frameworks. This is why comparative international accounting has become more and more important. There are great efforts made by the EU, the IASB, the FASB, and other institutions in order to achieve comparable financial statements. Still, there are many accounting differences among the countries. The EU member states are restricted by the European Regulation on the application of the IFRS but the regulation of accounting principles for micro, small, and medium sized entities represents the national regulators' choice. The main goal of the paper is to provide a description of the existing accounting framework and the standard setting process in two European countries: Croatia and Poland. Research methodology is based on a critical analysis of scholarly literature and the comparison of Polish and Croatian Accounting Acts, Polish Accounting Standards and Croatian Financial Reporting Standards, in terms of main accounting principles for assets. The authors test the thesis that the national accounting standard setting process affects the form and content of accounting principles and standards. Therefore, the research focus is related to several accounting areas and the paper investigates accounting principles for different kinds of assets.

Central and Eastern European countries undergo many political, structural, social and economic changes. In the past decades such countries, like Croatia and Poland, witnessed a fundamental transformation of their societies and economies, which impacted accounting systems as well. The mail goal of the paper is to research the main differences in accounting systems in the Republic of Croatia and Poland. The research methodology is based on a critical analysis of scholarly literature done by the bibliometric analysis, analysis Polish and Croatian accouting standards and legal acts. Based on inductive and deductive reasoning, the paper reveals key determinants and differences of accounting frameworks in Croatia and Poland. The paper proves that it is crucial to consider economic and cultural differences in comparative international accounting research. Research results of the paper will contribute the international accounting literature but also have an impact on the European Union accounting harmonisation references.

Abstract

Purpose
This study aims to verify the efficiency of economic, organisational, social and environmental dimensions of sustainability performance.


Methodology
Disclosure analysis and 2-stage data envelopment analysis (DEA) examining the efficiency of sustainability engagement of listed banks in Poland, Croatia, and Romania disclosed in the annual and CSR/sustainability reports for 2015–2018.


Findings
There are apparent differences between the efficiency of sustainability engagement in the banking sectors of the three countries examined in the study. Banking sectors in all these countries are on different stages of their paths to value creation via the efficiency of sustainability engagement.


Practical implications
The results of this study may help compare sustainability engagement and understanding of the further directions of sustainable development in the banking sector in both the analysed and other countries, as well as in other institutions from other sectors. These results may be important for the decision-makers in determining the actions focused on improving efficiency on the way to value creation.


Originality/value
Since only a limited number of studies examine the efficiency of sustainability engagement, especially in CEE countries, little is known about value creation, understood as the efficient use of the resources and activities concerning sustainability. This paper contributes to filling in this gap. It also proposes an alternative approach, analysing the relationship between sustainability engagement and value creation based on efficiency rather than on the direct impact on financial results giving ambiguous results. This approach may be extended to different sectors and other countries.