Is There a Specific Accrual Basis Standard for the Public Sector? Theoretical Analysis and Harmonization of Italian Government Accounting

This paper aims to analyse the principle of accrual accounting when applied to non-business-oriented companies, in-cluding most general government bodies. The analysis is carried out by referring to concepts that are well-established and firmly anchored to the “history ” of accounting and which, today, allow us to define the principle of accrual ac-counting for “non-business ” activities differently to that applicable to profit-oriented companies. This also gives rise to a different interpretation of the economic result. This work subsequently provides a “fieldwork ” analysis of how accrual accounting has been introduced in the Italian public sector through an on-going accounting harmonization project. Fi-nally, this paper offers a critical examination of the current accrual basis recognised by the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS), as compared to its theoretical definition. The conclusions of this paper support the the-ory that the IPSAS can contribute to the current harmonization of Italian government accounting, but also reverse