Accounting and Society

Research Topics

The MRM Accounting and Society Group focuses its work on four areas. Areas 1, 2, and 3 are rooted in fields of expertise that are already well-established and have resulted in peer-reviewed publications. The fourth area is an emerging theme based on research that has not yet been published, which also addresses a broader demand fromthe MUSE I-site, of which we are a part. All of these areas share a common focus on examining concepts and practices in financial accounting, management control, and auditing, with the overarching goal of integrating accounting into society.

Topic 1: Reporting, Management, and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

Accounting, in its broadest sense, encompasses both the production and use of regulated or voluntary information disclosed to third parties and the design of performance management tools for internal management. These various aspects are examined. Some research focuses on how organizations prepare CSR reports—particularly accounting data and dedicated sustainability balanced scorecards ( BSCs)—how auditors evaluate these reports, and how investors use these reports based on their certification level. A study of tax avoidance practices by multinational corporations—viewed as an irresponsible practice—has also been conducted in relation to the level of CSR reporting that these same firms have been developing over the past several years.

Striking a balance between economic imperatives and social well-being (humanely responsible oversight that strikes a balance between oversight and support) is also an approach being explored in light of society’s aspirations. For most companies, the certified public accountant serves as a key link in this approach. In conjunction with the partnerships of MOMA’s Audit, Control, and Finance Division, we are examining how this theme is being integrated into the accounting profession—both through its implementation within firms and in the services they offer their clients (case studies).

Topic 2: Reporting, Oversight, and Public Management

Without precluding the previous topic, several research projects are focusing on the study of BSCs in public hospitals and universities. The aim is to examine the role of management tools as a boundary-spanning element within a professional bureaucracy, or to explore the strategic map as a representation of a business model geared toward a mission of public interest. Reporting practices are examined in complex, hybrid organizations within the public sector—for example, artistic and cultural organizations such as the national theater companies.

Beyond New Public Management, the broader issue of governmentality in a society marked by control and mistrust is emerging within our hypermodern societies. In this era of digital transformation,“smart cities,” e-health, platforms, algorithms, big data, and so on, these questions arise in connection with managerial challenges that echo current scientific debates.

Topic 3: Reporting, Management, & Governance

The considerations under Axis 3 lead us to reexamine governance mechanisms: governance in the digital age, governance through data, algorithms, rankings, etc. The governance of “smart cities” or “smart territories.” From an intra-organizational perspective, weultimately return to the broader issue of management control.

From a perspective outside the organization, several studies examine the role of accounting information in a firm’s external governance mechanisms (for example, the impact of the new IFRS standards on the banking sector)

Closely related to the other areas of focus, questions arise regarding the connection between the manipulation of accounting results, the recognition of R&D expenses, and executive compensation, as well as the classification of wine inventories as current assets—even though their holding period often determines their value… These seemingly technical questions point to what the organization says about itself through its financial statements and how that information can be used.

Topic 4: Reporting, Management, and Innovations

This research area aims to advance the study of management control and reporting systems in the context of entrepreneurial and innovative organizations—particularly startups—as well as the study of digital management control systems in the sharing economy (Airbnb case study). In addition, the goal is to delve deeper into concepts such as interactive control, empowering control, and ambidextrous control. The relationship between the Balanced Scorecard (BSC), Strategy Map, and Business Model within a strategic control framework is an avenue worth exploring. The introduction of new management system standards (for example, ISO 26000 on CSR, which overlaps with Axis 1) is examined from the perspective of the associated organizational changes, the role of the various stakeholders involved in regulating these standards, and their dissemination throughout the economy. Similarly, the standardization (or lack thereof) of carbon accounting at the international level is a subject of research as a recent innovation in the field ofreporting.

Finally, the digital transformation of banking raises many questions: How can we manage this “data-driven” performance? How are digital technologies changing control systems? What are the challenges of organizational change? What social and environmental issues arise during digital transformation, and how can they be integrated into control systems? What critical perspectives can be applied to explore the dark and unexpected sides of digital transformation?

Group Leaders

Sophie SPRING
Group Director
Contact

Géraldine RIVIERE-GIORDANO
Assistant Director
Contact