Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences
School of Financial Sciences
Department of Accounting
Selected Highlights from Research Findings
In South Africa, resource allocation in institutions of higher learning has traditionally largely been based on incremental budgeting and allocation by negotiation. Many categories of research allocation models are applied across the world, but research indicates that the higher the scarcity of resources, the higher the propensity for the implementation of resource allocation models based on business principles. A model has been developed in terms of which revenue earned by budget units are allocated to such units, who are required to make a contribution to other units who are not sufficiently self-sustainable, but whose existence is nevertheless crucial to a comprehensive university. A further contribution to overheads and institutional strategic initiatives is required. A crucial element of the resource allocation process is unit plans (“business plans”). They become agreements between institutional management and unit management on the utilization of resources and form the basis of performance management of unit management and staff.
Contact person: Prof Q Vorster.
The international context of departments of accounting in South Africa was very much neglected in the past. All prominent South African universities mention international recognition in their mission statements. Departments of accounting in South Africa are by implication bound to the pursuit of international recognition and international competitiveness. This has led to academic tension in departments of accounting at South African universities because the academic training of prospective chartered accountants has long been the main focus in such departments, while they have failed to do justice to their actual academic mission namely the search for truthful knowledge in accounting. The researcher found that the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) has the capacity to support departments of accounting to search for truthful knowledge in accounting if disciplines like research methodology and conceptual foundation of accounting are included in the syllabi. In addition, SAICA and the departments of accounting should work together to produce alumni that can become Chartered Accountants that are better equipped academically to face challenges of business practice. He also found that these developments are likely to change the traditional culture of an accounting department in South Africa irrevocably and that adherence to these developments will create a culture conducive to the pursuit of truthful knowledge in accounting.
Contact person: Prof DB van der Schyf.
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