Thesis (D.Com.(Financial Management Sciences))--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Abstract in English. Includes bibliographical references.

A aprovação da norma contábil IAS 41- Agriculture em 2001 trouxe uma série de desafios nas práticas contábeis das empresas, sendo a principal delas o reconhecimento de ganhos/perdas durante o crescimento biológico de um ativo e a mensuração destes ganhos/perdas pelo valor justo. Toda forma de reconhecimento e mensuração apresenta relação com o modelo de negócios da empresa e irá afetar o relacionamento entre os envolvidos neste contexto e a forma como os usuários da informação contábil avaliam a gestão dos recursos investidos na entidade, que é o stewardship. Desta forma o objetivo deste trabalho foi discutir quais e como os fatores internos e externos presentes no contexto social das organizações, contribuíram para que a informação contábil a valor justo atingisse o objetivo de stewardship. Para isto foi realizado um estudo etnográfico por meio de entrevistas direcionadas aos responsáveis pela informação contábil em onze empresas de diferentes segmentos do agronegócio. O modelo de analise primeiramente se ateve ao entendimento do Modelo de Mensuração dos ativos biológicos dentro destas empresas, e como esta informação é utilizada para fins de stewardship. Em três empresas, a informação contábil referente ao ativo biológico é utilizada para fins de avaliação de performance global e do gestor e para o relacionamento com o credor, que constituem elementos para a proxy do stewardship. O processo de mudança nestas empresas, analisado conforme modelo desenvolvido por Miller (1991) se deu primeiramente pela Problematização ocorrida no contexto social destas empresas, em que seu modelo de negócios tem a madeira como produto final, bem como no modelo de gestão que visa em primeiro lugar o retorno do capital investido, mensurado pela valorização da floresta ao longo dos anos. Os atores que agem para que isto se torne numa mudança efetiva, denominados de Comunidades Epistêmicas, são os acionistas e os credores destas empresas. Os acionistas que são fundos de investimentos têm que apresentar aos seus cotistas a valorização destes investimentos, e o credor (em uma das empresas) vincula a garantia dos empréstimos ao valor da floresta. Também atua neste processo de uma forma mais distante (Ação à Distância) a cultura dos fundos de investimentos, em que a gestora florestal é responsável pela formação e venda de novas áreas florestais, bem como a legislação específica da constituição destes fundos. Nas outras empresas, além de o ativo biológico ser um insumo de produção no modelo de negócios na maioria dos casos analisados, o modelo de gestão é baseado na eficiência operacional. Desta forma, a mensuração a ser utilizada deve ser relacionada tanto ao modelo de negócios como ao modelo de gestão da empresa, que são fatores que revelam como os ativos estão sendo geridos, e isto influencia na perspectiva de geração de caixa do negócio. Apesar da obrigatoriedade que uma norma contábil impõe, a prática contábil segue suas próprias leis no âmbito social que operam as empresas, e qualquer alteração imposta passa por um extenso processo de problematização antes de esta norma ser socialmente aceita. / The adoption of IAS 41- Agriculture in 2001 brought a lot of challenges to companies´ the accounting practices, and the most important is the recognition of gains / losses during the biological growth of an asset and the measurement of these gains / losses at fair value. All forms of recognition and measurement are correlated with the company\'s business model and will affect the relationship between those involved in this context, and how the users of accounting information assess the management of resources invested in the entity, i.e. the stewardship. Therefore, the aim of this study was to discuss what and how internal and external factors in the social context of organizations, contributed to the accounting fair value to reach stewardship´s purpose. The ethnographic study has been conducted through interviews directed to the responsible of accounting information in eleven companies from agribusiness´ different segments. The analysis model first adhered to the understanding of \"Measurement Model\" of biological assets within these companies, and how this information is used for stewardship purposes. In three companies the information of biological assets is used for evaluate both, the companies\' performance and management´s performance, and for relationship with lender, which are elements for proxy of stewardship. The change in these companies, analyzed according to Miller (1991) starts by Problematization occurred in the social context of these companies, in which the forest is an output in its business model, as well as the purpose of management´s model is firstly the return on capital invested, measured by the appreciation of the forest over the years. The actors who work in order to transform this in an effective change, called Epistemic Communities, are the shareholders and the debtholder of these companies. Shareholders, which are Investment Funds, have to present to its investors with the appreciation of these investments, as well as the debtholder (in one of the companies) that ensure the debt with the forest value. Also in this process, working in action at distance: the culture of investment funds, in which forest management is responsible to develop and sale new forest areas as well as the specific legislation of the constitution of these funds. In other companies, besides the fact that biological assets are an input in the business model in most cases, the management model is based on the operational efficiency. Thus, the accounting measurement should be related to both the business model and the company\'s management model, which are factors that reveal how the assets are being managed, and influences in the perspective of business cash flow. Despite the obligation that an accounting standard imposes, the accounting practice follows its own laws in the social context of each company, and any changes imposed undergoes an extensive problematization process before this standard is socially accepted.

A aprovação da norma contábil IAS 41- Agriculture em 2001 trouxe uma série de desafios nas práticas contábeis das empresas, sendo a principal delas o reconhecimento de ganhos/perdas durante o crescimento biológico de um ativo e a mensuração destes ganhos/perdas pelo valor justo. Toda forma de reconhecimento e mensuração apresenta relação com o modelo de negócios da empresa e irá afetar o relacionamento entre os envolvidos neste contexto e a forma como os usuários da informação contábil avaliam a gestão dos recursos investidos na entidade, que é o stewardship. Desta forma o objetivo deste trabalho foi discutir quais e como os fatores internos e externos presentes no contexto social das organizações, contribuíram para que a informação contábil a valor justo atingisse o objetivo de stewardship. Para isto foi realizado um estudo etnográfico por meio de entrevistas direcionadas aos responsáveis pela informação contábil em onze empresas de diferentes segmentos do agronegócio. O modelo de analise primeiramente se ateve ao entendimento do Modelo de Mensuração dos ativos biológicos dentro destas empresas, e como esta informação é utilizada para fins de stewardship. Em três empresas, a informação contábil referente ao ativo biológico é utilizada para fins de avaliação de performance global e do gestor e para o relacionamento com o credor, que constituem elementos para a proxy do stewardship. O processo de mudança nestas empresas, analisado conforme modelo desenvolvido por Miller (1991) se deu primeiramente pela Problematização ocorrida no contexto social destas empresas, em que seu modelo de negócios tem a madeira como produto final, bem como no modelo de gestão que visa em primeiro lugar o retorno do capital investido, mensurado pela valorização da floresta ao longo dos anos. Os atores que agem para que isto se torne numa mudança efetiva, denominados de Comunidades Epistêmicas, são os acionistas e os credores destas empresas. Os acionistas que são fundos de investimentos têm que apresentar aos seus cotistas a valorização destes investimentos, e o credor (em uma das empresas) vincula a garantia dos empréstimos ao valor da floresta. Também atua neste processo de uma forma mais distante (Ação à Distância) a cultura dos fundos de investimentos, em que a gestora florestal é responsável pela formação e venda de novas áreas florestais, bem como a legislação específica da constituição destes fundos. Nas outras empresas, além de o ativo biológico ser um insumo de produção no modelo de negócios na maioria dos casos analisados, o modelo de gestão é baseado na eficiência operacional. Desta forma, a mensuração a ser utilizada deve ser relacionada tanto ao modelo de negócios como ao modelo de gestão da empresa, que são fatores que revelam como os ativos estão sendo geridos, e isto influencia na perspectiva de geração de caixa do negócio. Apesar da obrigatoriedade que uma norma contábil impõe, a prática contábil segue suas próprias leis no âmbito social que operam as empresas, e qualquer alteração imposta passa por um extenso processo de problematização antes de esta norma ser socialmente aceita. / The adoption of IAS 41- Agriculture in 2001 brought a lot of challenges to companies´ the accounting practices, and the most important is the recognition of gains / losses during the biological growth of an asset and the measurement of these gains / losses at fair value. All forms of recognition and measurement are correlated with the company\'s business model and will affect the relationship between those involved in this context, and how the users of accounting information assess the management of resources invested in the entity, i.e. the stewardship. Therefore, the aim of this study was to discuss what and how internal and external factors in the social context of organizations, contributed to the accounting fair value to reach stewardship´s purpose. The ethnographic study has been conducted through interviews directed to the responsible of accounting information in eleven companies from agribusiness´ different segments. The analysis model first adhered to the understanding of \"Measurement Model\" of biological assets within these companies, and how this information is used for stewardship purposes. In three companies the information of biological assets is used for evaluate both, the companies\' performance and management´s performance, and for relationship with lender, which are elements for proxy of stewardship. The change in these companies, analyzed according to Miller (1991) starts by Problematization occurred in the social context of these companies, in which the forest is an output in its business model, as well as the purpose of management´s model is firstly the return on capital invested, measured by the appreciation of the forest over the years. The actors who work in order to transform this in an effective change, called Epistemic Communities, are the shareholders and the debtholder of these companies. Shareholders, which are Investment Funds, have to present to its investors with the appreciation of these investments, as well as the debtholder (in one of the companies) that ensure the debt with the forest value. Also in this process, working in action at distance: the culture of investment funds, in which forest management is responsible to develop and sale new forest areas as well as the specific legislation of the constitution of these funds. In other companies, besides the fact that biological assets are an input in the business model in most cases, the management model is based on the operational efficiency. Thus, the accounting measurement should be related to both the business model and the company\'s management model, which are factors that reveal how the assets are being managed, and influences in the perspective of business cash flow. Despite the obligation that an accounting standard imposes, the accounting practice follows its own laws in the social context of each company, and any changes imposed undergoes an extensive problematization process before this standard is socially accepted.

Informed economic decisions are made on the basis of accounting data. It is therefore crucial to have rigorous and scientific approaches for measuring, modelling and forecasting accounting numbers. Dr Falta's research was motivated by two observations. Firstly, in accounting practice, decision-making often relies on subjective quantifications and forecasts of business activities and, thus, does not account for uncertainty in a rational way. Secondly, there are some academic foundations for statistical approaches to accounting, yet none has been developed carefully enough for results to penetrate and to contribute to practitioners' needs. Dr Falta applied components of mathematics, statistics, econometrics, finance and computing to aspects of accounting and auditing. He developed an enhanced framework for scientific measurement of business process costing and recording accounting transaction data. This has enabled a better understanding of risk in accounting-based decision-making. His research is being incorporated in projects with the Royal Australian Navy and SunWater.

The perceived lack of progress by the Department of Human Settlements (“Department”) in meeting the increased demand for subsidised housing post-1994 is a ticking time bomb, given the repeated promises without any prospect of meeting the commitment to eradicate or upgrade all informal settlements by 2014. Despite ongoing delivery of subsidised housing, the backlog remained at 2,4 million households from 2005 to 2009, the indicator being the number of informal settlement households. The “Department” has acknowledged the existence of bureaucratic blockages throughout the housing delivery chain. Despite the urgency of the situation, there appears to be no research on the departmental factors hampering delivery under the Upgrading of Informal Settlements Programme (“programme”) and finding a solution that would maximise delivery within budgetary constraints. This research assesses the suitability of the Balanced Scorecard (BSC), a Strategic Management Accounting performance measurement and management tool, for addressing the departmental factors hampering delivery (“factors”) under the “programme” and develops a conceptual framework to guide any future application of the BSC to the “programme”.The complexity of housing delivery and the proposed integration of the BSC call for a detailed literature study of the post-1994 national housing and “programme” documentation and that of the public sector BSC. The theoretical study will establish how and by whom housing delivery should be done, the “factors” and the BSC framework and translation process. This will serve as the basis for the assessment of the suitability of the BSC for addressing the “factors” and the development of the conceptual framework.This study revealed that the BSC is suitable for addressing seven of the eight departmental factors hampering delivery under the “programme” and partially suitable for addressing the remaining factor. The recommendation is that the BSC be applied to the “programme” according to the conceptual framework provided. This study has contributed to knowledge by: producing an overall picture of the national framework for the delivery of subsidised housing, presenting the BSC as a suitable performance measurement tool for addressing the departmental factors hampering delivery under the “programme”, and developing a conceptual framework for any future BSC application to the “programme”. / Accounting Sciences / D. Com. (Accounting)

The perceived lack of progress by the Department of Human Settlements (“Department”) in meeting the increased demand for subsidised housing post-1994 is a ticking time bomb, given the repeated promises without any prospect of meeting the commitment to eradicate or upgrade all informal settlements by 2014. Despite ongoing delivery of subsidised housing, the backlog remained at 2,4 million households from 2005 to 2009, the indicator being the number of informal settlement households. The “Department” has acknowledged the existence of bureaucratic blockages throughout the housing delivery chain. Despite the urgency of the situation, there appears to be no research on the departmental factors hampering delivery under the Upgrading of Informal Settlements Programme (“programme”) and finding a solution that would maximise delivery within budgetary constraints. This research assesses the suitability of the Balanced Scorecard (BSC), a Strategic Management Accounting performance measurement and management tool, for addressing the departmental factors hampering delivery (“factors”) under the “programme” and develops a conceptual framework to guide any future application of the BSC to the “programme”.The complexity of housing delivery and the proposed integration of the BSC call for a detailed literature study of the post-1994 national housing and “programme” documentation and that of the public sector BSC. The theoretical study will establish how and by whom housing delivery should be done, the “factors” and the BSC framework and translation process. This will serve as the basis for the assessment of the suitability of the BSC for addressing the “factors” and the development of the conceptual framework.This study revealed that the BSC is suitable for addressing seven of the eight departmental factors hampering delivery under the “programme” and partially suitable for addressing the remaining factor. The recommendation is that the BSC be applied to the “programme” according to the conceptual framework provided. This study has contributed to knowledge by: producing an overall picture of the national framework for the delivery of subsidised housing, presenting the BSC as a suitable performance measurement tool for addressing the departmental factors hampering delivery under the “programme”, and developing a conceptual framework for any future BSC application to the “programme”. / Accounting Sciences / D. Com. (Accounting)