Mini-dissertation (M.Com. (Accounting))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

Mini-dissertation (M.Com. (Accounting))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

Mini-dissertation (M.Com. (Accounting))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / The value added statement is published by about 200 of the 400 companies listed in the industrial sector on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. This is the highest incidence of publication of such statements reported to date. It appears from a literature review that the usefulness of the statement has never been tested in depth from the perspective of the users. The importance of this study stems from the increased incidence of publication of the statement in South Africa and the lack of evidence substantiating its usefulness. The study aims to investigate the usefulness of the value added statement in South Africa from the perspective of all the different users of external financial information. The literature review revealed that, although the value added statement is based on the theory of value added and was aimed at broadening the scope of financial reporting, it did not develop to the point of being governed by statutory requirements. This resulted in diverse accounting treatment in the statement and the resultant loss of consistency and comparability, which gave an early indication from the literature that value added statements might not be very useful. The usefulness of the value added statement was evidenced by users actually using the statement and the explanatory and predictive power of value added information. No reliable evidence of users actually using the statement was found in the literature. Evidence was found that value added information had greater predictive and explanatory power than earnings, but these findings were found to be inconclusive. A questionnaire survey among users representing the South African users of external financial reports revealed little evidence of actual use of the value added statement. The general usage trend from past to present, was to use the statement less rather than more. More than fifty percent of the respondents do not intend to use the statement in future, even if the shortcomings experienced could be overcome. The major reason for this lack of support for the value added statement seems to be the shortcomings experienced by the users when publishing and using the statement, which stems mainly from the lack of statutory requirements. Another reason is that the value added statement introduces very little information that is not already available from the other financial statements. The predictive and explanatory power of value added information was examined by doing statistical analysis on empirical data of South African listed companies. This analysis indicated that value added information did not have additional explanatory and predictive power when compared to earnings and that the high inter-correlation between value added and earnings prevented value added from being used in prediction models in combination with earnings. The predictive and explanatory power of value added information is therefore limited. This research study could not find sufficient evidence of the usefulness of value added statements to justify their continued publication, neither could it find significant support for future use. It is therefore suggested that the publication of the statement be discontinued and that additional information be included in the income statement disclosures to accommodate this.

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Various studies have highlighted the problems faced in accounting education. Some of these problems refer to the stagnating accounting curriculum, limited resources available to students from designated black empowerment groups, and the underdevelopment of skills required by practice. This study focuses specifically on the problems faced in secondary and tertiary accounting education in South Africa (SA) and the effects of these problems on practice. The first article of this study emphasises the various causes for the declining pass rate in firstyear chartered accountancy (CA) students. For this purpose, the researcher gathered information on the perceptions of first-year CA students and of lecturers involved in departments of accounting at SA universities. One of the possible causes identified is the apparent gap between school and university accounting education, especially in respect of curriculum, teaching quality and textbooks. The study revealed that students from designated black empowerment groups are facing the most problems in SA accounting education. The second article addressed the skills shortages in first-year CA trainees that practitioners have to deal with. According to the results, the majority of the participants felt that universities do not sufficiently equip students with the skills necessary to be successful in practice. The skills shortages identified included the inability of first-year trainees to determine the extent of testing needed in audits and to think independently. It also seemed as if first-year trainees lack professional communication skills and cannot sufficiently apply theory learnt at university in practice. These are only some skills with which universities are expected to equip students in order to be successful in practice. The researcher drew conclusions and made recommendations based on the information obtained from the above-mentioned two studies. / MCom (Accountancy), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Various studies have highlighted the problems faced in accounting education. Some of these problems refer to the stagnating accounting curriculum, limited resources available to students from designated black empowerment groups, and the underdevelopment of skills required by practice. This study focuses specifically on the problems faced in secondary and tertiary accounting education in South Africa (SA) and the effects of these problems on practice. The first article of this study emphasises the various causes for the declining pass rate in firstyear chartered accountancy (CA) students. For this purpose, the researcher gathered information on the perceptions of first-year CA students and of lecturers involved in departments of accounting at SA universities. One of the possible causes identified is the apparent gap between school and university accounting education, especially in respect of curriculum, teaching quality and textbooks. The study revealed that students from designated black empowerment groups are facing the most problems in SA accounting education. The second article addressed the skills shortages in first-year CA trainees that practitioners have to deal with. According to the results, the majority of the participants felt that universities do not sufficiently equip students with the skills necessary to be successful in practice. The skills shortages identified included the inability of first-year trainees to determine the extent of testing needed in audits and to think independently. It also seemed as if first-year trainees lack professional communication skills and cannot sufficiently apply theory learnt at university in practice. These are only some skills with which universities are expected to equip students in order to be successful in practice. The researcher drew conclusions and made recommendations based on the information obtained from the above-mentioned two studies. / MCom (Accountancy), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Thesis (Ph.D. (Commerce)) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / This research aimed to develop a costing model for the African Complementary and Alternative Medicines (ACAM) health practitioners to improve their products and services’ decision-making process. This research aim drew support from fundamental objectives, which includes amongst others, the identification of the current product and service costing approaches used by the ACAM practitioners and how this supports their decision-making, the development, and adoption of a costing model for ACAM practitioners to capture products and services’ cost information for improved health care service delivery. Furthermore, it sought to understand the challenges faced by ACAM practitioners in adopting the proposed costing model. The research applied a qualitative action research method. Data collection was through interview method from twenty-six ACAM health practitioners in six ACAM health care facilities. Data were collected after two research cycles in the field study through action research procedures. The participants were drawn from five South African provinces. The main data was gathered through face-to-face semi-structured interviews, documentation, and direct observation to enhance the research validity and reliability. The data were analysed systematically using thematic analysis The findings reveal that the study succeeded in providing more accurate cost data for each product and assist in the planning, control and decision making for the ACAM practitioners. The research contributes academically and to practice by successfully narrowing the gap between ACAM researchers and cost accounting researchers by providing a practical costing model based on solid practical and academic foundation. The researcher recommends that the South African ACAM facilities need to adopt and implement the ACAM costing model because it will provide them with more accurate cost data for the provision of each service and products and help in making effective and reliable decisions. Key words: Cost accounting practice, ACAM health facilities. ACAM health practitioners, ACAM Colonisation, ACAM Healing, Contingency Theory, Production Theory, Cost Elements, Costs Classification. ACAM Production Process

Bakgrund: Växande grödor är en del av biologiska tillgångar och livscykel för en gröda kan sträcka sig över ett år vilket kan vara utmanande vid upprättning av årsredovisning. Värdering av växande grödor har många utmaningar som kan påverka värderingsprocessen, exempelvis naturliga faktorer såsom klimatförhållanden eller växtskadegörare som människan inte kontrollerar. Vidare finns det också andra faktorer som påverkar värderingsprocessen såsom brist på tydliga regler, vägledningar inom Årsredovisningslagen (1995:1554) och Bokföringslagen (1999:1078). Detta visar att det finns komplexitet och svårigheter vid värdering av växande grödor. Värderingsteorin och teori om redovisning i praktik ligger till grund för studien. Problemformulering: Hur sker värderingen av växande grödor vid årsredovisningen? Syftet: Syftet med denna studie är att redogöra för hur värderingen av växande grödor sker och därmed öka förståelsen för redovisningsutövandet av denna tillgång. Metod: Studien använde en kvalitativ metod. Datainsamlingen genomfördes med hjälp av två datainsamlingsmetoder: dokumentstudier och semistrukturerade intervjuer. Dokumentstudier användes för att samla in sekundärdata genom att granska tio årsredovisningar från olika lantbruksaktiebolag. Semistrukturerade intervjuer användes för att samla primärdata om hur värdering av växande grödor sker genom att intervjua tio olika respondenter. Dessa respondenter bestod av tre lantbrukare, fem ekonomer och två experter. Slutsats: Studiens slutsats visar tre olika redovisningsprocesser för växande grödor beroende på lantbruksaktiebolags ekonomiska ställning. Det kan antas att värderingen av växande grödor används för att kunna jämna ut resultaten när det uppstår ekonomiska problem. Därefter påverkar kvaliteten på växande grödor om anskaffningsvärde eller nettoförsäljningsvärde skall tillämpas. / Background: Growing crops is part of biological assets and the lifecycle of a growing crop can be over an year long, which can be a challenge when creating an annual report. Valuation of growing crops has many challenges that can affect the valuation process, for exemple natural factors such as climate conditions or plant pests that cannot be controlled by humans. Further there are other factors that affect valuation process such as unclear regulations or guidance in Årsredovisningslagen (1995:1554) och Bokföringslagen (1999:1078). All this shows complexity and hardship when valuing growing crops. Valuation theory and accounting practice theory is the basis of the study.  Problem formulation: How to do valuations of growing crops when creating an annual report?  Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explain how the valuation of growing crops takes place and thereby increase the understanding of the accounting practice of this asset.  Method: The study used a qualitative method. The data gathering used two different gathering methods: document study and semistructured interviews. Document study was used for gathering secondary data and done by reviewing ten different annual reports from different farming stock corporations. The semi structured interview was used to gather the primary data of valuation of crops by interviewing ten different respondents. These respondents were composed of three farmers, five economics and two experts.  Conclusion: The study conclusion shows three different accounting processes for growing crops that depend on finances of the farming stock company. It may assume that the valuation of growing corpses are used to create a more stable financial position when financial problems occur. Thereafter the quality of growing crops will affect if the historical cost or fair cost will be used.

Reporting in terms of the principles of IAS 41, or equivalent, did not result in comparable financial results in the industry. This is mainly due to valuation challenges experienced and the significant costs of these valuations, contributing to the theoretical gap addressed in this study, where the cognitive theory was applied to determine how to improve the consistency, validity and reliability of the fair valuing of biological assets. The knowledge gap is a result of the inconsistent application of the requirements of IAS 41 which results in incomparable financial results which impairs the decision-making of the users of such information. The results of the study were analysed and contextualised to develop an application guideline to assist the financial statement compilers to present results to users that will enhance their decision-making. This guideline is the result of an investigation on the industry trend and standards on how to value, disclose and report on biological assets in the annual reports; an assessment of the valuation challenges experienced, the valuation factors considered and the frequency thereof; an analysis of the valuation inputs applied and a contextualisation of the various users’ expectations when these financial results are assessed. Such assessment included an inductive content analysis, further grounded theory contextualisation and grouping of the results into a guideline that was tested on various users to ensure the usefulness and validity thereof. The purpose of the study and the developed guideline is to determine how to improve the consistency, the validity and the reliability of the fair valuing of biological assets to derive at informing, comparable, decision-enhancing balances in a cost efficient manner when detailed information is presented. / Centre for Accounting Studies / D. Phil. (Accounting Sciences)