The possibility of developing the overall structure of the government accounting system according to the institutional theory framework: an analytical study

Abstract

The research aims to analyze and develop the governmental accounting system in Iraq by employing of institutional theory and paying attention to the concept of preserving public money, keeping pace with modern developments in accounting practices and applying international standards for the public sector. The checklist was adopted as a main tool for the research through which the level of influence of institutional theory in developing the governmental accounting system was measured in one of the governmental units that applies the decentralized system, the study sample (National Center for Engineering Consultations). The results of the examination form were reinforced by a questionnaire prepared for the same purpose. The descriptive analytical approach was adopted in collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data using the SPSS V25 statistical program. The research reached a set of conclusions, the most important of which is that there is a statistically significant and significant correlation between institutional theory and the governmental accounting system in Iraq and areas of its development. There is also a statistically significant and significant correlation between institutional theory, public money conservation combined, and the governmental accounting system. Based on the conclusions, the research presented a set of recommendations, the most prominent of which are developing the general structure of the governmental accounting system, increasing the effectiveness of the internal and external control system, defining a common framework for exchanging experiences and information, and increasing compatibility between the governmental accounting system and international public sector accounting standards.