The United Nations' (UN) decision to adopt international public sector accounting standards (IPSAS)

Purpose

The objective of this study is to analyse and understand the UN System’s adoption of IPSAS from a legitimacy perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

A content analysis of publicly accessible documents from the UN System archives was conducted. The analysis was framed through the broader lens of legitimacy theory, drawing attention to the rationalities of decisions taken.

Findings

This study illustrated how the need for accounting reforms was rationalised throughout the UN System of organisations. Decision-making processes were reflective of political concerns and the accompanying need to continually demonstrate accountability. The discursive strategies observed associated the need to improve accountability with the adoption of globally recognised accounting systems. However, such logic assumed that existing accountability deficits were intrinsically linked to accounting failures, which overemphasises accounting’s role.

Originality/value

This study addresses a lacuna in empirical studies providing an understanding of the role of accounting reforms within international organisations such as the UN System.