Relationship between accounting theory and practice: an exploratory study

Abstract

In  the  current  context  of  international  accounting  harmonization, witnessing an adaptation (or adoption) of widespread international accounting standards issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB), substantially based on principles and that make a greater appeal to the professional judgment and the use of estimates.In this new normative paradigm, presumably the professionals will feel a greater need to resort to accounting theory. Thus, motivated by this new context and to be increasing the number of accounting professionals with upper academic formation, we consider important to evaluate how the accounting theory is applied in accounting practice in Portugal, identify potential constraining factors about that application and reflect on the need for any changes, namely in the teaching of accounting, consubstantiating these objectives of the present dissertation.
With this study, of exploratory nature based on conducting interviews with   higher   education teachers   with   experience   in   accounting practice, we intend to gather empirical evidence about the perception that those professionals have about this under study problematic.
Our findings point to the existence of a gap between the accounting theory and their application in accounting practice, in part motivated by the reductive vision that some professionals, and even teachers, have from accounting theory. The mandatory adoption of accounting standards seems to be conditioning the evolution of accounting thought and the proper teaching of accounting, which tends to focus on the accounting standards in force.