This paper investigates the impact of different accounting bases and financial reporting frameworks on the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) in the public sector. Specifically, it examines how various accounting approaches (cash, modified cash, accrual, and modified accrual) and reporting frameworks (national accounting standards, International Public Sector Accounting Standards-IPSAS with or without modifications, and other frameworks) influence the perception of corruption in public institutions. The study uses a sample of 147 countries, with the CPI as the dependent variable and accounting basis and financial reporting framework as independent variables. The results of the ANOVA analysis reveal a statistically significant difference in corruption perception indices among countries employing different accounting bases. The results of this study indicate that countries applying simpler accounting frameworks, such as national standards and IPSAS modified for the local context, show a lower perception of corruption, as evidenced by a higher CPI value. In contrast, more complex frameworks, including IPSAS or national standards referencing IPSAS, combined with cash and partial accrual bases, do not significantly reduce corruption perception. Additionally, countries using national standards based on IFRS exhibit the lowest levels of perceived corruption in the public sector.

The paper aims to explore the impact of state audits of grants in the public sector on reducing non-compliance with legal regulations. The research was conducted over a ten-year period among federal and cantonal ministries in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) responsible for planning and distributing grant funds as part of their regular duties. The research results show that the total number of recommendations given during the observed 10-year period was 1,666, including: 245 recommendations related to grant planning, 684 recommendations related to the distribution of grant funds, 554 recommendations concerning the oversight of the designated expenditure of allocated funds, 74 recommendations concerning grant implementation reporting, and 109 recommendations regarding the accuracy of accounting records. During the observed ten-year period, the number of recommendations decreased by 75%. The research results also indicate that the adoption of stricter guidelines for grant management has a strong impact on reducing the number of identified irregularities. The paper also presents an analysis of the most common causes of irregularities. The results of the conducted research will contribute to filling the literature gap on the importance of grant audits, the most common causes of identified irregularities, and the significance of stricter legal regulations and clearer rules related to grant management.

This paper aims to generalize linear models for the multiproduct break-even point. Taking into consideration identified research gaps, the paper focuses on deriving formulas for determining the multiproduct break-even point through determination models. Different assumptions regarding the constancy of individual product contribution structures to total physical production volume, total revenue, total variable costs, and total contribution margin are taken into account. Additionally, connections between the obtained solutions from different models and different assumptions regarding the constancy of individual product contributions are established. The verification of the optimality of solutions obtained through different determination models is conducted by comparing them with solutions derived from linear programming as a benchmark. The developed models are tested using a case study of a multiproduct company in the metal processing industry. Through comparative analysis, the hypotheses concerning obtaining an optimal solution and the identical nature of solutions derived from the determination model and linear programming are examined. This paper contributes to the understanding of the multiproduct break-even point, providing a theoretical and practical framework for evaluation and enabling the application of various determination models in the context of a multiproduct situation.

he study aims to assess the capability of various data mining techniques in detecting inaccurate financial statements of government-owned enterprises operating in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH). Inaccurate financial statements indicate potential financial fraud. Prediction models of four classification algorithms (J48, KNN, MLP, and BayesNet) were examined using a dataset comprising 200 audited financial statements from government-owned enterprises under the supervision of the Audit Office of the Institutions in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The results obtained through data mining analysis reveal that a dataset encompassing seven balance sheet items provides the most comprehensive depiction of financial statement quality. These seven attributes are: opening entry of accounts receivable, profit (loss) at the end of the period, operating assets at the end of the period, accounts receivable at the end of the period, opening entry of operating assets, short term financial investments at the end of the period, and opening entry of short-term financial investments. By employing these seven attributes, the MLP algorithm was implemented to construct the most precise predictive model, achieving a 76% accurate classification rate for financial statements. Leveraging the identified attributes, a mathematical model could potentially be formulated to effectively predict financial statements of government-owned enterprises in FBiH. This, in turn, could considerably facilitate the process of selecting GOEs for inclusion in the annual work plan of state auditors. Presently, due to resource constraints, government-owned enterprises in FBiH do not undergo regular annual scrutiny by state auditors, with only 10 to 15 such enterprises being subject to audits each year. The results of this research can also be beneficial to both the public and the Financial Intelligence Agency in the FBiH. The paper contributes to filling the gap in the literature regarding the applied methodology, particularly in the part concerning the attributes used in the research.

This paper aims to investigate the status of alignment and harmonization of corporate reporting in Western Balkans (WB) countries with the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS). Specifically, the research will focus on understanding the extent to which WB countries have initiated the adoption of ESRS, particularly in the context of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) that mandates its use for companies within the European Union (EU) and its branches. The paper will compare the achieved level of sustainability reporting in Western Balkan countries with other countries located in Europe that are not members of the European Union. Despite the mandatory nature of ESRS for companies within the EU, our preliminary analysis indicates a lack of progress in the alignment and harmonization process among the WB countries. Western Balkan countries are also lagging behind, compared to other non-EU member countries, such as Switzerland and Norway, which have been selected for comparative analysis. The research seeks to uncover the reasons behind this lag and to explore the potential challenges faced by companies in the WB region in implementing these standards. It is crucial to understand the current state of sustainability reporting practices in WB countries and the challenges faced in aligning with ESRS. It will provide valuable insights for policymakers, businesses, and stakeholders on the necessary steps to enhance sustainability reporting practices in the region and foster alignment with international standards.

Abstract Considering the burning problem of corruption and non-transparency of public enterprises in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH), the paper aims to investigate whether the Beneish M-score model can be used to predict inaccurate financial statements. Where, the cause of inaccurate financial statements are intentional or unintentional errors. On a sample of 200 financial statements of public enterprises and related audit reports issued by the Audit Office of the Institutions in FBiH, we made a link between the Beneish M score model with its partial indicators (DSRI, GMI, AQI, SGI, DEPI, SGAI, LVGI, TATA) and four types of opinions: positive, opinion with distraction, negative and refraining from giving opinions. The research was conducted using descriptive statistics and an artificial neural network with the “scaled conjugate gradient backpropagation (trainscg)” algorithm for pattern recognition and classification. The research results show that it is possible on the basis of 8 partial indicators (DSRI, GMI, AQI, SGI, DEPI, SGAI, LVGI, TATA) i.e. 24 balance sheet position for their calculation, predict the auditor’s opinion on the quality of financial statements of public companies with an accuracy ranging between 98 and 100% in repeated procedures. The results of the research have their practical usefulness and can serve to researchers, creditors, customers, suppliers and state auditors in planning resources and priorities for performing financial audits at public companies in the FBiH.

The paper aims to investigate the influencing factors for the choice of accounting specialization by students at ten public higher education institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). In addition to the above, the paper also explores the gender structure of the students, the type of secondary education, the time of making the decision to choose the field of accounting, and planned future training in accounting. The research sample consisted of 253 respondents, and data collection was performed by electronic survey through distance learning platforms. To identify the key factors in choosing to study accounting, we used the multivariate method of factor analysis of major components. The results of the research point to the existence of four key influencing factors in the selection of accounting specialization: achievement, job fulfillment, the influence of authorities in the field of science and profession, and the influence of parents and friends. Over 77 percent of the students are women, and the students have mostly completed general high schools (gymnasiums) or high schools of economics (92 percent). More than 98 percent of the students plan to continue their training in the field of accounting. The results of the research have practical use in terms of preparation and presentation of accounting policies at public higher education institutions in BiH, given that the reduced number of students has resulted in rival positions among different study areas. The results of the research can also be useful to professional groups in the field of accounting in terms of achieving their strategic goals.

According to both theoretical and empirical research results, this paper has the aim to determine, the extent to which the current accounting regulatory framework (IFRS 3 and IAS 36) offers an adequate basis for correct valuation of goodwill. We have researched all the available critical reviews of the accounting treatment of goodwill and the quality of applying accounting regulations onto expression of the goodwill position in BH companies’ practices. The empirical research was conducted on all the companies in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH), which recorded goodwill in their balance sheets in the period from 2013 to 2018. The research results have shown a high level of subjectivity in the process of determining the value of goodwill, and great discrepancies in adhering to the accounting regulations in the part of additional valuation and expression of goodwill value in financial reports. This resulted in the fact that the share of companies in FBiH which express decreased values of goodwill is far greater than the share of companies in the European union (EU). The main contribution of this paper is the fact that this is the first comprehensive research on evaluation of goodwill in FBiH companies in comparison to the situation in the EU. Also, it confirms the Agency Theory and shows great subjectivity in evaluation which results in an unjustified expression of a higher operative success in financial reports.