Since its inception, accounting has had a dependency relationship with other disciplines. Accounting education has developed, as a part of business administration and therefore, this has been the intellectual environment within which accounting thought has been incubated. The importance of this environmental setting can be seen by looking at the contributions to accounting theory of Australian academicians who are usually much more a part of economics departments than of schools of business as compared to the United States. This environmental factor is important in looking ahead to future developments in accounting theory. Four developments in business administration promise significant changes for the environment within which accounting theory will be developed and research will be carried on. Business administration has changed from an emphasis on description of business practice to a more analytical discipline where great attention is given to the underlying concepts and real attempts are being made to construct the practical models. The underlying basic discipline of Economics, which has been the primary base for theoretical models in the past, has been partially supplanted by the behavioral sciences, and it has been supplemented by greater attention to mathematical models. The economic goals, which were implicitly, or explicitly the almost exclusive objectives of business administration have been expanded to include broad society goals. The study of business administration is being expanded to a general study of administration for all types of organizations.

Reviews the book "Accounting: A Management Approach," by Thomas M. Hill and Myron J. Gordon.

Reviews the book "Financial and Cost Accounting for Management," by A.H. Taylor and H. Shearing.

Reviews the book "Studies in Cost Analysis," 2nd ed., by David Solomons.

The article reviews the book "Quantitative Analysis for Business Decisions," by Harold Bierman Jr., Charles P. Bonini, Lawrence E. Fouraker and Robert K. Jaedicke.

In recent years it has become increasingly evident that many managerial problems could be best handled by an integrated application of accounting and statistical knowledge. The actual integration of these two disciplines in the business world has been progressively increasing. Applications of statistical and sampling techniques have been made to a number of accounting problems. In the area of accounts receivable, applications have been made to the confirmation of receivables and to the aging of receivables. In contrast one of the first steps required in making a statistical application is the specification of the desired precision of the estimate and the level of reliability needed. Precision and reliability are the basis for the application of statistical sampling and these quantities must be stated by the accountant desiring the information. In another type of application statistical sampling was used in lieu of a cost accounting system. A large number of products were manufactured with the same machinery and same individuals during the day. A conventional cost accounting system would have been prohibitively expensive.

Reviews the book "Fundamental Principles of Accounting," by C.A. Moyer and H.T. Scovill.

Reviews the book "Quantitative Analysis for Business Decisions," by Harold Bierman Jr., Lawrence E. Fouraker and Robert K. Jaedicke.

The article presents information on recommendations made by the 1964 American Accounting Association Committee on Doctoral Programs. The committee was charged to investigate and to make appropriate recommendations concerning doctoral programs with a concentration in accounting. The primary role of doctoral programs in accounting at the present time is to prepare the student for university teaching of accounting. There are indications that the future may place increasing demands upon such doctoral programs to prepare students for a research career in public or industrial accounting. The increasing number applying for entrance to doctoral programs each year makes it possible for universities to exercise greater selectivity in the choice of students. The courses in accounting should cover thoroughly the areas of financial accounting, management accounting and the analytical uses of accounting data. Doctoral courses should be based upon an educational philosophy distinct from those of undergraduate and advanced professional programs offered by a university.