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The Accounting Review Vol. 37 No. 4 1962

A COMMUNICATION THEORY APPROACH TO ACCOUNTANCY.

Norton M. Bedford1; Vahe Baladouni2

1 Professor of Accounting, University of Illinois, Urbana. 1 · 2 University of Illinois. 2

Abstract

A recapitulation of the highlights of this article embraces the following points: 1. Process is the dynamic, on-going, ever-changing, continuous phenomenon of events and their relationships. 2. The elements of the communication situation of accountancy are selected for purposes of analysis and discussion. 3. Communication in accountancy includes both content (observational dimension) and media (productional dimension) of communication. 4. Accountancy may be viewed as a function of communication process (organizing principle). 5. A schematic model of accountancy as a communication process serves as an effective means for describing and discussing the communication situation of accountancy. 6. The basic functions of the accountant (communicating unit) include: (a) receiving information about a firm's economic events; (b) interpreting the information; (c) selecting information to be communicated; (d) encoding the information as messages; (e) transmitting the encoded message(s) to the users of accounting statements (destination). 7. The basic functions of the users of accounting statements (destination) include: (a) interpreting accounting statements; (b) using the messages. 8. An assessment of the communication situation of accountancy raises several key questions which point toward concrete experimental problems. 9. The communication theory offers a basis for an integrated and clearly defined areas of research.

DOI
10.2308/tar-7100226
Volume
37
Issue
4
Pages
650-659
Language
en
Sources
openalex crossref

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