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Accounting Historians Journal

Accounting -- United States -- History

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Full-Text Articles in Business

Science Of Accounts: Bookkeeping Rooted In The Ideal Of Science, Keith P. Mcmillan Jan 1998

Science Of Accounts: Bookkeeping Rooted In The Ideal Of Science, Keith P. Mcmillan

Accounting Historians Journal

This paper presents the discourse of the "science of accounts" as it developed in 19th century U.S. accounting literature. The paper initially emphasizes the meaning which the term "science of accounts" had during this period. In addition, it presents the contemporary belief that this science helped reveal the essential economic ontology, which bookkeeping makes visible. Second, the paper analyzes how this rational institutional myth became institutionalized within the emerging profession's technical journals and its professional organization, the Institute of Accounts. Through reliance on this scientific foundation, the newly emerging profession could gain greater social legitimacy, leading to the first CPA …


Cyclical Aspects To Twentieth Century American Accounting, James Michael Dailey Jan 1984

Cyclical Aspects To Twentieth Century American Accounting, James Michael Dailey

Accounting Historians Journal

A model of change in twentieth century American accounting is presented. The model describes three-phase cycles, each consisting of a reactive, a proactive, and synthesis phase. The text and Appendix illustrate and attempt to validate the model, and to make projections for the future.