On October 6th, Trevor Hopper, Professor Emeritus of Management Accounting at the University of Sussex, gave a seminar at the Institute of Development Studies hosted by the ICTD. The theme was “Accounting for Development”. 

Accounting may seem peripheral to development – better accounting will not solve poverty – but it is an essential, if neglected, cog in development mechanisms. All too often technical systems, regulations, and concepts used in rich countries are simply transferred to poor ones.

This masks a series of issues including their bias to Northern ideologies and interests, not least those of multi-national corporations; insufficient recognition of indigenous circumstances, needs and participation; implementation problems; inequities of power; and an orientation to financial over development ends. Hence many accounting policies recommended and/or imposed by external institutions fail.

Listen to the full talk HERE. 

T Hopper