Introduction

Since the beginning of the nineties, a new style of company management and accounting has emerged worldwide in the non-profit and public sector, notably New Public Management. This drive for reform has important consequences for government bodies such as local communities, public social service offices (OCMWs), the provinces, Flemish public institutions (VOIs), and for non-profit-institutions such as rest and nursing homes, polytechnics and not-for-profit organisations (VZWs).

Such an evolution of course necessitates scholarly research and specialisation. With a view toward the efficient organisation of this research, a cooperative venture was established between Ernst & Young Public and not-for-profit-sector and the Accountancy and Corporate Finance Department (University of Ghent) in the form of the research centre Accounting Research Public Sector, or ARPS for short.