Conventional accounting in determining an enterprise's wealth: sign or referent - a theoretical discourse for augmentation

Abstract

This paper is an attempt to assess the duality check of wealth determination through contemporary corporate reporting. In enhancing such a theory of interest, it is argued that there is a necessity to use methodical discretions; which ultimately can 'inform and reflect the implicit epistemology and metaphysics' (Ravenscroft and Williams, 2009) of our discipline of accounting. From extant accounting literature using two metaphors - sign and referent (Baudrillard, 1983, 1994a, 1994b); in a dynamic environment, it is argued that prevalent accounting standards such as IFRS (or otherwise) are considered to be signs and have epistemic objectivity. That is, the determination of wealth (in accounting) based on the current signs is objective. At the referent level, it is argued that the determination of wealth for an enterprise is considered to be subjective; which, as always, requires augmentation.