We have always believed that the administrative economic sector has a single objective, to provide relevant information that helps to develop strategies and make decisions with the purpose of generating profits for shareholders and being a leading company. However, due to the constant change in our society, new technologies and environmental phenomena require us to make a change to the business models that we were used to and generate business from a more inclusive, innovative and sustainable vision. The objective of this research is to develop a methodology that allows analyzing the socioeconomic impact generated by a company in a given area, through a social accounting indicator to measure the benefit or impact that it generates.
Keywords: Social accounting, Business models, Economic models, Indices.
Accounting paradigms
Accounting is a technique used to record transactions, internal transformations and other events that economically affect an entity and that systematically and structured financial information is produced (Romero, 2010).
Regarding the accounting paradigms, the dimension and scope of accounting as a science go beyond the borders of financial, administrative and economic rationality in companies and in society itself, as the future of accounting thinking goes beyond estimates, recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of economic-financial information, so the current accounting paradigm is not only around the economic and financial benefits generated by an organization, but also in the generation of social welfare and the enactment of sustainable environments and ecosystems (Pacheco and Higuera, 2017).
In this context, the accounting information system could be understood as the mechanism that, equipped with processes and procedures, allows the clarification of quantitative data (Financial Accounting), Qualitative (Management Accounting) and indicators of social development (Social Accounting) that support the decision-making process by shareholders, partners, board of directors, general assembly, management, potential investors, financial analysts, suppliers, clients, the State and other agents involved in society in general, through the presentation of useful and relevant data and information according to the context that circumscribes the alternatives to be acquired. To comply with these interference, management accounting as a tool for planning,It feeds on the information provided from the different subcomponents that make up the accounting cycle, using a legal theoretical framework that circumscribes the implementation of processes and procedures related to the accounting cycle (Rodríguez & Castillo, 2017).
The origin of social accounting
The evolutionary origin of social accounting is based mainly on the following theories:
Theory of true profit
This theory maintains that the company in determining its results ignores the social and environmental effects, therefore, the information given through social accounting could measure its net contribution to society. To determine this contribution, the external social and environmental effects that are originated in the production process must be considered, considering it necessary to assess these external effects generated in the environmental economy.
This process of environmental valuation has many limitations since it is morally unacceptable to monetize certain aspects of human life or the extinction of some species, since there is a difficulty in choosing a social discount rate, for example, for the valuation of the effect of future nuclear costs; These operational difficulties and inconsistencies in the valuation models have led this theory to a practical solution "calculate the cost to avoid external social and environmental effects"
Utility theory
This theory holds that companies must inform society about the activities they carry out and affect them in order that there is evidence for individual users to consider in decision-making, in addition to generating evidence for the capital market to use this information in determining the appropriate values that circulate in it, that is, environmental information should imply a change in the valuation of companies' assets (Inchicaqui, 2003).
Companies from a different perspective
Due to the development that the different economic systems that make up the world sphere have experienced, the evolution of capitalism and advances in technological terms, the need arose to structure business practices related to the preservation of the environment and the execution of activities aimed at strengthening the rights of workers and individuals belonging to society; In this way, the different business organizations began a process of incorporating management mechanisms related to the assessment of the socio-environmental impacts of the commercial operations carried out by them, in response to the constant need to improve the corporate image with respect to customers and suppliers in an increasingly competitive market (Solís, 2008).
This situation generated in individuals immersed in society, the growing expectation regarding the implementation of corporate strategies by organizations, whose horizon must be related beyond the search for efficiency in the production of goods and effectiveness in the provision of services, to place oneself in the fertilization of practices concerning the satisfaction of needs and deficiencies involved in the social environment with which it interacts; This was the scenario that led to the emergence of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as a management paradigm (Chumaceiro, Hernández, Yori, & Ziritt, 2013).
Importance of social accounting
For the Spanish Association of Accounting and Administration (AECA) the social balance is located as a means of documentary communication through which all those useful, relevant and necessary aspects are made explicit for the determination of the impact that in economic, environmental and social terms, generates business activity on Stakeholders (AECA, 2004). The accounting of the balance sheet uses measurement mechanisms and indicators that use multiple units of measurement in order to represent through reports the degree of responsibility that the organization has towards society; using in this case as Input, the distinctive social transactions executed in a given period of time, and as Output the so-called sustainability reports or social balances,reports with special characteristics that allow assessing the impact of the company's social management (Torres, 2000).
The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Framework serves to report on economic, environmental and social performance. It has been designed to be used by organizations, regardless of their size, sector or location. It takes into account the practical considerations faced by a wide range of organizations, from small businesses to those with a large volume of operations that develop their corporate purpose in different geographical areas at the same time. The GRI Framework for the preparation of sustainability reports describes the general content, as well as specific sectoral content, agreed by a wide range of stakeholders around the world, which are generally considered applicable for the description of the performance of an organization in sustainability matters (GRI, 2011).
conclusion
Taking into account all of the above, we can conclude that social accounting does not intend to eliminate the business models that already exist, but rather tries to give a different direction to the way of doing business. Therefore, it is a way of seeing the contribution that organizations make or bring to a society, with the aim of quantifying the social value generated by an organization. From this perspective we can realize that it is an important area of opportunity for Countries, States and Cities. And at the same time it gives us a reference of how organizations contribute to the objectives of the 2030 agenda.
References
- Spanish Association of Accounting and Administration (AECA). (2004). Conceptual Framework of Corporate Social Responsibility. Madrid, Spain: Document No. 1 Chumaceiro, A., Hernández, J., Yori, L., & Ziritt, G. (2013). Corporate social responsibility and public policies. Social Sciences Resvita, XIX (2), 309-321.GRI (Global Reporting Initiative). (2011). Guide for the preparation of sustainability reportsInchicaqui, MND (2003). Social Accounting-origin and paradigms. Quipukamayoc, 10 (19), 31-42. Pacheco, G., & Higuera, V. (2017). Line 1: Accounting and Financial Research. A. Silvera (coordinator), Foundation of the lines of research GISELA group. Barranquilla, Colombia: Coruniamericana Editorial Seal, Rodríguez, DRH, & Castillo, AEE (2017).Social accounting model as a management tool for corporate social responsibility. IJMSOR: International Journal of Management Science & Operation Research, 2 (1), 44-56, Romero López, Á. J. (2010). Accounting principles: financial reporting standards from A-1 to A-8 and B-2 and B-3; account, double entry, financial statements and VAT. Mcgraw-Hill Education Solís, J. (2008). Corporate Social Responsibility: An Alternative Approach. Economic Analysis Magazine, XXIII (53), 227-252. Torres, F. (2000). Accounting and Social Balance. Accounting notebooks, 33-58.account, double entry, financial statements and VAT. Mcgraw-Hill Education Solís, J. (2008). Corporate Social Responsibility: An Alternative Approach. Economic Analysis Magazine, XXIII (53), 227-252. Torres, F. (2000). Accounting and Social Balance. Accounting notebooks, 33-58.account, double entry, financial statements and VAT. Mcgraw-Hill Education Solís, J. (2008). Corporate Social Responsibility: An Alternative Approach. Economic Analysis Magazine, XXIII (53), 227-252. Torres, F. (2000). Accounting and Social Balance. Accounting notebooks, 33-58.
