Editorial: Management accounting and risk management—research and reflections

Our Public Money & Management theme invited submissions on the current trends in risk management practices in the public sector and the role of management accounting therein; the determination of risk within government projects and programmes; the implications of current risk management practices for performance measurement, strategic choices, and decision-making processes; and the effects of such external factors as funding uncertainty, budget pressures, and legislative requirements on the design and use of risk management globally. We attracted contributions by academics and practitioners from Australia, Italy, Middle East, New Zealand, South Asia, the UK, and the USA. Following the peer-review process, we are pleased to include four full research articles, four new development articles, and two debate articles in our PMM theme. The issues addressed in the theme help us to understand how contemporary risk management practices within the public sector are linked to new roles for management accounting. These issues also enhance our understanding as to how management accounting and control systems can assist public sector managers to navigate and manage uncertainties and risks. In addition, our contributions highlight some directions for future research.