William Andrew Paton: Reflections on a Century Of Contributions to the Evolution of the Conceptual Framework of Accounting

Objective: The objective of this essay is to promote a reflection on the legacy of William A. Paton for accounting theory and contemporary conceptual frameworks by analyzing and confronting the contributions of his main works. The justification for this work lies in a concern that the new generation of academics, professionals, and even researchers do not directly access Paton's original works, restricting knowledge about his thoughts and contributions to the interpretations provided by authors who published translated works widely distributed in the country. Method: This is a theoretical essay that involved a detailed analysis of William A. Paton's contributions to accounting theory and contemporary conceptual frameworks. Initially, a bibliographic review of Paton's original works was carried out, aiming to obtain a deep and direct understanding of his ideas and concepts. Results: A century after the publication of the work "Accounting Theory" (1922), William Andrew Paton's contributions have a direct and profound connection with the current conceptual framework of accounting. Throughout his works, Paton established fundamental premises such as the importance of alignment between costs and revenues and capital maintenance, which are central pillars in modern accounting theory. His ideas about the periodic confrontation of productive and realization efforts for result determination resonate in contemporary conceptual frameworks, such as those developed by the IASB. Contributions: This text provides academics and professionals with a profound understanding of the theoretical bases of modern accounting. By highlighting William Andrew Paton's pioneering ideas, the essay offers a historical and conceptual analysis that can be used as a fundamental reference in the development of new research and the practical application of accounting principles.