Behavioral Accounting and Decision-Making: A Theoretical Framework of Investor Discipline in Systematic Investment Plans
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Abstract
Sustainable wealth creation remains a critical challenge in emerging economies, where investors seek stability amid market volatility. This study develops a conceptual behavioral accounting framework that positions systematic investment processes as dynamic accounting systems. Investor discipline is theorized as an accounting-relevant construct influencing measurement stability, reporting reliability, and decision usefulness. The empirical analysis is employed illustratively to support theoretical development rather than as the primary contribution. This study examines Systematic Investment Plans in the Nifty 50 Total Return Index as a behaviorally structured investment mechanism for long-term financial decision-making. The findings are interpreted to demonstrate how behaviorally structured investment processes influence accounting measurement outcomes. Longer investment horizons further enhance consistency, confirming the role of disciplined and time-distributed investing. This study develops a behavioral accounting framework by conceptualizing investor discipline as an accounting-relevant construct influencing measurement stability and decision usefulness. It integrates behavioral biases, temporal investment consistency, and financial reporting dynamics to extend behavioral accounting theory. The study contributes to behavioral accounting by incorporating investor discipline into financial measurement and decision-making processes. The findings position systematic investment plans as behavior-driven accounting mechanisms that enhance measurement stability, support informed decision-making, and strengthen the theoretical understanding of behavioral influences in accounting systems.
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