2. The international evolution of accounting

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Nobes
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Accounting Information ◽  
Accounting Standards ◽  
Financial Accounting ◽  
Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ◽  
Financial Reporting Standards ◽  
Financial Position ◽  
The Us ◽  
Company Directors ◽  
Double Entry

What are the purposes of accounting? How do these purposes affect how accounting works? What is double-entry bookkeeping? ‘The international evolution of accounting’ considers these questions and outlines some examples of how different countries have contributed to the development of accounting. Double-entry bookkeeping, conceived in thirteenth-century Italy, balances the debits and credits. It enables the calculation of profit and the presentation of a business's financial position. Publication of accounting information is required to protect shareholders and creditors from potential malpractice by company directors. The globalization of world business has resulted in International Financial Reporting Standards, now used by around 90 countries. The US use their Financial Accounting Standards Board's ‘generally accepted accounting principles’.

scholarly journals Should The SEC Adopt International Financial Reporting Standards?

2011 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-20
Author(s):  
Clemense Ehoff Jr. ◽  
Dov Fischer
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Accounting Standards ◽  
Financial Accounting ◽  
International Financial Reporting Standards ◽  
Reporting Standards ◽  
Financial Accounting Standards Board ◽  
Best Interest ◽  
Public Companies ◽  
Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ◽  
Financial Reporting Standards

In 2002, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) formally began a process to converge Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). By the end of 2011, the SEC will likely decide on whether to adopt International Financial Reporting Standards as the financial reporting system for U.S. public companies, continue with the convergence project, or reject IFRS altogether. This paper examines the benefits and drawbacks of each option and formulates a recommendation as to which option is in the best interest of U.S. investors.

scholarly journals Why The SEC Is Delaying Adoption Of International Financial Reporting Standards

2013 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clemense Ehoff Jr. ◽  
Dov Fischer
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Accounting Standards ◽  
Financial Accounting ◽  
International Financial Reporting Standards ◽  
International Accounting Standards ◽  
Reporting Standards ◽  
Financial Accounting Standards Board ◽  
Public Companies ◽  
Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ◽  
Financial Reporting Standards

In 2002, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) formally began a process to converge Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). The SEC has repeatedly delayed its decision on whether to adopt International Financial Reporting Standards as the financial reporting system for U.S. public companies, continue with the convergence project, or reject IFRS altogether. This paper will examine several key reports issued by the SEC and the Financial Accounting Foundation to gain further insight into 1) why the SEC has repeatedly delayed its decision, and 2) what the SEC will ultimately decide.

scholarly journals CONSIDERATIONS ON THE TREATMENT OF QUALITATIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF ACCOUNTING INFORMATION AT THE INTERNATIONAL LEVEL AND IN VARIOUS NATIONAL ACCOUNTING SYSTEMS

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ionela Cristina Breahna Pravat
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Accounting Information ◽  
Accounting Standards ◽  
Quality Criteria ◽  
Financial Accounting ◽  
Financial Reports ◽  
Accounting Systems ◽  
Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ◽  
Accounting Reports ◽  
Qualitative Characteristics

The qualitative characteristics of accounting information presented by financial-accounting reports represent a concept which was subsequently introduced in the national legal accounting framework and, as a rule, the national conceptual frameworks represent the documents by means of which these quality criteria are established. At a worldwide level, there are more international or national organisms that have an important role in the elaboration of accounting standards in general and more specifically in the formulation of qualitative characteristics of financial reporting. We find two important ones among them, and these are: International Accounting Standards Board, which creates and promotes International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), and Financial Accounting Standards Board, which elaborates Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (US GAAP). However, at the level of each country a standardizing authority decides the rules for producing the financial reports and the qualitative characteristics that must be respected by the information contained in these documents. In this context, this paper aims to present a few general considerations concerning the treatment of the qualitative characteristics of the financial-accounting information in different accounting systems, such as the American one, or the British, French, German, Romanian ones, with insistence on the international approach to qualitative characteristics.

scholarly journals The Convergence of U.S. GAAP with IFRS: A Comparative Analysis of Principles-based and Rules-based Accounting Standards

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (5) ◽  
pp. 63
Author(s):  
Oris Guillaume ◽  
Denel Pierre
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Accounting Standards ◽  
Financial Accounting ◽  
Accounting Standard ◽  
Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ◽  
Financial Reporting Standards ◽  
Future State ◽  
The Impact ◽  
International Accounting Standard ◽  
Single Set

The Financial Accounting Standard Board (FASB) and the International Accounting Standard Board (IASB) have been working jointly toward the convergence of the U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and the international financial reporting standards (IFRS). However, several arguments still exist as to whether or not U.S. companies should adopt or converge with IFRS. This qualitative study identified the differences noted between rules-based and principles-based accounting, and discussed the impact of these accounting standards on financial reporting. Additionally, several resources were analyzed to understand the path to convergence and the future state of IFRS. The examination of information regarding the transition towards one single set of accounting standards led to the development of two alternate conclusions. Although research allows for the belief that convergence with IFRS is imminent, the fact remains that FASB and IASB will need to work diligently in order to resolve the differences between the two sets of accounting standards.

Did Codification Result in Improved Readability?

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 190
Author(s):  
Doug Barney ◽  
Daniel Tschopp ◽  
Steve Wells
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Essential Element ◽  
Accounting Standards ◽  
Securities And Exchange Commission ◽  
Financial Accounting ◽  
Reporting Standards ◽  
Financial Reports ◽  
Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ◽  
Financial Reporting Standards ◽  
The Impact

Financial reporting complexity costs money. The process of developing and promulgating financial reporting standards is costly. The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the International Accounting Standards staff spend time, expertise, and funds writing detailed financial reporting standards. Reporting companies spend money studying and applying these financial reporting standards. Investors, financial analysts, and creditors, while knowledgeable in financial accounting, spend time and resources interpreting and analyzing the resulting financial reports. While there are a number of factors that contribute to the complexity in financial reporting, the level of reading complexity, or readability, is an essential element of a clear, easy-to-understand accounting standard. Recently the FASB adopted a process to bring about a Codification for U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). What impact, if any, did the FASB’s Codification have on the level of reading complexity or readability in U.S. GAAP? The results of several readability tests reported in this article indicate the impact of Codification on the level of reading complexity or readability is not a positive one.

scholarly journals Big GAAP/Little GAAP: Will The Debate Ever End?

2012 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 291
Author(s):  
Gail B. Wright ◽  
Daniel Fernandez ◽  
Jeremy Burns ◽  
Ryan Hawkins ◽  
Christina Hornsby ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Accounting Standards ◽  
Financial Accounting ◽  
Medium Size ◽  
Reporting Standards ◽  
Private Companies ◽  
Public Companies ◽  
Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ◽  
The Us ◽  
Blue Ribbon Panel

There has been an ongoing debate for decades, especially since the inception of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), over the appropriate application of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) to private companies. This so-called Big GAAP vs. Little GAAP debate has now come to a crisis point. The Financial Accounting Foundation (FAF) has taken a position that is contrary to the recommendations of the Blue Ribbon Panel on Standard Setting for Private Companies (the Panel) presented in January 2011, despite having been represented on the Panel. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), also represented on the Panel, has responded by taking a strong stand in favor of the Panels position and against the new FAF recommendation and Invitation to Comment, published on October 4, 2011. Additionally, the International Accounting Standards Board has developed a set of reporting standards for small and medium size enterprises (IFRS for SMEs) that has not been recognized in the US. In this paper, we examine the history of the Big GAAP/Little GAAP debate in the US and internationally. We find substantial support for reducing requirements of private companies and recommend that International Financial Reporting Standards for Small to Medium-Sized Enterprises (IFRS for SMEs) be used for public companies of all sizes to be consistent with standards that have been accepted globally.

The changing IFRS debate in the USA: a rejoinder

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Minga Negash ◽  
Andrew Holt ◽  
John Hathorn
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Political Process ◽  
Accounting Standards ◽  
Adoption Process ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ◽  
Financial Reporting Standards ◽  
The Us ◽  
The Usa

Purpose The debate on whether global accounting standards are appropriate for use within the US regulatory environment has not yet ended. Nearly four years after the release of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC’s) much awaited report on the issue, the position of the regulator is still unclear, and the US accounting community is uncertain about the potential for accounting change. This paper aims to examine the documented reasons for the absence of direction and clarity on this issue. Design/methodology/approach Using the theoretical and empirical contributions of prior research on International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), this study explores the potential for US adoption of IFRS by examining the main arguments forwarded by the Office of the Chief Accountant of the SEC and the International Accounting Standards Board’s response to the issues raised and by capturing the opinions of 22 graduate and 32 undergraduate students as surrogates for future practicing accountants. The student data were collected from homework submissions to an essay on US accounting convergence with IFRS. Findings From the analysis, the authors make four observations. First, the deliberations over IFRS adoption in the USA are not sufficiently grounded on principles of recognition, measurement and disclosure. Second, the evidence does not support the notion that IFRS is of inferior quality to current US generally accepted accounting principles. Third, the problem areas stem from the apparent divergence of the objectives ascribed to financial statements, the independence and public accountability of the global standard setter and standards that are connected with the regulation of the finance and insurance industries. The final observation is the political process of managing change in the standard setting/adoption process in the USA. Originality/value This paper provides a comprehensive appraisal and a change management perspective to the ongoing IFRS debate in the USA by soliciting and documenting the opinions of future practicing accountants.

Selecting Railway Investments in 1890s America

2017 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-93
Author(s):  
Joel E. Thompson
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Accounting Information ◽  
Accounting Standards ◽  
Financial Accounting ◽  
Investment Strategies ◽  
Financial Accounting Standards Board ◽  
Accounting Data ◽  
Rational Decisions

ABSTRACT The purpose of financial reporting is to provide information to investors and creditors to help them make rational decisions (Financial Accounting Standards Board [FASB] 2010). Tracing the development of investors' methods should help with understanding the role of financial accounting. This study examines investment practices involving railways in 1890s America. As such, it furthers our knowledge about the development of investment methods and their necessary information. Moreover, it shows that as investment methods grew in sophistication, there was an enhanced demand for greater comparability in accounting data to make meaningful analyses. Competing investment strategies, largely devoid of accounting information, are also discussed.

scholarly journals Impact of Changes in Accounting Standards on Earnings Management

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 166-175
Author(s):  
Kawa W. Muhamad ◽  
Subhi M. Saleh ◽  
Kees van Paridon
Keyword(s):  
Earnings Management ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Accounting Standards ◽  
Reporting Quality ◽  
Quality Standards ◽  
Financial Reporting Quality ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ◽  
Financial Reporting Standards ◽  
Accounting Principles

This study considers the question whether the changes in Accounting Standards has led to companies making less use of earnings management. The paper is an attempt to investigate whether the application of high quality standards like International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) is related to high financial reporting quality. This study addresses this issue empirically. Furthermore, this research examines whether German companies that have applied IFRS have less earnings management compared to German companies that report according to the German Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GGAAP). The sample, consisting of two equally large listed companies in Germany (Südzucker Group and Henkel Group) from 2003-2014. The study suggests that IFRS-adopters show different earnings management performance compared to companies reporting under German GAAP. This finding contributes to the discussion on whether high quality standards are appropriate and operational in countries with weak investor protection rights. The result shows that adopters of IFRS in Germany can be related with less use of earnings management as a result of changes in accounting standards. This result is contradictory with previous research that was done by Van Tendeloo and Vanstraelen, (2005), and consistent with the previous research conducted by Ball et al. (2003).

Implementation of Federal Accounting Standards – Capital Investments and Fixed Assets – in the internal rules of accounting for fixed assets

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (10) ◽  
pp. 1188-1204
Author(s):  
Ol’ga M. KUPRYUSHINA ◽  
Rimma R. RAKHMATULINA
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Accounting Standards ◽  
Financial Accounting ◽  
International Financial Reporting Standards ◽  
Capital Investments ◽  
Reporting Standards ◽  
Financial Reporting Standards ◽  
Fixed Assets ◽  
Federal Standard ◽  
Commercial Organizations

Subject. This article discusses the issues related to the reflection of capital investments and fixed assets in the accounting (financial) statements of economic entities during the transition to the new domestic (Russian) accounting standards – Fixed Assets and Capital Investments. Objectives. The article aims to reveal the consequences of changes in the current practice of accounting for fixed assets and capital investments in the internal rules of commercial organizations. Methods. For the study, we used the methods of generalization, comparison, primary observation, cost measurement, and grouping. Federal Accounting Standards and International Financial Reporting Standards were the basis for methodological justification of changes in the accounting practice of transactions with fixed assets and capital investments. Results. We offer certain records to reflect information on capital investments in the transition to the new Federal Standard – Capital Investments in accounts. We also offer a procedure for classifying low-value fixed assets in the inter-reporting period and a correspondence of accounts reflecting impairment loss on fixed assets. Conclusions and Relevance. The procedure for convergence of domestic accounting standards with International Financial Reporting Standards necessitates the introduction of significant changes in the process of reflecting transactions with fixed assets and capital investments. The modified procedure for reflecting records for accounting for capital investments, low-value fixed assets, losses from impairment of fixed assets in the intra-company rules for accounting for economic entities becomes relevant. The results of the study can be used when accounting for transactions with fixed assets and capital investments of commercial organizations in the practice of financial accounting.

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