Many questions have been raised as to whether financial accounting has become more conservative. The value relevance and qualitative characteristics of accounting information have become topics of particular relevance given the role they have assumed in influencing the value judgment of investors in deciding whether or not to invest in a certain market. Given the quality of accounting information – which has resulted in misleading and inaccurate information, it became evident, particularly following Enron's collapse, to adopt improved, enhanced, better quality standards: namely, International Financial Reporting Standards. This chapter considers the background culminating in the adoption of IFRS – as well as the need for the adoption of IFRS. It also highlights why the value relevance of accounting information is also of vital significance in certain emerging economies and why the successful implementation of IFRS in these jurisdictions may be crucial in restoring investor confidence – particularly in the aftermath of stock market crashes in these economies.
The Value Relevance of Direct Cash Flows under International Financial Reporting Standards
