A harmonização contábil é uma preocupação mundial em um ambiente de desenvolvimento e de globalização de economias, existindo esforços para torná-la viável. Os blocos econômicos procuram encontrar soluções para as diferenças existentes entre as normas contábeis. O presente trabalho é um estudo sobre a harmonização contábil em cinco Países da América do Sul e a necessidade de implementar dita harmonização. Inicialmente são apresentados os antecedentes dos dois blocos econômicos da América do Sul, o Mercosul e a Comunidade Andina; em seguida, são estudadas as características de ambos os blocos e seus objetivos. Posteriormente são analisados os marcos conceituais contábeis e algumas das principais semelhanças e divergências de critérios na contabilidade de cinco países: Argentina, Brasil, Colômbia, Peru e Venezuela. Na última parte, são feitas as considerações finais do trabalho, destacando-se a importância de se conseguir a harmonização contábil. / The harmonization of the accounting standards is a world preoccupation in a global economy. The preparers and users of the financial reports make efforts for achieving harmonization. Leaders of the accounting profession from most economic regions try to find solutions for the differences that exist among the accounting standards. This work is a study about the harmonization of the accounting standards in five South American countries and the necessity of achieving this harmonization. The origins of the two mega common markets from South America, namely Mercosul and The Andean Community are examined first, followed by an analysis of their characteristics and of their objectives. After that, this work continues with an analysis of the accounting framework and the major similarities and differences of standards in five countries: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Peru and Venezuela. Finally the conclusions are presented, emphasizing the importance of achieving the harmonization of the accounting standards.

The diploma thesis deals with the design of measures to prevent accounting fraud for units compiling IFRS financial statements. The thesis is divided into three parts. The first part describes the theory of creating international harmonization of accounting systems. The second part is devoted to the analysis and description of selected, the most frequently used international accounting standards, from which the part of own solutions is based. The third part, own solution proposals, deals with the application of the analytical part to a specific selected company, ČD Cargo, a. s. Differences between accounting in different accounting systems are discussed, namely the impact of differences on selected indicators of financial analysis.

This study explores how the Egyptian socioeconomic factors impacted the implementation of International Accounting Standards (IASs) in Egypt. Prior research concluded that developing nations have special needs when it comes to accounting and financial reporting and recommended nation-specific analysis. The author adapts Gray's (1988) model, which connects Hofstede's cultural dimensions with accounting practice, to fit the Egyptian environment.

ABSTRACT This study investigates the usefulness of spin-off historical and pro forma financial statements on the market’s ability to predict the firm’s future earnings. This study evaluates the spin-off historical and pro forma financial statements required for a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regulation (Form 10-12(b). The study evaluates the question Are spin-off financial statements that reflect the firm’s adoption of the accounting required for the regulation (SEC form 10-12(b)) predictive of future earnings and thus useful? According to Statement of Financial Accounting Concepts No. 8 (SFAC8), the objective of general purpose financial reporting is that financial statements are useful to investors in making decisions about providing resources to the firm. Financial information is capable of making a difference in decisions if they have predictive value, confirmatory value or both. This is a quantitative, positivist, empirical archival study of final SEC Forms 10-12(b) for spin-off firms filed for listing on a public exchange of either NYSE or NASDAQ from the period of 2000 to 2014. The study evaluates if spin-off financial statements (historical and pro forma) are predictive, confirmatory or both. This study compares the performance of these companies to their peer group to assess if the results of this population are significantly different from the performance of the peer group in predicting future earnings. There were large variances between the historical, pro forma and Year 1 key financial statement elements. Variances ranged between 4% to over 500%. The difference in means in the population were significant between historical and pro forma net income as well as the change in shareholders equity and between historical and Year 1 shareholders’ equity. There was a significant difference in the leverage metric between historical leverage ratio and Year 1’s leverage ratio of the firms. The study found that the peer financial metrics were predictive of future earnings but the historical spin statements are not as predictive as their peer group. There was a significant difference in the predictability between the peer group and the historical spin metrics. The research supports the usefulness of the pro forma information. The research does not appear to support the usefulness of the historical information. Thus, the study provides the first empirical evidence that spin-off financial statements provide less information to the market. This is a new approach to study the application of accounting standards.

This thesis investigates the impact of accounting standard IAS39 on banking institutions in Greece and the UK.  It specifically addresses preparers’ perceptions of that standard’s effects on the banking books of banks. The research involves a mixed methodology, namely: (i) a survey analysis of the perceptions of banking practitioners in Greece and the UK, in order to identify the standard’s impact on the banking sector as well as to gauge the standard’s acceptance of banks, in order to facilitate a deeper understanding of the implications of the standard for their organisations.  ‘Elite’ interviews also advocate that such high powered individuals are the key holders to privy information. The results suggest that IAS39 is a highly controversial standard that introduces concerns not only for the banks’ valuation of assets and liabilities but also regulatory concerns over issues of policy formulation and stability.  Generally, bankers are negative and largely sceptical of the standard, on the grounds of relevance and reliability.  They do not view the standard as particularly useful, relevant, reliable or transparent for banking disclosures and financial stability when compared to the current mixed methodology approach followed currently for the valuation of assets and liabilities in the banking books of banks.  Most concerns revolve around the standard’s effects on valuation of assets and liabilities, provisioning and hedging issues and bank capital management for regulatory capital purposes. In the introduction of accounting standards attention should be paid to the nature of the industry and the system (i.e. credit versus market-based) in which firms operate, as well as to establishing particular methodologies.  It touches upon a contemporary issue of critical topical and international interest, of how accounting information standards relate to the systemic, operating, credit, market and liquidity risks of a modern, internationalised banking system.

The focus of the study is on financial reporting for non-U.S. firms registered with the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) but using International Accounting Standards (IAS). This study addresses two issues, (1) whether the comparability of financial reporting among firms using IAS in credit and equity financing jurisdictions increases over time and (2) the associated capital market implications. The motivation for the study is the SEC's ongoing assessment of IAS for possible use by non-U.S. registrants for listing and capital raising in the U.S. Previous research on variations in financial reporting practices has revealed distinctly different types of financial reporting depending on country of origin. Moreover, some research suggests that such differences in financial reporting tend to persist in spite of harmonization efforts of accounting standards. This study suggests that there may be a systematic difference between credit and equity firms' financial reporting that is manifested by the fact that credit firms' adjustments to U.S. GAAP are greater than the adjustments made by equity firms. This systematic difference has had the following capital market consequences for credit firms, (1) a decreasing strength of association between accounting earnings and share prices post-1994, (2) an increased bid-ask spread post-1994, and (3) a decreased trading volume post-1994. This may be an indication that on the average firms reporting under IAS fail to meet an important part of the SEC's second assessment criterion with respect to high quality and full disclosure, namely comparability. In addition, it seems that the revisions made by International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) have not resulted in more congruent financial reporting among firms reporting under IAS over time.

This research examines whether firms managed earnings in the year they adopted SFAS 109, Accounting for Income Taxes (or its predecessor SFAS 96), by combining the choice to adopt SFAS 109 with other accounting choices in an interdependent rather than independent manner. Prior literature generally analyzes only one specific accounting choice, assuming that the decision is independent of other accounting procedure choices. However, it is unlikely that managers act in this manner. When attempting to achieve certain income goals, managers have numerous accounting tools available to them including the choice of accounting procedures and the exercise of judgment as to accrual amounts. This study investigates five choices consisting of: (1) the adoption of SFAS 109/96; (2) the adoption of SFAS 106; (3) the reporting of a restructuring of operations and/or a write-down of assets; (4) the reporting of asset sales; and (5) the choice of discretionary accruals. The study adopts both a portfolio and joint decision approach. The portfolio approach combines the earnings effects of the five choices into a single dependent variable and tests income smoothing, big bath, and debt hypotheses. The joint decision approach utilizes simultaneous equation methodology to investigate the interdependence of the five choices and the independent variables. The portfolio approach findings provide evidence that firms used the combined effect of the five accounting choices to smooth income in the year they adopted FAS 109/96. The results also provide support for the debt hypothesis but do not support the big bath hypothesis. The joint decision approach findings provide evidence that firms jointly determined at least two of the five accounting choices. The strong support for the income smoothing hypothesis under the portfolio approach combined with the joint significance of the individual accounting choices in the simultaneous equations suggests that firms use a multitude of accounting choices to manage earnings and that some of those decisions are made jointly, not independently.

In 1990, the accounting profession and the British government worked together to establish a new regulatory framework for financial reporting in the United Kingdom (UK), the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) and its two subsidiaries, the Accounting Standards Board (ASB) and the Financial Reporting Review Panel (FRRP). The FRRP enforces companies' compliance with the ASB's accounting standards and the accounting provisions of the UK Companies Act. Only one study, Brandt et al. (1997), has examined the activities and effectiveness of the FRRP. This dissertation attempts to extend Brandt et. al (1997) and add to understanding of the origins and regulatory actions of the FRRP.

95 Abstract The purpose of this thesis is to analyse the legal regulation of accounting of enterpreneurs in Czech republic, but international aspects are also mentioned, especially the process of harmonisation of accounting in European Union and formation and development of International Accounting Standards and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. It defines the concept, which is called "accounting law" within the meaning of the set of rules of law governing the methods of bookkeeping and rights and duties of accounting entities. The thesis is composed of introduction, six chapters and conclusion. Each of them deals with diferent aspects of accounting and its regulation. Chapter One defines the historical evolution of accounting. The chapter is subdivided into three parts. Part One describes forming factors of bookkeeping, Part Two focuses on genesis of accounting and Part Three explains the legal regulation in Czech republic from 1918. Chapter Two is subdivided into four parts. Part One explains the concept of accounting, Part Two focuses on its object in the meaning of relevant facts, which has to be recorded in accounting. Part Three enumerates the basic accounting principles and explains its relevance. The theme of Part Four is the position of accounting law in the system of law, so it...

The thesis deals with the financial statements which are presented in accordance with Czech Accounting Standards and with IFRS. There is the description of the financial statements in accordance with Czech Accounting Standards in the first part. The specification of the major legal standards is also part of this chapter. The second part is focused on the financial statements which are presented in accordance with IFRS. In the next chapter there is the analysis of the main differences between Czech Accounting Standards and IFRS. The goal of the last part is to analyze the financial statements of two companies. One of them (České dráhy, a.s.) presents its financial statements in accordance with Czech Accounting Standards and the other (ŽSR) presents them in accordance with IFRS.