Zugl.: Bochum, Universiẗat, Diss., 2004.

M.Comm. (International Accounting) / Globalisation is causing a convergence of economic, trading, political and social processes. As a result, geographical boundaries are becoming less significant in the world of business and accounting as most countries around the world have chosen to adopt a common language: International Financial Reporting Standards (hereafter IFRS). The problem is that most of the countries on the African continent have yet to become part of this global conversation as there are serious challenges hindering the adoption of IFRS. The primary objective of this study was to discuss the challenges that continue to hinder the effective adoption of IFRS in the majority of African countries. The objective of the study was explored through the review of: i) current international accounting structures and how Africa fits in; ii) the benefits of adopting IFRS; iii) the current status of IFRS in Africa; and iv) challenges faced by countries in Africa that have already adopted IFRS. An empirical study consisting of a questionnaire (distributed to 35 registered accounting bodies in Africa) and interviews with significant individuals in the international accounting profession were also utilised to meet the objective of the study and the results were analysed and discussed in detail. It was concluded that there are many challenges that continue to hinder the adoption of IFRS in the majority of countries on the African continent and structures are currently being put into place in order that these challenges may be addressed.

The purpose of this study is to examine the technical accounting statements of the Securities and Exchange Commission to determine the extent of agreement between them and the opinions of the leading authorities in the field of accounting and the extent to which the advanced accounting students at North Texas State Teachers College have mastered the principles expressed in the statements.

Master’s thesis deals with the analysis of the Czech modification of accounting, it’s setting into the context of the European accounting and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles – U.S. GAAP. The aim of the thesis is to demonstrate the differences in accounting practices and the overall concept of accounting. It also assesses the measure of harmonization of accounting required for the objectivity of investor’s decision.

This paper extends the scope of Earnings per share ("EPS") studies by incorporating Bushman et al. (2004)'s conceptual framework of corporate transparency to illustrate how the disclosure requirement of an accounting rule governing EPS could have far-reaching effects on the information environment in US. Informed participants are having a keener edger over average investors in using EPS as a guide to investment value. EPS signals a summary measure of firm performance to market participants. The market reactions to EPS and change in per share earnings provide a distinct opportunity to gauge the informativeness of earnings. The information role will nevertheless derail whenever there is an equity change. The accounting rule stipulates the use of a theoretical construct, the weighted average number of shares, in the denominator for EPS, which the average investor is unable to interpret as the number of shares at the reporting date is the actual, not average number of shares. Relative to the actual-share EPS, the average-share EPS will either inflate or deflate the per share earnings. The informed investors, who can substitute actual number of shares for the theoretical construct, are hence bestowed by the accounting rule an information advantage over the average investors. Earnings response coefficient is significant with denominator of EPS substituted while the explanatory power of theoretical-denominator EPS abates when it is contemporary with the denominator substituted EPS. Financial analysts' expertise in the provision of idiosyncratic information to the market has been compromised by the average-share EPS, which is reflected heretofore in proforma earnings forecasts errors. Proforma earnings use a numerator different from accounting rules and to further temper the denominator with the actual number of shares will make pro-forma EPS forecast unintelligible to users. The unintended consequence of inflating or deflating the per share earnings misleads average investors in their decision-making process. Analysts should not issue proforma earnings forecast while researchers should abstain from using theoretical-denominator EPS for sample firms with equity change as their policy prescriptions may further aggravate the problem. A simple remedy to change the accounting rule, SFAS No. 128 is eminently anticipated, if not warranted.

This study is on implementation of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) by reporting entities in Nigeria. Since Nigeria adopted IFRS in 2010, managers of reporting entities have been confronted with organizational changes both in the structures and processes of financial reporting. Previous studies have not assessed the claims that adopting IFRS improves the quality of financial reports and managerial efficiency. This study evaluated the assertion that IFRS adoption impacts the quality of financial reports, operational costs, and operational efficiencies of management. The theoretical frameworks which undergirded the study were theories of organizational behaviors and attitudinal change. Data were collected via a stratified sampling of 520 respondents who completed a 5-point Likert scale, which has a long history of reliability and usage in social science research. This study adopted a documentary review of financial statements before and after IFRS implementation to evaluate how IFRS adoption affected them. Logistic regression was used to test the main effects of IFRS adoption as independent variable to predict managerial efficiency as outcome variable. The study found statistically significant improvement in the quality of financial reporting and managerial efficiency following IFRS adoption. Participants' perceptions about IFRS measured on the attitudes scale did not significantly predict managerial efficiency, however, and the cost and benefit of implementing IFRS had no significant relationship with managerial efficiency. The study has positive social change implications as its findings, when implemented, may lead to more efficient company management, business expansion, improved government accounting oversight, more job opportunities, and reduced crime rates.

Sustainability reporting has been increasing in popularity in the last decade giving medium tolarge companies a tool to communicate with their users about their sustainability activity. Asglobalization and technology were introduced and increased in demand many violations startedby companies including human right violation, economic inequality, pollution, etc. Thisviolation led to different stakeholders demanding for companies be transparent and report ontheir sustainability activity through sustainability reporting.As sustainability reporting increased in popularity many challenges arose including a lack ofhomogeneity and comparability for the users and the firms themselves. Many standards andguidelines were created and are still being created to minimize the problem that firms,stakeholders, and auditors face. However, many standards and guidelines introduced lead tomaking the job of auditors more complex and harder as they must know and understand all thestandards available.Multiple studies were done regarding sustainability reports and the absence of one singleofficial standard. The studies explored the subject with interviews or case research tounderstand the consequence or effect that has on auditors and/or audit quality. Similar to thosestudies, this paper also follow the previous research by answering the following question thatwas posed by the authors: “What are the consequences of the absence of one single officialstandard in sustainability reporting on the audit quality?”. To answer this question, the authorsinterviewed 10 participants who work with auditing, accounting, and analyzing sustainabilityreports which helped the thesis with a practical contribution. Furthermore, the thesis alsocontributed to the knowledge by examining the results using Emergency Theory, LegitimacyTheory, and Complexity Theory. This thesis provides evidence regarding the consequence ofhaving multiple standards with low law requirements for sustainability reporting and why thereis a need for one single official standard.The findings of this thesis shows that auditors are face multiple challenges when it comes tonot having one official standard. The challenge affects the audit quality when auditingsustainability reports. The results show that sustainability is very multidimensional whichmakes the topic complex to auditors. Auditors also face the challenge of sustainability beingan emerging concept in the accounting domain which leads to not much research and theoriespresent to produce frameworks and standards for sustainability reports.

Thesis advisor: Amy Hutton / While the implementation of new accounting standards requires significant firm resources, the literature is largely silent on how firms allocate resources to comply with new accounting standards. I investigate whether firms make information systems (IS) investments to comply because IS are the primary means through which firms’ economic activities are captured, aggregated, and summarized for managerial decision-making. I use a requirement that firms disclose factors that materially affect their internal controls to identify IS investments. I find that—despite the large direct and indirect costs of IS investments and alternatives to comply with GAAP changes—new accounting standards lead to significant IS investments for the firms most affected by the GAAP changes. Moreover, the IS investments improve firms’ internal information environments. The results suggest that the IS investments and IIE improvements extend beyond the scope of the GAAP changes. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2022. / Submitted to: Boston College. Carroll School of Management. / Discipline: Accounting.

Study project (MAcc)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: THE NECESSITY OF A FINANCIAL REPORTING FRAMEWORK FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTITIES Financial statements are prepared annually for all types of businesses and for a wide variety of users that require specific information in order to make certain decisions. The majority of users of the financial statements of larger companies, especially listed public companies, use the information in fmancial statements to make investment decisions, since they are unable to obtain fmancial information in any other way. However, the users of the financial statements of small and medium-sized entities have a legal and/or inferential right to request further financial information to enable them to make certain decisions. Thus, users of fmancial statements are classified according to their right to obtain fmancial information. To protect the right of the users of larger entities, it is necessary to compile fmancial statements in accordance with a financial reporting framework that includes certain requirements regarding the measurement and recognition of transactions, as well as the minimum information that needs to be disclosed to these users. This fmancial reporting framework has been adapted over the years to protect investors. Small and medium-sized entities are legally compelled to comply with the same reporting framework at a high cost, even if such users had no need for all the information. To assist small entities (that are of great value to the economy) in saving these costs whilst still setting a standard, different international models were implemented that have encouraged South Africa to follow the same path. To make a success of the South African model, two criteria should be met. Firstly, the qualification requirements for an entity should be based on qualitative criteria, such as the right of users to obtain further information, before such entities can comply with the accounting standards set for small and medium-sized entities. Secondly, simpler and more understandable financial statements should be the result of the application of these new financial standards. This is only possible if the measurement and recognition criteria as well as the disclosure requirements of the current accounting standards are adjusted to meet the needs of smaller entities. These adjustments, as well as the implementation of new accounting standards are discussed in this study, after which the writer reaches the conclusion that a financial reporting framework for small and medium-sized entities is necessary for the upcoming South African economy. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: DIE NOODSAAKLIKHEID VAN 'N REKENINGKUNDIGE VERSLAGDOENINGSRAAMWERK VIR KLEIN EN MEDIUM GROOTTE ENTITEITE Finansiële state word jaarliks vir alle tipe ondernemingsvorme opgestel VIT gebruik deur 'n wye verskeidenheid gebruikers wat elkeen spesifieke inligting benodig om bepaalde besluite te neem. Die oorgrote meerderheid gebruikers van groter en veral genoteerde publieke maatskappye, moet op grond van die finansiële inligting soos vervat in die fmansiële state hul beleggingsbesluite neem aangesien hulle nie ander finansiële inligting kan bekom nie. Aan die ander kant beskik feitlik al die gebruikers van klein en medium grootte entiteite oor 'n wetlike en/of afgeleide reg om verdere fmansiële inligting aan te vra wanneer dit benodig word om bepaalde besluite te neem. Gebruikers van fmansiële state word dus geklassifiseer op grond van die reg tot die verkryging van fmansiële inligting. Om hierdie reg te beskerm by veral die gebruikers van finansiële state van groter maatskappye, is dit noodsaaklik dat fmansiële state ooreenkomstig 'n rekeningkundige verslagdoeningsraamwerk opgestel word. Hierdie raamwerk behoort vereistes uiteen te sit aangaande die meting en erkenning van transaksies, asook die minimum inligting wat geopenbaar moet word aan die gebruikers. Hierdie rekeningkundige verslagdoeningsraamwerk is egter oor die jare baie aangepas om beleggers te beskerm. Klein en medium grootte entiteite is wetlik verplig om teen hoë koste ook daaraan te voldoen, ten spyte daarvan dat die gebruikers van hierdie entiteite nie die inligting gebruik nie. Ten einde klein entiteite (wat van groot waarde in 'n ekonomie is) van hierdie onnodige koste te spaar en steeds 'n riglyn daar te stel, is verskeie internasionale modelle geïmplementeer en is Suid-Afrika aangespoor om dieselfde pad te volg. Om die Suid-Afrikaanse model werkbaar te maak, is twee komponente noodsaaklik. Eerstens moet die toelatingskriteria gegrond word op kwalitatiewe kriteria, soos die reg van gebruikers om verdere inligting te bekom. Entiteite moet aan hierdie kriteria voldoen alvorens die nuwe rekeningkundige standaarde vir klein en medium grootte entiteite toegepas mag word. Tweedens behoort vereenvoudigde en maklik verstaanbare finansiële state die gevolg van die toepassing van hierdie nuwe rekeningkundige standaarde se inhoud te wees. Dit is slegs moontlik indien die metings- en erkenningskriteria, asook die openbaarmakingsvereistes van die huidige rekeningkundige standaarde aangepas word om aan kleiner entiteite se behoeftes te voldoen. Hierdie aanpassmgs, asook die implementering van nuwe rekeningkundige standaarde word in die studie bespreek, waarna die skrywer tot die gevolgtrekking kom dat 'n rekeningkundige verslagdoeningsraamwerk vir klein en medium grootte entiteite 'n noodsaaklikheid vir die opkomende Suid- Afrikaanse ekonomie is.

The aim of this thesis is to describe and analyse the adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in the Chinese accounting standards and its possible effects on the accounting quality in financial reports and the economic growth of China. The accounting quality will be examinedthrough five chosen quality aspects: value relevance, faithful representation, comparability, earnings management and transparency. In addition, the view on the level of foreign direct investments will indicate if there has been any effect on economic growth. In order to fulfil thisaim a field study has been conducted, which involves interviews with people within the Chinese accounting industry. The theoretical framework contains an introduction to accounting and its connection to economic growth; background on IFRS and PRC GAAP; an outline of the chosen quality aspects;and finally a commentary on previous research and evidence in IFRS adoption and its effects on accounting quality and foreign direct investments. The empirical findings include the respondents’ view on the adoption of IFRS, accounting quality aspects, FDI and economic growth. The analysis deals with the respondents’ views in the empirical findings, and shows that these views differ on some of the quality aspects such as earnings management and are more consistent when it comes to other aspects such as value relevance. There is belief in the adoption of IFRS and its effects on the accounting quality and economic growth. However, the analysis further demonstrates current obstacles within the new PRC GAAP, such as the use of the fair value, which may problematize the accounting quality. The conclusion demonstrates that the majority of the respondents have experienced an improved overall accounting quality, which they believe has contributed to an enhanced level of foreign direct investment. Moreover, the results reveal a general view among the respondents that the adoption of IFRS also has contributed to the economic growth of China, through the increased level of foreign direct investments.