Zugl.: Bremen, Universiẗat, Diss., 2009.

Universität Münster, Diss., 2006.

Universiẗat, Diss., 2005--Hannover.

Capital markets development is an integral part of overall economic growth of any country. Accounting harmonization is aimed to increase the attractiveness of capital markets by creation of synchronized financial reporting environment globally so that the capital is effectively allocated with the lowest costs and increased liquidity. To the date, more than a hundred of countries implemented IFRS into the national accounting frameworks, therefore the need for the assessment of the real impacts on capital markets is obvious. The main goal of this study is to identify whether there is statistical evidence of the relationship between decreased/increased cost of equity capital among Russian listed companies and mandatory adoption of IFRS. Theoretical part includes an overview of the relevant theory, reasons of accounting harmonization as well as potential challenges. There are also described the main findings and real evidences of adoption impacts on the main capital and financial markets. Practical part of this paper is aimed to investigate whether the proposed benefits of IFRS adoption may be similarly observed in an environment of transition economy.

Zugl.: Bochum, Universiẗat, Diss., 2009.

Zugl.: Köln, Universiẗat, Diss., 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 367-399) and index.

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.

The three objectives of this dissertation were to develop a question type model for predicting linguistic features of responses to interview questions, create a tool for linguistic analysis of documents, and use lexical bundle analysis to identify linguistic differences between fraudulent and non-fraudulent financial reports. First, The Moffitt Question Type Model (MQTM) was developed to aid in predicting linguistic features of responses to questions. It focuses on three context independent features of questions: tense (past vs. present vs. future), perspective (introspective vs. extrospective), and abstractness (concrete vs. conjectural). The MQTM was tested on responses to real-world pre-polygraph examination questions in which guilty (n = 27) and innocent (n = 20) interviewees were interviewed. The responses were grouped according to question type and the linguistic cues from each groups' transcripts were compared using independent samples t-tests with the following results: future tense questions elicited more future tense words than either past or present tense questions and present tense questions elicited more present tense words than past tense questions; introspective questions elicited more cognitive process words and affective words than extrospective questions; and conjectural questions elicited more auxiliary verbs, tentativeness words, and cognitive process words than concrete questions. Second, a tool for linguistic analysis of text documents, Structured Programming for Linguistic Cue Extraction (SPLICE), was developed to help researchers and software developers compute linguistic values for dictionary-based cues and cues that require natural language processing techniques. SPLICE implements a GUI interface for researchers and an API for developers. Finally, an analysis of 560 lexical bundles detected linguistic differences between 101 fraudulent and 101 non-fraudulent 10-K filings. Phrases such as "the fair value of," and "goodwill and other intangible assets" were used at a much higher rate in fraudulent 10-Ks. A principal component analysis reduced the number of variables to 88 orthogonal components which were used in a discriminant analysis that classified the documents with 71% accuracy. Findings in this dissertation suggest the MQTM could be used to predict features of interviewee responses in most contexts and that lexical bundle analysis is a viable tool for discriminating between fraudulent and non-fraudulent text.

Sound financial management is a growing concept in the public sector, especially in local government. The South African government has put in place policies and mechanisms to create a conducive environment for municipalities to manage finances in an effective manner. The management of municipal finance is supported by a set of policies and regulations to strengthen the use of public money. Among the respective policy frameworks, the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa expects the government entities to be transparent and accountable. Here in, these financial measures are also guided by the Municipal Finance Management Act 56 of 2003 and the Public Finance Management Act 1 of 1999 (as amended 29 of 1999). Measured transparency is critically important for management public funds. Accountability is an essential element in achieving institutional goals, especially where public funds are used. Accountability allows public institutions to provide assurance to the tax payers and to their principals. The Auditor General expects municipalities to be accountable for their financial activities through regular reporting. The Annual Report will therefore be compiled for reporting and it must include all required information. Audit Committee becomes very critical, as a structure established to guide the municipality on finances and ensure that the report is credible in every respect. Metsimaholo municipality has however been facing challenges as per the opinions of the Auditor General based on financial reporting, amongst other things. This study involves the extent to which financial reporting serves as a tool for promoting accountability. In order to test the hypothesis, literature was reviewed to analyse and evaluate financial reporting and accountability. Empirical research was conducted to test and analyse the existence of practices, procedures and policies that promote sound financial management and their effectiveness. Data was collected through questionnaires and face to face structured and unstructured interviews, with respondents from employees of Metsimaholo Local Municipality and community structures. This study found among others that: *Policies for financial reporting exist but are not fully complied with *There is a lack of follow up with and implementation of Auditor General’s recommendations *Audit Committee recommendations are not fully implemented *There are no clear lines of responsibilities between councillors and officials with regard to financial management The study concludes with recommendations to assist the municipality in committing themselves to adopt strategies towards financial reporting for improved accountability. / Thesis (M. Development and Management (Public Management and Government))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2013

The thesis is an exploratory study of the gap between accounting research and financial reporting practices. The fundamental issue is that comprehensive accounting theories (CATs) have been largely disregarded in the formation of financial reporting practices. To understand why this should be so, the thesis studies continuously contemporary accounting (COCOA), the CAT associated with the Australian scholar Raymond John Chambers. The thesis adopts a hyperbolic reading of actor-network theory (ANT), which treats ANT on its own terms rather than diluting it by reference to other interpretive approaches. The thesis uses a single case-study approach that traces how Chambers developed what was to become COCOA throughout his life. Archival data and interviews, as well as primary and secondary literature, inform the empirical narrative. The narrative focuses on six distinct episodes: the publication of Chambers' first academic article in 1955, the debate and events that followed this article, attempts to influence financial reporting practices in the US in the 1960s, the publication of Chambers' most comprehensive statement on COCOA in 1966, further attempts to influence financial reporting practices in the US, UK, and Australia in the 1970s, and three instances where financial statements were prepared in accordance with COCOA in the 1970s. Through the empirical narrative, the thesis contributes to knowledge about the gap between accounting research and financial reporting practices by studying an actual CAT and the attempts of its proponent to change conventional thinking. What emerges is a nuanced narrative about COCOA filled with various actors, not normally associated with accounting research, that nonetheless turn out to be vital to the success of COCOA.