Why Do Politicians Intervene in Accounting Regulation? The Role of Ideology and Special Interests

Politicians frequently intervene in the regulation of financial accounting. Evidence from the accounting literature shows that regulatory capture by special interests helps explain these interventions. However, many accounting rules have broad economic or social consequences, such as their effects on income distribution or private sector subsidies. The perception of these consequences varies with a politician's ideology. Therefore, if accounting rules produce those consequences, ideology plausibly spills over and explains a politician's stance on the technical accounting issue, beyond special interest pressure. We use two prominent U.S. political debates about fair value accounting and the expensing of employee stock options to disentangle the role of ideology from special interest pressure. In both debates, ideology explains politicians’ involvement at exactly those points when the debate focuses on the economic consequences of accounting regulation (i.e., bank bailouts and top management compensation). Once the debates focus on more technical issues, connections to special interests remain the dominant force.     

Policy implications of research on non-GAAP reporting

Over the past two decades, the regulatory landscape for non-GAAP reporting has evolved significantly. Despite a temporary decline in the frequency of non-GAAP reporting following Regulation G, the incidence of non-GAAP disclosure has continued to increase steadily, leading to a current all-time high in reporting activity. This proliferation of non-GAAP disclosure has captured the attention of standard setters and regulators in recent years. This paper provides an academic perspective on policy implications for both regulation and standard setting. We contend that current Compliance and Disclosure Interpretations (C&DIs) of the SEC staff may perhaps have gone too far in restricting certain types of non-GAAP disclosures. As a result, we advocate a slight relaxation of the current enforcement of Regulation G. We agree with FASB proposals for greater disaggregation in the income statement to allow for more transparency in non-GAAP reporting. Finally, we believe the PCAOB should consider requiring auditors to take a more direct role with respect to non-GAAP disclosures.     

沈德符史学思想探析——基于《万历野获编》的史料记载

《万历野获编》堪称明代历史琐闻类笔记中的翘楚,因内容丰富广博、考证切实,为历代史家所重。以往的研究集中于该笔记的史料、艺术、文学价值,却未有学者对作者沈德符蕴藏于书中的史学思想予以足够重视。扎根于《万历野获编》的史料记载,结合晚明私史勃兴与实学思潮盛行的背景,从多方面综合考察作者的治史理念与准则,不仅有助于剖析沈德符史学思想的核心内容,对后世学者正确理解、运用《万历野获编》也不无裨益。     

The Political Economy of Policy Vacuums: The European Commission on Demographic Change

ABSTRACT

Supranational organisations can only confront politico-economic issues that are recognised as important. Typically, issues gain recognition either when they provide an external shock to the system, shaking political actors into action, or when they are framed as important in policy networks concerned with developing the appropriate scientific approach. Ideally political and scientific actors align in creating pressures to recognise the issue as salient and to mobilise organisational responses. Issues differ in their capacity to be driven by both political and scientific pressures, creating crisis management, technocratic, and reform agenda outcomes. Here we explore a further variation, where pressures around an issue are insufficient, creating a policy vacuum. We examine one such policy vacuum in Europe: demographic change. This issue belongs to no particular Directorate-General in the European Commission, but is subject to policy frames from DG EMPL and DG ECFIN. Without sufficient political and scientific pressures, no particular policy position is occupied and advocated despite recognition of the issue’s importance. We discuss the role of policy vacuums and the need for their identification in political economy research.     

浅谈如何做好事业单位岗位设置管理工作

事业单位实施岗位设置管理工作,是事业单位人事制度改革的重大创新,涉及到单位职工的切身利益,对单位发展起到至关重要的作用。通过组织实施岗位设置管理工作的实践活动,从岗位设置管理的三个主要环节入手,对事业单位岗位设置管理工作中主要做法和需要注意的问题进行了概述,为其他事业单位的岗位设置管理工作提供借鉴。     

On the conceptual foundations of financial reporting

Standard setters advocate a balance sheet approach to financial reporting, which views assets and liabilities as primary, and income as just the derivative change in net assets. This paper argues that income is conceptually and practically better described as ‘adjusted net cash flows,’ where the adjustments are the accounting accruals. One proof of that is seen in the existence of whole accounting systems like tax accounting and national income accounting, which emphasize the determination of income but have no balance sheets. The paper also argues that an income-based approach to financial reporting is by nature better suited to reflect the success of advancing cash to earn more cash, which defines what for-profit entities do. There are two main features of the income-based approach. One is attention on the cash flows as the natural foundation for financial reporting because they are precisely determined, and provide a clear link to firm valuation. The other is attention on the accounting accruals, which serve to adjust the raw cash flows to better show the current success of investing cash to ultimately earn more cash. Specifically, the paper argues for revenue recognition which is close to current practice, and for expense recognition which is aligned with the matching principle.     

What about people in cycle network planning? applying participative multicriteria GIS analysis in the case of the Athens metropolitan cycle network

The bicycle is gaining ground as an inexpensive, fast, healthy, and enjoyable mode of transport, but the development of cycle infrastructures appears to be a necessary prerequisite for supporting further growth in cycling rates. Thus far, few studies have developed comprehensive methodologies for the prioritisation of cycling infrastructure investments, and the role of end users has been underestimated in this process. The unique relationship that cyclists develop with the bicycle itself, their co-cyclists, bicycle facilities, and the urban environment as a result of sensory, kinaesthetic, symbolic, or even political reasons can assist in designing cycle facilities that are more efficient and closer to fulfilling the needs and desires of users. We propose a comprehensive four-step methodology for cycle network planning, which both accounts for the city structure and the zones in which higher cycling demand is possible and uses participative multicriteria GIS processes to incorporate cyclists’ views with regard to choosing the cycle network segments. Our case study is Athens, Greece, where cycling facilities are few and heavily fragmented, although cycling demand has recently grown. This methodology may be useful for cities attempting to introduce and prioritise cycling infrastructures because it focuses on determining where cyclists would prefer to cycle to make such investments more successful in attracting users.     

浅谈在国际传播中的议程设置

International Communication plays an important role in our society. Agenda setting theory emerges from communications studies and focuses on mass media influence on setting political agenda.The theory explains the correlation between the rate at which media cover a story and the extent that people think that this story is important. The media has become a strong barrier of communication between families and the outside world.     

高职高专护理专业基础医学课程设置中存在的问题

目的:探讨基础医学课程在护理专业的中存在的相关问题;方法:对其开设的合适与否以及后期临床课程的学习及临床工作的直接关系进行分析;结果:现阶段我校护理专业基础医学课程存在学时的分配、教材的选择、教师的教育背景及教学方法等不尽人意之处;结论:护理专业医学基础课程设置与安排有待进一步改进。     

以科学发展观为指导 着力构建和谐校园

构建和谐校园是建设社会主义和谐社会的题中应有之义。科学发展是构建和谐校园的第一要义。要坚持以科学发展观统领发展全局,实现高校全面协调可持续发展,促进校园和谐。