Lobbying on accounting standard setting in the parliamentary environment of Germany

This paper employs an expertise framework to analyze the case of lobbying on the modernization of German accounting regulation between 2007 and 2009. The parliamentary context of accounting standard setting in Germany provides a unique opportunity for an examination of lobbyists’ and parliamentarians’ use of rhetoric in the form of arguments and myths in the presence of an expertise gap between both parties. Lobbyists successfully follow rhetoric strategies of providing knowledge and demonstrating expertise to parliamentarians in the form of using a mixed approach of conceptual and self-referential arguments when expressing a neutral opinion. Apart from their argumentative rhetoric, lobbyists also create myths that transfer knowledge in a more subtle way by employing signifiers that are disentangled from the underlying message to be communicated. Parliamentarians respond by using self-referential arguments in cases where they support the regulatory proposals and enrich their arguments by continuing and amplifying the myths created by lobbyists. Parliamentarians’ adoption of these strategies demonstrates the effectiveness of the transfer of knowledge and provides evidence of the strategic exploitation of the expertise gap by lobbyists.     

Green accounting and green eyeshades twenty years later rejoinder to critics

The articles in this compendium exhibit synergy.     

先秦德育思想及其现代意义

传统道德思想对于中国当代社会伦理文化结构的影响巨大。以儒、墨、道、法四家学派为主的先秦诸子的德育思想在德育目标、德育内容和德育方法上各有侧重,都有精妙的阐发。总体说来,儒家对于教学双方的主体性作用更为注重,显得更全面和切合社会实际。先秦德育思想对当前道德教育的启示意义主要在于德才并举的人才观念、道德建设与法制建设的结合及一些具体的德育理论和方法等方面。     

论道德权利与道德义务视野下的会计信息真实性原则

会计信息真实性原则一直是会计学界和伦理学界学者研究的热点。本文从道德义务与道德义务之间、道德义务与道德权利之间的关系角度来分析把握真实性原则。提出道德义务冲突时行为选择的依据,并提倡从社会的角度解决会计信息虚假这一道德失范现象。     

Doxic sunglasses: A response to “Green accounting and Green Eyeshades: Twenty years later”

This article, in responding to Thornton's (this issue) depiction of how accounting might be extended to incorporate environmental issues, offers a critique of mainstream understandings of the accounting function. Specifically, we argue that Thornton's arguments are developed within doxic, or taken-for-granted, parameters regarding what accounting is and what it can be. Expanding the accounting domain whilst staying within these parameters leads to something more than the mere reproduction of the status quo; it leads to intensified commodification of the biosphere.     

America's “exceptional” transition to capitalism: A counter view

This paper is a response to part two of Rob Bryer's (RB) analysis of the development of capitalism in the US, focusing on the second half of the 19th century when the nation was transformed into the world's largest industrial power. We argue that RB's view that America became a capitalist economy only post-1900 is counterintuitive given the scale of output, the rate of acceleration, and the accumulation and concentration of capital prior to that date.     

Towards an understanding of excel functional skills needed for a career in public accounting: Perceptions from public accountants and accounting students

Public accounting firms (e.g., Grant Thornton, 2012) are stressing an interest in recruiting accounting students with a proficiency in Excel. The purpose of this study is to investigate which Excel functions are perceived to be important and useful for new hires to understand prior to starting a job in public accounting. We collect survey data from four large public accounting firms as well as undergraduate and graduate accounting students (i.e., potential new hires) to gauge perceptions of Excel importance, knowledge, and usage in public accounting. We find that employees at the firms believe the most important Excel functions are: basic formula, filter and sort data, vertical (horizontal) lookup, formatting of documents, and If/Then statements. In a comparison of new hires at public accounting firms with accounting students, results suggest that accounting students underestimate the importance and usage of some of these Excel functions. In addition, results suggest that new hires’ perceived knowledge on how to use specific Excel functions in their accounting job is statistically different than students’ perceived knowledge on how to use some of the same Excel functions. Our research contributes to educational accounting literature by documenting which Excel functions employers in public accounting want new hires to know prior to starting a job in public accounting. Also, this research informs accounting educators that students’ perceptions are not the same as public accounting employers’ expectations with respect to analytical skills using Excel technology.     

Adapting financial rationality: Is a new paradigm emerging?

We discuss the implications of an alternative to the efficient market hypothesis (EMH) the adaptive market hypothesis (AMH). The AMH advances a theoretical basis for a new financial paradigm which can better model such phenomena as the recent financial crisis. The AMH regards the financial market order as evolving, tentative and defined by creative destruction in which trading strategies are introduced, mutate to survive, or face abandonment. The concept of investor rationality is less helpful than the distinction between investment strategies which are more or less well adapted to the prevailing market environment. We outline how a more systematic and grounded basis for behavioural finance can be developed in line with the latter approach. Based on this we develop testable hypotheses allowing the AMH to be distinguished from the EMH. Finally, we discuss how the AMH can aid our understanding of important issues in finance. A central insight is that in the survival of richest, as opposed to fittest, implied by the AMH there is much room for misallocation of resources as price and value uncouple. In this shifting financial market order the regulatory State features as a further market in which the vote market verifies or disrupts market conditions.     

The impact of cumulative pressure on accounting students’ propensity to commit plagiarism: an experimental approach

Adopting aspects of Jones, T.M., 1991, Academy of Management Review 16 , 366–395 issue‐contingent model of ethical decision‐making to guide our choice of variables, we investigate perceptions of factors that affect student plagiarism. In an experimental setting, time pressure and assessment weighting are manipulated between‐subjects, whilst the severity of plagiarism is examined within‐subjects. Our findings confirm that time pressure and assessment weighting are positively related to perceptions of the likelihood of plagiarism and that plagiarism is perceived as more likely for less severe acts. Further, the likelihood of plagiarism increases as the cumulative pressure of both time deadline and assessment weighting increases.     

Deconstruction and the responsibilities of the accounting academic

This paper draws on the philosophy of Jacques Derrida to review and re-evaluate the responsibilities of the accounting community and in particular of the accounting academy. The paper begins with a brief explanation of deconstruction and implications of responsible deconstruction for truth in accounting. It is argued that Derrida's philosophy is compatible with a pragmatic approach to the pursuit of truth in accounting. In the second section of the paper the responsible, and essentially ethical, nature of deconstruction is discussed and the charge that it threatens to undermine institutions like accounting that rely of notions of truth, reasons, objectivity and disinterestedness, is rebuffed. In the third part of the paper responsibilities of the university as an institution, and accounting, are discussed drawing on some of Derrida's work on that theme, and in particular responsibility to and for reason. Derrida's analysis is applied to accounting and two competing orders of responsibility are identified and contrasted: a traditional responsibility grounded in representationalism and a new responsibility of openness to the other's demand. In the fourth part of the paper discussion of contrast and tension between types of responsibility is extended into a consideration of the relationship between moral and ethical responsibilities, in the context of accounting education. The paper concludes with reflections on the responsibilities of accounting educators.     

Moral Hazard, Effort Sensitivity and Compensation in Asset-Backed Securitization

One interesting explanation for asset securitization is the managerial agency theory—where securitization of cash flows that are relatively insensitive to managerial effort reduces the noise for cash flows that are sensitive to managerial effort (Iacobucci and Winter, 2005). This paper extends this concept in several ways. First, we differentiate the effects of noise and effort sensitivity on managerial effort and compensation, underscoring the importance of a less noisy environment. We also carefully delineate the conditions under which asset securitization would improve the welfare of managers and shareholders of the originating company. Second, we relax the assumptions regarding the expected income-producing function and the income variance, and further take into consideration the change of the marginal production of income with respect to effort before and after securitization. Third, under a multitask principal-agent model framework, we explore how the relationship between managerial activities on different assets affects the incentive compensation for the manager of the originating company and the joint surplus for shareholder and manager. This is particularly relevant when entire buildings are securitized as opposed to pools of income-generating assets. Finally, we examine the role of the third-party servicer.     

Control over accounting standards within the European Union: The political controversy surrounding the adoption of IFRS 8

This paper presents an analysis of the struggle for power within the international accounting arena by examining a highly politicised debate surrounding the adoption of International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) 8, Operating Segments, which saw the European Union (EU) attempting to contest the authority of the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB). Informed by a broadly institutional approach, the paper reports the results of interviews with preparers, legislators, regulators, auditors and users about the introduction of IFRS 8 and focuses on how the European Parliament (EP) required the European Commission (EC) to initiate its own consultation procedures as part of a new endorsement process. Findings from this study highlight how the debate over the adoption of IFRS 8 led to the EU implementing a structure that is arguably more aligned to the European tradition of State involvement in the regulatory process. In this sense, while the EU's position vis-à-vis the IASB remains relatively weak, they have, however, initiated a forum whereby the pronouncements of the IASB can be contested.     

Thinking practice: Iteration,peer review,and policy analysis in a governmental accounting class

All accounting graduates need strong critical thinking skills to succeed. However, possessing these critical thinking skills upon graduation is particularly crucial for new accountants working in the field of governmental accounting. As public servants at the local, state, and federal levels, they may face both short-term budget constraints and long-term sustainability concerns that cannot be solved with technical skills alone. Due to the proliferation of standards and technical practices across the accounting profession, governmental accounting educators may find it difficult to incorporate critical thinking instruction into their courses. In response to these concerns, this paper presents a project developed for inclusion in a governmental and nonprofit accounting course. Over the course of one semester, students choose a governmental policy topic of interest, conduct background research, evaluate the costs and benefits associated with a policy issue, and prepare recommendations in a written format addressed to the appropriate legislative committee. The project also incorporates review and iterative components that allow students to revise their written work based on feedback from the instructor and classmates. We report results of pre- and post-surveys that suggest that the project offers promise as a vehicle for promoting critical thinking skills among governmental accounting students.     

基于次贷危机的金融道德风险探讨

本文以美国次贷危机为背景,通过分析危机中金融参与者各方的道德风险问题,得到金融体系的演进无法消除道德风险、监管部门要加强对道德风险的防范、完善制度是控制金融机构道德风险的关键、金融道德教育是消除金融从业人员道德风险的根本、建立新的国际货币体系是防范国家道德风险的必然要求等结论.     

国外对金融道德风险研究的前沿理论及防范经验

近年来,金融道德风险已成为我国金融业运行中的突出问题。本文在论述国外对金融道德风险研究前沿理论的基础上,进一步比较了美国、欧盟、日本、韩国、新西兰、中国台湾等主要国家或地区对金融道德风险的防范经验,总结出可供我国借鉴的启示,对提高我国金融道德风险的防范水平、维护金融稳定、确保金融安全运行具有重要的参考意义。     

我国企业年金逆向选择和道德风险管理研究

当前形势下我国人口老龄化问题日益凸显,基本养老保险制度面临着巨大的支付压力。企业年金在缓解基本养老保险给付方面起到了重大的补充作用,但是我国现行的企业年金在实际运营管理中存在很多问题。论文从委托代理角度分析企业年金各主体之间的逆向选择和道德风险问题,并提出几点相关政策建议,以完善我国企业年金制度,使其更好地为企业职工提供更安全更实惠的社会福利。     

The culpability of accounting practice in promoting slavery in the British Empire and antebellum United States

The paper considers the culpability of accounting users and practitioners in the practice of slavery in the British Empire and antebellum U.S. from the perspectives of virtue in accounting; 18th and 19th century political opinion on humanity, justice and property rights; and finally accounting's potential to support emancipation in society rather than repression. Through the eyes of contemporaries it shows that accounting can be condemned as morally unjust in its support of slavery for its alienation of the intrinsic property rights of individuals. However, the role of accounting was not entirely negative. On the one hand, it attempted to align the objectives of the agents with the health and safety of the slaves in order to conserve life and preserve the value of the inventory. On the other, it facilitated emancipation in the lead up to freedom, and through the compensation process that was intended to align the objectives of the owners with those of the abolition movement. The manner in which accounting was utilised by both supporters and opponents of slavery illustrates its potential as an agent of social change.     

Judges' attitudes toward the public accounting profession: An update

This study examines U.S. judges' attitudes toward the public accounting profession and the extent to which they have changed over the last 16 years: (a) early in the decade of the 1990's (1993), (b) late in the decade of the 1990's, but before the Enron and subsequent corporate accounting debacles (1997), (c) three years after the Enron debacle (2003), and (d) following the recent market collapse related to the failures of our financial institutions (2009). As previously reported (Reckers et al., 2004) attitudes of judges toward the public accounting profession are known to be representative of the views of other stakeholders (lawyers, jurors and MBAs) and would be expected, and have been found, to be relatively stable over time. Nonetheless attitudes are subject to change if given a substantial stimulus and the corporate debacles at the beginning of this decade, the corresponding CPA firm litigation and the demise of Arthur Andersen arguably constituted such a stimulus. It was reported that a significant erosion of judges' attitudes toward the public accounting profession could be measured in 2003 (Reckers et al, 2004). Given that judicial attitudes have been found to be significantly correlated with judgments rendered in a laboratory experiments, sharp erosion of attitudes is a concern. Judges were re-examined in 2009 to determine if attitudes had potentially rebounded. Reasons to expect attitudes may have rebounded include (a) expectations related to federal reforms of the auditing profession (e.g., SOX, PCAOB), (b) lack of recent accounting scandals, and (c) the financial institutions debacles of 2008. In comparison to the perceived abuses of the financial industry revealed in 2008, the earlier accounting abuses may have faded away.     

Moral hazard and adverse selection in the originate-to-distribute model of bank credit

Bank credit has evolved from the traditional relationship banking model to an originate-to-distribute model. We show that the borrowers whose loans are sold in the secondary market underperform their peers by about 9% per year (risk-adjusted) over the three-year period following the initial sale of their loans. Therefore, either banks are originating and selling loans of lower quality borrowers based on unobservable private information (adverse selection), and/or loan sales lead to diminished bank monitoring that affects borrowers negatively (moral hazard). We propose regulatory restrictions on loan sales, increased disclosure, and a loan trading exchange/clearinghouse as mechanisms to alleviate these problems.     

会计师角色冲突与道德行为选择

会计师在企业中扮演着职业个人和企业个人的双重角色,承负着职业忠诚和企业忠诚的双重角色道德义务。本文研究了职业忠诚和企业忠诚的内涵,论证了企业忠诚的道德限度及职业忠诚相对于企业忠诚的价值优先性,剖析了会计师企业忠诚凌驾于职业忠诚的根源,阐释了会计师角色冲突条件下的道德行为选择原则和道德行为选择区间,最后为会计师在具体角色冲突情境中的道德行为选择提供了指南。