Measuring International Harmonization and Standardization

This paper analyses six recent studies dealing with the measurement of international harmonization of financial reporting. Methodological issues and problems relating to the definition and operationalization of terms, sources of data, statistical methods and causation are discussed, and an alternative methodology for measuring harmonization suggested.     

A Statistical Model of International Accounting Harmonization

This article shows how the difference between the observed frequencies of accounting policy choice and the outcome of a random policy choice, where each available method has an equal chance of being selected, may be fully explained with a statistical model. The process of harmonization is described in a way that identifies departures from equiprobable accounting policy choice as either: (a) the systematic effects of harmonization, or (b) the effects of systematic divergence from international harmony where the frequency of adoption of differing accounting methods varies across countries, or (c) the effects of company-specific accounting policy choices. The understanding of harmony that underlies previous attempts to measure harmonization is such that, with respect to a particular financial statement item, a situation of maximum harmony is reached when all companies in all countries use the same accounting method. From the standpoint of modelling the harmonization process. however, a different concept of harmony may be more useful. In this article, therefore, we posit a state of distributional harnzony in which, other things being equal, the expected distribution of accounting policy choices is the same in each country. In this theoretical state. the odds of selecting a given accounting method from those available for a particular financial statement item are identical for each country. A major advantage of this benchmark is that it provides a basis for distinguishing between two possibly conflicting components of the international harmonization process: between-country harmonization and within-country standardization. A hierarchy of nested statistical models is then used to describe accounting policy choices made by companies with an international shareholding and registered in Europe, where the European Union has been involved in a program of accounting harmonization. The accounting policies analysed in depth in this article comprise the treatment of goodwill and accounting for deferred taxation. The results are compared with the comparability index method used previously in harmonization research studies.     

Evaluating National Capacity for Direct Participation in International Accounting Harmonization: France as a Test Case

This article evaluates national capacity for direct participation in international accounting harmonization through its principal current formal institutional forum, the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB), with France as a test case. The objective is to derive propositions by which individual nation states, their indigenous accounting professions and other significant elements of their institutional framework might: (a) evaluate their present national capacity to contribute to international accounting harmonization; and (b) address policy issues relevant to development and deployment of capacity for effective engagement. The objective of the framework of analysis employed is to infer essential or desirable attributes for direct participation in international accounting harmonization by reference to the observed attributes of the initial IASB appointments. The likelihood and sustainability of direct French participation in the process is then assessed in relation to those attributes.     

Political Influence and Coexistence of a Uniform Accounting System and Accounting Standards: Recent Developments in China

This article investigates the role of political influence, as well as accounting tradition and the equity market, in China's recent changes in accounting regulation. We find that the Chinese government, in part self-motivated and in part under external pressure, has been active in developing accounting standards in harmony with international accounting standards. However, it has retained a uniform accounting system in the Enterprise Accounting System issued in 2000 to accommodate the special circumstances of a transforming government, strong state-ownership, a weak accounting profession, a weak and imperfect equity market, and the inertial effect of accounting tradition and cultural factors. This article also contributes to existing models of accounting system classification by illustrating the need for considering political influence as a factor that affects the rate of transition towards full implementation of international accounting standards.     

International Trade and Accounting Policy Choice: Theory and Canadian Evidence

The accounting policy choice literature has identified many factors which have been shown to be useful in explaining cross-sectional variation in the accounting methods used by public companies. One relationship which has been relatively unexplored in this literature is the potential effect of international trade on accounting choice. This study proposes that international trading activities may create incentives for firms to choose income increasing accounting policies. This proposition was tested by examining the depreciation choices of a sample of Canadian firms. Results suggest that importers were more likely to choose income increasing accounting methods than non-importers, while exporting was not found to be related to this accounting choice. These diverging results may be caused by the declining value of the Canadian dollar (relative to the US dollar), which tends to benefit exporters, but is of detriment to importers.     

Goodwill Accounting in Selected Countries and the Harmonization of International Accounting Standards

Economic and financial markets interpenetrate and national economies are increasingly interdependent. This results in a growing need for comparability of accounting procedures internationally. Accounting for goodwill illustrates this phenomenon. By specifying the recommended asset treatment for purchased, positive goodwill, and the five-year amortization period, IASC has taken a significant step towards harmonization of goodwill accounting. As noted in the article, however, the implications for consolidated income may be quite drastic. This is especially so with respect to the implications of the revised IAS 22 (following IAS ED 32) for potential leveraged corporate buy-outs.     

Boussard's 'Effectiveness of Inflation Accounting Adjustments': A Comment

Boussard's (1984) notion that Current Cost/Constant Dollar Accounting does not provide 'meaningful rates of return' when inflationary conditions are compared with non-inflationary conditions is based on a misleading example.     

Some Problems with Replacement Cost Asset Measurement for External Accounting Reports with Imperfect Markets

This article uses a well-known model of economics to examine the validity of replacement cost asset measures based on the value to the owner theory for external accounting reports in an environment of imperfect markets. The value to the owner model which uses 'opportunity value' reasoning is found to have validity in only a few market environments. Some problems concerning the applicability of replacement cost asset measures, where these are founded on value to the owner reasoning, are discussed.     

Ersatz Academics and Scholar-saints: The Supply of Financial Accounting Research

Watts and Zimmerman, in a widely acclaimed article, concluded that accounting theories serve to supply excuses for policies determined by political processes. This paper presents a critical review of Watts and Zimmerman's hypothesis, and in return, suggests that the academic reward system in the leading universities does not encourage that kind of activity. The alternative hypothesis is that there are two markets, one for excuses and the other for scholarly research.     

Religion: A Confounding Cultural Element in the International Harmonization of Accounting?

Discussion of the influence of culture on the international development and harmonization of accounting has focused primarily upon indigenous characteristics which are confined within national boundaries. But cultural inputs, such as religion, which transcend national boundaries, should not be overlooked. Islam is a particular case in point. Its principles commit Muslims to a definitive code of ethical commercial and personal behaviour affecting both the structuring and financing of business affairs between the faithful, and between Muslims and non-Muslims. Islam has the potential for influencing the structure, underlying concepts and the mechanisms of accounting in the Islamic world. Its potential for influencing accounting policy is illustrative of religion as a confounding element in the analysis of national idiosyncrasies in accounting practice and in deconstructing the impediments to international harmonization.     

Project Evaluation and Accounting Income Forecasts

It is shown that the economically justifiable criterion for project evaluation of maximizing current net market value is equivalent to maximizing the discounted net cash equivalent flow. It is argued that the appropriate income concept for project evaluation is therefore the one used in the system devised by Chambers, 'Continuously Contemporary Accounting'.     

The Politics of Rule Development: A Case Study of Australian Pension Fund Accounting Rule-Making

Describing the politics surrounding accounting rule development may provide greater insights to such processes than analysing written submissions to rule-making bodies. Over a twenty-year period a rule-making contest evolved between the accounting profession and an alliance of pension industry interest groups over the introduction of different forms of regulation (accounting standards versus legislative-backed rules) relating to pension fund accounting. From the perspective of government, the debate about pension fund accounting reflects the outside-initiative model (Cobb and Elder, 1972; Cobb et al., 1976). Issues were created by the (accounting and actuarial) professions, expanded in the relevant (pension and life insurance) industry and then gained entrance to the formal agenda of both regulatory and government deliberations. In this case the accounting profession failed to gain acceptance of its professional rule-making activities. Alternative possible explanations as to why the alliance of interest groups eventually prevailed over the accounting profession are explored.     

论我国证券市场会计监管问题

如何加强对证券市场的会计监管,是关系到我国证券市场能否稳定、健康有序发展的重大问题,本文根据我国证券市场会计监管的现状,提出了我国证券市场会计监管思路是需要进一步规范与完善会计准则和会计制度,证券市场监管政策需要合理化,此外还必须强化注册会计师审计的独立性.     

The Impact of the Definition of Inflation on the Effectiveness of Inflation Accounting Adjustments

In tests of inflation accounting methods, inflation is generally seen as a simple phenomenon: the prices of all elements change at the same rate. The example presented here deals with a different case: inflation is characterized by changes in the structure of prices. In particular, prices of articles bought and articles sold do not vary at the same rates.
In this context, it is observed that three types of adjustments are not effective, i.e. they do not have the potential to report real or nominal rates of return. This result should be considered as a criticism of the coherence of inflation accounting methods.     

Applicability Of The Conservatism Accounting Convention in China: Empirical Evidence

“Conservatism” is a widely accepted accounting convention in the industrialized world, but it has long been slated and prohibited in China under the orthodox ideological influences. To date, the conservatism convention has not been fully adopted or implemented in Chinese accounting although the Chinese government has made substantial efforts to reform its accounting system to bridge the gaps between the accounting practices in China and other industrialized countries in recent years. This study has, through a wide range questionnaire survey, empirically investigated the applicability of the conservatism accounting convention in China. We found that the survey respondents (consisted of business accountants, management, government officials, bank loan officers, investment analysts and auditors), in general, held no negative attitudes against the conservatism convention under the changing business environment in the country. There is clear evidence that various interested parties of business accounting would support an expanded adoption of “conservatism” in Chinese accounting. The study findings will facilitate a proper assessment of the future development of accounting standards and practices in China.     

Goodwill — An Example of Puzzle-Solving in Accounting

The nature of goodwill continues to be misunderstood by most accountants and confusion surrounding the measurement and reporting of goodwill persists. The rejection of official accounting standards on goodwill is a common occurrence. A dynamic open system perspective is used in this paper to re-examine the nature of goodwill. It is found that a meaningful economic interpretation can be developed for internally generated goodwill but not for 'purchased goodwill'. There is an inability to identify the stream of benefits specifically associated with goodwill arising on acquisition.     

The Effects of Labour on Accounting Choice in Canada

This study examines the effects of labour considerations on accounting choice in Canada. Two potential labour‐related incentives are considered: ability to pay and employee attraction and retention. Measures of these incentives are developed based on Canadian data: unionization for ability‐to‐pay incentives, and labour intensity and the percentage of white‐collar employees for the attract and retain incentives. Our results indicate that ability‐to‐pay incentives, measured by unionization, are not associated with depreciation policies in Canada. In contrast, the findings provide mixed support for the attract‐and‐retain perspective, because labour intensity was significantly correlated with these choices, while the percentage of white‐collar employees was marginally significant.