The Accuracy of Proportional Cost Models: Evidence from Hospital Service Departments

Using data from hospitals in the state of Washington, we examine the time-series behavior of overhead costs. We find that more accurate predictions of changes in costs are usually generated by assuming a cost will not change at all (except for inflation) than by assuming that the cost will change in proportion to changes in activity. We also find that nearly all of the effect of a change in activity on costs appears to occur in the same year as the change in activity. Finally, using a multi-period regression model we find that the proportion of variable costs in the hospital overhead accounts is apparently very modest. These results suggest that costing systems, such as activity-based costing, that assume costs are proportional to activity, will grossly overstate relevant (i.e., incremental) overhead costs for decision-making and performance evaluation purposes.     

The Role of Current Cost Accounting for Financial Reporting and Regulation in Utility Industries

This article considers the role of accounting, in particular current cost accounting (CCA), in influencing perceptions of financial performance and consequently regulatory decisions in utility industries over the past 25 years. It examines the accounting practices of nationalized industries, and how privatization affected accounting in utilities. It concludes with a discussion of more recent developments in relation to regulatory accounts and their role in regulatory decision-making.     

A Test of the Reliability of Current Cost Disclosures

Using data from corporate acquisitions recorded under the purchase method, this research tests the reliability (representational faithfulness) of current cost disclosures. The fair value of property, plant, and equipment recorded by the acquiring company following the acquisition is found to be significantly related to the current cost disclosures made by the acquired company prior to the acquisition. When the data are segmented according to reporting regime, the significant relationship pertains to the SFAS 33 disclosures but not to ASR 190 disclosures of current cost. The study also finds that the results pertain primarily to current cost disclosures made shortly before the acquisition date. Overall, the results support current initiatives for increased departure from historical-cost approaches to accounting, especially if these measures are made along the lines of SFAS 33 techniques rather than ASR 190 techniques.     

The Withdrawal of Current Cost Accounting in the United Kingdom: A Study of the Accounting Standards Committee

Evidence from the archives of the U.K. Accounting Standards Committee (ASC) is used to trace the events leading to the withdrawal of the current cost accounting standard, SSAP 16, from 1980 to 1988. Three central issues are addressed. First, the ASC's role as a regulatory body is considered in the light of the failure to obtain compliance with SSAP 16 and to find an acceptable replacement. Second, the decline in support for SSAP 16 is explained in terms of changes in the economic environment. Third, the roles of different interest groups in the process are analysed.     

估计VaR的一种新方法及实证分析

在VaR计算的众多方法中,历史模拟法以其概念直观、计算简单、容易实施,被越来越广泛地应用到市场风险的管理中.然而采用历史模拟法计算VaR时,会出现VaR高估现象,另外,历史模拟法在计算VaR时没有很好的反映金融数据的聚集现象和厚尾现象.有经济学家在1999年曾提出过一种改进方法.本文提出了一种新的估计方法,实证分析显示新的估计方法能更好地揭示资产的风险水平.     

浅析新的成本理念对现代企业成本控制的影响

在现代市场经济条件下,企业的一切生产经营活动,都必须围绕企业的经营目标--股东价值最大化来进行,它应成为企业一切生产经营活动的出发点和归宿点.为了实现这一目标,现代企业必须加强对成本的控制和管理.本文着重从新的成本观念对成本控制带来的影响入手,探讨现代企业在加强成本控制和管理上应注意的新问题,以利于企业经济效益的提高.     

The Cost of Capital for Alternative Investments

Traditional risk factor models indicate that hedge funds capture pre‐fee alphas of 6% to 10% per annum over the period from 1996 to 2012. At the same time, the hedge fund return series is not reliably distinguishable from the returns of mechanical S&P 500 put‐writing strategies. We show that the high excess returns to hedge funds and put‐writing are consistent with an equilibrium in which a small subset of investors specialize in bearing downside market risks. Required rates of return in such an equilibrium can dramatically exceed those suggested by traditional models, affecting inference about the attractiveness of these investments.     

论长期股权投资核算成本法与权益法的异同

长期股权投资核算的成本法和权益法，在概念、账户的设置、核算内容等方面存在一定的差异，而两在投资成本的确定方面遵循相同的原则。     

云计算对我国商业银行的发展启示

云计算采用了一种资源共享的IT技术支持和管理方式,提供了一种更高效的数据存储和处理能力.面对这一新技术的出现和发展,银行业在信息技术应用、业务流程再造和产品服务创新等方面面临革命性变革.云计算解决方案从硬件、软件和业务服务方面,为银行业的快速发展提供了有利条件.本文将针对这一现状,以我国商业银行为出发点,探讨云计算对我国银行业的发展启示.     

金融危机引发的对公允价值与历史成本的思考

世界金融危机使得公允价值会计准则备受关注,损失惨重的金融界认为公允价值加剧金融危机,要求修改公允价值会计准则。因此,本文对公允价值和历史成本进行深入思考,认为公允价值计量更符合决策有用观和金融创新的需要,有利于企业的资本保全,能更真实地反映企业的经营成果,但一定程度上缺乏可靠性和可操作性。历史成本计量模式具有较强的可靠性、客观性和可验证性,但是知识经济和信息时代的到来使得历史成本适用的环境不断发生改变,缺乏相关性是其面临的最大挑战。从经济发展的特定环境来看,在相当长的时期内,我国应该仍然以历史成本作为基本的会计信息,结合补充公允价值的信息,多种计量属性并存将是未来财务报告的发展趋势。