目标导向会计准则初探

会计准则是会计工作的行为指南。安然事件等一系列大公司财务造假事件的发生引发了人们对美国财务会计准则的反思,而《萨班斯-奥克斯法案》的签署引起原则导向和规则导向的辩论。在美国会计准则制定的历史上,原则导向曾是准则制定的思路,后来逐渐演变为规则导向,现在,美国财务会计准则委员会在准则制定方面正在考虑由规则导向向目标导向转化。本文分析了原则导向会计准则和规则导向会计准则的优缺点,提出我国使用目标导向会计准则的几点思路。     

论会计准则的制定:原则导向抑或规则导向

<正>对于如何制定企业会计准则,其内容的组织安排方式如何,历史上存在两种颇为对立的观念:原则导向(或以原则为基础)与规则导向(以规则为基础)。以原则为基础的会计准则是指导性的、方向性的,相应的会计准则的内容比较概括,只要不偏离以方向、目标与原则,会计技术处理手法可以保持一定的自主性,而规则导向的会计准则在行文组     

论会计准则的制定：原则导向抑或规则导向

对于如何制定企业会计准则,其内容的组织安排方式如何,历史上存在两种颇为对立的观念：原则导向（或以原则为基础）与规则导向（以规则为基础）。以原则为基础的会计准则是指导性的、方向性的,相应的会计准则的内容比较概括,只要不偏离以方向、目标与原则,会计技术处理手法可以保持一定的自主性,而规则导向的会计准则在行文组织上有些类似于技术手册,它倾向于准则内容的具体化、     

我国会计准则制定模式的选择与会计师职业判断

近些年来，美国财务会计准则委员会(FASB)与国际会计准则委员会(IASC)在准则制订上一直采取截然不同的模式：FASB采取的是以规则为基础的准则制订模式，而IASC采取的是以原则为基础的准则制订模式。美国一直自认为其公认会计原则最为先进和完备，从而与国际会计准则分庭抗礼．试图在会计准则国际化趋势下居于主导地位。然而，美国自发生安然事件之后，     

从RBA模式到PBA模式--美国会计准则制定模式面临重大变革

安然事件后，美国的证券监管和会计准则再度成为世界注目的焦点。美国后安然时代的会计准则制定模式、独立审计监管模式、有关各方的会计法律责任的改革动向，将在很大程度上引领21世纪世界会计审计准则和实务的发展方向。鉴于安然事件后美国各界对财务会计准则委员会（FASB）制定会计准则的模式提出责难，加之2002年7月美国国会通过的《萨班斯——奥克斯莱法案》（Sarbanes-Oxley Act，简称SOX法案）明确要求证券交易管理委员会（SEC）就采用以原则为基础的财务报告体系问题进行研究，并必须在一年内（即到2003年7月份）向国会提交研…     

小企业会计准则与企业所得税法的差异分析

我国财政部制定了《小企业会计准则》,自2013年1月1日起在小企业范围内施行。《小企业会计准则》本着"务实"、"求简"的原则极大地简化了小企业会计的核算,在很大程度上保持了与所得税法的趋同,但两者之间的差异仍然存在。一、会计与所得税法存在差异的原因(一)两者目标不同会计目标:向财务会计报告使用者提供与企业财务状况、经营成果和现金流量等有关的会计信息,反映企业管理层受托责任履行情况,有助于财务会计报告使用者作出经济决策。税法目标:规范国家征税机关征税行为     

论会计准则的制定:原则导向抑或规则导向

对于如何制定企业会计准则,其内容的组织安排方式如何,历史上存在两种颇为对立的观念:原则导向(或以原则为基础)与规则导向(以规则为基础).以原则为基础的会计准则是指导性的、方向性的,相应的会计准则的内容比较概括,只要不偏离以方向、目标与原则,会计技术处理手法可以保持一定的自主性,而规则导向的会计准则在行文组织上有些类似于技术手册,它倾向于准则内容的具体化、细致化,并似乎存在囊括所有可能事项的企图,并给这些事项提供一个详细的清单式的操作指引.     

浅谈新修订的《事业单位会计准则》

<正>财政部对《事业单位会计准则(试行)》进行了修订,新修订的《事业单位会计准则》自2013年1月1日起全面施行。修订《会计制度》的过程中主要遵循了以下原则:一是遵循《事业单位会计准则》(以下简称《会计准则》)的原则。修订后的《会计准则》于2012年12月6日以财政部第72号令正式发布,规定了事业单位会计目标,会计基本假设,会计核算基础,会计信息质量要求,会计要素的定义、项目构成及分     

日本会计的新发展及其启示

一、日本会计的新发展近年来,日本会计加快了国际化进程,主要有以下四个方面的新发展:1. 改组准则制订机构。2001年7月,财务会计准则基金会(FASF)宣告成立。它是一个民间组织,由它资助日本会计准则委员会(ASBJ)制订会计准则,其组织架构和其他国际性会计准则制订机构基本一致。它的成立主要有两个目的:一是使日本能在国际会计准则委员会(IASB)中占有一席之地;二是提高会计准则的可信度和企业会计信息的透明度。ASBJ力求比它的前身—企业评议会(BADC)具有更大的独立性和透明度。2. 公允价值会计。2001年7月,BADC发表了《资产减值的…     

试论会计准则制定模式与制度安排

一、引言自2001年底,美国相继发生安然、世通等一系列财务丑闻,严重打击了投资者的信心和美国股市。究其原因,主要是公司管理层与审计师串通舞弊,一定程序上也暴露出号称世界上质量最高、最完备的美国会计准则及其制定模式的缺陷,会计准则难咎其责,遭到来自各方面的质疑。为此,2002年7月,美国布什政府颁布了《萨班斯—奥克斯利法案》(Sarbanes-Oxley Act)责成美国证券交易委员会针对是否改为“原则导向的会计准则”进行研究。由此会计准则的制定应以“原则为导向”还是应以“规则为导向”的讨论大规模展开。二、会计准则规则导向规则导向…     

Effects of winsorization: The cases of forecasting non‐GAAP and GAAP earnings

This study examines how the winsorization procedure affects the performance of regression‐based earnings forecasting models. I find that the impact is multifaceted and depends principally on three factors: the level of data errors in the tails, the characteristics of firms affected by the process, and the use of scaling. For a non‐GAAP earnings yield specification, where data input errors exist, winsorization changes the information set in a non‐systematic way and helps to improve the performance of regression‐based forecasts, especially when the least squares estimator is employed. However, for a non‐GAAP earnings per share specification, with fewer data input errors found in the tails of the distribution, winsorization has a particularly strong effect on very large companies, lowering the economic value of earnings predictions. I observe similar results for corresponding GAAP earnings specifications. Robust estimators, such as least absolute deviation, high breakdown‐point and Theil‐Sen, appear to be a more effective solution than winsorization. Their earnings forecasts consistently yield significant positive abnormal returns across non‐GAAP and GAAP earnings specifications.     

会计双重披露差异与中国会计标准的国际协调研究述评

本文回顾了1997～2002年间与境内外报告会计差异及中国会计标准国际协调有关的经验研究文献,并对此类研究的基本发现与研究局限进行了初步总结和评价。     

Multiple Dimensions of Accounting in the Development of GAAP

The phrase 'accepted accounting principles' underlying financial statements is a forerunner of today's accounting standards. Here, it is argued that history shows that the term 'principles' is often most vague in debates on the development of those standards. The reasons for and consequences of that vague use are varied and complex. This article provides insights not highlighted in earlier analyses of the periods reviewed. While debates like the rule- versus principle-based standards are set up as two-dimensional, the many dimensions of accounting often allow argument to be easily diverted. The debate/argument thus remains unresolved. For progress to be achieved in the establishment of accounting standards the many dimensions of accounting must be acknowledged and attempts to divert debate minimized. Those with a stake in the development of accounting standards need to consider the total scene of the related accounting. In a particular debate, dimensions under scrutiny must be stated, with any others in that total scene being acknowledged even if kept constant.     

Changing from German GAAP to IFRS or US GAAP: A Survey of German Companies

Since 1993 an increasing number of listed German companies have been publishing their consolidated financial statements in accordance with either IFRS or US GAAP. In 1998 this was approved as a substitute for the consolidated German GAAP financial statements of listed companies (§292a HGB). Our study surveys the motives that led these companies to opt for international reporting systems (IFRS or US GAAP) rather than German GAAP and considers whether these objectives have been achieved. Rather surprisingly, we find that even though companies state that their overall expectations have been met to a satisfactory degree, a detailed analysis shows that several of the ex-ante objectives have not been achieved from an ex-post point of view. Additionally, we use logistic regression analysis to show that companies choosing IFRS rather than US GAAP and vice versa differ distinctly in the objectives they pursue with their choice of international GAAP.     

An investigation of SEC “Speech GAAP”

This study investigates the financial reporting regulation effects of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) staff comments made during the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) Annual Current SEC & Public Company Oversight Board (PCAOB) Developments Conference in Washington, D.C. (SEC Conference). At this conference, the SEC staff communicates its preferences about areas where it believes companies are misapplying GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles). We call this communication SEC Speech GAAP. One outcome of the SEC Conference may be that companies re-evaluate their previous financial reporting by restating their financial statements. We find, first, that firms with restatement issues similar to those covered at the SEC Conference experience a decrease in the association between earnings and future cash flows after the restatement. Second, we find little market reaction to the disclosure of restatements related to SEC Conference issues, but the disclosure of non-conference related restatement issues has a significantly negative affect on investors’ valuation decisions. Our findings suggest that SEC Speech GAAP is associated with financial statements that are less informative to investors and investors find the valuation consequences of restatements prompted by SEC Speech GAAP to be less important than the valuation consequences for restatements prompted for other reasons.     

Corporate investment and changes in GAAP

This paper investigates whether changes in Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) affect corporate investment decisions. Using a sample containing forty nine changes in GAAP, I find that changes in accounting rules affect investment decisions. I then examine two mechanisms through which changes in GAAP affect investment. First, I find that changes in GAAP affect investment, particularly R&D expenditures, when firms have financial covenants that are affected by changes in GAAP. Second, I find evidence suggesting that the process of complying with some changes in GAAP alters managers’ information sets and consequently changes their investment decisions, particularly their capital and R&D expenditures and, to a weaker extent, their acquistion expenditures. This paper contributes to the literature on the real effects of accounting by providing evidence that accounting rules affect investment decisions even when the rule change does not concern the measurement and reporting of investment, and by documenting specific mechanisms through which the relation manifests.     

Disclosure of GAAP line items in earnings announcements

We provide new evidence on the disclosure in earnings announcements of financial statement line items prepared under Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). First, we investigate the circumstances that might provide disincentives generally for GAAP line item disclosures. We find that managers who regularly intervene in the earnings reporting process limit disclosures at the aggregate level and in each of the financial statements so as to more effectively guide investor attention to summary financial information. Specifically, this disclosure behavior obtains when managers habitually cater to market expectations, engage in income smoothing, or use discretionary accruals to improve earnings informativeness. Second, we predict and find that the specific GAAP line items that firms choose to disclose are determined by the differential informational demands of their economic environment, consistent with incentives to facilitate investor valuation. However, these valuation-related disclosure incentives are muted when managers habitually intervene in the earnings reporting process.     

FASB对GAAP体系进行简化的战略目标分析

2005年6月举行的美国证监会(SEC)第24届年会暨财务报告组织会议上,美国财务会计准则委员会(FASB)主席罗伯特·赫兹在发言里提到,FASB将会把精力集中于三个关键的战略目标:会计准则改善、简化以及国际趋同。其中值得注意的是对会计准则的简化,这是FASB在配合SEC建立高质量会计准则的过程中达成的新战略目标。根据这一目标,FASB将会对公认会计原则(GAAP)的结构进行详细的梳理,这也是达成高质量会计准则目标的必经之路。FASB2005年4月28日发布的《GAAP的层次(》TheHierarchyofGenerallyAcceptedAccountingPrinciple)征求意见稿…     

The impact of GAAP guidance on asset retirement obligations

In this study, we assess issues faced by accountants in implementing Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (SFAS) 143, Accounting for Asset Retirement Obligations (AROs) and Financial Interpretation Number (FIN) 47, which was issued to clarify accounting for conditional AROs. The assessments were made by accountants of companies belonging to the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) since the EEI originally initiated the Financial Accounting Standards Boards’ (FASB’s) ARO agenda item. The findings suggest that SFAS 143 and FIN 47 have provided accountants with increased clarity for ARO identification and have resulted in more meaningful recognition. In addition, more liabilities are reported even though it can be argued that ceteris paribus management will choose the method that minimizes the amount of the liability. Overall, the findings suggest that the FASB’s guidance on asset retirement obligations improved the reporting model and their implementation guidance improved companies’ application of the rules.