Sources of Bank Interest Rate Risk

We investigate bank stocks'sensitivity to changes in interest rates and the factors affecting this sensitivity. We focus on whether the exposure of commercial banks to interest rate risk is conditioned on certain balance sheet and income statement ratios. We find a significantly negative relation between bank stock returns and changes in interest rates over the period 1991–1996. We also find that bank characteristics measured from basic financial statement information explain bank stocks'sensitivity to interest rate changes. These results suggest that bank managers, analysts, and regulators can use this information to assess the relative risk exposure of banks.     

A Critical Look at SFAS 34: Capitalization of Interest Cost

In 1974, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) noted that an increasing number of companies were capitalizing interest costs, and that this practice was not being adequately disclosed (FASB, 1979, par. 26). In light of the alternative practices concerning the accounting for interest and lack of adequate disclosure by companies that were already capitalizing interest, the SEC recommended that the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) consider the issue of accounting for interest cost. As a result of the SEC's initiative, in 1979 the FASB issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards [SFAS] No. 34, Capitalization of Interest Cost, which mandated uniform interest capitalization rules in accounting for interest costs associated with the acquisition of qualifying non-current assets. The purpose of this article is to examine SFAS 34 in terms of its financial statement impact, the congruence of its assumptions with economic behaviour, its effect on subsequent standards related to interest capitalization, and its implications on financial accounting standard setting. To explore these issues we first illustrate the extent to which interest capitalization affects financial statements. We then empirically analyse the measure employed in SFAS 34 for the capitalization of interest cost in cases where debt is not directly linked with the acquisition of qualifying non-current assets. In addition, we critically examine the treatment accorded interest cost in subsequent FASB standards. Our research suggests that SFAS 34′s rationale for interest capitalization is incompatible with firm behaviour, and that the rules for interest capitalization as reflected in various accounting standards are inconsistent. These findings suggest that in the case of interest capitalization the benefits of comparability in financial reporting are not realized. A policy recommendation is then offered to alleviate some of these difficulties. The recommendation is to disallow the capitalization of interest cost in the absence of a direct link between the debt and the acquisition of qualifying assets.     

A Study of Accountants' Judgments With Respect to the Provision of Consolidated Financial Statements

The release of the Australian Accounting Standards Board AASB 1024. Consolidated Accounts. in September 1991 represents a fundamental shift in concept, criteria and approach. The Standard is based on the entity concept and adopts 'capacity to control' as the sole criterion for identifying related entities for the purpose of preparing consolidated financial statements. A conceptual (substance-over-form) approach is used to implement the control criterion. In essence, this approach requires accountants to make professional judgments about the existence of control based on the substance of group structures and arrangements rather than their legal form. Concerns about the subjectivity and possible variability of accountants' judgments cast some doubt on the operational effectiveness of the conceptual approach. In response to these concerns, this paper reports the results of an experiment that examines the consolidation judgments accountants make in response to a number of hypothetical scenarios. The purpose of this paper, therefore, is to provide some insights into the likely quality and reliability of consolidation judgments under the conceptual approach adopted by AASB 1024. The results indicate that accountants can be expected to exhibit broad consensus in their consolidation judgments. In addition, an analysis of the variables suggests that the degree of share ownership is the most significant factor in making such judgments. Nevertheless, other factors including the composition of the board of directors, the existence of a special arrangement, and interactions with the other variables also proved to be significant. Overall, the study provides tentative support for the conceptual approach adopted in AASB 1024.     

基于资产质量的会计报表项目附注披露内容改进研究——兼谈可靠性与相关性

传统观念认为可靠性和相关性在大多数情况下此消彼长，不能同方向服务于会计信息使用者。但本文基于封相关性和可靠性关系的重新思考，认为相关性是封会计信息内容的要求，可靠性是封会计信息质量的要求，相关性必须与可靠性相结合才能有效地服务于会计信息使用者。本文以此为出发点，在简要探讨相关性内涵及其与可靠性之间关系的基础上，着重探讨相关性具体信息内容，并主要以资产负债表项目附注披露内容为研究对象，建议改进应收款项、存货、长期股权投资、固定资座、在建工程和无形资产等部分报表项目附注的披露内容，以反映企业资产的变现及预期收益能力，从而提高会计报表决策相关性。     

Value relevance of proportionate consolidation versus the equity method: Evidence from Hong Kong

Whether proportionate consolidation (PC) or the equity method (EM) provides more informative financial statements is a controversial issue. This study uses data from listed companies in Hong Kong to investigate the value relevance of the EM compared with PC during 2005–2008 when the local word-for-word equivalent HKAS 31 offered the same options. The results of this study provide evidence that PC does not offer higher value relevance than the EM. PC’s horizontal aggregation of a portion of the operations, assets and liabilities of the jointly controlled entities with those of the venturer is less informative to investors than the EM’s vertical aggregation.     

浅谈中职专《基础会计》学科框架教学方法的应用

基础会计学科是一门专业性和应用性较强的学科,因此学好它有着非常重要的作用。本文主要就是从基础会计课程的各章节入手,从原有的框架入手,然后对理论教学与实际工作中不同的经济业务运营手段进行研究,使学生易于把握其内在的规律,在学习和复习过程中能够抓住重点,做到提纲挈领,学习起来得心应手。     

Lessons for progressing narrative reporting: Learning from the experience of disseminating the Danish Intellectual Capital Statement approach

The case for the greater use of narrative disclosures within the annual report package continues to attract support from accounting academics. After a decade of comparatively limited attention, the topic of narrative reporting has returned to the accounting research agenda, in part in association with integrated reporting and a growing interest in accounting for business models, as well as a resurgence of intellectual capital research. In the light of a continuing optimism that narrative reporting will eventually assume its rightful place within financial reporting, the paper reports and reflects upon the findings of a study of the outcome of the Danish Guideline Project in the decade following its conclusion in late 2002. This initiative placed a heavy emphasis on the extension of narrative reporting in its principal output, the Intellectual Capital Statement, still widely regarded as a highly promising intellectual capital reporting framework. Based on insights derived from the study, the paper identifies a number of major obstacles that confront the advocates of narrative disclosure practices, the persistence of which is rooted in the contestable jurisdiction that characterises the accountancy profession itself.     

对财务会计报表审核方法的探讨

现代市场经济的快速发展,提高了对我国企业各项管理工作的要求.税务工作、企业经营导向的制定等工作也对企业财务信息管理与审核提出了更高的要求.本文归纳、总结了财务会计报表的审核方法和内容,旨在帮助财务会计报表的填制者有效的开展报表的自我审核工作,及时发现问题并予以改正,从而提高财务会计报表效率.     

现金流量表分析与应用研究

现金流量是企业生存和发展的命脉,而现金流量表是反映一家公司在一定时期现金流入和现金流出动态状况的报表。通过现金流量表提供的信息,信息使用者可以掌握企业资产变动情况,了解企业的资产流动性、偿债能力和支付投资者报酬能力。现金流量表是企业投资活动成败的晴雨表,对企业的发展非常重要,其为改善企业资金管理指明了方向。     

Drivers of innovation capital disclosure in intellectual capital statements: Evidence from Europe

Innovation is one of the major determinants of competitive success. As a result, there is demand for information on the innovation activities of firms among investors, other stakeholders and the public. Using content analysis, this paper examines the innovation capital disclosure (INCD) characteristics (i.e. disclosure quantity and quality) in the intellectual capital statements (ICS) of 51 European for-profit firms. Additionally, the relationships between INCD characteristics and industry, firm size, region of registered office and the disclosure guidelines adopted are analysed. Our content analysis detects an average of 29.16 items on innovation capital (INC) per ICS. These are mainly qualitative, non-financial and historically orientated. Furthermore, as expected, industry, firm size, region and disclosure guidelines drive the quantity of disclosure. Prior empirical studies of voluntary disclosure in documents other than ICS have also suggested a relationship between firm size and disclosure quality. Interestingly, our results for INCD in ICS do not support this relationship. This provides tentative evidence for a similar qualitative level of innovation capital disclosure across firm size. Furthermore, our findings show mostly homogeneous disclosure patterns across the regions in Europe, suggesting that multinational efforts towards fostering INCD has made the ICS phenomenon more a European than a local phenomenon.