A History of Corporate Financial Reporting provides an understanding of the procedures and practices which constitute corporate financial reporting in Britain, at different points of time, and how and why those practices changed and became what they are now. Its particular focus is the external financial reporting practices of joint stock companies. This is worth knowing about given the widely held view that Britain (i) pioneered modern financial reporting, and (ii) played a primary role in the development of both capital markets and professional accountancy. The book makes use of a principal and agent framework to study accounting’s past, but one where the failure of managers always to supply the information that users’ desire is given full recognition. It is shown that corporate financial reporting did not develop into its current state in a straightforward and orderly fashion. Each era produces different environmental conditions and imposes new demands on accounting. A proper understanding of accounting developments therefore requires a careful examination of the interrelationship between accountants and accounting techniques on the one hand and, on the other, the social and economic context within which changes took place. The book’s corporate coverage starts with the legendary East India Company, created in 1600, and continues through the heyday of the statutory trading companies founded to build Britain’s canals (commencing in the 1770s) and railways (commencing c.1829) to focus, principally, on the limited liability company fashioned by the Joint Stock Companies Act 1844 and the Limited Liability Act 1855. The story terminates in 2005 when listed companies were required to prepare their consolidated accounts in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards, thus signalling the effective end of British accounting.

`This is a book which should be read by all students, whether undergraduate and postgraduate. It also provides a succinct guide for the manager who wishes to come to grips with this topic, or the accountant nostalgic to recollect the non too praiseworthy and indecisive history of this topic′ - Managerial Auditing Journal Corporate Financial Reporting critically examines contemporary corporate financial reporting. The complexity of the reporting process and the myriad of issues facing the directors, accountants and auditors can only be successfully understood from a firm conceptual base. Recent financial scandals clearly highlight the interrelationships between all the themes explored in this book, from financial reporting to auditing, from management′s motivations to fraud. Special features of this book include: - A critical examination of accounting ′theory′ - Senior practitioners′ insights on ′a true and fair view′ - An exploration of ′the financial reporting expectations gap′ - A discussion of the nature of ′corporate performance′ - An examination of corporate fraud - An examination of the implications of ′real-time′ reporting by companies - Discussion questions at the end of each chapter The book will be relevant to advanced undergraduate as well as postgraduate and MBA students.

Corporate Financial Reporting and Analysis: A Global Perspective/3e by David Young and Jacob Cohen is an introductory textbook on financial reporting for MBA students. This book is intended to offer the rigor and comprehensive coverage required of an MBA text, while at the same time offering an accessible and practical reference for participants in executive programs. David Young is based at INSEAD Business School in France, and Jacob Cohen is based at MIT Sloan School of Management in the USA. This book offers a rigorous, yet accessible, treatment of contemporary financial reporting practice. Examples are drawn from a broad range of companies to illustrate key concepts. Particular emphasis is given to the latitude and flexibility granted to managers in reporting financial performance, and the steps that financial statement readers can take to identify potential trouble areas in the accounts. Topics include the analysis and interpretation of the three principal financial statements, revenue recognition, inventory accounting, receivables and bad debts, accounting for long-term assets, provisions and contingencies, income taxes, and the accounting for mergers and acquisitions. A unique feature of this book is the seamless way in which it deals with differences in U.S. GAAP and IFRS. Both regimes are covered simultaneously, i.e. when a topic is discussed, including the relevant journal entries and disclosures, the discussion applies equally to GAAP companies and to IFRS companies. It doesn’t matter whether the company used in a given example is from the U.S., Europe, or elsewhere. Thanks to the ongoing GAAP/IFRS convergence project, the two regimes are close enough to allow for a somewhat generic approach that allows for coverage of both regimes at the same time. In this way, the examples that are covered in the book are relevant to all readers, regardless of which regime dominates in their business environment. The content of this book has been classroom tested over the past 20 years at INSEAD with the MBA class which has students from 80 different countries.

Corporate Financial Reporting Analysis combines comprehensive coverage and a rigorous approach to modern financial reporting with a readable and accessible style. Merging traditional principles of corporate finance and accepted reporting practices with current models enable the reader to develop essential interpretation and analysis skills, while the emphasis on real-world practicality and methodology provides seamless coverage of both GAAP and IFRS requirements for enhanced global relevance. Two decades of classroom testing among INSEAD MBA students has honed this text to provide the clearest, most comprehensive model for financial statement interpretation and analysis; a concise, logically organized pedagogical framework includes problems, discussion questions, and real-world case studies that illustrate applications and current practices, and in-depth examination of key topics clarifies complex concepts and builds professional intuition. With insightful coverage of revenue recognition, inventory accounting, receivables, long-term assets, M&A, income taxes, and other principle topics, this book provides both education and ongoing reference for MBA students.

Evolution of U.S. Regulation and the Standard-Setting Process for Financial Reporting: 1930s to the Present surveys and explains the evolution of the stream of events and developments in the regulation and standard setting that have set the requirements for companies' financial reporting in the U.S. capital market. Particular attention is given to instances in which the SEC, as regulator, has either been in disagreement with the private-sector accounting standard setter, or where they both have partnered in a solution. Attention is also given to some of the more celebrated attempts by self-interested parties, particularly the company sector, to interpose themselves forcefully into the standard-setting process. The interventions from members of Congress on behalf of the company sector are also the object of study. In this rendering of the evolution, the author has endeavored to provide extensive references to the published literature to enable readers to study the events and developments in greater depth.

As a result of the global convergence of financial reporting standards, U.S. GAAP is changing profoundly. U.S. GAAP is also being abandoned by many public and private companies, and will eventually be replaced by a higher-quality set of global standards. The Convergence Guidebook for Corporate Financial Reporting provides the timely, practical guidance that CFOs, controllers, and other financial managers need in order to prepare for the impact of Convergence on their companies, departments, and careers. Guidebook readers will also learn why they must begin preparing for "the next big challenge in corporate financial reporting" now.

This book discusses the role of business models in corporate reporting. It illustrates the evolution of non-financial reporting, the importance of business model reporting, and the main conceptualisations of business models. It also offers a methodological contribution to the assessment of business model reporting. Finally, it discusses the main implication of business model reporting for different categories of subjects and some challenges related to this kind of disclosure. Readers will understand the role of business models in the non-financial reporting landscape. They will also gain an understanding of how business models can help users of the annual report contextualise other non-financial items disclosed. However, effective business model reporting implies paying attention to certain features that define its quality. This theme is discussed in the empirical part of the book and in the section devoted to implications for preparers, users, and regulators. As large companies in the EU and the UK have to disclose the business model in the annual report, this book will be of interest to preparers and users of financial statements, regulators involved in the ongoing non-financial regulatory process, and professional bodies. It will also be of interest to academics interested in the investigation of non-financial reporting.