When originally published in 1994 this volume was the first international review of accounting theory to focus on the contributions of its leading thinkers. Very few attempts had been made, in the accounting literature, to assess the contribution of the theorists who have had such an important influence on the direction of research and practice. Written by experts the studies in this volume provide a unique guide to the development of accounting theory and practice in regions as diverse as the USA, Japan and Europe.

This volume celebrates the 500th anniversary of the appearance of the first published book on double entry bookkeeping, written by the Franciscan friar Luca Pacioli, who has been described as 'the father of accounting' and 'the first academic accountant'. It is the first major international review of accounting theory to focus on the contributions of its leading thinkers. Compared with other academic disciplines, very few attempts have been made, in the accounting literature, to assess the contribution of the theorists who have had such an important influence on the direction of research and practice. It is a reflection of the nature of accounting as a practical discipline that each of the thinkers discussed has been concerned to use accounting theory to help solve practical accounting problems. All have helped shape modern accounting practice in a fundamental way. Written by leading experts within their respective countries, the studies in this volume provide a unique guide to the development of current accounting theory and practice in regions as diverse as the USA, Japan and Europe.

First Published in 1996. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

This collection of memorial articles and selected obituaries highlights the careers and contributions to accounting practice, the accounting profession, and the accounting literature of leading American figures in the 20th century. The memorial articles do much more than recite their subject’s career. More importantly, they discuss and assess their subject’s role in influencing the course of accounting practice and the profession as well as the evolution of their influential writings, revealing the names of the accounting leaders and leading thinkers of the past century. Memorial Articles for 20th Century American Accounting Leaders is useful in providing students and young researchers with a rich source of intelligence on the leaders who have established norms of practice, advanced the profession, and set the terms of debate in the literature – leaders who are cited and even quoted but who are known mostly as names without a full-bodied treatment of their backgrounds and broader roles in shaping the accounting literature.

This volume illustrates the research not only of French accountants (Colasse, Durand, Jouanique, Lemarchand, Nikitin, Richard, Tessier) but also the work of Belgian authors writing in French (Stevelinck, Haulotte) and of French non-accountants (de Swarte, Durdilly, Sauvy). The work of British and North American academics, writing in English on French accounting history is also illustrated from the 1930s (Howard, Edwards), through to the 1960s (Parker) and the more recent research of Standish, Fortin and Bhimani. The contributions to this volume have been arranged both chronologically and thematically as follows: the earliest business accounting records; the first French accounting authors; Colbert, Savbary and the Ordonnance de Commerce; the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries; cost accounting; the national accounting plan; national income accounting; government accounting and accounting theory. An abstract of each contribution is given in both English and French.

Financial accounting, reporting and regulation is a vast subject area of huge global importance, with interest rising significantly in the light of the ongoing global financial crisis. The authors begin with a broad overview of the subject of accounting, setting the stage for a discussion on the theoretical and practical issues and debates regarding financial reporting, which are expanded on in the second part of the book. This includes how to define the reporting entity, recognition and measurement of the elements of financial statements, fair values in financial reporting and the costs and benefits of disclosure. The third part assesses the interest, need and theories behind the accounting, reporting and regulation industry, while parts four and five look at the institutional, social and economic aspects; with issues such as accounting for environmental management and, accounting regulation and financial reporting in Islamic countries, both issues of ever increasing importance. This authoritative Companion presents a broad overview of the state of these disciplines today, and will provide a comprehensive reference source for students and academics involved in accounting, regulation and reporting.

This is the first and only book to offer a comprehensive survey of accounting research on a broad international scale for the last two centuries. Its main emphasis is on accounting research in the English, German, Italian, French and Spanish language areas; it also contains chapters dealing with research in Finland, the Netherlands, Scand