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 fine account of the period following the 1960s charts the history of the Accounting Standards Committee. Written by a respected scholar, it makes a major contribution to the history of financial reporting.

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.

An overview of the role of institutions and organisations in the development of corporate finance.

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.

The aim of the book is to give non-accounting students a basic ability and confidence to read and use financial accounting reports and statements within their business or financial specialties. Many employees in business today are expected to be conversant with reported accounting information as part of their regular job responsibilities. However, they often have little formal training in using such information. For example, in most Western countries, corporate directors and senior executives are legally responsible for the content and quality of publicly reported accounting statements, yet typically have no accounting background or experience to help in the discharge of these responsibilities. The theme of the book is financial reporting as an essential and significant part of corporate governance. There is continuous pressure on companies from government and stakeholder groups to improve their governance and accountability structures and procedures. This book reveals how financial statements and related disclosures assist in good governance and accountability by providing relevant and reliable accounting signals of managerial performance.

The Internet bubble has collapsed and the largest bankruptcy in US history, Enron, has made the call for greater transparency in financial reporting more important than ever. Andrew Higson draws attention to what is a 'true and fair view' in reporting and critically examines accounting theory and modern practice.