In the aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis, corporate collapses, accounting scandals and concerns around competition and auditor choice, the European Commission (EC) promoted the preparation of various reports on audit policy to support a harmonisation process of European auditing regulation. Consequently, the European Union Audit Regulation and Directive was implemented from 2016. This book provides a timely picture of the audit sector and how it responds to regulatory and technological challenges. It analyses the impact of EU reforms on audit practices by comparing the U.K. and Italy, which, representing two very different regulatory and cultural contexts, will offer insight into how the efforts at standardising audit regulation may lead to very different organisational firm responses within Europe. It addresses issues relating to public policy work and the concerns faced by the market for audit and assurance services, in promoting audit quality, better communication about the role of the auditor, capital market stability and confidence, and auditor independence. Moreover, it highlights what the future of auditing might look like in the EU particularly after the U.K. has left, and how meeting public expectations will continue to be a struggle for the accounting profession given the many problems ahead. The book encourages a deeper awareness of the challenges faced by those that monitor and certify the financial statements of the world's largest public companies and contributes to the general understanding of this controversial industry. It will serve as a useful guide to the recent EU audit reforms, not only for academics, and research students but also to regulators, policymakers, standard setters, industry professionals, and business executives worldwide.

Auditor reporting on going-concern-related uncertainties remains one of the most challenging issues faced by external auditors. Business owners, market participants and audit regulators want an early warning of impending business failure. However, companies typically do not welcome audit opinions indicating uncertainty regarding their future viability. Thus, the auditor's decision to issue a "going concern opinion" (GCO) is a complex and multi-layered one, facing a great deal of tension. Given such a rich context, academic researchers have examined many facets related to an auditor's decision to issue a GCO. This monograph reviews and synthesizes 182 recent GCO studies that have appeared since the last significant review published in 2013 through the end of 2019. The authors categorize studies into the three broad areas of GCO: (1) determinants, (2) accuracy and (3) consequences. As an integral part of their synthesis, they summarize the details of each study in several user-friendly tables. After discussing and synthesizing the research, they present a discussion of opportunities for future research, including issues created or exacerbated as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic. This monograph will be of assistance to researchers interested in exploring this area of auditor responsibility. It will also be of interest to auditing firms and individual practitioners wanting to learn what academic research has examined and found regarding this challenging aspect of audit practice. Auditing standard-setters and regulators will find it of interest as the authors review numerous studies examining issues related to audit policy and regulation, and their effects on GCO decisions. The examination of GCO research is extremely timely given the financial and business disruption caused by the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. This unprecedented global event has caused companies, auditors and professional bodies to revisit and reassess their approach to going concern, and to think even more deeply about this fundamental business imperative.

This timely handbook provides a current and comprehensive examination of integrated reporting, both practical and research-based. It offers insights and different perspectives from more than 60 authors, including representatives of the International Integrated Reporting Council, Integrated Reporting Committee of South Africa, professional bodies and audit firms, as well as leading academics in the fields of integrated reporting, sustainability reporting and corporate social responsibility. This collected work provides an in-depth review of the development of integrated reporting, with a focus on the interpretation and guidance provided by the International Integrated Reporting Council. It encourages the development of new thinking and research topics in the area of integrated reporting (such as links between integrated reporting and reports focused on financial and corporate social responsibility matters), as well as showcasing how integrated reporting issues are seen and practiced in different parts of the world. The chapters include reviews of the most recent research, practitioner viewpoints, conceptual pieces, case studies and disclosure analyses. Accessible and engaging, this handbook will be an invaluable overview for those new to the field or those who are interested in ensuring they are up to date with its developments, as well as those who are concerned with how to construct an integrated report.

Since the global financial crisis of 2007-8, new laws and regulations have been introduced with the aim of improving the transparency in financial reporting. Despite the dramatically increased flow of information to shareholders and the public, this information flow has not always been meaningful or useful. Often it seems that it is not possible to see the wood for the trees. Financial scalds continue, as Wirecard, NMC Health, Patisserie Valerie, going back to Carillion (and many more) demonstrate. Financial and corporate reporting have never been so fraught with difficulties as companies fail to give guidance about the future in an increasingly uncertain world aided and abetted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This concise book argues that the changes have simply masked an increase in the use of corporate PR, impression management, bullet points, glossy images, and other simulacra which allow poor performance to be masked by misleading information presented in glib boilerplate texts, images, and tables. The tone of the narrative sections in annual reports is often misleading. Drawing on extensive research and interviews with insiders and experts, this book charts what has gone wrong with financial reporting and offers a range of solutions to improve information to both investors and the public. This provides a framework for a new era of forward-looking corporate reporting and guidance based on often conflicting multiple corporate goals. The book also examines and contrasts the latest thinking by the regularity authorities. Providing a compelling exploration of the industry's failings and present difficulties, and the impact of future disruption, this timely, thought-provoking book will be of great interest to students, researchers, and professionals as well as policy makers in accounting, financial reporting, corporate reporting, financial statement analysis, and governance.

The first stock exchange in Warsaw - capital city of the Kingdom of Poland- was established in 1817. Over the past 205 years, the fortunes of the capital market have been closely linked to the "bumpy road" of Polish history. The establishment of the GPW Warsaw Stock Exchange in 1991 was a landmark for transformation from a centrally planned communist economy to a market-driven capitalist one. Since the doors of the exchange reopened, Polish GDP per capita (current USD) increased eight times, translating into an average yearly growth rate of over 7%. The capital market has played a pivotal role in the economic success of Poland over the last three decades. It is not easy to precisely quantify the impact, as it was rather a spill-over effect. Economic growth has fostered the development of a capital market, and more efficient conversion of savings to investments via the capital market. The excellence of capital market institutions can be gauged with reference to various parameters. A synthetic measure is so-called market status. According to FTSE Russell (global index provider), Polish capital attained developed market status in 2018, being the first and only post-communist state to do so. It is fair to say that transformation has been completed and developed market status indicates clearly that the institutions and regulations are world class. The current challenge is competing with other developed markets for the best issuers and offering the most demanding investors an excellent trading experience. This book offers scientific insight into the Polish capital market story. Authored by a group of renowned scholars, with contributions aspiring to the highest academic standards for theoretical considerations and empirical research. The book covers various topics, including links between monetary policy and capital markets, micro and macro market structures, and investors and issuers' behaviour and strategies. All chapters are rooted in contemporary finance theory, supported by various econometric models based on the most recently available data. The book aims to provide academics and practitioners insight into the Polish capital market, appealing especially to those interested in gaining a deeper understanding of emerging markets' successful transformation into developed ones. It can also be used as supplementary reading for doctoral and master's students in finance, particularly relating to capital markets and economics - predominantly development economics and economic policy.

Auditor reporting on going-concern-related uncertainties remains one of the most challenging issues faced by external auditors. Business owners, market participants and audit regulators want an early warning of impending business failure. However, companies typically do not welcome audit opinions indicating uncertainty regarding their future viability. Thus, the auditor's decision to issue a "going concern opinion" (GCO) is a complex and multi-layered one, facing a great deal of tension. Given such a rich context, academic researchers have examined many facets related to an auditor's decision to issue a GCO. This monograph reviews and synthesizes 182 recent GCO studies that have appeared since the last significant review published in 2013 through the end of 2019. The authors categorize studies into the three broad areas of GCO: (1) determinants, (2) accuracy and (3) consequences. As an integral part of their synthesis, they summarize the details of each study in several user-friendly tables. After discussing and synthesizing the research, they present a discussion of opportunities for future research, including issues created or exacerbated as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic. This monograph will be of assistance to researchers interested in exploring this area of auditor responsibility. It will also be of interest to auditing firms and individual practitioners wanting to learn what academic research has examined and found regarding this challenging aspect of audit practice. Auditing standard-setters and regulators will find it of interest as the authors review numerous studies examining issues related to audit policy and regulation, and their effects on GCO decisions. The examination of GCO research is extremely timely given the financial and business disruption caused by the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. This unprecedented global event has caused companies, auditors and professional bodies to revisit and reassess their approach to going concern, and to think even more deeply about this fundamental business imperative.

Despite a plethora of techniques to analyse the financial performance of a business, there has been no single methodology that has been overwhelmingly preferred by users. This could be an indication that either the methods themselves are deficient or they are limited by other factors that are not easily overcome. Unlike the current offerings in the field, which focus on issues relating to business performance management or non-financial aspects (such as market efficiency, satisfaction and workforce productivity), this book offers a solution to a major gap in the literature and understanding for those seeking to measure, analyse and benchmark the financial performance of any organisation (for-profit, not-for-profit and government agencies). It clearly identifies why current techniques fail; proposes and evidences a solution that overcomes these issues by including two algorithms that can be combined, to solve this problem; and demonstrates the practical application of the technique to the benefit of users in order to pinpoint real performance levels and insights. One of the largest issues this book will help to overcome is the inability to compare the accounts of businesses/organisations from different countries that report in different currencies. This technique eliminates the need for currency translations and the issues that arise with that process. This book is an invaluable and practical guide to assist accounting and finance practitioners in measuring and comparing financial performance across firms with different business models, different accounting policies and different scales of operations.

The rapid globalization of capital markets has increased attention toward examining the quality of the disclosure practices implemented by companies, as internationalization and globalization are the most important motives of the harmonization of financial statements preparation and presentation. Given the expansion of trade and the openness to foreign capital markets, investment decisions became not limited only for local users, but also international users may need to access the financial information. The issuance of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) to be used throughout the world aims to improve the comparability and understandability of financial statements, and hence, to enhance investment decisions through helping investors across the borders to invest in multinational companies. Although fluid and under-developed institutional arrangements remain central features of emerging markets, ensuring effective corporate governance mechanisms would indeed support companies in complying with IFRS - the latter imposes a challenge for companies operating in emerging markets. This book evaluates the differences in the level of compliance with IFRS across the GCC states, exploring the impact of corporate governance on the level of compliance with IFRS and presenting an empirical analysis of companies across the GCC. It makes an important contribution by providing a detailed empirical analysis of the interplay between corporate governance and IFRS in emerging market setting and highlights the way for future research. It will provide international business, management, and accounting and finance students and senior practitioners with a completely new and updated guide to the work in the field of corporate governance and IFRS compliance in emerging markets.

This volume is concerned with financial reporting issues resulting from the growth and spread of multinational corporations.The book consists of up-to-date readings from a broad range of international journals which look at, and evaluate, the financial accounting techniques adopted in different parts of the world for dealing with issues such as segment reporting, disclosure standards, financial reporting and stock markets. The final part deals with the reporting practices of individual companies over time. This insightful volume will be of value to researchers and practitioners alike.

Provides an insightful and analytical look at CNR in terms of its relevance and perceived usefulness, limitations in current practices and areas for improvement and incentives and disincentives for disclosing non-financial information. Draws on disclosure theories and take account of the particular nature of CNR in terms of its predominantly forward-looking, qualitative and hard-to-audit nature. Brings together theory and practice and covers the key themes that will be of particular interest to and essential reading for students, academics, investors, annual report preparers, auditors and policy makers.

The Routledge Companion to Accounting History presents a single-volume synthesis of research in this expanding field, exploring and analysing accounting from ancient civilisations to the modern day. No longer perceived as the narrow study of how a mysterious technique was used in past, the scope of accounting history has widened substantially. This revised and updated volume moves beyond the history of accounting technologies, accounting theories and practices and the accountants who applied them. Expert contributors from around the world explore the interfaces between accounting and the economy, society, culture and the polity. Accounting history is shown to offer important insights into such disparate phenomena as the evolution of capitalism, control of labour, gender and family relationships, racial exploitation, the operation of religious organisations, and the functioning of the state. Illuminating the foundation and development of accounting systems, this updated, classic book opens the field to a new generation of accounting scholars and historians around the world.

Corporate governance and corporate reporting are closely linked to each other, and their respective evolutionary patterns are mutually influencing. Along with the recent expansion of company disclosure, a growing attention is being paid to corporate governance determinants and mechanisms underpinning the decision to voluntarily adopt non-financial disclosure formats, such as integrated reporting. At institutional level, several national corporate governance codes have been changed towards the recognition and inclusion of this innovative, non-financial language. In academic research, the influence of corporate governance variables vis-a-vis the choice to embrace such reporting practices has been subject to a long scrutiny. However, only a little inquiry has so far analysed the influence of corporate governance factors on integrated reporting adoption, quality, and credibility. Accordingly, the aim of the book is to investigate if, and to what extent, corporate board composition and characteristics can affect, at the same time, the decision to voluntarily adopt integrated reporting by companies as well as their financial performance. The study carries out an empirical analysis of the professional features of board members at the time of their decision to implement integrated reporting as a new form of company accountability. The work provides innovative insights into the articulated relationships between the quantitative and qualitative composition of corporate boards and the latter's choice to uptake this advanced form of reporting to represent the wider value creation processes of their organisations.

A focused, user-friendly introduction to international financial reporting International Financial Reporting, 8th edition by Melville employs a practical, applied approach in exploring and explaining the key financial standards. With more than 140 countries in the world now using international financial reporting standards (IFRS (R) Standards), knowledge of the standards issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB (R)) is vital to your success in financial accounting. Offering a thorough introduction to international financial reporting, this new edition brings the book completely up-to-date with international standards issued as of 1 January 2022. The title is suitable for second-year undergraduates studying for a degree in accounting and finance and those preparing for examinations for the professional accounting bodies. It explains each standard as clearly and concisely as possible and provides plenty of worked examples and solutions. End-of-chapter exercises feature questions from past exam papers of key professional accountancy bodies to test your grasp of the topics introduced in that chapter. 'Melville's textbook is accessible, comprehensive, reliable, and a pleasure to read.' Dr. Neil Dunne, Trinity College Dublin 'A practical book which takes a very technical subject and breaks it down into concise sections which are easy to follow.' Emma James, Swansea University Pearson, the world's learning company.

Mutual-fund superstar Peter Lynch and author John Rothchild explain the basic principles of investing and business in a primer that will enlighten and entertain anyone who is high-school age or older.

Many investors, including some with substantial portfolios, have only the sketchiest idea of how the stock market works. The reason, say Lynch and Rothchild, is that the basics of investing -- the fundamentals of our economic system and what they have to do with the stock market -- aren't taught in school. At a time when individuals have to make important decisions about saving for college and 401(k) retirement funds, this failure to provide a basic education in investing can have tragic consequences.

For those who know what to look for, investment opportunities are everywhere. The average high-school student is familiar with Nike, Reebok, McDonald's, the Gap, and the Body Shop. Nearly every teenager in America drinks Coke or Pepsi, but only a very few own shares in either company or even understand how to buy them. Every student studies American history, but few realize that our country was settled by European colonists financed by public companies in England and Holland -- and the basic principles behind public companies haven't changed in more than 300 years.

In Learn to Earn, Lynch and Rothchild explain in a style accessible to anyone who is high-school age or older how to read a stock table in the daily newspaper, how to understand a company annual report, and why everyone should pay attention to the stock market. They explain not only how to invest, but also how to think like an investor.

This book, first published in 1982, collects papers about market price valuations capable of different interpretations. Many give quite explicit support for the selling price case. Others are incapable of reasonable interpretation other than in support for selling price valuations. And still others are not inconsistent with the selling price case. Together they provide valuable historical analysis of selling price valuations in diverse contexts.

The objective of this book is to prompt a re-examination of financial literacy, its social foundations, and its relationship to citizenship education. The collection includes topics that concern indigenous people's perspectives, critical race theory, and transdisciplinary perspectives, which invite a dialogue about the ideologies that drive traditional and critical perspectives. This volume offers readers opportunities to learn about different views of financial literacy from a variety of sociological, historical and cultural perspectives. The reader may perceive financial literacy as representing a multifaceted concept best interpreted through a non-segregated lens. The volume includes chapters that describe groundings for revising standards, provide innovative teaching concepts, and offer unique sociological and historical perspectives. This book contains 13 chapters, with each one speaking to a distinctive topic that, taken as a whole, offers a well-rounded vision of financial literacy to benefit social education, its research, and teaching. Each chapter provides a response from an alternative view, and the reader can also access an eResource featuring the authors' rejoinders. It therefore offers contrasting visions about the nature and purpose of financial education. These dissimilar perspectives offer an opportunity for examining different social ideologies that may guide approaches to financial literacy and citizenship, along with the philosophies and principles that shape them. The principles that teach and inform about financial literacy defines the premises for base personal and community responsibility. The work invites researchers and practitioners to reconsider financial literacy/financial education and its social foundations. The book will appeal to a range of students, academics and researchers across a number of disciplines, including economics, personal finance/personal economics, business ethics, citizenship, moral education, consumer education, and spiritual education.

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.

Although the need to expand the boundaries of financial reporting has been discussed since the mid-1990s, little consideration has been given to the evolution and discourses of integrated reporting of non-financial aspects. Yet by investigating how and why an organisation defines and its reporting boundaries, it is possible to understand what is truly "valued" (or not) in its business model. This innovative book reviews the guidelines and frameworks from the major relevant international organisations including: the International Accounting Standards Board, Global Reporting Initiative, Sustainability Accounting Standards Board, International Integrated Reporting Council, Carbon Disclosure Standards Board, and the World Intellectual Capital Initiative, and analyses their development and impact on the boundaries of financial and non-financial reporting. Illustrated with case studies and interviews with representatives of these organisations, this concise volume makes a significant contribution to the future of reporting theory and practice. It will be of great interest to advanced students, researchers, practitioners and policy makers.

This book investigates the legitimacy of the current Australian Financial Services Licensee-Authorised Representative (AFSL-AR) licensing model, as specified in the Commonwealth Corporations Act 2001. The book rectifies the deficiency in scholarly attention to this matter by developing a new conceptualised framework for the financial planning discipline. It takes into account theories in agency, legislation, legitimacy and the independent individual regulatory regimes in other professions; thereafter integrating this framework with the financial planning theory to examine the legitimacy, or what was found to be the illegitimacy of licensing advisers via multiple third party conflicted commercially oriented licensees. This book makes a very useful reference to understanding financial planning licencing model in Australia.

This volume brings together a series of key articles concerning the major accounting jurisdictions within Europe. The articles cover the evolution of financial reporting in various countries and deal with features of their accounting environment which distinguish them from other jurisdictions. It is a unique collection of material which will be an essential aid for students and researchers in comparative international reporting.

This book, first published in 1982, collects papers about market price valuations capable of different interpretations. Many give quite explicit support for the selling price case. Others are incapable of reasonable interpretation other than in support for selling price valuations. And still others are not inconsistent with the selling price case. Together they provide valuable historical analysis of selling price valuations in diverse contexts.

Better analysis for more accurate international financial valuation International Financial Statement Analysis, 4th Edition provides the most up-to-date detail for the successful assessment of company performance and financial position regardless of country of origin. The seasoned experts at the CFA Institute offer readers a rich, clear reference, covering all aspects from financial reporting mechanics and standards to understanding income and balance sheets. Comprehensive guidance toward effective analysis techniques helps readers make real-world use of the knowledge presented, with this new third edition containing the most current standards and methods for the post-crisis world. Coverage includes the complete statement analysis process, plus information on income tax accounting, employee compensation, and the impact of foreign exchange rates on the statements of multinational corporations.

Financial accounting theory has numerous practical applications and policy implications, for instance, international accounting standard setters are increasingly relying on theoretical accounting concepts in the creation of new standards; and corporate regulators are increasingly turning to various conceptual frameworks of accounting to guide regulation and the interpretation of accounting practices. The global financial crisis has also led to a new found appreciation of the social, economic and political importance of accounting concepts generally and corporate financial reporting in particular. For instance, the fundamentals of capital market theory (i.e. market efficiency) and measurement theory (i.e. fair value) have received widespread public and regulatory attention. This comprehensive, authoritative volume provides a prestige reference work which offers students, academics, regulators and practitioners a valuable resource containing the current scholarship and practice in the established field of financial accounting theory.

All business organizations produce financial statements, and the information communicated (or hidden) in these is relevant to a wide range of users. After a number of recent financial scandals from banks to supermarkets, the need to fully understand financial statements has never been so imperative, and the topic itself so pertinent. With updated examples to reflect the current business environment, including new material on the ethical considerations, and a wider array of business examples, from retail to services and banks, O'Hare continues to demist financial statements for non-specialists. In this new and refreshed edition, he once again covers the topic in an accessible way and assumes no prior training or study in accounting. Offering a range of extra resources, including end of chapter questions, topics for further discussion and brimming with real-world examples, this concise new edition provides a comprehensive resource that will be welcomed by lecturers and instructors charged with delivering classes on financial statements.

All business organizations produce financial statements, and the information communicated (or hidden) in these is relevant to a wide range of users. After a number of recent financial scandals from banks to supermarkets, the need to fully understand financial statements has never been so imperative, and the topic itself so pertinent. With updated examples to reflect the current business environment, including new material on the ethical considerations, and a wider array of business examples, from retail to services and banks, O'Hare continues to demist financial statements for non-specialists. In this new and refreshed edition, he once again covers the topic in an accessible way and assumes no prior training or study in accounting. Offering a range of extra resources, including end of chapter questions, topics for further discussion and brimming with real-world examples, this concise new edition provides a comprehensive resource that will be welcomed by lecturers and instructors charged with delivering classes on financial statements.