Lesson11UnderstandingAccountingPrinciples1SchoolofManagementHUST2OutlinesAccountingstandards:atoolfortrustingIntroductionofAccountingStandardsAccountingStandardsinChinaABriefofAccountingTheory2SchoolofManagementHUST3OpeningStoryEnronscandalagain!Filed8-KtorestateitsfinancialstatementsinNovember8,2001;FiledbankruptcyprotectionunderChapter11inDecember3,2001;Mr.Berardino,thenCEOofAndersen,issuedanannouncement:Enron,awakeupcall;zAccountingstandardsisthefirsttobeblamed;3SchoolofManagementHUST4OpeningStoryThestandardsinvolvedinEnroncase;Specialpurposeentity(SPE);FASBonSPE;z3%independentinterest;zAssumesubstantiallytherisk;EnronandAndersen:stickto3%requirement,ignoringtheriskassessmentrequirement;AccountingStandardsorstandardsenforcement?4SchoolofManagementHUST5§2.1TheValueofAccountingStandard-AccountingandTrustHowcouldaccountinghelptodeveloptrust?Translateallbusinessactivitiesintonumericsoitcouldbesummarized,measuredandevaluated;Managersmayreportanddischargetheiraccountability;zPrincipal-agentproblem;Sinceallcommoninvestorsareprincipals;Free-riderissuesarepervasive;Howtoassuremanagerstoprovidefinancialreporttruthfullyandreliably?5SchoolofManagementHUST6AccountingandTrustArefinancialreportsreliableandobjective?Theinherentlimitationoffinancialaccounting;zMonetarymeasurement:pennywiseandpoundfoolish;WheretoputBillGatesonMicrosoft’sFinancialStatements?zHistoricalcost,accrualbasis,periodicreport:Financialreportingarelagged,nomattergoodnewsorbadnews;6SchoolofManagementHUST7AccountingandTrustBeaware:allmanagers,includingaccountants,areREMMs;Resourceful,Evaluator,MaximizerModelzAccountingcomesdowntothe-vehicle-for-bank-robbers;zAlltheblamestoaccountingforits“uniquerole”inYinguangxia,Enron,WorldCom,etc.7SchoolofManagementHUST8AccountingandTrustToassurethereliabilityofaccountinginformation,manymechanismaredevisedandemployed;Periodicandtimelydisclosure;Fulldisclosure;Accountingstandards:zWhygenerallyaccepted?Auditing:zAdditionaltooltoassurethereliabilityofaccountinginformation.8SchoolofManagementHUST9AccountingStandards:aTrustPerspectiveREMMspushthelinesashardaspossible;Executiveswillabuseaccountingnumbersgiventhatthesenumbersareessentialintheirperformanceevaluation;Incentivetomanageandmanipulateearnings.9SchoolofManagementHUST10OpendiscussionRevenuerecognitioncriteria:¾Earnedprocessdone,considerationsguaranteed;Howtoaccountfor¾Sellandrepurchasetransactions?¾Sellandlease-backtransactions?10SchoolofManagementHUST11Opendiscussion¾Conclusion:forsellandrepurchasetransactions,therevenuerecognitioncriteriasatisfied;Buttheyarefinancinginsubstance.)Substanceoverform.11SchoolofManagementHUST12AccountingStandards:aTrustPerspectiveInordertosolvethedisputesonaccountingchoices,agreementonthesetofaccountingchoicesisnecessary;¾Wedefinethisasaccountingstandards;¾ItisalsonamedasGAAPinUS;12SchoolofManagementHUST13§2.2IntroductionofAccountingStandardsVariedtermsAccountingnorms;Accountingprinciples;Accountingstandards;GAAP;InternationalAccountingStandards,Financialreportingstandards;…Focusonsubstance,notform;13SchoolofManagementHUST14IntroductionofAccountingStandardsAccountingstandards:¾Mustbeauthoritativelysupported;¾Otherwise,nobindingeffect;Twowaystogainauthoritativesupport;¾AuthoritativenessfromGovernmentaladministration;MinistryofFinanceactingasstandardssetter;¾Widelyrepresentedtogainauthoritativeness;ThisisthecaseofFASBbefore2002;PCAOB,aquasi-governmentalagency,steppedinafter2002.14SchoolofManagementHUST15IntroductionofAccountingStandardsGAAPisasetofstandardsandrulesrecognizedasageneralguideforfinancialreportingsupportedby:SECMandatesGAAPFASBDevelopsGAAPCollaborate15SchoolofManagementHUST16IntroductionofAccountingStandardsAccountingstandardsmustbeeffectiveinresolvingdisputes;Stilltwowaystoreducedisputes;Focuson“scientific”principlestoguide;Furnishwithcooking-booksolutions;Thisisthestoryofprinciple-basedandrule-based.16SchoolofManagementHUST17IntroductionofAccountingStandardsAccountingstandardsinChina¾AccountingLaw,2000;¾RegulationsforBusinessFinancialReporting,StateCouncil,2000;¾BusinessAccountingStandards,MinistryofFinance;Newstandardswillbeexpected;¾UnifiedAccountingSystems,MinistryofFinance,2001;¾Temporaryexplanations;17SchoolofManagementHUST18IntroductionofAccountingStandardsCSRCanditsroleinregulatingpubliccompanies’accountingpractice;¾Twosetsofregulations;Informationdisclosureonformsandcontents;Rulesforinformationdisclosure;¾Actuallyaffectpubliccompanies’accountingpractice;ThechangeofrulesonNon-recurringgainsandlosses;18SchoolofManagementHUST19IntroductionofAccountingStandardsAccountingstandardsitselfisinthestateofkeep-changing;¾TheearlystageofA/S,easyandsimple;ThefirstbatchofA/Sonlyincludes6itemswhenapprovedbyAIAandNYSECin1933;¾Morecomplicated;154statementspublishedbyFASBastoMay2005;19SchoolofManagementHUST20IntroductionofAccountingStandardsAccountingStandardsEvolutioninChina¾After1949,wekilledallthemarket;Everythingisundercentralplanning;zWeplannedeverything,includin