MGT2280: Accounting Theory & Research

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.

Behavioural research is well established in the social sciences, and has flourished in the field of accounting in recent decades. This far-reaching and reliable collection provides a definitive resource on current knowledge in this new approach, as well as providing a guide to the development and implementation of a Behavioural Accounting Research project. The Routledge Companion to Behavioural Accounting Research covers a full range of theoretical, methodological and statistical approaches relied upon by behavioural accounting researchers, giving the reader a good grounding in both theoretical perspectives and practical applications. The perspectives cover a range of countries and contexts, bringing in seminal chapters by an international selection of behavioural accounting scholars, including Robert Libby and William R. Kinney, Jr. This book is a vital introduction for Ph.D. students as well as a valuable resource for established behavioural accounting researchers.

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.

The field of critical accounting has expanded rapidly since its inception and has become recognised as offering a wealth of provocative insights in the wake of the global financial crisis. It is now firmly embedded within accounting literature and in how accounting is taught. Surveying the evolving field of Critical Accounting, including theory, ethics, history, development and sustainability, this Companion presents key debates in the field, providing a comprehensive overview. Incorporating interdisciplinary perspectives on accounting, the volume concludes by considering new directions in which critical accounting research may travel. With an international array of established and respected contributors, this Routledge Companion is a vital resource for students and researchers across the world.