CH 01
CH 01
                                    CHAPTER 1
                      FINANCIAL REPORTING AND
                       ACCOUNTING STANDARDS
                            TRUE-FALSE—Conceptual
 1. Financial statements are the principal means through which financial information is
    communicated to those outside an enterprise.
 2. Capital markets are increasingly integrated and companies have greater flexibility in
    deciding where to raise capital.
 3. The major financial statements used under International Financial Reporting Standards
    (IFRS) include the statement of changes in financial position and the statement of
    stockholders’ equity.
 4. In order to provide information that is useful in decision making and capital allocation, the
    International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) requires all companies to use a common
    currency.
 5. Users of the financial information provided by a company use that information to make
    capital allocation decisions.
 7. Over 149 jurisdictions require or permit use of International Financial Reporting Standards
    (IFRS).
 8. While objectives for financial reporting exist on an informal basis, no formal objectives have
    been adopted.
 9. One weakness of accrual accounting is that it does not provide a good indication of the
    enterprise's present and continuing ability to generate favorable cash flows.
10. The passage of a new International Financial Reporting Standards Statement requires the
    support of ten of the thirteen board members.
12. The standard-setting structure used by the International Accounting Standards Board is very
    similar to that used by the Financial Accounting Standards Board.
13. The rules-based standards of IASB are more detailed than the simpler, principles-based
    standards of U.S. GAAP.
14. The International Accounting Standards Board issues International Financial Reporting
    Standards.
15. International Accounting Standards are no longer considered applicable because they have
    been replaced by International Financial Reporting Standards.
16. The standards issued by various standard-setting organizations around the world include
    standards that are profit-oriented and investor-focused.
17. The two major standard-setting organizations in the world are the International Accounting
    Standards Board (IASB) and International Organization of Securities Commission (IOSCO).
18. IFRS is considered more comprehensive than U.S. GAAP and the standards contain more
    implementation guidance than U.S. GAAP.
19. The International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) sets accounting standards
    for those countries which have not yet adopted IFRS.
20. The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) follows specific steps in developing
    International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS); the first step in the process is holding a
    public hearing.
21. A unanimous vote by all Board members is needed to issue a new International Financial
    Reporting Standard (IFRS).
22. The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) has 13 members and each member
    of the IASB must come from a different country.
23. Interpretations issued by the IFRS Interpretations Committee are more authoritative than
    IASB Standards and Interpretations.
24. The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) is a regulatory agency with
    enforcement powers for its International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).
26. Financial reports in the early 21st century did not provide any information about a
    company’s soft assets.
27. Accounting standards are now less likely to require the recording or disclosure of fair value
    information due to its inherent subjectivity.
28. IFRS are a product of careful logic or empirical findings and are not influenced by political
    action.
29. The expectations gap is caused by what the public thinks accountants should be doing and
    what accountants think they can do.
32. Significant financial reporting issues facing global financial reporting and efficient capital
    allocation include how to provide backward-looking information.
33. The IASB relies primarily on the International Organization of Securities Commissions
    (IOSCO) for regulation and enforcement of its standards.
34. U.S. and European regulators have agreed to recognize each other’s standards for listing
    on the various world securities exchanges.
    35. IFRS tends to be simpler and more flexible in the accounting and disclosure requirements
        than U.S. GAAP.
True-False Answers—Conceptual
     Item        Ans.     Item      Ans.         Item                          Ans.   Item    Ans.   Item    Ans.
        1.        T        8.        F           15.                            F       22.    F       29.    T
        2.        T        9.        F           16.                            F       23.    F       30.    F
        3.        F       10.        F           17.                            F       24.    F       31.    F
        4.        F       11.        F           18.                            F       25.    T       32.    F
        5.        T       12.        T           19.                            F       26.    F       33.    T
        6.        T       13.        F           20.                            F       27.    F       34.    T
        7.        T       14.        T           21.                            F       28.    F       35.    T
                                        MULTIPLE CHOICE
    36.      The financial statements most frequently provided include all of the following except the
             a. statement of financial position.
             b. income statement.
             c. statement of cash flows.
             d. statement of retained earnings.
    37.      All the following are differences between financial and managerial accounting in how
             accounting information is used except to
             a. plan and control company's operations.
             b. decide whether to invest in the company.
             c. evaluate borrowing capacity to determine the extent of a loan to grant.
             d. All of these answers are differences.
    38.      Which of the following represents a form of communication through financial reporting but
             not through financial statements?
             a. Statement of financial position.
             b. President's letter.
             c. Income statement.
             d. Notes to financial statements.
P
    39.      The process of identifying, measuring, analyzing, and communicating financial information
             needed by management to plan, evaluate, and control an organization’s operations is
             called
             a. financial accounting.
             b. managerial accounting.
             c. tax accounting.
             d. auditing.
40.   The major financial statements include all of the following except:
      a. Statement of financial position.
      b. Statement of changes in financial position.
      c. Statement of comprehensive income.
      d. Statement of changes in equity.
42.   How does accounting help the capital allocation process attract investment capital?
      a. Provides timely, relevant information.
      b. Encourages innovation.
      c. Promotes productivity.
      d. Provides timely, relevant information and encourages innovation.
44.   What would be an advantage of having all countries adopt and follow the same
      accounting standards?
      a. Consistency.
      b. Comparability.
      c. Lower preparation costs.
      d. Comparability and lower preparation costs
    53.   What is due process in the context of standard setting at the IASB?
          a. IASB operates in full view of the public.
          b. Public hearings are held on proposed accounting standards.
          c. Interested parties can make their views known.
          d. All of these answers are correct.
    54.   Which of these statements regarding the IFRS and U.S. GAAP is correct?
          a. U.S. GAAP is considered to be "principles-based" and more detailed than IFRS.
          b. U.S. GAAP is considered to be "rules-based" and less detailed than IFRS.
          c. IFRS is considered to be "principles-based" and less detailed than U.S. GAAP
          d. Both U.S. GAAP and IFRS are considered to be "rules-based", but U.S. GAAP tends to
             be more complex.
    55.   The IASB's standard-setting structure includes all of the following except:
          a. IFRS Interpretations Committee
          b. IFRS Advisory Council
          c. IFRS Comparison Committee
          d. Trustees
P
    56.   The following published documents are part of the "due process" system used by the
          IASB in the evolution of a typical IASB Standard
                 1. Exposure Draft
                 2. IASB Standard
                 3. Discussion Paper
          The chronological order in which these items are released is as follows:
          a. 1, 2, 3.
          b. 1, 3, 2.
          c. 2, 3, 1.
          d. 3, 1, 2.
    58.   In the past, many countries have relied on their own standard-setting organizations. The
          standards issued by these various standard-setting organizations around the world
          include
          a. Tax-oriented standards.
          b. Business-based standards.
          c. Principles-based standards.
          d. All of these answers are correct.
60.   When comparing U.S. GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS)
      a. IFRS are considered more comprehensive than U.S. GAAP.
      b. IFRS contain more implementation guidance than U.S. GAAP.
      c. IFRS are considered more principles-based than U.S. GAAP.
      d. All of the choices are correct regarding U.S. GAAP and IFRS.
61.   Which of the following organizations is not among the four international standard-setting
      organizations?
      a. IFRS Foundation.
      b. IFRS.
      c. IFRS.
      d. International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO).
62.   The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) follows specific steps in developing
      International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). Place the following steps in the
      correct order:
                 1) Research and analysis conducted; preliminary views of pros and cons
                     issued.
                 2) Topics identified and placed on the agenda.
                 3) Board evaluates responses, final standard issued.
                 4) Public hearing on proposed standard
                 5) Board evaluates research, issues exposure draft.
      a.   1, 2, 3, 4, 5
      b.   2, 1, 4, 5, 3
      c.   1, 2, 5, 4, 3
      d.   1, 2, 5, 3, 4
63.   Which of the following is true with regard to the characteristics of the International
      Accounting Standards Board (IASB)?
      a. A unanimous vote by all Board members is needed to issue a new International
         Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS).
      b. The IASB consists of 13 part-time members.
      c. Each member of the IASB must come from a different country.
      d. IASB members are appointed for 5-year renewable terms.
65.   Which of the following statements is true regarding the International Accounting Standards
      Board (IASB)?
      a. The IASB is a regulatory agency with enforcement powers for its International
         Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).
      b. The IASB is a public organization, funded by taxpayer dollars from member countries.
      c. Is comprised of 13 members.
      d. All of the choices are correct regarding the IASB.
66.   Which of the following is not one of the major types of pronouncements issued by the
      International Accounting Standards Board (IASB)?
      a. International financial reporting standard.
      b. Memorandum of understanding.
      c. Framework for financial reporting.
      d. International financial reporting interpretations.
69.   Which of the following is not a major challenge facing the accounting profession?
      a. Nonfinancial measurements.
      b. Timeliness.
      c. Accounting for hard assets.
      d. Forward-looking information.
70.   What is a possible danger if politics plays too big a role in developing IFRS?
      a. Financial reporting standards that are issued that are not truly generally accepted.
      b. Individuals may influence the standards.
      c. User groups become active.
      d. The IASB delegates its authority to elected officials.
 73.     The international financial reporting environment includes challenges in financial reporting
         including all of the following except:
          a. Political environment.
          b. Expectations gap.
          c. Decision-usefulness.
          d. Ethics.
 74.     Significant financial reporting issues facing global financial reporting and efficient capital
         allocation include all of the following except:
         a. How to provide backward-looking information.
         b. How to report nonfinancial measures such as customer satisfaction.
         c. How to provide forward-looking information.
         d. How to provide real-time financial statement information.
EXERCISES
Solution 1-76
The objective of financial reporting is to provide financial information about the reporting entity
that is useful to present and potential equity investors, lenders and other creditors in making
decisions about providing resources to the entity.
Information that is decision-useful to capital providers (investors) may also be useful to other
users of financial reporting who are not investors.
Solution 1-77
1. An independent standard-setting board overseen by a geographically and professionally
   diverse body of trustees.
2. A thorough and systematic process for developing standards.
3. Engagement with investors, regulators, business leaders, and the global accountancy
   profession at every stage of the process.
4. Collaborative efforts with the worldwide standard-setting community.
Ex. 1-78—IASB.
List and discuss the characteristics of the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) that
reinforce the importance of an open, transparent and independent process.
Solution 1-78
1. Membership. The Board consists of 13 members. Members are well-paid and appointed for
   five-year renewable terms. The 13 members come from different countries.
2. Autonomy. The IASB is not part of any other professional organization. It is appointed by and
   answerable only to the IFRS Foundation.
3. Independence. IASB members must sever all ties from their past employer. The members are
   selected for their expertise in standard-setting rather than to represent a given country.
4. Voting. Seven of 13 votes are needed to issue a new IFRS.
Solution 1-79
The steps in the development of an IFRS are:
a. Topics are identified and placed on the Board's agenda.
b. Research and analysis are conducted and preliminary views of pros and cons are issued.
c. A public hearing on the proposed standard is held.
d. The Board evaluates the research and public response and issues an exposure draft.
e. The Board evaluates the responses and changes the exposure draft, if necessary. The final
   standard is then issued.
Solution 1-80
Relevant and reliable financial information is a necessity for viable capital markets. Unfortunately,
financial statements from companies outside the United States are often prepared using different
principles than U.S. GAAP. As a result, international companies have to develop financial
information in different ways. Beyond the additional costs these companies incur, users of
financial statements are often forced to understand at least two sets of GAAP. It is not surprising
that there is a growing demand for one set of high quality international standards.
Solution 1-81
Principles-based rules are considered to be based on broad accounting principles aimed at
ensuring that companies’ financial statements are fairly presented. Rules-based standards are
generally quite detailed, and in many instances follow a “check-box” mentality that some contend
may shield auditors and companies from legal liability. Because IFRS tend to be simpler and less
stringent in accounting and disclosure requirements, they are generally considered more
principles-based than U.S. GAAP.