International Comparative Studies on Accounting System Change from Viewpoint of Institutional Theories

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

The research aims at theoretical analysis of accounting system change, accompanying highly complex, dynamic, and sometimes even contradictory aspects, observed for years, especially since 2000, in global economy. The most illustrative example may he a proposal by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) that they would make comprehensive income (= net income + window fall) a unique performance measure by eliminating net income from income statement The empirical research, however, has commonly been reported that net income is more relevant than comprehensive income in terms of predictive value of stock prices. We try to find out the elements that drive this orientation of system change in accounting, and to give theoretically consistent explanation to the accounting change that on the surface appears to be in opposition to needs of information users. Our conclusion is that we can explain theory-consistently the accounting change mentioned above by applying to our research some basic ideas and concepts of the Comparative Institutional Analysis (CIA), such as belief of standard setters as monopoly decision-makers, understanding of actual state by citizens with bounded rationality, and mutual action of players formulated in evolutionary game theory. The emphasis on institutional charades of social rules in the CIA shares an underlying research focus with the notion of "general acceptance" of standards in accounting. This enables us to apply the CIA to our accounting research, and to this extent, our research results may be showing us a new frontier of study in this field. One of the most remarkable results of our research is a publication of a book, Institutional Perspective on System Change in Accounting: With Special Reference to International Convergence of Accounting Standards, Chuokeizai Publisher Co., 246p. 2007.