Sign Up Now
Get instant access to over 1 million+ study documents
OR
Already registered? click here to login
By creating your account, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and student honor code.
Q1. How have accounting techniques changed in recent years? How do they resemble practices in Italy during the Renaissance?
According to McCrie (2016), one of the great innovations which emerged during the Renaissance was that of double-entry bookkeeping. This technique, still used today, records the organization’s assets in one column or book versus liabilities, or claims on those assets (p.252). The term “dual entry” came into practice given both records were listed in dual columns. Still, some substantial innovations have taken place since the early days of double-entry bookkeeping, most notably the advent of technology such as computers to compute assets and store data. The actual book of originally-recorded assets in real time now called a journal and the book which records the cumulative data is called a ledger. Debits and credits are the terms are now the preferred terms for assets and liabilities. But while terminology has changed and techniques have improved, the same principle holds steadfast of the need to record inputs and outputs.
Q2. Discuss the importance of notes to consolidated balance sheets and statements of operations.
Although most of the entries on a balance sheet will be in numerical form, consolidation on the balance sheet can be useful...
It is possible to distinguish between current and fixed assets and liabilities. These financial elements are in a constant state of flux. For example, current assets take the form of cash or assets which can be easily converted to cash such as inventory (McCrie, 2016, p.253). As a result, they can be used to purchase fixed assets such as new factories, equipment, and machinery. But even this is not enough detail, as the depreciation costs of such inventory must be taken into consideration.
Liabilities are also distinguished by long-term and short-term liabilities. While short-term liabilities include accounts payable, notes payable, and regular accrued expenses such as wages owned to employees, long-term liabilities include long-term debt that must be paid by the company, such as to lenders (McCrie, 2016). Dividends payable to shareholders are all forms of liabilities (McCrie, 2016). Again, the different character of these liabilities must be taken into consideration for a full portrait of the company’s financial picture. While excessive liabilities in the form of costs are problematic, not all liabilities are equally so.
In general, debts to lenders must be paid back (including bondholders) while holders of equity are acknowledged to have…
The attention on cases of impairment has generally been reduced, but this is expected to increase with the more emphasis placed on financial analysis and audits, a need generated by the contemporaneous economic crisis (Wayman, 2009). As an addition then, there have been developed complementary regulations. IFRS 3 for instance, states that while amortisation tests will not be conducted, impairments tests will still be performed. IAS 39 states that
Particulars of Enron's Bankruptcy There were a number of specific actions that led to Enron's bankruptcy. The majority of these pertain to a lack of accountability on the part of numerous people in key positions at this firm. The individual accountants at Arthur Andersen, the now defunct accounting firm that worked for this company, allowed Enron to utilize dubious accounting practices without trying to curtail them. Upper level management was guilty
Accounting Ethics Ethics of Accounting There have been breaches in the ethics of accounting in recent times. With that in mind, evaluate whether or not the current trend in the regulation of business establishments is favorable to ethical behavior. Supply supportive evidence to your answers (Jeter, 2003). The generally accepted principles of accounting and the standards of auditing in contemporary practice stipulate that the financial statements of any establishment should contain the following
During this process you would want to collect any kind of financial information that will be relevant for the completing the audit. Once this takes place, you would want to establish a follow up interview with key personnel in the company. The idea is compare and analyze what you are being told by executives with actual documentation. Where, you would look for inconsistencies when comparing what the person is
Accounting of Enron In recent months the rules regarding special purpose entitles have come under great scrutiny. Special purpose entities allow firms to raise debt while at the same time making it almost impossible for investors to determine the actual amount of debt exposure. ("Special Purpose Entities are Often a Clever Way to Raise Debt Levels") Thus was the case with Enron, which collapsed in 2001 when their fraudulent accounting practice
Such adjusting entries will help to improve the accuracy of financial statements. Adjusting entries is necessary because accrual accounting systems demand that the events are recorded accurately. They are not to be recorded strictly on the basis of cash transactions, and all of these adjustments serve to translate the accounting figures that arise from the cash accounting to accrual accounting by incorporating all of the different non-cash transactions and ensuring