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A definitive new reference on the major failures of American corporate governance at the start of the 21st century. Tracing the market boom and bust that preceded Enron's collapse, as well as the aftermath of that failure, the book chronicles the meltdown in the telecom sector that gave rise to accounting scandals globally. Featuring expert analysis of the Sarbanes-Oxley legislation that was adopted in response to these scandals, the author also investigates the remarkable market recovery that followed the scandals. An exhaustive guide to the collapse of the Enron Corporation and other financial scandals that erupted in the wake of the market downturn of 2000, this book is an essential resource for students, teachers and professionals in corporate governance, finance, and law.

In the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region, as in the rest of the world, reliable financial information is the cornerstone of a robust market economy and efficient public sector. This book presents both an analysis of the broader trends derived from the individual country-level studies produced under the Report on the Observance of Standards and Codes (ROSC) Accounting and Auditing (A&A) program and a synthesis of lessons learned from the Bank's experiences working with policy makers and other stakeholders to implement the ROSC A&A recommendations. This first chapter introduces the book by showing how sound A&A practices in the private and public sectors contribute to LAC development agenda, and by describing the regional economic context. It then presents three case studies of successful financial reporting and auditing reforms within LAC, showing how these reforms have benefited the countries. It describes drivers of reform that have led some countries to adopt global standards of good A&A practice and others to take a more conservative, wait and see approach. Finally, the chapter describes the objectives and methodology of this study, and the structure of the book.

This title was first published in 2000: The authors’ workbook approach provides a treatment of financial accounting practice which readers at differing levels of knowledge can tailor individually to their learning requirements. There is an appendix of photocopiable formats including financial rations and segment analysis.

Features step-by-step guidance for members and executives on preventing and detecting accounting fraud. This title presents guidance to corporate boards and C-suite executives on managing the threat of accounting fraud. It prepares directors and executives for the possibility of accounting irregularities.

A Brookings Institution Press and American Enterprise Institute publicationA few years ago, Americans held out their systems of corporate governance and financial disclosure as models to be emulated by the rest of the world. But in late 2001 U.S. policymakers and corporate leaders found themselves facing the largest corporate accounting scandals in American history. The spectacular collapses of Enron and Worldcom-as well as the discovery of accounting irregularities at other large U.S. companies-seemed to call into question the efficacy of the entire system of corporate governance in the United States.In response, Congress quickly enacted a comprehensive package of reform measures in what has come to be known as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The New York Stock Exchange and the NASDAQ followed by making fundamental changes to their listing requirements. The private sector acted as well. Accounting firms-watching in horror as one of their largest, Arthur Andersen, collapsed after a criminal conviction for document shredding-tightened their auditing procedures. Stock analysts and ratings agencies, hit hard by a series of disclosures about their failings, changed their practices as well.Will these reforms be enough? Are some counterproductive? Are other shortcomings in the disclosure system still in need of correction?These are among the questions that George Benston, Michael Bromwich, Robert E. Litan, and Alfred Wagenhofer address in Following the Money. While the authors agree that the U.S. system of corporate disclosure and governance is in need of change, they are concerned that policymakers may be overreacting in some areas and taking actions in others that may prove to be ineffective or even counterproductive.Using the Enron case as a point of departure, the authors argue that the major problem lies not in the accounting and auditing standards themselves, but in the system of enforcing those standards.

This practical guide offers helpful guidance on how to go about to submitting to the SEC a company's annual assessment of the effectives of their internal control. Complete with practice aids-including forms, checklists, illustrations, diagrams, and tables-this comprehensive book provides a step-by-step approach for engagement performance and practical guidance on how an entity should test and evaluate its internal controls.

This book is essential for students and practitioners in accounting, international business, finance, and economics. In a straightforward and readable style, it focuses on the changing accounting and auditing standards in national and global economies in the post-Enron/Arthur Andersen era. The authors clarify the reasons behind and consequences of the accounting profession's failure in auditing and self-regulation, as most firms placed consulting profits ahead of public audit duties. They show how Sarbanes-Oxley solutions, while not perfect, are major contributors to the profession's redemption, and have enabled it to rise to new heights of service and revenue. The book offers a detailed examination of accounting practitioners' past challenges and future prospects. It provides a realistic analysis of specific issues facing accounting and auditing firms today, including the growing problem of independence; the need for one set of international accounting standards and one set of auditing standards; adjustments facing the global financial system; and the impact of the Internet and communication systems on accounting firms.

Now fully updated and at your fingertips the most practical, authoritative guide to implementing GAAP Get the answers you need to prepare financial statements and keep up to date on the latest FASB requirements. Now fully revised and updated, Wiley GAAP Policies and Procedures, Second Edition is an ideal companion to the Wiley GAAP guide and provides the practical application information essential to ensuring that a company's accounting systems are fully capable of incorporating the most recent GAAP. A concise version of the more detailed GAAP found in the Wiley GAAP guides, Wiley GAAP Policies and Procedures, Second Edition features handy, illustrative decision trees showing how to determine which GAAP ruling to use in a variety of situations, eliminating hours of time wading through detailed GAAP rulings and presents: * New chapters on interim reporting, segment reporting, and accounting changes and correction of errors * Updated content on FAS No. 151, Inventory Costs, FAS No. 153, Exchanges of Non-monetary Assets, FAS No. 154, Accounting Changes and Error Correction, FAS No. 156, Servicing of Financial Assets * Implementation on nineteen newly issued EITFs * Specific accounting policies that comply with GAAP, especially in terms of creating controls that mesh with GAAP * The most common accounting transactions modified to work within GAAP restrictions * Specific controls that allow the maximum level of control over accounting systems while remaining in compliance with GAAP * Templates for forms and reports that can be used in a GAAP-compliant accounting system * Numerous examples of footnotes that can be used to describe GAAP-mandated financial disclosures * Hundreds of GAAP-compliant journal entries for most accounting transactions Wiley GAAP Policies and Procedures, Second Edition is a valuable tool for CFOs, controllers, accounting managers, and general ledger accountants who need to ensure that their company properly treats all types of accounting transactions in accordance with GAAP.

Business scandals are always with us from the South Sea Bubble to Enron and Parmalat.  As accounting forms a central element of any business success or failure, the role of accounting is crucial in understanding business scandals. This book aims to explore the role of accounting, particularly creative accounting and fraud, in business scandals. The book is divided into three parts. In Part A the background and context of creative accounting and fraud is explored. Part  B looks at a series of international accounting scandals and Part  C draws some themes and implications from the country studies.