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Measurement in Financial Reporting: Half a Century of Research and Practice

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  • Geoffrey Whittington

Abstract

type="main"> The paper explores developments in the choice of measurement method in financial reporting over the half century that has elapsed since the foundation of Abacus in 1965. The discussion is confined to the specific problem of measuring individual assets and liabilities, rather than the wider problems of the choice of measurement unit (as in inflation accounting) or capital maintenance (as in income measurement). Changes in financial reporting practice and standards are considered in relation to developments in academic research. This has been a two-way process: research has been stimulated by problems of practice, and practice, particularly as embodied in standards, has been influenced by the results of research. Both have been influenced by significant events in the world economy, notably the inflation of the 1970s and the global financial crisis that started in 2007. Historical cost has retained its position as the predominant measurement technique in practice, but considerable progress has been made in the implementation and understanding of current value measurements, although the principles for choosing between alternative current values (particularly ‘entry’ values as opposed to ‘exit’ values) require further exploration by standard setters, assisted by academic research.

Suggested Citation

  • Geoffrey Whittington, 2015. "Measurement in Financial Reporting: Half a Century of Research and Practice," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 51(4), pages 549-571, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:abacus:v:51:y:2015:i:4:p:549-571
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1111/abac.12061
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Geoffrey Whittington, 2008. "Fair Value and the IASB/FASB Conceptual Framework Project: An Alternative View," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 44(2), pages 139-168, June.
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    2. Yasmine Chahed, 2021. "Words and Numbers: Financialization and Accounting Standard‐Setting in the United Kingdom," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 38(1), pages 302-337, March.
    3. Hayoun, Shaul, 2019. "How fair value is both market-based and entity-specific: The irreducibility of value constellations to market prices," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 68-82.
    4. Guilherme Belloque & Martina K Linnenluecke & Mauricio Marrone & Abhay K Singh & Rui Xue, 2021. "55 years of Abacus: Evolution of Research Streams and Future Research Directions," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 57(3), pages 593-618, September.
    5. Martina K. Linnenluecke & Jacqueline Birt & Xiaoyan Chen & Xin Ling & Tom Smith, 2017. "Accounting Research in Abacus, A&F, AAR, and AJM from 2008–2015: A Review and Research Agenda," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 53(2), pages 159-179, June.
    6. Stewart Jones & Murray Wells, 2015. "Accounting Research: Where Now?," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 51(4), pages 572-586, December.
    7. Richard D. Morris, 2024. "Commentary on ‘Accounting for Inflation: The Dog That Didn't Bark’," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 60(1), pages 13-20, March.
    8. Esraa Esam Alharasis & Maria Prokofieva & Rateb Mohammad Alqatamin & Colin Clark, 2020. "Fair Value Accounting and Implications for the Auditing Profession: Historical Overview," Accounting and Finance Research, Sciedu Press, vol. 9(3), pages 1-31, August.
    9. Stewart Jones & Nurul Alam, 2019. "A machine learning analysis of citation impact among selected Pacific Basin journals," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 59(4), pages 2509-2552, December.
    10. Ronita Ram & Susan Newberry, 2017. "Agenda Entrance Complexity in International Accounting Standard Setting: The Case of IFRS for SMEs," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 53(4), pages 485-512, December.
    11. Francesca Beccacece & Roberto Tasca & Luisa Tibiletti, 2021. "The Macaulay Duration: A Key Indicator for the Risk-Adjustment in Fair Value," International Journal of Business and Management, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 13(12), pages 251-251, July.

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