Financial Accounting Theory

William Scott received his B. Comm. from Carleton University, and his MBA and Ph.D. from the School of Business, University of Chicago. He is a Fellow of Chartered Professional Accountants Canada. His research has been published in the Journal of Accounting Research, Contemporary Accounting Research, Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, and several other academic journals. He has served on the editorial boards of Journal of Accounting Research, Contemporary Accounting Research, and The Accounting Review; and served a term as Editor of Contemporary Accounting Research. He has taught at Carleton University, University of Chicago, Queen’s University at Kingston, University of British Columbia and University of Waterloo, and is now distinguished Emeritus Professor at University of Waterloo.Professor Patricia C. O’Brien is the EY Professor at the School of Accounting & Finance, University of Waterloo. Her research, on topics concerning financial analysts, financial reporting standards, and information in capital markets, is published in many of the premier accounting journals. In 2009, the Canadian Academic Accounting Association honored Professor O’Brien with the Haim Falk Award for Distinguished Contribution to Accounting Thought. She currently serves on the Academic Advisory Council to Canada’s Accounting Standards Board. She has served as Editor-in-Chief of Contemporary Accounting Research (CAR), and on the editorial boards of CAR, the Journal of Accounting Research, The Accounting Review, and the Journal of Accounting and Public Policy. She holds an A.B. degree cum laude in mathematics from Cornell University, and earned her M.B.A. and Ph.D. degrees at the University of Chicago. Prior to joining Waterloo, Professor O’Brien was a faculty member at the University of Rochester, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Michigan, London Business School, and York University. She has held visiting appointments at the Helsinki School of Economics, the University of Chicago, Stanford University, and the University of Amsterdam, as well as in the Office of the Chief Economist of the Ontario Securities Commission.

• IntroductionAccounting Under Ideal ConditionsThe Decision Usefulness Approach to Financial ReportingEfficient Securities MarketsThe Value Relevance of Accounting InformationThe Valuation Approach to Decision UsefulnessValuation ApplicationsThe Efficient Contracting Approach to Decision UsefulnessAn Analysis of ConflictExecutive CompensationEarnings ManagementStandard Setting Economic IssuesStandard Setting Political Issues