Global Financial Reporting
The Past, Present and Likely Future
The monograph Global Financial Reporting: The Past, Present and Likely Future, one in
the series of seven monographs written on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the
Department of Accounting at the University of Lodz, examines the development of financial
reporting from various perspectives and presents the activities aimed at building
foundations for global financial reporting. An unquestioned authority in the latter field
was Professor Alicja Jaruga, head of the Department until 1998, who became interested in
the worldwide harmonisation of accounting and started the comparative research on
international accounting issues in the 1980s. This monograph is intended as a form of
tribute to this wonderful person, who passed away in 2011. All three authors were
privileged to know her well.
The first chapter, written by David Alexander, addresses the theoretical and conceptual
aspects of financial reporting. It deals with the essence of the communication and
transmission of financial information, the role of financial (and non-financial)
reporting, and the conceptual basis for reporting, among other wide-ranging issues. Some
thought is given to questions regarding the application of International Financial
Reporting Standards (IFRS) after Brexit.
The second chapter, written by Stephen A. Zeff , puts global financial reporting in an
institutional perspective and explores the relationship between financial and
non-financial reporting. It describes also the US approach to the implementation of IFRS.
The third chapter, written by Radek Ignatowski, covers the regulatory and practical
aspects of the adoption of IFRS. It provides an analysis of the Polish regulations
relating to IFRS and discusses the results of quantitative and qualitative research on the
conservatism of Polish regulations and the quality of financial statements prepared in
accordance with EU IFRS.
As exemplified by the content of the monograph, it is possible to combine the knowledge
and experience gained from working at various scientific centres in the world (University
of Birmingham, UK; Rice University, Houston, USA; University of Lodz, Poland) to achieve
a synergistic effect. Based on their extensive specialist expertise, the authors
raise the controversial issue of the likely successful achievement, or otherwise, of the
global financial reporting initiative, believing that such an issue deserves
popularisation and in-depth discussion.
David Alexander – now emeritus professor of accounting from the
University of Birmingham, UK. Long career in academia; membership of the Institute of
Chartered Accountants in England and Wales since 1971. Author of many papers and several
textbooks on accounting theory and international financial reporting. Research interests:
theoretical aspects of financial accounting and reporting; the communication of ideas
(defining the underlying ideas; transmitting an understanding of the latter through the
medium of language; receiving and ‘decoding’ these communications by recipients who do
not share these ideas).
Stephen A. Zeff – professor of accounting at Rice University,
Houston, USA, since 1978; Dr. h.c. of foreign universities; lecturer in over 55 countries.
Former editor of “The Accounting Review”; president of the American Accounting
Association; international research adviser to the Institute of Chartered Accountants of
Scotland. Member of the UK Financial Reporting Council academic panel. Author or editor of
31 books, author of over 100 articles in academic and professional accounting journals.
Research interests: historical and comparative evolution of standard setting and of
accounting thought and practice.
Radek Ignatowski – associate professor of accounting; PhD in
economic sciences; employed at the University of Lodz, Poland, since 1984. Member of the
Polish Accounting Committee, responsible for international cooperation (since 2004), and
the Polish Audit Oversight Commission (since 2016). Author or co-author of about 200
publications, among them books, research papers, scientific articles for the general
public, professional guides and other works. Research interests: mergers, transformations
and divisions of business entities; group financial reporting; accounting harmonisation
and international accounting.
206 pages, Paperback