具体描述
作者简介
目录信息
PART l
FlNANCIAL ACCOUNTlNG
l The Nature and Purpose of
Accounting,
The Need for Infonnation,
Operating Infonnation,
Financial Accounting,
Management Accounting,
Definition of Accounting,
The Profession of Accounting
Our Approach to Accounting,
Preconceptions about
Accounting,
PlanoftheBook,
The Financial Accounting
Framework,
Accounting's Historical
Antecedents,
Accounting as a Language,
Nature of Principles,
Criteria,
Source of Accounting
Principles,
Financial Statements,
Financial Statement
Objectives,
Income Tax Reporting,
Case l-l Kim Brooks,
Case l-2 Baron Cobur-g,
2 Basic Accounting Concepts: The
Balance Sheet,
Basic Concepts,
The Money Measurement
Concept,
The Entity Concept,
The Going-Concem Concopt,
The Cost Concept,
The Dual-Aspect Concept,
The Balance Sheet,
An Overall View,
Account Categories,
Assets,
Liabilities,
Owners' Equity,
Ratios,
Balance Sheet Changes,
Original Capital Contribution,
Bank Loan,
Purchase of Merchandise,
Sale of Merchandise,
Concluding Comment,
Case 2-1, Maynard Company (A),
Case 2-2, Music Mart, Inc.,
Case 2-3, Redwood Cafe (A),
Case 2-4, Los Niiios Day Care
Center,
3 Basic Accounting Concepts: The
Income Statement,
The Nature of Income,
The Accounting Period Concept
Interim Reports,
Relation between Income and
Owners' Equity,
Income Not the Same as Increase in
Cash,
The Conservatism Concept,
Application to Revenue
Recognition,
The Realization Concept,
The Matching Concept,
Recognition of Expenses
Tenninology,
Criteria for Expense
Recognition,
Expenses and Expenditures,
Dividends,
Summary of Expense
Measurement,
Gains and Losses,
The Consistency Concept,
The Materiality Concept,
The Income Statement,
Revenues,
Cost of Sales,
Gross Margin,
Expenses,
Net Income, .
Statement of Retained
Eamings,
Relation between Balance Sheet and
Income Statement,
Income Statement Percentages-
Other Concepts of Income,
Accrual versus Cash-Basis
Accounting,
Income Tax Accounting,
Economic Income,
Case 3-1 Maynard Company (B),
Case 3-2 Santa Fe Art Gallery,
Case 3-3 Redwood Cafe (B),
Case 3-4 John Bartlett,
Case 3-5 Pinetree Motel,
Case 3-6 National Helontogical
Association,
4 Accounting Records and Systems,
Recordkeeping Fundamentals,
The Account,
Permanent Accounts and Temporary
Accounts,
The Ledger,
The Chart of Accounts
Debit and Credit,
Transaction Analysis,
Example: Campus Pizzeria
Inc.,
Balancing Accounts,
The Trial Balance,
The Adjusting and Closing
Process,
Adjusting Entries,
Closing Entries,
Statement Preparation,
The Joumal,
Summary of the Accounting
Process,
Accounting Systems
Special Joumals,
Control Accounts and Subsidiary
Ledgers,
Imprest Funds,
Intemal Accounting Controls, "
Significant Recordkeeping
Ideas,
Computer-Based Accounting
Systems,
What a Computer-Based System
Does,
Relation to Manual Systems,
Problems with Computer
Systems,
Appendix: Additional Accounting
Cycle Procedures,
Locating Errors Revealed by the
Trial Balance,
The Worksheet,
Case4-l,PCDepot,
Case 4-2, Save-Mart,
Case 4-3, Copies Express,
Case 4-4, Trevino's Service Station
l24
5 Revenue and Monetary Assets,
Timing of Revenue Recognition,
Basic Recognition Criteria,
Delivery Method,
Percentage-of-Completion
Method,
Production Method,
Installment Method,
Amount of Revenue Recognized
Bad Debts,
Sales Discounts,
Credit Card Sales,
Sales Retums and Allowances,
Revenue Adjustment versus
Expense
Warranty Costs,
Interest Revenue,
Monetary Assets,
Difference in Reporting Monetary
and Nonmonetary Assets,
Cash,
Receivables,
Marketable Securities,
Analysis of Monetary Assets,
Current Ratio,
Acid-Test Ratio,
Days' Cash,
Days' Receivables,
Case 5-1 Moyer Corporation (A),
Case 5-2 MacDonald's Fann
Case 5-3 Middleburg Realty
Company,
Case 5-4 Jean Coffin (A)
6 Cost of Sales and Inventories,
Types of Companies,
Supplies,
Merchandising Companies,
Acquisition Cost,
The Basic Measurement
Problem, l64
Periodic Inventory Method,
Perpetual Inventory Method,
Comparison of Periodic and
Perpetual Methods,
Retail Method,
Manufacturing Companies,
Inventory Accounts,
Materials Used,
Cost of Goods Manufactured,
Cost of Goods Sold,
Product Costing Systems,
Product Costs and Period
Costs, 176
Service Companies,
Inventory Costing Methods,
Specific Identification Method,
Average Cost Method, 379
First-ln, First-Out Method,
Last-ln, First-Out Method,
Comparison of Methods,
Lower of Cost or Market,
Analysis of Inventory,
Inventory Turnover,
Case 6-1, Riechel Company,
Case 6-2, Fahning Manufacturing
Company,
Case 6-3, Medfield Corporation,
Case 6-4, Morgan Manufacturing,
Case 6-5, R. J. Reynolds Tobacco
Company,
Case 6-6, Jean Coffin (B),
7 Long-Lived Assets and Their
Amortization,
Nature of Long-Lived Assets,
Types of Long-Lived Assets,
Plant and Equipment:
Acquisition,
Distinction between Asset and
Expense,
Items Included in Cost,
Acquisitions Recorded at Other than
Cost,
Basket Purchases,
Plant and Equipment:
Depreciation,
Judgments Required,
Service Life, .
Depreciation Method,
Choice of a Depreciation
Method,
Accounting for Depreciation,
Change in Depreciation Rates,
Partial Year Depreciation,
Disclosure,
Plant and Equipment: Disposal,
Exchanges and Tsrade-lns,
Group Depreciation,
Significance of Depreciation,
Income Tax Considerations,
Income Tax Depreciation,
Investment Tax Credit,
Leased Assets,
Capital Leases,
Natural Resources,
Depletion,
Accretion and Appreciation
Intangible Assets,
Goodwill,
Patents, Copyrights, Franchise
Rights,
Leasehold Improvements
Deferred Change
Research and Development Costs.
Case 7-1 Moyer Corporation (B),
Case 7-2 Jean Coffin (C),
Case 7-3 Stafford Press,
Case 7-4 Digitrex Company,
Case 7-5 Depreciation at Delta and
PanAm,
8 Sources ofCapital: Debt,
Nature of Liabilities,
Executory Contracts,
Contingencies,
Liabilities as a Source of
Funds,
Debt Capital,
Term Loans,
Bonds,
Accounting for Bonds,
Recording a Bond Issue,
Balance Sheet Presentation,
Bond Interest Expense,
Retirement of Bonds,
Refunding a Bond Issue,
Other Liabilities,
Analysis of Capital Structure,
Debt Ratios,
Times Interest Earned
Bond Ratings,
Appendix: Present Value,
Concept of Present Value,
Finding Present Values,
Present Value of a Series
Payments,
Present Values and Liabilities,
Present Values and Assets,
Calculating Bond Yields,
Case 8-1, Martin Corporation
(A),
Case 8-2, Stybel Industries, Inc.,
Case 8-3, Megashye Engineering
Company,
Case 8-4, Paul Murray,
Case 8-5, Jean Coffin (D),
9 Sources ofCapital: Owners'
Equity, 281
Forms of Business Organization
Sole Proprietorship,
Partnership,
Corporation,
Accounting for Proprietor's and
Partners' Equity,
Proprietorship Equity,
Partnership Equity,
Ownership in a Corporation,
Preferred Stock,
Common Stock,
Treasury Stock,
Reserves,
Retained Eamines,
Dividends,
Warrants and Stock Options,
Employee Stock Ownership Plans,
Balance Sheet Presentation
Eamings per Share,
Common Stock Equivalents,
The Line between Debt and
Equity,
Zero-Coupon Bonds,
Redeemable Preferred Stock,
Equity in Nonprofit
Organizations,
Case 9-1 Xytech, Inc.,
Case 9-2 FMC Corporation
Recapitalization (A),
Case 9-3 Trelease Industries, Inc
10 Other Items That Affect Net
Income,
Personnel Costs,
Pensions,
Other Postretirement Benefits,
Compensated Absences,
Income Taxes,
Book-to-Tax Differences
Deferred Taxes,
Accounting Entries,
Nonoperating Items,
Extraordinary Items,
Discontinued Operations,
Change in Accounting
Principles,
Adjustments to Retained
Earnings,
Foreign Currency Accounting,
Foreign Currency Transactions,
Foreign Currency Translation
Net Income,
Accounting and Changing Prices
Nature of the Problem,
Proposed Solutions,
Related Developments,
Case lO-l, Martin Corporation (B),
Case 10-2, Silver Appliance Company,
Case 10-3, Union Carbide Corporation
Case l0-4, Major League Baseball (B),
Case l0-5, Freedom Technology
Company,
ll The Statement of Cash Flows,
The Concept of Flow Statements,
Purpose of the Cash Flow
Statement,
Sources and Uses of Cash,
The Cash Flow Statement,
Statement Categories,
Investing Activities,
Financing Activities,
Noncash Transactions,
Cash Flow from Operating
Activities,
Indirect Method Calculations,
Summary of the Cash Flow
Statement,
Misconceptions About Depreciation
Cash Flow Eamings
Preparation of the Cash Flow
Statement,
Cash Flow Worksheet,
Worksheet Entries, ;
Statement Preparation,
Summary of Preparation
Procedures,
Analysis of the Cash Flow
Statement,
Ratios,
Cash Flow Projections,
Case ll-l Medieval Adventures
Company,
Case 11-2 Amerbran Company
(A),
Case ll-3 Statements ofCash Flows:
Three Examples,
Case 11-4 FMC Corporation
Recapitalization (B),
Case ll-5 W. T. Grant Company
12 Acquisitions and Consolidated
Statements,
Accounting for Investments
Fair-Value Method,
Equity Method,
Consolidated Basis,
Business Combinations,
Purchase versus Pooling,
Accounting as a Pooling,
Accounting as a Purchase,
Impact on Balance Sheet,
Impact on Earnings,
Consolidated Statements,
Basis for Consolidation,
Consolidation Procedure,
Asset Valuation,
Minority Interest,
Case 12-l, Hardin Tool Company
Case l2-2, Carter Corporation,
Case 12-3, United States Steel and
Marathon Oil,
13 Financial Statement Analysis,
Business Objectives,
Retum on Investment,
Sound Financial Position,
Structure of the Analysis,
Overall Measures,
Retum on Investment,
Investment Turnover and Profit
Margin,
Price/Earnings Ratio,
Profitability Ratios,
Profit Margin,
Investment Utilization Ratios,
Investment Turnover,
Working Capital Measures,
Financial Condition Ratios,
Liquidity and Solvency,
Dividend Policy,
Growth Measures,
Making Comparisons,
Difficulties,
Possible Bases for Comparison,
Use of Comparisons,
Case 13-l Genmo Corporation,
Case 13-2 Amerbran Company
(B),
Case 13-3 The Financial
Detective,
Case l3-4 Springfield National
Bank,
l4 Understanding Financial
Statements,
Additional Information in Annual
Reports,
Auditors' Opinion,
Notes to Financial Statements,
Segment Reporting,
Full Disclosure,
Comparative Statements,
Securities and Exchange
Commission (SEC) Reports,
Review of Criteria and Concepts
Criteria,
Concepts,
Accounting Altematives,
Regulatory Requirements,
Income Tax Principles,
Latitude in Methods,
Basis of Choice,
Controversies over Principles
Implications of These
Differences,
Inherent Limitations,
Ethical Problems,
Meaning of the Financial
Statements,
Income Statement,
Balance Sheet,
Statement of Cash Flows,
Case l4-l, Payson Lunch,
Case 14-2, Limited Editions, Inc.,
Case 14-3, Royal Crest, Inc.,
Case l4-4, SafeCard Services, Inc.
Case l4-5, U.S. Windpower, Inc.,
PART2
MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTlNG,
15 The Nature of Management
Accounting,
Management Accounting as One Type
of Infonnation,
Infonnation,
Management Accounting,
Mlanagement Accountants,
Contrast between Management
Accounting and Financial
Reporting,
Differences,
Similarities,
Source Disciplines,
Types of Management Accounting
Information and Their Uses,
Measurement,
Control,
Altemative Choice Decisions,
General Observations on Management
Accounting,
Different Numbers for Different
Purposes,
Accounting Numbers Are
Approximations,
Working with Incomplete Data,
Accounting Evidence Is Only Partial
Evidence,
People, Not Numbers, Get Things
Done,
Case 15-l Bates Boatyard,
16 The Behavior of Costs,
Relation of Costs to Volume,
Variable and Fixed Costs,
Cost-Volume Diagrams,
Relation to Unit Costs,
Inherent Conditions,
Linear Assumption,
Estimating the Cost-Volume
Relationship,
Measures of Volume
The Profitgraph,
Break-Even Volume,
Operating Leverage,
Contribution,
Cash versus Accrual
Profitgraphs,
Using the Profitgraph,
Several Products,
Other Influences on Costs,
Appendix: Leaming Curves,
Case 16-l, Jackson Thomas,
Case 16-2, Hospital Supply, Inc.,
Case 16-3, Bill French, ,
Case l6-4, Azienda Vinicola Italiana,
Case 16-5, Morrin Aircraft Company,
17 Full Costs and Their Uses
Cost Concepts,
General Definition,
Cost Object,
Full Cost,
Direct and Indirect Costs,
Applicable Accounting
Principles,
Elements of Product Cost,
Product Costing Systems.
Account Flowchart,
Nonmanufacturing Costs,
Merchandising Companies,
Service Or-ganizations,
Nonprofit Organizations,
Uses of Full Cost,
Financial Reporting,
Analysis of Profitability,
What Did It Cost?,
Setting Regulated Prices
Product Pricing,
Case 17-l Delaney Motors,
Case 17-2 Lipman Bottle Company
18 Additional Aspects of Product Costing
Systems,
Job Order Costing and Process
Costing,
Production Processes,
Averaging,
Basic Types of Systems,
Job Order Costing,
Process Costing,
Choice of a System,
Variations in Practice,
Measurement of Direct Costs,
Direct Labor Cost,
Direct Material Cost,
Direct versus Variable Cost,
Allocation of Indirect Costs,
Distinction between Direct and
Indirect Costs,
Nature of Allocation,
Cost Centers,
Calculating Overhead Rates
Cost Drivers (Allocation
Bases),
Predetennined Overhead
Rates,
Procedure for Establishing
Predetermined Rates,
Underabsorbed and Overabsorbed
Overhead,
Activity-Based Costing,
Cross Subsidies,
Activity-Based Costing
Concepts,
Case 18-l, Problems in Full Cost
Accounting,
Case 18-2 Huron Automotive
Company,
Case 18-3, Rosemont Hill Health
Center,
Case 18-4, Siemens Electric Motor
Works,
19 Standard Costs, Variable Costing
Systems, Quality Costs, and Joint
Costs,
Standard Costs,
Standard Cost Sheet,
Account Flowchart,
Variations in the Standard Cost
Idea,
Tenninology Ambiguities,
Uses of Standard Costs,
Variable Costing Systems,
Comparison ofAbsorption and
Variable Costing,
Why Use Full Costing?.
Quality Costs,
Joint Products and By-Products
Joint-Product Costing,
By-Product Costing,
Accuracy of Costs,
Judgment Calls,
Tendencies toward Unifonnity,
Cost System Design Choices,
Appendix A: Standard Costing
lllustration,
System Overview,
Establishing Standard Costs,
Accounting Entries,
Sales and Cost of Sales,
Appendix B: Absorption versus
Variable Costing's Impact on
Income,
Case 19-l Bennett Body
Company,
Case 19-2 Black Meter Company
Case 19-3 Amurath Company,
Case 19-4 Nemad Company,
Case 19-5 Brisson Company,
Case 19-6 Landau Company,
Case 19-7 Craik Veneer
Company,
20 Production Cost Variances
Direct Material and Labor
Variances,
Direct Material Variances.
Direct Labor Variances,
Overhead Variances,
Production Volume Variance,
Spending Variance,
Calculation of Overhead
Variances,
Appendix A: Fixed Costs and the
Overhead Volume Variance,
Case 20-1 Problems in Variance
Analysis,
Case 20-2 SunAir Boat Builders
Inc.,
Case 20-3 Medi-Exam Health
Services, Inc.,
Case 20-4 Cotter Company, Inc.,
Case 20-5 Lupton Company,
Case 20-6 C. F. Church
Manufacturing Company,
21 Analyzing Other Variances
Overview of the Analytical
Process,
The Need for Variance
Analysis,
Types of Variances,
Marketing Variances,
Expense Variances,
Gross Margin Variances,
Production Cost Variances,
Correct Volume Measures,
Other Variances,
Complete Analysis,
Marketing Variances,
Production Cost Variances,
Uses of Variances,
Appendix: Variances with Variable
Costing,
Margin Analysis,
Other Variances,
Reconciliation of Income
Variance,
Case 21-2 Campar Industries,
Inc.,
Case 21-2 Darius Company,
Case 21-3 Dallas Consulting
Group,
Case 21-4 Woodside Products,
Inc.,
22 Control: The Management Control
Environment,
Management Control,
The Environment,
The Nature of Organizations,
Rules, Guidelines, and
Procedures,
Culture,
Extemal Enviromnent,
Responsibility Centers,
Inputs and Outputs,
Responsibility Accounting,
Effectiveness and Efficiency,
Types of Responsibility Centers,
Revenue Centers,
Expense Centers,
Profit Centers,
Transfer Prices,
Investment Centers,
Nonmonetary Measures,
Case 22-1 Shuman Automobiles,
Inc.,
Case 22-2 Birch Paper Company,
Case 22-3 Enager Industries,
Inc.,
Case 22-4 Piedmont University,
23 Control: The Management Control
Process,
Phases of Management Control,
Strategic Planning,
Budgeting,
Measurement and Reporting
Evaluation,
Accounting Information Used in
Management Control,
Controllable Costs,
Engineered, Discretionary, and
Committed Costs,
Behavioral Aspects of Management
Control,
Behavior of Participants
Motivation,
Incentives,
Goal Congruence,
An Example: The Data Processing
Department,
Cooperation and Conflict,
Other Types of Control,
Case 23-1 Tru-Fit Parts, Inc.,
Case 23-2 American Steol
Corporation,
Case 23-3 Empire Glass
Company,
24 Strategic Planning and
Budgeting,
Strategic Planning,
Ongoing Programs,
Proposed New Programs,
Fonnal Strategic Planning
Systems,
Budgeting,
Uses of the Budget,
The Master Budget,
The Operating Budget,
Project Budgets,
Flexible (Variable) Budgets,
Management by Objectives,
Preparing the Operating Budget,
Organization for Budget
Preparation,
Budget Timetable,
Setting Planning Guidelines,
Preparing the Sales Budget,
Initial Preparation of Other Budget
Components,
Negotiation,
Coordination and Review,
Final Approval and
Distribution,
Revisions,
Variations in Practice,
The Cash Budget,
The Capital Expenditure Budget,
Project Proposals,
Authorization,
Follow Up,
Case 24-1 Downtown Parking
Authority,
Case 24-2 Societa Rigazio,
Case 24-3 Whiz Calculator Company
Case 24-4 Midwest lce Cream
Company (A),
Case 24-5 Reading Manufacturing
Company,
25 Reporting and Evaluation,
Control Reports,
Key Success Factors,
Types of Management Reports,
Period of Control Reports,
Contents of Control Reports,
Use of Control Reports,
Steps in the Control Process,
Reporting and Continuous
Improvement,
Incentive Compensation,
Case 25-1 Crompton, Ltd.,
Case 25-2 Midwest lce Cream
Company (B),
Case 25-3 Thomas J. Lipton, Inc
(A),
26 Short-Run Alternative Choice
Decisions,
The Differential Concept,
Cost Constructions for Various
Purposes,
Differential Costs and
Revenues,
Contrasts with Full Costs,
Contribution Analysis,
Types of Cost,
Alternative Choice Problems,
Objectives,
Steps in the Analysis,
Differential Costs,
Mechanics of the Calculation
Other Terminology,
Estimates of Future Costs
Sunk Costs,
Importance of the Time Span
Example: Operating an
Automobile,
Types of Altemative Choice
Problems,
Problems Involving Costs,
Problems Involving Both Revenues
and Costs,
Differential Investment,
Sensitivity Analysis,
The "Just One" Fallacy,
Some Practical Pointers,
Appendix: Useful Decision
Models,
Economic Order Quantity
Expected Value,
Sensitivity Analysis,
Decision Tree Analysis,
Linear Programming,
Case 26-1 Import Distributors
Inc.,
Case 26-2 Fomer Carpet
Company,
Case 26-3 Hanson Manufacturing
Company,
Case 26-4 Liquid Chemical
Company,
Case 26-5 Baldwin Bicycle
Company,
Case 26-6 Trammel Snowmobile
Company,
Case 26-7 Gentle Electric
Company,
Case 26-8 Warren Agency
27 Longer-Run Decisions: Capital
Budgeting,
Nature of the Problem,
General Approach,
Return on Investment,
Estimating the Variables,
Required Rate of Return,
Economic Life,
Cash Inflows,
Depreciation,
Investment,
Terminal Value,
Nonmonetary Considerations,
Summary of the Analytical
Process,
Other Methods of Analysis
Intemal Rate of Return
Method,
Payback Method,
Unadjusted Retum on Investment
Method,
Multiple Decision Criteria
Preference Problems,
Criteria for Preference
Problems,
Comparison of Preference
Rules, ,
Nonprofit Organizations,
Case 27-1 Sinclair Company,
Case 27-2 Dhahran Roads,
Case 27-3 Rock Creek Golf Club
Case 27-4 KLS Steel Company,
Case 27-5 Climax Shipping
Company,
28 Management Accounting System
Design,
Types of Accounting Information
Measurement,
Control,
Alternative Choice Problems,
Relative Importance,
Cost Categories,
DesignIng the Management
Accounting System,
Accounting Database,
Level of Detail,
Cost Accounting Systems,
Management Control Systems,
Case 28-1 Amtrak Auto Ferry
Service,
Case 28-2 Uncle Grumps Toys,
Appendix Table A Present Value of $1
Received N Years Hence,
Appendix Table B Present Value of $1
Received Annually for N
Years,
Index
· · · · · · (收起)
读后感
用户评价
这本书的装帧设计实在太普通了,封面设计毫无亮点,基本上就是标准的教材样式,黑白为主,配上一些枯燥的图表。拿到手里的时候,我就感觉它像是大学里那种人手一册、看了就忘的教科书。内容上,虽然覆盖了会计学的基本概念和流程,但讲解方式过于理论化,缺乏足够的生动案例来支撑那些复杂的概念。比如在讲解收入确认和费用归集的时候,作者似乎默认读者已经对会计准则有了一定的了解,对于初学者来说,光看文字描述很容易迷失在那些术语里,需要反复阅读才能勉强理解个大概。我期待的是一种能引导我思考、而不是简单罗列知识点的书,这本书在这方面做得远远不够。它更像是一本“工具书”,适合需要快速查找特定知识点的专业人士,而不是一本适合系统学习和深入理解的入门读物。翻开内页,那种排版也让人提不起兴趣,大量的文字堆砌,间距和字体选择也显得比较陈旧,读起来有一种沉重的负担感,很难长时间集中注意力。
这本书在逻辑结构上的衔接处理得有些生硬,感觉像是把好几篇独立的讲义拼凑在了一起。比如,在讲完资产负债表之后,紧接着就跳到了成本核算体系的介绍,中间缺少一个平滑的过渡段落,没有清晰地解释为什么我们刚看完整体的财务状况,就要立刻深入到生产成本的微观计算中去。这种跳跃感在阅读过程中非常影响心流的建立,常常需要停下来自己在大脑里构建知识间的关联。更让我困扰的是,很多概念的引入缺乏场景感。例如,讲到“权责发生制”时,如果能结合一个具体的采购或销售流程动画(当然,作为纸质书不太现实,但至少文字描述应该更具画面感),让读者直观感受到时间点对利润确认的影响,效果会好很多。这本书的语言风格过于干燥、书面化,缺乏叙事的力量,导致读者在学习新知识点时,必须依赖自身的联想能力去建立知识的立体结构,这对学习效率是一个不小的阻碍。
说实话,这本书的深度远远达不到我的预期。我本以为它能深入探讨现代企业在复杂经济环境下面临的会计挑战,比如金融创新带来的计量难题,或者环境、社会和治理(ESG)信息披露的最新趋势。然而,内容停留在非常基础和传统的范畴内,很多章节读起来像是二十年前的教材内容,对当前国际会计准则(如IFRS)的最新重大修订着墨不多,或者提及了也只是浅尝辄止。特别是关于无形资产和金融工具的估值部分,处理得非常保守和笼统,没有提供任何可以用于实际分析的复杂模型或高级技巧。我希望能看到一些针对上市公司年报的深度剖析,教我们如何通过财务报表识别潜在的风险和欺诈信号,但这本书里更多的是“如何做账”,而不是“如何读懂账背后的商业实质”。如果只是想了解基础的借贷记账法,这本书或许合格,但对于希望提升财务分析能力的读者来说,它提供的价值非常有限,更像是一个知识的“索引”,而非“宝藏”。
我尝试用这本书来辅助我理解一家SaaS公司的现金流状况,结果发现它在非传统业务模式的处理上表现得非常吃力。书中关于现金流量表的讲解,基本上都是围绕着传统的工业或零售企业的经营、投资、筹资三大活动展开的,对于基于订阅和服务的商业模式,如何恰当地划分预收款项的现金流入,或者研发投入的资本化界限,几乎没有给出明确的指导或深入的讨论。当我试图在“案例”部分寻找相关启发时,找到的也都是些非常经典的、教科书式的利润表和资产负债表练习题,缺乏对当代商业复杂性的反映。这让我感到,这本书的编写团队可能脱离了当前的商业实践前沿有一段时间了。会计准则是在不断发展的,尤其是在数字化经济背景下,信息的披露要求也在变化,这本书的实战指导性明显不足,更像是对过去会计实践的一种总结和固化,而不是面向未来的指引。
购买这本书的初衷是希望能找到一本“活的”会计学读物,它不仅教授规则,还能解释规则背后的经济合理性和制定者的意图。然而,这本书的评价部分显得尤为薄弱。当涉及到一项有争议的会计处理方法时,比如对金融衍生品进行套期保值会计处理时,作者只是机械地复述了准则的要求,却没有深入探讨为什么选择这种方法比其他方法更能真实反映企业的风险对冲效果。这种缺乏批判性思维的介绍方式,会让读者满足于“知道怎么做”,却止步于“理解为什么这么做”。在很多关键的判断性领域,比如公允价值计量中主观估计成分的合理性分析,书中给出的建议过于谨慎和一刀切,没有提供任何关于如何在不违反准则的前提下,通过合理的专业判断来优化信息披露的思路。总而言之,它提供的知识是静态的、规范性的,但会计的魅力恰恰在于其动态的、需要经验支撑的判断过程,而这本书恰恰忽略了这一点。