Inom redovisning finns en eftersträvan av enkelhet, vilket bland annat redovisningsstandarder syftar till att uppnå. Redovisningsstandarder kan antingen vara baserade på regler eller på principer och ska enligt standardsättarna besitta egenskaper som gynnar enkelhet. Hur användarna av redovisningsstandarder upplever enkelhet i standarderna är dock mindre betonat i litteraturen.Syftet med denna studie är att generera en ökad förståelse för hur användarna av redovisningsstandarder konstruerar enkelhet i redovisningen, samt vilken påverkan redovisningsstandarder har på konstruktionen.Studien har genomförts med ett användarorienterat socialkonstruktivistiskt perspektiv och datainsamling har skett genom ostrukturerade intervjuer med fem redovisningskonsulter där standarder ur regelverken K2 och K3 diskuterats. Detta har sedan analyserats genom att väsentliga citat bildat underkategorier samt kategorier.Studien når slutsatsen att användarna av redovisningsstandarder konstruerar enkelhet genom en legal konstruktion, avsaknad av alternativ, erfarenhet samt praktik inte teori. Vidare dras slutsatsen att redovisningsstandarder inte har någon betydelse för konstruktionen av enkelhet..

The value investing philosophy, which can be traced at least to the teaching of Graham and Dodd in the 1930?s, entails identifying and investing in potentially under valued stocks with a potential for extraordinary returns. The focus of this thesis is to identify patterns and characteristics in financial accounting data preceding creation of shareholder value. The authors of this thesis utilize a multivariate discriminant analysis in order to identify indicators of value creation and subsequent extraordinary returns in value stocks. A discriminant function is derived which successfully identifies which value stocks will eventually become growth stocks.

The aim of this thesis is to investigate how a valuation model of a Private Equity firm is interpreted into a management control system within the company's different organizational levels. A case study was developed based on the infra-net company Eltel. The management control systems developed by Malmi and Brown (2008)(1) was used to characterize the control systems at each organizational level. The building blocks of this system are planning, cybernetic, reward/compensation, administrative and culture. Miller and O'Learys (2007)(2) theory of mediating instruments and technology roadmaps was applied to analyze the mediating process of the valuation model.

Syfte:Syftet med studien är att undersöka och förklara hur olika egenskaper hos ledarskapsfigurer (Verkställande direktör, ekonomichef) kan påverka goodwillnedskrivningar samt det redovisade värdet av goodwill.Metod:Studien tar en deduktiv ansats och grundas på en dokumentstudie, hypoteser har formats och analyserats samt därefter accepterats eller förkastats.Teoretiskt perspektiv:Studiens grundläggande teoretiska perspektiv är agentteorin samt den positiva redovisningsteorin. Andra teorier som belyses i studien är bland annat teorin om verkligt värde och beteende teorin inom bolag.Empiri:Studien är kvantitativ och består av data som insamlats från årsredovisningar av bolag noterade på Stockholmsbörsen.Slutsats:Datamaterialet kunde inte påvisa någon signifikans mellan nyckelpersonernas beteende och deras påverkan på goodwillnedskrivningar samt det redovisade värdet av goodwill..

Previous research has, by studying large listed firms, identified cost reductions and knowledge transference as the primary reasons for outsourcing.  Previous research has also indicated that Business Process Outsourcing is likely to increase in popularity and experience high annual growth going forward. This study aims to explore why mid-sized and large firms decide to in Jämtlands län, fully or partly, outsource their finance/accounting activities. Theories regarding transaction cost economics and resource based view composes the foundation of this study and the information used has been gathered through the use of semi-structured interviews.  The results shows, like the chosen theories and previous research indicates, that the outsourcing decision is primary based on expected cost reductions.

The purpose with this thesis is to demonstrate that other factors than the existing set of rules could influence the Management Group?s decision in regards to depreciation of goodwill. We have explained the conflicts between the management group and the stakeholders by using the Agency Theory and the Stakeholder Model. We have used the Positive Accounting Theory to describe how the management group?s opportunistic behaviour decides which accounting method to use.

Since January 1st 2005 all companies listed on a regulated stock exchange within the European Union are required to present their financial reports in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). The intention of the introduction of IFRS is to achieve international harmonization of accounting rules in order to make financial reports more comparable between companies from different countries. The purpose of financial reports presented in accordance with IFRS is to provide information that is useful to the users of the information. The aim of this paper is to investigate whether the information regarding goodwill and the goodwill impairment test, presented in accordance with IFRS, in fact is useful to a specific group of accounting information users, namely equity analysts. An empirical study is conducted, based on interviews with seven Swedish equity analysts.

The purpose of this paper is to examine whether there is a difference between the respondent groups preparers and non-preparers position in IASBs question if a reversal of previously impaired goodwill should be prohibited. The background is an exposure draft sent out by the IASB and we examine the answers, in form of comment letters, sent in by the respondents to reach our purpose. Our method is positivistic in the sense that we study already existing theories when we create our hypothesis which gives our assumption about how the result of the respondent?s answers will be. Our data, which we have collected from the comment letters, is qualitative secondary data.

Studien tar sin utgångspunkt i teorin om mental accounting. Vi behandlar för det första kategoriseringen av tillgångar och utgifter i olika konton i det mentala bokföringssystemet. Konkret undersöks huruvida någon skillnad i vilka inkomster eller tillgångar som används till olika typer av utgifter kan påvisas. Kontona som vid operationaliseringen valdes för att beskriva finansieringen av ett köp var ?regelbunden inkomst?, ?plötslig inkomst?, ?sparade pengar? och ?avbetalning?.

This thesis aims to investigate if peer-groups based on industry classification perform as well as, or better than, peer-groups based on other measures that represent factors affecting the price-to-earnings multiple. In contrast with previous empirical studies, a solid theoretical approach is used in defining which factors, according to valuation theory, affect the P/E-ratio. The factors identified as explanatory are accounting measures, risk and growth. Furthermore, we have recognized several measures that represent these factors. These measures are tested for accuracy of prediction in terms of the P/E-ratio for peer-groups based on these measures relative to an industry classified peer-group.

The main aim of this paper is to consider the possible effects of a transition to a new accounting standard for goodwill. According to IASBs Exposure Draft of Proposed Amendments to IFRS 3 Business Combinations there is an inconsistency in the currently used purchased goodwill method. The full goodwill method is considered to be a superior alternative and is therefore suggested to become the standard from 2007. This paper comprises a quantitative study of the effects on certain key ratios for companies listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange, arising due to the proposed transition. The period examined is 2004 and 2005.

One of the most crucial entries in the financial statements is revenue. Despite the importanceof revenue a lot of mistakes are made concerning this entry because of the extensive room forjudgements. Especially in the construction companies where a lot of differences exist due tothe fact that different standards are used for similar business transactions.The research concerning IFRIC 15 and the new upcoming standard for revenue recognition isnot very extensive. Studies including both IFRIC 15 and the new standard are even morelimited. Therefore this study aims to compare the effects of IFRIC 15 and the new upcomingstandard for revenue recognition, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, in three Swedishconstruction companies.

Background: The latest development within the business world has been characterized by deregulation and globalization which has made the company bigger and even more influential. The increased power has resulted in a shift of responsibility for the community from the public to the private sector. (Steinholtz och Löhman, 2003) There have been many trends regarding what accountability includes and how financial accounting can be complimented in a useful and reliable way. Some trends have come to stay whilst others have shown to be less successful or the world has not been ready for them. (Larsson, a, 2002) Purpose: The purpose with this paper is to look at the historical development towards accounting for sustainability and to investigate what factors that might have hade an impact on this development.

The requirement on audit was introduced when ownership was separated from management. The situation that arouse was that not only the owners, but also the stakeholders, required information about the company?s financial position. On this basis the audit would contribute to quality assurance of the financial information. One of the auditor's functions is to assess an ongoing stakeholder opinion.

SammandragGoodwill har de senaste åren fått en allt mer betydelsefull roll i svenska bolag och utgör idag majoriteten av köpeskillingen vid ett rörelseförvärv. Rådande redovisningsstandarder lämnar en stor del av ansvaret för köpeskillingsallokering hos bolagen själva, något som tidigare studier visat ger utrymme för opportunistiskt agerande. Vi undersöker i denna studie 213 rörelseförvärv gjorda på den svenska marknaden under åren 2011-2013. Via en multipel regressionsanalys finner vi belägg för att rörlig ersättning till företagsledare baserad på kortsiktiga resultatmål, tenderar att leda till en högre allokering till goodwill i relation till immateriella tillgångar vid rörelseförvärv. Resultatet kan tolkas som att företagsledare maximerar resultatet ur ett kortsiktigt perspektiv i syfte att också maximera sin egen lön.