According to the current regulations described in IAS 27 - Consolidated and Separate Financial Statements, an investment company is required to consolidate all entities that it controls. However, this thesis outlines the creation of a new system, where those entities are instead measured at fair value, taking changes in fair value into account in the income statement. By recalculating the consolidated accounts for five major investment companies in accordance with the new system, this investigation concludes that the new system would provide investors with more relevant but less reliable accounting information. In addition, the historical financial performance of Investor, Industrivärden, Ratos, Kinnevik, and Lundbergföretagen, is evaluated using their recalculated consolidated financial statements. The evaluation indicates that the overall volatility in the companies' consolidated financial statements would have been higher during the time period 2005-2009, in comparison to official reports..

AbstractTitle: How has IAS 38 affected accounting in small and large companies?A study of the differences in the accounting of financial ratios between small and large companies.Authors: Jasmine Choudrey & Rana QadriMain Course: Business EconomicsThe aim of this study is to make a comparative examination between small and large companies in Sweden and to analyse how accounting of intangible assets has been affected or changed due to the introduction of the new accounting recommendations and IAS 38.Main theory: There are no theories available on these type of researches due to the fact that the introduction of the IFRS is relatively new. Instead the essay discusses facts about the financial ratios and IFRS as a starting point for the study.Method: The examination will be a combination of both quantitative and qualitative techniques. The quantitative part will be based on statistics and financial ratios from the different companies annual reports. These financial ratios will be analyzed by performing a confidence interval.

Since the implementation of the revised IAS-1 in January 2009, the income statement has changed in order to include what is called dirty surplus accounting flows (DSF). Using data for the period 2005-2009 regarding large cap companies listed on the OMX Stockholm we identify DSF in Swedish accounting. First, we present some descriptive statistics on aggregated and individual DSF in Sweden. We find that aggregated DSF and individual items related to securities are significantly positive over time. Second, we perform a regression on returns to test for value relevance and find that aggregated DSF and individual items related to currency translation differences and cash flow hedges are value relevant in explaining returns.

The purpose of this bachelor-thesis is to investigate the possible effects of lease accounting on the estimation of bankruptcy. This is done by estimating the risk via prediction models based on accounting ratios for a sample of 43 listed firms in Sweden. Estimation is conducted twice for each firm, once base on unadjusted data as it is presented in the annual report of 2012, and one with data adjusted for operational leases (that is data is treated as if all leases present were to have been reported as financial leases). In the next step it is tested weather the predictive ability of the models is affected by this adjustment or not. For this purpose translation of bankruptcy risk into synthetic credit ratings via interest coverage ratios is done.

This thesis is based on an assignment from a unit within an international group manufacturing industrial products. The purpose of the thesis is to analyze and suggest ways to improve the cost accounting system in use at the unit. The main source of empirical data has been interviews with employees. The theoretical framework is based on a comparison between traditional/standard costing and activity-based costing (ABC). The cost accounting system in use is described in detail and classified as a traditional/standard cost accounting system.

The study examines how efficiency and effectiveness are measured in charity organizations in Sweden. The rules of Svensk Insamlingskontroll, Årsredovisningslagen and Bokföringslagen make up the accounting framework upon which efficiency and effectiveness are measured in charity organizations. The study is based upon interviews with the sector's main actors: Svensk Insamlingskontroll, Frivilligorganisationernas insamlingsråd, auditors and the charity organizations themselves. The interviews are supplemented by studies of the guidelines issued by Svensk Insamlingskontroll. Today's measure of efficiency is the percentage of a charity organization's income that benefits their goals, called nyckeltalet.

Background: With an increased global market, where companies seek capital abroad, the demand for a more uniform accounting standard has been raised. This uniform accounting standard is not yet available, differences between accounting standards still exists. Several Swedish companies seek risk capital in the USA and some are part of a concern that is listed on the American stock exchange. This means that the Securities and Exchange Commission requires the companies to do a reconciliation to US GAAP on those items that are considered material. This can be an extensive work for the companies if the knowledge about the differences between Swedish GAAP and US GAAP does not exist.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the method called zero recognition that is used in accounting for construction contracts when the outcome is uncertain. When this is the case it is hard to make the necessary estimates needed for the percentage of completion method to be used. Both the meaning of the method from an accounting perspective and the practical importance and purpose of the method is investigated. The method used for this study is the qualitative one and the deductive model is used to relate the theory with the empirical research. The theoretical background consists of accounting theory and theories about individuals, companies and markets.

In line with Sloan (1996) but on European data (STOXX 600) we are investigating whether stock prices reflect information about future earnings contained in the accrual and cash flow components. The extent to which current earnings performance persists into the future earnings performance is shown to depend on the relative magnitudes of the cash and accrual components of current earnings. Moreover, we still find a significant positive excess return (Jensen?s alpha and size-adjusted return) by replicating Sloans (1996) hedge portfolio by taking a long position in the stock of firms reporting relatively low levels of accruals and a short position in the stock of firms reporting relatively high levels of accruals. However, we find no evidence of negative excess returns for companies with relatively high accruals, this somewhat lower the total excess returns for all the portfolios.

In line with Sloan (1996) but on European data (STOXX 600) we are investigating whether stock prices reflect information about future earnings contained in the accrual and cash flow components. The extent to which current earnings performance persists into the future earnings performance is shown to depend on the relative magnitudes of the cash and accrual components of current earnings. Moreover, we still find a significant positive excess return (Jensen?s alpha and size-adjusted return) by replicating Sloans (1996) hedge portfolio by taking a long position in the stock of firms reporting relatively low levels of accruals and a short position in the stock of firms reporting relatively high levels of accruals. However, we find no evidence of negative excess returns for companies with relatively high accruals, this somewhat lower the total excess returns for all the portfolios.

Aim: The aim of this thesis is to do a research about the users? conceptions to the K-project. The K-project is a simplifying work of today?s accounting regulations performed by the Swedish Accounting Standards Board. The K-project is divided into four categories and the companies are divided into each category depending on its size.

Problem: How is management accounting change understood via the duality perspective in the field of alternative management accounting research?Purpose: The purpose of this essay is to develop a tool for analysis aspiring to provide understanding for how differences and similarities with regards to the duality perspective may have different consequences for understanding management accounting change.Contribution: This paper aspires towards a theoretical contribution through an in-depth review of existing conceptual literature. This is done to gain clarity in definitions and uses of concepts, with related terms, referring or relating to duality. Through clarifying different meanings of duality, consequences for how to understand management accounting change, and the different approaches to using a duality perspective, the tool for analysis which is developed in this essay aims to contribute to a movement of alternative management accounting research towards increased comparability as well as increased insight into how management accounting change is currently understood through this type of research.Method: Literature reviews based on Booth et al.s SALSA-framework. Creation of a tool for analysis for usage when reviewing material based on a duality perspective.Conclusions: The duality perspective differs, and affects understanding of management accounting change, in accordance with the following five themes:Theme 1: The duality perspective is affected by differences in the use of definitions/descrptions.Theme 2: The duality perspective is affected by different purposes of the agent and different credit given to the agents power/ability to alter change.Theme 3: The content of the duality perspective is affected by the existence and purpose off being inspired by different theoretical approaches.Theme 4: The duality perspective affects the idea and understanding of the form and expression/process of management accounting.Theme 5: Different duality perspectives have the ability to lead science against increased pluralism and/or synthesisIn order to increase understanding for and comparability between scientific contributions through a duality perspective there is to some extent a need for more and better definitions and a more problematizing when combining theoretical approaches.

Concurrently with higher demands on comparability between companies, all Swedish listed parent companies are guilty to apply international accounting standards, IFRS/IAS, no later than January 1, 2005. In this thesis IFRS 7 Financial instruments: Disclosures, that treats information about financial instruments, is investigated. IFRS 7 aims to establish a good international standard for disclosures about financial instruments. The purpose of this thesis is to study differences in the interpretation of IFRS 7 Financial instruments: Disclosures between Swedish life insurance companies, problems ? if any ? that associate with the recommendation, the recommendation?s effect on accounting and the attitudes towards IFRS amongst the Swedish life insurance companies.

Purpose:Our purpose with this essay was to see how a health promotion initiative could be profitability and how human resource cost accounting could be used for decision making. Does it cost more than it taste? Method:We have been using qualitative interviews with politicians, human health developerand accountants in a municipality. We have also collected data from a university lecturer which shows numbers from the health promotion initiative and how it is been affecting the involved staff. Result:The result show us that the politicians, human health developer and accountants all want to introduce physical exercising at work.

This study intends to explain the problem with the implementation of new Swedish accounting rules called K2. The rules are simplifications of the general accounting rules and the purpose is to make it easier for small companies to account. Despite this, few small companies have adopted the rules. This study seeks to explain the weak response to the K2-rules using institutional theory.The research objects of this study are Burger King, McDonald?s and two audits and accountants.