"As products, services, and capital increasingly cross domestic borders, the likelihood that various parties to business transactions are based in different countries increases. These parties must contend with the reality that information on their business partners often exists in an accounting...

In December 2008, the SEC approved final rules which require companies to submit financial statements in XBRL format with their SEC filings, beginning with quarterly June 2009 filings for the largest companies and within three years for all public companies. Previously, the SEC established a...

The efficiency and competitiveness of global capital markets depends on the ability of financial statement preparers to communicate effectively with investors through financial reports. Despite the global movement to adopt IFRS, US adoption of IFRS is still uncertain. To assess potential for...

Accounting principles in the United States are converging toward international standards. If convergence continues, and there are proponents and detractors, then the U.S. system of accounting, called Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), will eventually be replaced by International...

The decision whether to require publicly traded companies to adopt International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) remains in flux. In 2008, the US Securities and Exchange Commission proposed a roadmap leading to complete acceptance of IFRS in the US. With the potential replacement of US GAAP...

This paper provides a brief overview of three countries, including background information, accounting, and capital markets. The countries represent three major world regions: India in southwest Asia, Singapore in the Pacific Rim, and South Africa in Africa. Each country plays a major economic...