The Financial Accounting Standards Board (the "FASB") presents a puzzle: How has this private standard setter managed simultaneously (1) to remain independent, (2) to achieve institutional stability and legitimacy, and (3) to operate in a politicized context in the teeth of opposition from its...

To find the complete document please review Publishers copy.

Both the FASB and the IASB do not actively consider information needs of the managementin the process of standard setting. We argue that this focus on external users does not fullyanswer the question as to what constitutes useful accounting information. We analyze thedifferences of managerial...