Modern corporations operate in relations with numerous outside stakeholders such as investors, creditors, intermediaries, customers, and regulatory bodies. These stakeholders need information about the entity they transact with so as to make optimal decisions. Although the information these stakeholders need is diverse in its form and content, the most important one is accounting information because it aids them to evaluate the value of corporation and its credit-worthiness.

This course is designed to provide students with an overview of the principles and concepts that underlie corporate financial statements and the reporting and economic consequences of accounting choices. The course focus is on developing the skills required to understand and interpret the information contained in financial statements and its use in decision-making rather than on the skills required to prepare financial statements. Using IFRS and European companies as examples, topics include the underlying accounting principles, the format and content of Balance Sheet, Income Statement and Statement of Cash Flows, and accounting for accounts receivable, inventories, capital assets, liabilities and stockholders’ equity.