Corporate Disclosure in the Capital Markets

Catalog description

ACCTG 566 provides a broad perspective of accounting that spans beyond the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) by exploring the role of financial accounting (and more broadly, corporate disclosure) in the capital markets. This includes discussions about (i) how accounting information flows in the capital markets and why it is so crucial to a well-functioning economy, (ii) key capital market stakeholders, their incentives, and their relation with corporate disclosure, (iii) various disclosure types and venues and their decision usefulness, (iv) the role of corporate governance in ensuring the provision of useful accounting information, (v) earnings management types, incentives, and settings, (vi) the standard setting process, and (vii) the role of emerging technologies in shaping corporate communications with the market. The course will also expose students to the history of accounting to provide insight into how and why accounting has morphed into its current state. Finally, throughout the course, there will be discussion and tie-ins to academic research on capital markets with an emphasis on corporate disclosure research.