Research On Accounting Measurement Attributes

After carrying a study on conceptual framework of financial accounting,Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) has set up a system of accountingconcept frame from1978. In SFAC NO.5(Recognition and Measurement in FinancialStatements of Business Enterprises), FASB has proposed5measurement attributes,that are historic cost, current cost, net realizable value, fair value and the presentvalue of future cash flow, leading to mixed-attribute accounting model. The certaintyof quantity of measurement attributes’ subjects is influenced by purposes. From theperspective of users of accounting information, they want the entities to provide realand comparable information. However, it varies from measurement attributes tomeasurement attributes.As a basic problem of accounting theory, the certainty of quantity that themeasured object is inherent contradicts the comparability demanded by users ofaccounting information. Many researchers have studied on it, but it’s still aoutstanding issue.So, in the thesis, some studies have been done to solve this contradiction, narrowthe differences of the behavior of measurement attributes at the meantime andproposed relevant solutions.The thesis mainly conducts a deep analysis on internal relationship anddistinction of the five measurement attributes and accounting information providingby them. First of all, the thesis explains and discriminates the easily confusableconcept of measurement attributes, and compares vertically at historical levels ofAmerica and China. Second, a horizontal comparison is conducted on essence ofmeasurement attributes after considering the accounting standard and conceptualframework from America, China, EU and other country to reflect the relation anddifference of measurement attributes at the perspective of value measurement,input-output and element to determine value. Besides, another horizontal comparisonis conducted on accounting information deriving from measurement accounting,analyzing the Relation and distinction from the quality of information, initial measurement and follow-up measurement of five measurement attributes. After thestudy, it comes to a conclusion that at the time of initial measurement, informationderiving from five measurement attributes remain fairly consistent if there exist activemarket and orderly transaction. But the conclusion changes at the time of follow-upmeasurement. With the difference of Measuring point, value of input-output, elementto determine value, the information generating from five measurement attributes canbe different on qualitative characteristics and Measuring point. Finally, based on thechallenge which single or mix measurement attributes are faced with at the currentstage of economy and accounting, the thesis proposes several solutions and forecaststheir development tendency. However，it needs to be further studied.