Accounting standard attributes and accounting quality: Discussion and analysis

We explore accounting quality attributes of 19 general-purpose accounting standards implemented over the past thirty years to increase our understanding of the US standard-setting process in terms of improving accounting quality and the principles vs. rules-based debate. Our study is timely given recent criticism of US standard setting. Evidence on how US accounting standards may impact accounting quality helps evaluate the overall standard-setting process. Our analysis of the accounting standards suggests that the standards contain both principle- and rule-based features. We also perform an analysis of the impact on earnings management (an indication of accounting quality). We find that earnings management indicators decrease following new standards implemented over this time period. These results are consistent with FASB’s increasing focus on the balance sheet and enhanced disclosures in implementing standards during this period. Our findings, based on existing standards, can be used to assess the merits of US standard setting and to evaluate proposals on the direction of future standard setting.