cHAPTER 1
Accounting in Business
Related Assignment Materials
Student Learning Objectives
Questions Quick Studies*
Exercises*
Problems*
Beyond the Numbers
Conceptual objectives
C1. Explain the purpose and importance of accounting 1, 5, 1-1 1-1, 1-4, 1-6 1-6
C2. Identify users and uses of, and opportunities in accounting. 2, 3, 4, 6, 7,
8, 9, 10, 11,
12, 23 1-2 1-2, 1-3, 1-4 1-4, 1-8
C3. Explain why ethics are crucial to accounting. 11, 14 1-3 1-4, 1-5 1-3
C4. Explain generally accepted accounting principles and define and apply several accounting principles. 13, 14, 15,
19 1-4, 1-5,
1-6, 1-16 1-6, 1-7 1-7, 1-8, 1-9,
SP 1-3
C5. B Identify and describe the three major activities in organizations. (Appendix 1B) 14, 16, 30,
31 1-21 1-13, 1-14
Analytical objectives:
A1. Define and interpret the accounting equation and each of its components. 17, 20, 24 1-7, 1-8,
1-9, 1-17 1-8, 1-9 1-1, 1-2,
1-8, 1-10 1-1, 1-2,
1-4, 1-7,
1-9
A2. Compute and interpret return on assets. 28 1-15 1-14, 1-18 1-10, 1-11 1-1, 1-2,
1-5, 1-9
A3. A Explain the relation between return and risk. (Appendix 1A) 29 1-12 1-1, 1-2,
1-9
Procedural objectives:
P1. Analyze business transactions using the accounting equation. 18 1-10, 1-11
1-10, 1-11,
1-12, 1-13 1-1, 1-2, 1-7,
1-8, 1-9 1-7
P2. Identify and prepare basic financial statements and explain how they interrelate. 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 32, 33 1-12, 1-13,
1-14 1-15, 1-16, 1-17, 1-18, 1-19, 1-20, 1-22 1-3, 1-4, 1-5,
1-6, 1-7, 1-8,
1-9
*See additional information on next page that pertains to these quick studies, exercises and problems.
SP refers to the Serial Problem
Additional Information on Related Assignment Material
Connect
Available on the instructor’s course-specific website) repeats all numerical Quick Studies, all Exercises and Problems Set A. Connect also provides algorithmic versions for Quick Study, Exercises and Problems. It allows instructors to monitor, promote, and assess student learning. It can be used in practice, homework, or exam mode.
Connect Insight
The first and only analytics tool of its kind, Connect Insight is a series of visual data displays that are each framed by an intuitive question and provide at-a-glance information regarding how an instructor’s class is performing. Connect Insight is available through Connect titles.
General Ledger
Assignable within Connect, General Ledger (GL) problems offer students the ability to see how transactions post from the general journal all the way through the financial statements. Critical thinking and analysis components are added to each GL problem to ensure understanding of the entire process. GL problems are auto-graded and provide instant feedback to the student.
Excel Simulations
Assignable within Connect, Excel Simulations allow students to practice their Excel skills—such as basic formulas and formatting—within the context of accounting. These questions feature animated, narrated Help and Show Me tutorials (when enabled). Excel Simulations are auto-graded and provide instant feedback to the student.
Synopsis of Chapter Revisions
⦁ Updated opener—Apple and entrepreneurial assignment.
⦁ Updated salary info for accountants and for those with college degrees.
⦁ Streamlined “Fraud Triangle” section.
⦁ Updated “Cooking the Books” Fraud box.
⦁ Moved “Enforcing Ethics” section to earlier in chapter
⦁ Streamlined the “Fundamentals of Accounting” section.
⦁ Streamlined the “International Standards” section.
⦁ Updated the Revenue Recognition section
⦁ New margin point to highlight layout of statement of owner’s equity.
⦁ Updated Sustainability section for Apple’s renewable energy efforts, including SASB.
⦁ Updated Decision Insights box on sustainability returns.
⦁ New company, Verizon, for Decision Analysis section.
⦁ Streamlined Appendix 1A and 1B.
⦁ Added new Exercise.
Chapter Outline Notes
I. Importance of Accounting—we live in the information age, where information, and its reliability, impacts the financial well-being of us all.
A. Accounting Activities
Accounting is an information and measurement system that identifies, records and communicates information about an organizations business activities.
B. Users of Accounting Information
1. External Information Users—those not directly involved with running the company. Examples: shareholders (investors), lenders, directors, external auditors, non-executive employees, labor unions, regulators, voters, legislators, government officials, customers, suppliers, lawyers, brokers, etc.
⦁ Financial Accounting—area of accounting aimed at serving external users by providing them with general-purpose financial statements.
⦁ General-Purpose Financial Statements—statements that have broad range of purposes which external users rely on.
2. Internal Information Users—those directly involved in managing and operating an organization.
⦁ Managerial Accounting—area of accounting that serves the decision-making needs of internal users.
⦁ Internal Reports—not subject to same rules as external reports. They are designed for the special needs of internal users.
C. Opportunities in Accounting
Four broad areas of opportunities are financial, managerial, taxation, and accounting related.
1. Private accounting offers the most opportunities.
2. Public accounting offers the next largest number of opportunities
3. Government (and not-for-profit) agencies, including business regulation and investigation of law violations also offer opportunities.
II. Fundamentals of Accounting—accounting is guided by principles, standards, concepts, and assumptions.
A. Ethics—a key concept. Ethics are beliefs that distinguish right from wrong.
B. Fraud Triangle—model that asserts three factors must exist for person to commit fraud: opportunity, pressure, and rationalization.
Chapter Outline Notes
C. Internal Controls—procedures set up to protect company property and equipment and insure reliable accounting reports, promotes efficiency, and encourage adherence to company policies. Congress passed Sarbanes-Oxley Act and Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act to help enforce ethics at publicly traded companies.
D. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)—concepts and rules that govern financial accounting. Purpose of GAAP is to make information in accounting statements relevant, reliable and comparable.
1. Setting Accounting Principles
a. In U.S. major rule-setting bodies are the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB). SEC delegated authority to set U.S. GAAP to the FASB.
b. The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) issues standards (International Financial Reporting Standards or IFRS) that identify preferred accounting practices in the global economy. IFRS are similar but sometimes difference from U.S. GAAP.
c. Differences between U.S. GAAP and IFRS are decreasing as the FASB and IASB pursue convergence.
1. Conceptual Framework consists of:
⦁ Objectives—to provide information useful to investors, creditors, and others.
⦁ Qualitative Characteristics—to require information that is relevant, reliable and comparable.
⦁ Elements—to define items that financial statements can contain.
⦁ Recognition and Measurement—to set criteria that an item must meet for it to be recognized as an element; and how to measure that element.
1. Principles and Assumptions of Accounting—two types are general principles (assumptions, concepts and guidelines for preparing financial statements; stem from long used accounting practices) and specific principles (detailed rules used in reporting transactions; from rulings of authoritative bodies).
