Publications

12 May 2008
Research & Ideas

Accounting Information as Political Currency

potentially controversial business activities—outsourcing, for example—understate their earnings if it might boost a candidate's chances of election. The research by HBS professor Karthik Ramanna and a colleague from MIT, Professor Sugata Roychowdhury, suggests that... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace

November 1996 (Revised March 2001)
Background Note

National Income Accounting

Introduces the concept of national income accounting. This note: 1) defines GDP and provides examples; 2) discusses the differences between GDP and GNP; 3) presents both the expenditure and income decompositions of GDP; and 4) defines the relationships among net... View Details

Keywords: Accounting; Macroeconomics

September 2004 (Revised January 2006)
Tutorial

Introduction to Cost Accounting Systems

By: David F. Hawkins, V.G. Narayanan, Jacob Cohen and Michele Jurgens

Covers the basics of cost system design, demonstrating in a clear, step-by-step fashion how costs are assigned to cost objects. Key concepts include direct and indirect costs, two-stage allocation, cost pools, and cost drivers. Also provides a brief review of several... View Details

Keywords: Cost Accounting; Cost; System

August 1983
Background Note

Balance of Payments: Accounting and Presentation

By: David B. Yoffie

Provides an overview of balance of payments accounting and analytical presentation of balance of payments data. Includes sample transactions to illustrate the application of the basic accounting principles and definitions of the standard balances. View Details

Keywords: Accounting; Analytics and Data Science; Management; Standards; Mathematical Methods

November 1987
Background Note

The Magic Matrix: Products and Accounts

By: Benson P. Shapiro

Describes an interfunctional approach to product mix management and account selection. The approach uses a matrix of products and accounts. Also describes the concepts and implementation of the approach. View Details

Keywords: Marketing Strategy; Product Marketing; Customers

11 Mar 2010
Working Paper Summaries

The Many Faces of Nonprofit Accountability

Keywords: by Alnoor Ebrahim

2018
Other Teaching and Training Material

Financial Accounting Reading: Shareholders' Equity

By: Suraj Srinivasan

Core Curriculum Readings in Financial Accounting cover the fundamental concepts in financial accounting. Many readings include videos and Interactive Illustrations to help students master complex concepts.
This is a standalone reading designed to introduce... View Details

Keywords: Shareholders' Equity; Accounting; Financial Statements

January 2000
Supplement

Basic Statistics from the World Bank's World Development Report 1998/1999

By: Julio J. Rotemberg

Supplements National Income Accounting and The Origins of National Income Accounting. View Details

Keywords: Business Organization; History; Earnings Management; Financial Institutions; International Finance; International Accounting; Business Earnings; Mathematical Methods; Reports; Economic Growth; Commercial Banking; Financial Services Industry

2015
Working Paper

Auditor Lobbying on Accounting Standards

By: Abigail Allen, Karthik Ramanna and Sugata Roychowdhury

We examine how Big N auditors' changing incentives impact their comment-letter lobbying on U.S. GAAP over the first thirty-four years of the FASB (1973–2006). We examine the influence of auditors' lobbying incentives arising from three basic factors: managing expected... View Details

Keywords: Auditors; FASB; GAAP; Lobbying; Fair Value Accounting; Accounting Audits

28 Sep 2009
Research & Ideas

Improving Accountability at the World Bank

comparison to its peer institutions, the World Bank has been relatively responsive to calls for greater accountability. This report examines accountability mechanisms at three basic levels in the... View Details

Keywords: by Alnoor Ebrahim

2017
Module Note

Financial Accounting Reading: Analyzing Financial Statements

By: Suraj Srinivasan and V.G. Narayanan

Core Curriculum Readings in Financial Accounting cover the fundamental concepts in financial accounting. Many Readings include videos and Interactive Illustrations to help students master complex concepts.
This reading helps students understand that financial... View Details

Keywords: Financial Ratios; Financial Statements; Analysis; Accounting

08 Jul 2002
What Do You Think?

Have We Carried the Concept of Alignment Too Far?

Summing Up Don't throw out alignment while fighting greed and ignorance in corporate governance Respondents to this month's column have spoken: The cause of investor mistrust of management is not the concept of alignment; it is, among... View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett

2009
Article

Placing the Normative Logics of Accountability in 'Thick' Perspective

By: Alnoor Ebrahim

This article provides a critical reflection on the heavily normative nature of current accountability debates. In particular, it explores three streams of normative discourse on nonprofit accountability: improving board governance, improving performance-based... View Details

Keywords: Fair Value Accounting; Accounting; Governance; Performance Evaluation; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; Goals and Objectives; Management Practices and Processes; Power and Influence; Social and Collaborative Networks; Organizational Structure; Relationships; Accounting Industry

Find at Harvard

09 Mar 2011
Working Paper Summaries

Accounting Scholarship That Advances Professional Knowledge and Practice

Keywords: by Robert S. Kaplan; Education

2023
Working Paper

Accounting for Carbon Offsets – Establishing the Foundation for Carbon-Trading Markets

By: Robert S. Kaplan, Karthik Ramanna and Marc Roston

Tackling climate change requires reductions in current and future greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as well as the removal of existing GHG from the atmosphere. Carbon-offset producers purport to provide such removals. But poor measurement practices and inadequate controls... View Details

Keywords: Carbon Offsetting; Climate Change; Environmental Regulation; Corporate Accountability

SSRN

Read Now

16 Apr 2013
Working Paper Summaries

The Auditing Oligopoly and Lobbying on Accounting Standards

Keywords: by Abigail M. Allen, Karthik Ramanna & Sugata Roychowdhury; Accounting; Accounting

17 Sep 2007
Working Paper Summaries

Evidence on the Effects of Unverifiable Fair-Value Accounting

Keywords: by Karthik Ramanna & Ross L. Watts

2007
Working Paper

Accountability in Complex Organizations: World Bank Responses to Civil Society

By: Alnoor Ebrahim and Steve Herz

Civil society actors have been pushing for greater accountability of the World Bank for at least three decades. This paper outlines the range of accountability mechanisms currently in place at the World Bank along four basic levels: (1) staff, (2) project, (3) policy,... View Details

Keywords: Corporate Accountability; Corporate Governance; Governing and Advisory Boards; Compensation and Benefits; Business and Community Relations; Social Enterprise; Motivation and Incentives