This is an introductory level text for students undertaking accounting or business studies that offers a foundation to financial accounting. An interactive approach has been adopted to integrate the theory with practical situations.

Accounting irregularities are at the heart of those kinds of frauds that hit financial statements and include misstatement, misclassification as well as misrepresentation. This book provides an in-depth practical reference for those professionals who need to understand, prevent and combat against accounting irregularities in financial statements.

Covering all the accounting issues and reporting standards (IAS, IFRS) that an accounting student needs to know, this text provides a fresh, decision-usefulness approach that will enhance students' interpretative skills and take their understanding to the next level.

There is a dearth of good books on accounting in China, East Asia and Southeast Asia. This book makes a valuable contribution towards filling the gap. In particular, the authors focus on the extent of the harmonisation of domestic standards with international accounting standards and on the development of the accounting profession. The final chapter in Part III deals with the problems and prospects for accounting harmonisation in the region.

Accounting irregularities are at the heart of those kinds of frauds that hit financial statements and include misstatement, misclassification as well as misrepresentation. In essence, they involve manipulation of accounting data, description or disclosure in order to distort the true financial picture of the organization in question. This book provides an in-depth practical reference, designed for litigators, investigators, auditors, accountants and other professionals who need to understand and combat accounting irregularities and to uphold the integrity of financial statements. Regulators will find this book an essential source of ideas and references when considering reforms. Educators and students will see this book as an alternative, inspiring way of understanding accounting and how to stay alert for accounting irregularities. The first two chapters introduce the basics of accounting irregularities in the context of the financial reporting environments, and generally accepted accounting principles in the UK and Hong Kong. Perpetrators often seek ways to creating financial illusions in four common directions - selling more, costing less, owning more and owing less as discussed in Chapters 3 to 6. The seventh chapter considers various ways that perpetrators manipulate the classification and disclosure of financial statements. Chapter 8 explores three scenarios of accounting irregularities - tax evasion, theft and commercial dispute. The concluding chapter sets out the deterrents to accounting irregularities in two dimensions. At the micro-level, deterrents are implemented within the authority of the organization in question, whilst the macro-level deterrents refer to the external environment beyond the controls of any individual organization.

The core focus of this text remains on the interpretation, analysis, illustration and application of the scope and purpose of the financial reporting processes under IFRS. Written for intermediate and advanced financial reporting courses, both at undergraduate and post graduate level.