All too often, books on accounting are written for accountants. In this unique book, accounting is used as a means, not as an end unto itself. Heely and Nersesian have written a guide for managers of multinational companies who wish to better understand the complex workings of a global business.
The book describes the globalization of business, the increasing complexity and related accounting treatments of doing business internationally. Recent developments in the standardization and harmonization of accounting practices around the world are discussed, accompanied by numerous examples from annual reports of both foreign and domestic companies. The process by which a parent company consolidates its results from foreign affiliates is described, along with the accounting which would accompany typical business transactions. Emphasis is placed on the connection between transfer pricing and taxation, including a discussion of the considerations which management must face when setting transfer prices. Accounting practices for inflation, along with currency exchange fluctuations, are dealt with from both accounting and risk management perspectives.