JOURNAL OF APPLIED CORPORATE FINANCE, Issue 3 2003
Article first published online: 11 APR 200
At the center of the U.S. corporate governance controversy are questions about the integrity of the U.S. financial reporting system. Can investors trust the numbers now being reported in corporate financial statements? And, if not, what steps are being taken to bring about the return of investor trust and confidence? The academics and practitioners who took part in this discussion began by expressing their reluctance to describe the current situation as a "crisis." The consensus was that the recent governance failures are not the reflection of a general decline in corporate moral standards, but rather the work of a handful of opportunists who found ways to exploit some weaknesses in the present system. Part of the discussion focused on the expected benefits (and costs) of the heightened regulatory scrutiny provided by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the newly formed Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. But most of the panelists placed greater emphasis on the role of self-regulation in resolving problems such as the conflicts of interest within auditing and brokerage firms that played a major role in scandals like Enron and WorldCom. And rather than relying on more vigorous SEC oversight of financial statements, a number of panelists argued that top priority should be given to comprehensive reform of U.S. accounting standards, which are said to be a major source of confusion for both managers and investors. [source]

AL02 ADVERSE EVENTS: OUR RESPONSIBILITY FOR REPORTING, REVIEWING AND RESPONDING

ANZ JOURNAL OF SURGERY, Issue 2009
D. A. Watters
An adverse event is defined as unintentional harm (to a patient) arising from an episode of healthcare and not due to the disease process itself. Surgical adverse events include death, unplanned reoperation, unplanned readmission, unplanned ICU readmission, medication errors and side-effects, falls, pressure ulcers, hospital acquired infection, and inadvertent injury during surgery. Adverse events occur in around 10% of general surgical cases. The rates also vary between specialties. Reporting: , Adverse events need to be reported through both a hospital incident reporting system (eg Riskman) and through surgical audit. Each adverse event should be graded using a Severity Assessment Code (1,4) on the basis of its effect on the patient or hospital service, and the likelihood of it recurring. Some of the more severe events will trigger an entry on the risk register, making service managers responsible for action. Reviewing: , The opportunity must be seized to improve system issues. An investigation (eg root cause analysis) should be conducted in an atmosphere of ,no-blame' with engagement of and consultation with the major stakeholders who are responsible for delivering solutions. Training in system-wide approaches and teamwork can be invaluable. Responding: , The response needs to recognise the needs of the patient who has been harmed. There should be an honest and frank discussion with the patient and/or their family, acknowledging their suffering with empathy and an apology should be offered without necessarily admitting any liability. Open disclosure has the potential to reduce risk of litigation. Surgeons need to engage in reporting, reviewing and responding if the rate of adverse events is to be reduced. [source]

AL03 ADVERSE EVENTS: OUR RESPONSIBILITY FOR REPORTING, REVIEWING AND RESPONDING

ANZ JOURNAL OF SURGERY, Issue 2009
J. Collins
The sustained production of competent surgeons in sufficient numbers to meet the increasing needs of society commences with recruitment and selection of the most able medical graduates. As the process begins through self-selection, accurate information must be readily available to enable these graduates make an informed judgement on their career choice. Each surgical discipline aspires to use best practice selection in order to identify those who have the potential to acquire the necessary standard of technical and non technical skills and attributes required to practice as a surgeon. A selection system must rank applicants effectively and be reliable, valid, fair, defensible, cost effective and feasible. Best practice selection commences with an analysis of the relevant knowledge, skills, abilities and attitudes associated with successful performance in the particular target job. This information is used to construct a person specification in order to identify selection criteria at a level appropriate for entry to training. Selection methods are then chosen which will best elicit measurable applicant behaviour related to these selection criteria. A number of selection methods are used which include structured references, curriculum vitae and interviews. Other methods available although rarely used include tests of mental ability, aptitude tests and personality inventories. More recently selection or assessment centres (a selection method, not a place) involving a combination of selection techniques such as written exercises, interviews and work simulations have been shown to be highly effective. Eligibility criteria for application (long listing), shortlising for interview, scoring of items within each selection method and overall % weighting for each method are important variables in the selection process. [source]

DEFICIENCIES IN PATHOLOGICAL REPORTING OF COLORECTAL CANCER IN VICTORIA

ANZ JOURNAL OF SURGERY, Issue 9 2008
Robert D. Winn
Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) pathological reporting deficiencies have been shown to be common, with deviations from the suggested minimum dataset. Information from both surgeon and pathologist is necessary for a complete report. These deficiencies have been shown to be correctable with the use of synoptic reporting. We carried out an audit on a random sample of CRC pathological reports from the first 6 months of 2004 in Victoria, Australia, with the aim of documenting current CRC pathological reporting deficiencies. Methods: A random sample of pathological reports for CRC was obtained from the Cancer Council of Victoria. One hundred and sixteen of these reports were reviewed by a team of surgical and pathology trainees. Presence or absence of the various fields of the 1999 National Health and Medical Research Council minimum dataset for CRC reporting was recorded. Results: There were deviations from the minimal dataset. Most notable was the absence of the information on the apical node, the presence of distant metastasis and perineural invasion. Conclusions: The opportunity exists for improvement in the pathological reporting of CRC in Victoria through the uniform introduction of synoptic reporting. [source]

THE IMPACT OF SYNOPTIC CYTOLOGY REPORTING ON FINE-NEEDLE ASPIRATION CYTOLOGY OF THYROID NODULES

ANZ JOURNAL OF SURGERY, Issue 11 2007
Cyril J. L. Tsan
Background: Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is integral to the diagnosis and management of patients with thyroid nodules. We introduced synoptic cytology reporting for thyroid nodules in 2004. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of synoptic cytology reporting in our institution. Methods: A comparative study of two 2-year periods (1 August 2002 to 1 August 2004 and 2 August 2004 to 2 August 2006) before and after the introduction of synoptic reporting was conducted from a prospectively collected database of patients presented with thyroid nodules. The only change during these periods was the format of FNAC reporting. We used the same radiological practice and cytopathology service throughout the study period. All patients are still being followed up. Results: There were a total of 660 patients. Of these, 376 were operated and 284 non-operated. The female to male ratio was 7:1. Comparing the two periods, the overall FNAC sensitivities were 60% versus 79.1%; specificities, 83.7% versus 79.4%; accuracy, 76% versus 79.3%; false-positive result, 16.3% versus 20.6% and false-negative result, 40% versus 20.9%. The non-diagnostic rates were 7.4% versus 3.15%. FNAC prompted surgery in 66.7% versus 100% in carcinoma and 56.4% versus 73.6% in adenoma. A benign FNAC prompted surgery in 15% versus 19.8% of cases. There was no thyroid cancer detected in the current follow up. Conclusions: Synoptic cytology reporting has resulted in an overall improvement in all measures of the tests. It is a simple and effective tool to use. Synoptic cytology reporting is therefore recommended for all endocrine surgical units. [source]

STrengthening the REporting of Genetic Association studies (STREGA) , an extension of the STROBE statement

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION, Issue 4 2009
Julian Little
Abstract Making sense of rapidly evolving evidence on genetic associations is crucial to making genuine advances in human genomics and the eventual integration of this information in the practice of medicine and public health. Assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of this evidence, and hence the ability to synthesize it, has been limited by inadequate reporting of results. The STrengthening the REporting of Genetic Association studies (STREGA) initiative builds on the STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) Statement and provides additions to 12 of the 22 items on the STROBE checklist. The additions concern population stratification, genotyping errors, modelling haplotype variation, Hardy,Weinberg equilibrium, replication, selection of participants, rationale for choice of genes and variants, treatment effects in studying quantitative traits, statistical methods, relatedness, reporting of descriptive and outcome data and the volume of data issues that are important to consider in genetic association studies. The STREGA recommendations do not prescribe or dictate how a genetic association study should be designed, but seek to enhance the transparency of its reporting, regardless of choices made during design, conduct or analysis. [source]

STrengthening the REporting of Genetic Association Studies (STREGA),an extension of the STROBE statement,

GENETIC EPIDEMIOLOGY, Issue 7 2009
Julian Little
Abstract Making sense of rapidly evolving evidence on genetic associations is crucial to making genuine advances in human genomics and the eventual integration of this information in the practice of medicine and public health. Assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of this evidence, and hence the ability to synthesize it, has been limited by inadequate reporting of results. The STrengthening the REporting of Genetic Association studies (STREGA) initiative builds on the STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) Statement and provides additions to 12 of the 22 items on the STROBE checklist. The additions concern population stratification, genotyping errors, modelling haplotype variation, Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, replication, selection of participants, rationale for choice of genes and variants, treatment effects in studying quantitative traits, statistical methods, relatedness, reporting of descriptive and outcome data, and the volume of data issues that are important to consider in genetic association studies. The STREGA recommendations do not prescribe or dictate how a genetic association study should be designed but seek to enhance the transparency of its reporting, regardless of choices made during design, conduct, or analysis. Genet. Epidemiol. 33:581,598, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Adverse Event Reporting: Lessons Learned from 4 Years of Florida Office Data

DERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 9 2005
Brett Coldiron MD, FACP
Background Patient safety regulations and medical error reporting systems have been at the forefront of current health care legislature. In 2000, Florida mandated that all physicians report, to a central collecting agency, all adverse events occurring in an office setting. Purpose To analyze the scope and incidence of adverse events and deaths resulting from office surgical procedures in Florida from 2000 to 2004. Methods We reviewed all reported adverse incidents (the death of a patient, serious injury, and subsequent hospital transfer) occurring in an office setting from March 1, 2000, through March 1, 2004, from the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. We determined physician board certification status, hospital privileges, and office accreditation via telephone follow-up and Internet searches. Results Of 286 reported office adverse events, 77 occurred in association with an office surgical procedure (19 deaths and 58 hospital transfers). There were seven complications and five deaths associated with the use of intravenous sedation or general anesthesia. There were no adverse events associated with the use of dilute local (tumescent) anesthesia. Liposuction and/or abdominoplasty under general anesthesia or intravenous sedation were the most common surgical procedures associated with a death or complication. Fifty-three percent of offices reporting an adverse incident were accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgical Facilities, or American Association for Ambulatory Health Care. Ninety-four percent of the involved physicians were board certified, and 97% had hospital privileges. Forty-two percent of the reported deaths were delayed by several hours to weeks after uneventful discharge or after hospital transfer. Conclusions Requiring physician board certification, physician hospital privileges, or office accreditation is not likely to reduce office adverse events. Restrictions on dilute local (tumescent) anesthesia for liposuction would not reduce adverse events and could increase adverse events if patients are shifted to riskier approaches. State and/or national legislation establishing adverse event reporting systems should be supported and should require the reporting of delayed deaths. [source]

No Smoking Gun: Findings From a National Survey of Office-Based Cosmetic Surgery Adverse Event Reporting

DERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 11 2003
Rajesh Balkrishnan PhD
Background. Because of recent press reports of adverse outcomes, office-based cosmetic surgery has come under intense scrutiny and associated legislative regulatory action. Objective. To assess the safety of office-based cosmetic surgery through a national survey of state agencies that collect information on adverse patient outcomes. Methods. Medical boards or other responsible authorities were contacted in 48 states to obtain records on adverse outcomes from cosmetic surgery procedures performed in an office-based setting. Results. Five states were able to provide complete information regarding 13 cases of adverse outcomes that resulted from office-based cosmetic surgery procedures. Thirteen states had incomplete information or were unable to provide information. The remaining states reported no adverse outcomes. Information collected by state agencies varies greatly and is inadequate to define the safety of office-based cosmetic surgery practice. Conclusions. The need to regulate physician office surgery on the basis of hospital privileges and office certification is not supported by current data. Mandatory reporting of adverse outcomes from office-based surgery is warranted to identify modifiable risk factors and to reduce the risk of adverse outcomes. [source]

Reporting of diabetes on death certificates using data from the UK Prospective Diabetes Study

DIABETIC MEDICINE, Issue 8 2005
M. J. Thomason
Abstract Aims To study the effect of age at death, sex, ethnic group, date of death, underlying cause of death and social class on the frequency of reporting diabetes on death certificates in known cases of diabetes. Methods Data were extracted from certificates recording 981 deaths which occurred between 1985 and 1999 in people aged 45 years or more who participated in the UK Prospective Diabetes Study, to which 23 English, Scottish and Northern Ireland centres contributed. Diabetes (9th revision of the International Classification of Diseases; ICD-9 250) entered on parts 1A,1C or 2A,2C of the death certificate was considered as reporting diabetes. Logistic regression analyses were used to determine independent factors associated with the reporting of diabetes. Results Diabetes was reported on 42% (419/981) of all death certificates and on 46% (249/546) of those with underlying cardiovascular disease causes. Reporting of diabetes was independently associated on all death certificates with per year of age increase (OR 1.02; 95% CI 1.001,1.04, P = 0.037), underlying cause of death (non-cardiovascular causes OR 0.76; 95% CI 0.59,0.98, P = 0.035) and social class (classes I,II OR 1.00; class III OR 1.35; 95% CI 0.96,1.89, P = 0.084, classes IV,V OR 1.48; 95% CI 1.05,2.10, P = 0.027). Stratification by age, sex, and underlying cause of death also revealed significant differences in the frequency of reporting diabetes over time. Conclusions The rate of reporting of diabetes on cardiovascular disease death certificates remains poor. This may indicate a lack of awareness of the importance of diabetes as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. [source]

Medical Error Identification, Disclosure, and Reporting: Do Emergency Medicine Provider Groups Differ?

ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 4 2006
Cherri Hobgood MD
Abstract Objectives: To determine if the three types of emergency medicine providers,physicians, nurses, and out-of-hospital providers (emergency medical technicians [EMTs]),differ in their identification, disclosure, and reporting of medical error. Methods: A convenience sample of providers in an academic emergency department evaluated ten case vignettes that represented two error types (medication and cognitive) and three severity levels. For each vignette, providers were asked the following: 1) Is this an error? 2) Would you tell the patient? 3) Would you report this to a hospital committee? To assess differences in identification, disclosure, and reporting by provider type, error type, and error severity, the authors constructed three-way tables with the nonparametric Somers' D clustered on participant. To assess the contribution of disclosure instruction and environmental variables, fixed-effects regression stratified by provider type was used. Results: Of the 116 providers who were eligible, 103 (40 physicians, 26 nurses, and 35 EMTs) had complete data. Physicians were more likely to classify an event as an error (78%) than nurses (71%; p = 0.04) or EMTs (68%; p < 0.01). Nurses were less likely to disclose an error to the patient (59%) than physicians (71%; p = 0.04). Physicians were the least likely to report the error (54%) compared with nurses (68%; p = 0.02) or EMTs (78%; p < 0.01). For all provider and error types, identification, disclosure, and reporting increased with increasing severity. Conclusions: Improving patient safety hinges on the ability of health care providers to accurately identify, disclose, and report medical errors. Interventions must account for differences in error identification, disclosure, and reporting by provider type. [source]

Impact of Mandatory Physician Reporting on Accident Risk in Epilepsy

EPILEPSIA, Issue 8 2007
Richard S McLachlan
Summary:,Background: In some jurisdictions, physicians are required by law to report patients with seizures to the department of motor vehicles. We assessed the hypothesis that mandatory reporting reduces the risk of automobile accidents in people with epilepsy. Methods: A retrospective survey of driving and accident rates was done by mailed questionnaire to two groups of subjects with epilepsy in Canada, one living in Ontario where reporting is mandatory and the other in Alberta where it is not. Responses were obtained from a control group without epilepsy for comparison. Results: The epilepsy (n = 425) and control (n = 375) groups were comparable in age and sex. Seventy-three percent of the epilepsy group were or had been licensed drivers compared to 94% of the controls (rr 0.77, 95% CI 0.73,0.83, p < 0.001). Lifetime accident rate of licensed drivers was 58% in epilepsy and 60% in controls (rr 0.99, 95%CI 0.82,1.19, ns) while 9% of the epilepsy group and 9% of the controls had an accident in the previous year (rr 1.00, 95%CI 0.95,1.06, ns). All those with epilepsy in Ontario (n = 202) and Alberta (n = 223), also comparable in age and sex, had equal lifetime accident rates of 45 and 46% (rr 0.99, 95%CI 0.67,1.47, ns) and 1-year rates of 11 and 8% (rr 1.38, 95%CI 0.59,3.27, ns). In Ontario, 20% of drivers were unlicensed compared to 9% in Alberta (rr 2.39, 95%CI 1.17,4.89, p = 0.01) Conclusion: Although it is clearly dangerous for many people with ongoing seizures to drive, the findings provide no support for the hypothesis that mandatory reporting of patients by physicians reduces accident risk and suggest that concerns about the impact of epilepsy on driving compared to other medical and nonmedical risk factors may be excessive. [source]

STrengthening the REporting of Genetic Association studies (STREGA) , an extension of the STROBE statement

Research Ethics: Ethical Issues of Data Reporting and the Quest for Authenticity

ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 6 2000
Catherine A. Marco MD
Abstract. The search for truth and its unbiased reporting are ultimate goals of conducting scientific research. Ideally, the reporting of research data ought to be an objective task. In practice, however, it is fraught with numerous statistical and ethical pitfalls, seldom addressed in formal emergency medicine training. The lure of academic celebrity and related influences may persuade researchers to report results in ways that make data appear more interesting, or worthy of publication. Several examples of potentially misleading data reporting are illustrated, including using inappropriate statistical tests, neglecting negative results, omitting missing data points, failing to report actual numbers of eligible subjects, using inappropriate graph labels or terminology, data dredging, and others. Although potentially inaccurate or inflated methods of data reporting may not constitute overt scientific misconduct, the intentional misrepresentation of data is a form of fraud or deception. Publicly funded academic inquiry is a privilege and honor enjoyed by a trusted few. Regardless of outcome, every effort should be made to report data in the most scientifically accurate method. To this end, the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Code of Conduct and American College of Emergency Physicians Code of Ethics provide important guidance toward the accurate, compassionate, competent, impartial, and honest conduct of scientific research. Accuracy and authenticity in data reporting are first and foremost a matter of individual integrity, and are crucial to the preservation of academic credibility, the protection of future patients, and the public's trust in the medical research enterprise. [source]

A Two-country Comparison of Public Sector Performance Reporting: The Tortoise and Hare?

FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY & MANAGEMENT, Issue 3 2001
Mark Christensen
Recent Australian and Japanese second tier public sector performance measurement changes are compared and contrasted. The case analyses are presented within a theoretical structure derived from Hood's depiction of NPM which predicts an increased emphasis on explicit performance reporting. Significant differences and similarities are identified in terms of performance reporting effort and output; motivation for changed performance reporting; role of central agencies; and degree of resultant accountability discharge. NPM is a useful analytical framework and is enhanced by Luder's Contingency Model, epistemic community influence and governance. The explanatory factors identified reinforce views that NPM is a term best used solely in the context of the governmental traditions of each relevant public sector. [source]

Occupational Segregation and the Tipping Phenomenon: The Contrary Case of Court Reporting in the USA

GENDER, WORK & ORGANISATION, Issue 2 2007
Joyce P. Jacobsen
The ,tipping' phenomenon, whereby an occupation switches from dominance by one demographic group to dominance by another, has occurred in various occupations. Multiple causes have been suggested for such switches, including several related to technological change, both through effects on the performance of the work and through the effect of changing demand for different occupations. The court reporting occupation provides a novel setting for testing the relevance of various proposed causes for the increased feminization of many occupations. In this case, many of the general correlates, including declining wages, are not found; rather the phenomenon is related to the earlier feminization of the clerical workforce and the increased identification of court reporting with clerical work. [source]

STrengthening the REporting of Genetic Association Studies (STREGA),an extension of the STROBE statement,

Do Medicaid Wage Pass-through Payments Increase Nursing Home Staffing?

HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH, Issue 3 2010
Zhanlian Feng
Objective. To assess the impact of state Medicaid wage pass-through policy on direct-care staffing levels in U.S. nursing homes. Data Sources. Online Survey Certification and Reporting (OSCAR) data, and state Medicaid nursing home reimbursement policies over the period 1996,2004. Study Design. A fixed-effects panel model with two-step feasible-generalized least squares estimates is used to examine the effect of pass-through adoption on direct-care staff hours per resident day (HPRD) in nursing homes. Data Collection/Extraction Methods. A panel data file tracking annual OSCAR surveys per facility over the study period is linked with annual information on state Medicaid wage pass-through and related policies. Principal Findings. Among the states introducing wage pass-through over the study period, the policy is associated with between 3.0 and 4.0 percent net increases in certified nurse aide (CNA) HPRD in the years following adoption. No discernable pass-through effect is observed on either registered nurse or licensed practical nurse HPRD. Conclusions. State Medicaid wage pass-through programs offer a potentially effective policy tool to boost direct-care CNA staffing in nursing homes, at least in the short term. [source]

Doing Better to Do Good: The Impact of Strategic Adaptation on Nursing Home Performance

HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH, Issue 3p1 2007
Jacqueline S. Zinn
Objective. To test the hypothesis that a greater commitment to strategic adaptation, as exhibited by more extensive implementation of a subacute/rehabilitation care strategy in nursing homes, will be associated with superior performance. Data Sources. Online Survey, Certification, and Reporting (OSCAR) data from 1997 to 2004, and the area resource file (ARF). Study Design. The extent of strategic adaptation was measured by an aggregate weighted implementation score. Nursing home performance was measured by occupancy rate and two measures of payer mix. We conducted multivariate regression analyses using a cross-sectional time series generalized estimating equation (GEE) model to examine the effect of nursing home strategic implementation on each of the three performance measures, controlling for market and organizational characteristics that could influence nursing home performance. Data Collection/Abstraction Methods. OSCAR data was merged with relevant ARF data. Principal Findings. The results of our analysis provide strong support for the hypothesis. Conclusions. From a theoretical perspective, our findings confirm that organizations that adjust strategies and structures to better fit environmental demands achieve superior performance. From a managerial perspective, these results support the importance of proactive strategic leadership in the nursing home industry. [source]

The Effect of State Medicaid Case-Mix Payment on Nursing Home Resident Acuity

HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH, Issue 4p1 2006
Zhanlian Feng
Objective. To examine the relationship between Medicaid case-mix payment and nursing home resident acuity. Data Sources. Longitudinal Minimum Data Set (MDS) resident assessments from 1999 to 2002 and Online Survey Certification and Reporting (OSCAR) data from 1996 to 2002, for all freestanding nursing homes in the 48 contiguous U.S. states. Study Design. We used a facility fixed-effects model to examine the effect of introducing state case-mix payment on changes in nursing home case-mix acuity. Facility acuity was measured by aggregating the nursing case-mix index (NCMI) from the MDS using the Resource Utilization Group (Version III) resident classification system, separately for new admits and long-stay residents, and by an OSCAR-derived index combining a range of activity of daily living dependencies and special treatment measures. Data Collection/Extraction Methods. We followed facilities over the study period to create a longitudinal data file based on the MDS and OSCAR, respectively, and linked facilities with longitudinal data on state case-mix payment policies for the same period. Principal Findings. Across three acuity measures and two data sources, we found that states shifting to case-mix payment increased nursing home acuity levels over the study period. Specifically, we observed a 2.5 percent increase in the average acuity of new admits and a 1.3 to 1.4 percent increase in the acuity of long-stay residents, following the introduction of case-mix payment. Conclusions. The adoption of case-mix payment increased access to care for higher acuity Medicaid residents. [source]

Good Campers: The History of Australian War Reporting

HISTORY COMPASS (ELECTRONIC), Issue 10 2010
Fay Anderson
When the Chief of British Intelligence told Australia's First Official War Correspondent, C.E.W Bean in October 1914 that war reporters were a ,dying profession', Bean recorded in his diary that on the contrary, he thought it was the beginning of a new era. Bean proved prescient. Since 1863 Australia has had over 750 journalists, photographers and cinematographers covering international conflicts. Despite this tradition, the history of Australian conflict reporting has been neglected by historians. This article will provide an overview of the Australian historiography and the corresponding scholarship in the US and UK. It will also consider seminal issues such as censorship, the mythology and self-mythology surrounding war reporting, media power and the Anzac legend. [source]

Productivity,quality,costs,safety: A sustained approach to competitive advantage,a systematic review of the national safety council's case studies in safety and productivity

HUMAN FACTORS AND ERGONOMICS IN MANUFACTURING & SERVICE INDUSTRIES, Issue 2 2008
Tushyati Maudgalya
The marked improvement in workplace safety levels in the past few decades has resulted in companies experiencing fewer safety accidents than before, thus making it less effective to argue that money spent on workplace safety and on injury prevention will yield much bottom-line benefit. To make a compelling business case for workplace safety investment, one must link safety objectives to other business objectives. The objective of this study is to determine whether workplace safety as a business objective adds value to the business bottom line. This research reviews published case studies to determine if there is a relationship between safety initiatives and increased productivity, quality, and cost efficiencies. Eighteen case studies (17 published by the National Safety Council) were analyzed using the Workplace Safety Intervention Appraisal Instrument. The appraisal scores ranged from 0.55 to 1.27, with an average of 0.91. The case studies were relatively strong in the Evidence Reporting and Data Analysis categories, as compared to the Subject Selection, Observation Quality, and Generalization to Other Populations categories. Following workplace safety initiatives, the studies revealed an average increase of 66% (2%,104%) in productivity, 44% (4%,73%) in quality, 82% (52%,100%) in safety records, and 71% (38%,100%) in cost benefits. In a few reported cases, it took only 8 months to obtain a payback in terms of monetary investment in the safety initiative. Although the studies did display a correlation between safety, productivity, and quality, there is insufficient evidence to categorically state that the improvements in productivity, quality, and cost efficiency were brought about by the introduction of an organization-wide safety culture. Notwithstanding, there is demonstrable evidence to indicate that safety as a business objective can assist an organization in achieving the long-term benefit of operational sustainability, that is, achieve a long-term competitive advantage by balancing business costs against social costs. Further research is required to conclusively prove the exact (possibly quantifiable) impact of safety investment on increased productivity, quality, and cost efficiency. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source]

Financial Reporting for Private Companies: The Canadian Experience,

ACCOUNTING PERSPECTIVES, Issue 1 2009
Morina D. Rennie
ABSTRACT The issue of whether small and/or private companies should be allowed to use simplified accounting standards in financial reports has concerned the accounting profession for decades. It has been argued that preparing financial reports in accordance with the large volume of promulgated standards contained in generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), some of which are relatively complex, has put a significant strain on the resources of small/private business. Moreover, information produced and presented in accordance with at least some accounting standards within GAAP may not be relevant for the users of small/private companies' financial statements. In this paper we look at differential reporting in Canadian GAAP, which gives nonpublicly accountable enterprises the ability to opt out of certain CICA Handbook requirements with unanimous consent of the shareholders. We look at lobbying activity in response to the proposed differential reporting standard and at nonpublicly accountable company experience with the differential reporting opportunity in the period since the standard was promulgated. [source]

Special Call: E-Business and Electronic Financial and Business Reporting: Decline of the Age of Pacioli: The Impact of E-Business on Accounting and Accounting Education / Le déclin de l'ère Pacioli: l'incidence des affaires électroniques sur la comptabilité et la formation comptable

ACCOUNTING PERSPECTIVES, Issue 2 2004
GERALD TRITES
First page of article [source]

Evidence from the United States on the Effect of Auditor Involvement in Assessing Internal Control over Financial Reporting

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF AUDITING, Issue 2 2009
Jean C. Bedard
Securities regulators around the world are considering the costs and benefits of alternative policies for providing information to financial markets on corporate internal control. These policy options differ on the level of auditor involvement, among other dimensions. We examine the association of relative auditor involvement and auditor characteristics with Section 302 internal control disclosures made by US ,non-accelerated filers' from 2003 to 2005. We find more material weaknesses disclosed in the fourth quarter, when there is relatively more auditor involvement, relative to the first three quarters. Clients of larger audit firms have higher disclosure rates (although they are probably less risky due to more stringent client acceptance standards), but this difference is due to fourth quarter disclosures. Audit firms with Section 404 experience also have greater material weakness disclosure, implying process improvement associated with knowledge sharing across engagements. Collectively, our results shed light on ways to increase the effectiveness of internal control regulation. [source]

Current Developments and Trends in Social and Environmental Auditing, Reporting and Attestation: A Review and Comment

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF AUDITING, Issue 3 2000
Rob Gray
This is a discursive paper which attempts to provide a personal review of current and recent developments in social and environmental reporting with particular emphasis on the attestation and auditing implications. The paper takes the essential desirability of social, environmental and sustainability reporting as a crucial element in any well-functioning democracy as a given. It further assumes that any civilised, but complex, society with pretensions to social justice, that seeks a potentially sustainable future and which wishes to try and rediscover some less exploitative and less insulated relationship with the natural environment, needs social and environmental reporting as one component in redirecting its social and economic organisation. With reporting being such a central issue, the paper further takes good quality attestation of that information as essential to both its reliability and its ability to fulfill its required role in developing transparency and accountability. The paper has three motifs: the need to clarify terminology in the field of social and environmental ,audits'; the current weakness of attestation practices in the area; and the significant , but unfulfilled , promise offered by professional accounting and auditing education and training. The paper concludes with a call for a substantial re-think of accounting education and training. [source]

Performance Impact of the Elimination of Direct Labor Variance Reporting: A Field Study

JOURNAL OF ACCOUNTING RESEARCH, Issue 4 2002
Rajiv D. Banker
Using a field study approach, we examine two competing perspectives on direct labor variance reporting: some argue that direct labor variance reporting is costly and cumbersome, and should be eliminated; whereas others contend that without direct labor variance information, managers will not be able to monitor workers effectively, causing workers to shirk and worker productivity to decline. Specifically, we investigate the productivity and quality impacts of eliminating direct labor variance reporting with panel data containing 36 months of data from seven experimental plants that eliminated direct labor variance reporting and 11 control plants that did not. The experimental plants experienced a significant decline in labor productivity compared to the control plants. Also, the experimental plants showed an improvement in product quality, indicating that workers reallocate their efforts to other tasks as a result of the change in the information set available to evaluate them. [source]

Market Efficiency, Bounded Rationality, and Supplemental Business Reporting Disclosures

JOURNAL OF ACCOUNTING RESEARCH, Issue 2 2001
J. Richard Dietrich
The AICPA Special Committee on Financial Reporting has urged disclosure of relevant forward-looking information on risks and opportunities to supplement conventional financial statements. We conduct a laboratory market experiment to assess the effects of such disclosures on capital allocation decisions. We develop two sets of competing hypotheses regarding how capital markets react to supplemental disclosures. One set is based on the assumption of semi-strong market efficiency, while the other posits that the bounded rationality of individual traders leads to inefficient market prices. We find that explicit disclosure of management's best estimate of an uncertain quantity improves market efficiency, even though this disclosure is redundant with information in financial statements. Second, we find disclosure of an upper bound of management's estimate has the potential to bias security prices upward, while informationally equivalent disclosure of both upper and lower bounds removes this bias. These results suggest that experimental market reactions to these supplemental disclosures are inconsistent with market efficiency. Supplemental analyses of individuals' price predictions and trading behavior support our conclusion that inefficiencies are at least partially attributable to individual information processing biases. [source]

Method-Shifting in Aggressive Earnings Reporting: The Case of the US Software Industry's Response to New US Regulation

JOURNAL OF BUSINESS FINANCE & ACCOUNTING, Issue 7-8 2010
Ke Zhong
Abstract:, Under rationality, firms should shift to alternative earnings management methods to achieve their earnings management goals whenever the alternatives provide greater benefit. New accounting regulation can alter the net benefit derivable from existing earnings management methods and thus may provide the impetus for method-shifting. This study investigates whether firms circumvent regulatory-imposed restrictions on their use of specific methods for accelerating earnings by shifting to alternative methods. Specifically, the study examines whether the US's adoption of a reporting standard that placed restrictions on the recognition of software revenue prompted US software-firm managers to method-shift to expense components for accelerated earnings reporting. A comparison of discretionary revenue and expense accruals and discretionary R&D expenses before and after the adoption of the standard confirmed a reduction of accelerated revenue recognition after the adoption and supported the hypothesized method-shift to expense components for accelerated earnings reporting. [source]

Gray-scale sonography of solid breast masses: Diagnosis of probably benign masses and reduction of the number of biopsies

JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ULTRASOUND, Issue 1 2007
Luciano Chala MD
Abstract Purpose. To identify probably benign breast masses using gray-scale sonography and to see if this strategy could reduce the number of biopsies of breast masses. Methods. This retrospective study included 229 masses in 203 women who underwent sonographically guided percutaneous biopsy. Masses with a negative predictive value for malignancy >98% were retrospectively considered probably benign, and the potential impact of gray-scale sonography in reducing the number of biopsies if these masses were not biopsied was assessed. Assessments were performed considering all masses as a group as well as various subgroups. Results. Round, ellipsoid, or lobulated masses with 3 or fewer lobulations, circumscribed margins, a longitudinal,anteroposterior diameter ratio ,1.0 and no marked hypoechogenicity, posterior acoustic shad owing, internal microcalcifications, or altered surrounding breast tissue were considered probably benign. The sensitivity of gray-scale sonography to identify this subgroup was 98%, with a negative predictive value of 99%. If these masses were not biopsied, there would be a 42% reduction in the number of biopsies considering all masses, a 36% reduction for masses classified as Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System category 4, and a 59% reduction for masses exclusively analyzed with sonography. Conclusions. It is possible to identify probably benign breast masses using gray-scale sonography, and thereby to reduce the number of biopsies performed. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 2007 [source]