Accounting Principles 7Th Canadian Edition Volume 1 By Jerry J. Weygandt

Accounting Principles 7Th Canadian Edition Volume 1 By Jerry J. Weygandt

CHAPTER 1 ACCOUNTING IN ACTION

CHAPTER LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. Identify the use and users of accounting and the objective of financial reporting. Accounting is the information system that identifies, records, and communicates the economic events of an organization to a wide variety of interested users. Good accounting is important to people both inside and outside the organization. Internal users, such as management, use accounting information to plan, control, and evaluate business operations. External users include investors and creditors, among others. Accounting data are used by investors (owners or potential owners) to decide whether to buy, hold, or sell their financial interests. Creditors (suppliers and bankers) evaluate the risks of granting credit or lending money based on the accounting information. The objective of financial reporting is to provide useful information to investors and creditors to make these decisions. Users need information about the business’s ability to earn a profit and generate cash. For our economic system to function smoothly, reliable and ethical accounting and financial reporting are critical.

2. Compare the different forms of business organization. The most common examples of business organization are proprietorships, partnerships, and corporations. Proprietorships and partnerships are not separate legal entities but are separate entities for accounting purposes; income taxes are paid by the owners and owners have unlimited liability. Corporations are separate legal entities as well as separate entities for accounting purposes; income taxes are paid by the corporation and owners of the corporation have limited liability.