An Evaluation of the Standard Setting Performance of the FASB

<p>This paper develops a framework for evaluating the effects of various organizational changes on the performance of a regulatory agency in standard setting. I apply this framework to examine whether numerous Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) modifications influence the performance of the Board during the standard setting process. These modifications include changes in FASB funding, voting, and Board member characteristics, particularly professional backgrounds and political affiliations. To analyze the performance of the Board, I follow the operations management literature to construct a set of variables that capture team effectiveness and managerial performance. A factor analysis on these variables produces three distinct efficiency factors regarding FASB standard setting: thoroughness, timeliness, and consensus. I find evidence that a change in voting rules from super majority to simple majority is associated with an improvement in timeliness but a decline in thoroughness and consensus. I also find that a change in FASB funding from voluntary contributions to mandatory accounting support fees is associated with reduced timeliness but no significant change in thoroughness and consensus. Finally, FASB members’ professional and political characteristics appear to influence the efficiency of the Board in different aspects.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Business

Grantor

The Graduate School and University Center of The City University of New York

Year dc:date.available

2016

Author dc:creator

• Rolleri, Devon

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Edward Li

• Accounting
• FASB
• accounting standard setting
• accounting regulation
• regulatory performance

Repository record dc:identifier

https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/672

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:academicworks.cuny.edu:gc_etds-1674