ACC3005 Accounting Research Project: Company Annual Report Analysis

This accounting research project analyzes the annual reports of five ASX-listed companies to identify and examine accounting issues and corporate social responsibility practices. The project critically reviews relevant accounting theories, such as cost principle and matching principle, as well as stakeholder theory and business ethics within the context of corporate social responsibility. The research employs empirical analysis and qualitative data interpretation to investigate issues like asset allocation, accounting methods, and the impact of accounting standards and taxation. The methodology includes an analysis of qualitative data from company reports and application of accounting methods. The findings highlight common accounting problems and the importance of mitigating them, along with the consideration of social responsiveness and ethical principles. The study concludes with a discussion of the identified issues and their implications for the selected companies.

Running head: ACCOUNTING RESEARCH PROJECT
Accounting Research Project
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s Note

1ACCOUNTING RESEARCH PROJECT
Executive Summary
This current report has focused on the issues in the process of accounting that is mentioned in their annual
report which has been disclosed by the company. Five different companies has to be selected from the list
of ASX along with their availability of annual report that has been prepared by the management. Theories
of accounting information has been reviewed from the journals along with analysis of accounting issues.
Identification of research methodologies has been included along with interpreting the qualitative data.

2ACCOUNTING RESEARCH PROJECT
Table of Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................3
Critically analysing the relevant theories of accounting information and corporate social responsibility....3
Analysing annual report of 5 ASX listed companies for issues in accounting.............................................3
Identifying the research methodologies.......................................................................................................4
Investigating the qualitative data and interpreting the data..........................................................................4
Discussion on main findings of the companies............................................................................................4
Conclusion...................................................................................................................................................5
References...................................................................................................................................................6

3ACCOUNTING RESEARCH PROJECT
Introduction
Accounting information are the relevant data that are provided by the financial statement of the
company which is mainly prepared by the appointed managers of the company. In this study, 5 ASX
listed companies has been selected that has mainly focused on their accounting information as well as
corporate social responsibility. Both theoretical as well as empirical data has been analysed with current
practices of accounting that are implemented by the company.
Critically analysing the relevant theories of accounting information and corporate social
responsibility
Accounting information consist of accounting data that is directly associated with the
organisation and is mainly based on certain theories such as cost principle theory and matching principle
theory and others. This particular theory of accounting is associated with the assets that has been recorded
during its business (Raiborn and Sivitanides 2015). Some of the assets of the company might be
frequently replaced due to its overall nature and the amount of depreciation is based on it. The matching
principle of accounting is mainly involves in keeping the transaction in its record with all kinds of
expenses that are directly associated with business.
On the other hand, corporate social responsibility consist of certain theory that are required to be
associated with the stakeholders and its ethics in business. The stakeholder theory of corporate social
responsibility puts impact on the business with both ethical as well as pragmatic out of assumption in
business along with interest in stakeholders. In addition to this, business ethics theory of corporate social
responsibility is mainly based on social as well as legal obligation that consist of certain ethical
background (Adams, Mezzullo and McManus 2015). It also includes corporate citizenship that mainly
helps in pointing towards the social well-being of the society.
Analysing annual report of 5 ASX listed companies for issues in accounting
The annual report of the ASX listed companies is required to be analysed for pointing any kind of
issues in overall process of accounting. Five ASX listed companies are Baby Bunting Group limited
which mainly deals with retailing industries. Bailador Technology Investment limited is another company
that has been taken in to consideration which mainly deals with diversified financials and other
investment projects. Bank of Queensland limited is another company that is listed in ASX and it provides
financial services such as banking services to the customers. The other two companies that has been
chosen are Bass Metal limited and Beach Energy limited which provides different kinds of services to the
customers.

4ACCOUNTING RESEARCH PROJECT
Issues in accounting is a common problem in recent years as several methods of accounting
treatment is associated with the business. Most of the company mentioned above has some common
accounting issues that has been pointed out by analysing their financial statements such as overall
allocation of assets that would be beneficial for the company in their normal course of business ( Beattie
2014). The development and implementation of accounting methods has faced certain issues like methods
of accounting which might single entry or double entry system that would be implemented in their
company. Accounting standards also puts certain impact on the business procedures that has already been
reflected in their annual report (Kim, Li and Li 2014). The system of taxation is also a type of accounting
issue that might affect the overall business procedures.
Identifying the research methodologies
Research methodologies are the procedures by which an organisation finds their issues in overall
process of accounting and in their corporate social responsibility. Social accounting issues can be
identified with proper analysis of accounting methods that has been pointed with the sustainability
(Dyckman and Zeff, 2015). An empirical research has been conducted which points out the implication of
current accounting practices of the companies that has been mentioned above. The annual report that has
been disclosed by the companies includes their respective corporate social responsibility which clearly
focuses on the social responsibility of the company and its practices. Methods of accounting plays an
important role in overall process of research that includes the double entry bookkeeping system
(Korschun, Bhattacharya and Swain 2014). This particular method of accounting records all the
transaction from both end and analyses the accounting treatment that has been conducted for every
transactions.
Investigating the qualitative data and interpreting the data
The qualitative data that has been mentioned in the annual report of the company which points
out the qualitative information that has been gathered from the viewpoint of the managers. Determining
of particular frequency of traits is evaluated by the help of parameters that has already been set for the
organisations (Cheng, Ioannou and Serafeim 2014). The qualitative data that has been provided mainly
points out problems or issues which is associated with company and in their overall accounting system.
Discussion on main findings of the companies
The companies that has been researched consist of certain accounting issues which is required to
be mitigated in their normal course of business. Corporate social responsibility of the companies has been
taken into consideration that helps in identifying the contemporary research along with empirical
implication of current accounting issues (Saeidi et al. 2015). Changes in social responsiveness includes

5ACCOUNTING RESEARCH PROJECT
certain problem and the intrinsic value is denoted by certain principles such as social justice and human
rights. The companies that has been mentioned above consist of accounting problem which might be
analysed from their annual report that has been disclosed by the company.
Conclusion
From the above study, it can be concluded that the issues that are associated with the companies
in their process of accounting is to be mitigated. Five ASX listed companies has been selected which
deals with different industries and these companies consist of several accounting issues and corporate
social responsibility. The development and implementation of accounting methods has faced certain
issues like methods of accounting which might single entry or double entry system that would be
implemented in their company. The qualitative data has been investigated with their research
methodologies along with pointing out the main findings of the companies that has already been selected.

6ACCOUNTING RESEARCH PROJECT
References
Adams, P.W.R., Mezzullo, W.G. and McManus, M.C., 2015. Biomass sustainability criteria: Greenhouse
gas accounting issues for biogas and biomethane facilities. Energy Policy, 87, pp.95-109.
Beattie, V., 2014. Accounting narratives and the narrative turn in accounting research: Issues, theory,
methodology, methods and a research framework. The British Accounting Review, 46(2), pp.111-134.
Cheng, B., Ioannou, I. and Serafeim, G., 2014. Corporate social responsibility and access to
finance. Strategic management journal, 35(1), pp.1-23.
Dyckman, T.R. and Zeff, S.A., 2015. Accounting research: past, present, and future. Abacus, 51(4),
pp.511-524.
Kim, Y., Li, H. and Li, S., 2014. Corporate social responsibility and stock price crash risk. Journal of
Banking & Finance, 43, pp.1-13.
Korschun, D., Bhattacharya, C.B. and Swain, S.D., 2014. Corporate social responsibility, customer
orientation, and the job performance of frontline employees. Journal of Marketing, 78(3), pp.20-37.
Raiborn, C. and Sivitanides, M., 2015. Accounting issues related to Bitcoins. Journal of Corporate
Accounting & Finance, 26(2), pp.25-34.
Saeidi, S.P., Sofian, S., Saeidi, P., Saeidi, S.P. and Saaeidi, S.A., 2015. How does corporate social
responsibility contribute to firm financial performance? The mediating role of competitive advantage,
reputation, and customer satisfaction. Journal of business research, 68(2), pp.341-350.