Premium
The Public Policy Debate on Investors' Need for Disclosure Regulation: Accounting Historians' Help Wanted? */ LE DÉBAT PUBLIC SUR LES BESOINS DES INVESTISSEURS EN MATIÈRE DE RÉGLEMENTATION DE L'INFORMATION: FAUT‐IL L'AIDE DES HISTORIENS DE LA COMPTABILITÉ?
Author(s) -
GÉLINAS PATRICE,
BAILLARGEON LISA
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
canadian accounting perspectives
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.238
H-Index - 17
eISSN - 1911-3838
pISSN - 1499-8653
DOI - 10.1506/cvwd-utud-3ew3-gm4d
Subject(s) - accounting , externality , economics , empirical research , public disclosure , business , political science , mechanical engineering , philosophy , epistemology , engineering , microeconomics
This paper explores how research in accounting history can contribute to the important public policy debate regarding investors' need for disclosure regulation. Accounting, finance, and economics researchers and practitioners argue for, as well as against, disclosure regulation. The debate remains theoretical, however, because empirical studies are virtually nonexistent. This paper reviews five contexts in which accounting historians can begin a search for empirical insights concerning the costs, benefits, externalities, and effects on stakeholders of disclosure regulation. The paper's investigation of the accounting history literature suggests that accounting historians could improve the quality of the debate and help accommodate broader interests or alternative solutions to financial crises.