For the one-semester undergraduate financial accounting course, this text takes a "user-oriented" approach. This text was written in response to the recommendations made by the Accounting Education Change Commission (AECC). Developed around a decision making model, students are taught how to understand the financial accounting processes and how to interpret and use the resulting information. Rather than focus on the recording process, the text teaches why particular items appear in or are omitted from financial statements, how items are valued in the financial statements and the usefulness of report information in a decision-making contaxt. Students will learn how to evaluate current reporting criteria in a decision-making context and be introduced to "what-if" analysis using specific business decisions. THrough the linking pog decisions and information, students will learn how to think and analyze rather than memorize. Recognizing the coverage of the basic recording process is necessary for transactional journal entries will be included in some chapters of the text. Broad concepts will be emphasized and those concepts will be illustrated through extensive use of business situations.

Author Biography

THOMAS E. KING, CPA, is Professor of Accounting in the School of Business at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, where he served as Chairman of the Accounting Department for seven years. He received his B.S. degree in accounting from California State University, Northridge, and holds an M.B.A. and Ph.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles. Professor King has a number of years of business and consulting experience, and he has been teaching for more than 20 years. He previously was on the faculty of The University of Iowa and has taught courses for the Illinois and Iowa CPA Societies, the Iowa Department of Revenue, the Institute of Internal Auditors, and a major international CPA firm. Professor King has published numerous articles in journals such as The Accounting Review, the Journal of Accounting, Auditing, and Finance, Accounting Horizons, the Journal of Accountancy, and Financial Executive. He also coauthored Advanced financial Accounting, now in its fourth edition. Professor King recently completed his second term on the Board of Gov ernors of the St. Louis Chapter of the Institute of Internal Auditors and is active in the financial Executives Institute and the Institute of Management Accountants. In addition, he serves on the editorial boards of Advances in Accounting and Advances in Accounting Education. Professor King has taught financial and managerial accounting at all levels and has had a special interest in presenting accounting information so that it can be understood and used by non-accountants. VALDEAN C. LEMBKE is Professor of Accounting in the College of Business Administration at The University of Iowa. He received his B.S. degree from Iowa State University and his MBA and Ph.D. from the University of Michigan. He has internal audit and public accounting experience. He has been active in the American Accounting Association, including service as President of the Midwest Region and book review editor for Issues in Accounting Education. Professor Lembke has been a faculty member at The University of Iowa for more than 25 years, where he was named the first recipient of the Gilbert Maynard Excellence in Accounting Instruction award. He has served two terms as department head and is currently head of the professional program in accounting. Professor Lembke has authored or coauthored articles in The Accounting Review, the Journal of Accounting, Auditing, and finance, the Journal of Accountancy, and the Internal Auditor. He also coauthored an advanced financial accounting textbook with Richard Bake and Thomas King. His teaching has been in undergraduate and graduate financial accounting and governmental and not-for-profit accounting coursework, including responsibility for the introductory financial accounting course. JOHN H. SMITH, CPA, is Professor of Accountancy, Emeritus, at Northern Illinois University in Dekalb, Illinois. He has served as Accounting Department Chairman at Northern Illinois University and at The University of Iowa. He has held visiting professorship at the University of Hawaii and has been a staff member in the Office of the Chief Accountant of The Securities and Exchange Commission. He also has experience with a major international public accounting firm. Professor Smith holds a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois and M.A. and B.B.A. degrees from the University of Missouri. He has published in numerous journals and has held offices in academic and professional accounting organizations. He has published in numerous journals and has held offices in academic and professional accounting organizations. He also led the task force that organize the 150-hour education requirement in Illinois. He has taught introductory accounting and all levels of financial accounting, including financial accounting for non-accountants at the S.E.C. and in numerous other programs. He has won awards for teaching excellence at both the undergraduate and M.B.A. levels. Teaching accounting to business managers has led to a life-long interest in improving the instruction of accounting and is reflected in this textbook. Professor Smith believes that accounting should be a manager's best friend.