Capitalising or Expensing Development Costs? – Mixed Methods Evidence on the Determinants and Motives of the Accounting Policy in the context of UK Private Companies

IF 4.6 Q1 BUSINESS, FINANCE
Annika Brasch, B. Eierle, Robin Jarvis
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引用次数: 1

Abstract

ABSTRACT Following calls for further research, this study evaluates the determinants and motives behind private companies’ decision to capitalise development costs by using mixed methods. While prior literature and expert interviews indicate initially that private firms may be motivated opportunistically, subsequent archival analyses show that development costs are capitalised to meet benchmarks and ameliorate poor profitability. Additionally, interview evidence emphasises that debt covenant violation avoidance and increasing merger and acquisition (M&A) values are important drivers for capitalisation, whereas management compensation schemes do not seem to influence their accounting policy. Moreover, findings imply a negative association between firm size and the capitalisation of development costs. Expert interview evidence indicates that smaller companies are more likely to have financing needs, suggesting that capitalisation is employed to signal future economic benefits to investors. Conversely, the motivation for larger companies which are more likely to expense may be grounded on risk avoidance from future impairments.
开发成本资本化还是费用化?-关于英国私营公司会计政策决定因素和动机的混合方法证据
在进一步研究的呼吁下,本研究通过使用混合方法评估私营公司决定资本化开发成本背后的决定因素和动机。虽然先前的文献和专家访谈最初表明私营公司可能受到机会主义的激励,但随后的档案分析表明,开发成本被资本化以满足基准并改善糟糕的盈利能力。此外,访谈证据强调,避免违反债务契约和增加并购(M&A)价值是资本化的重要驱动因素,而管理层薪酬计划似乎并不影响其会计政策。此外,研究结果表明,企业规模与开发成本资本化之间存在负相关关系。专家访谈证据表明,规模较小的公司更有可能有融资需求,这表明资本化被用来向投资者发出未来经济利益的信号。相反,更有可能支出的大公司的动机可能是基于对未来减值的风险规避。
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
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来源期刊
Accounting in Europe
Accounting in Europe BUSINESS, FINANCE-
CiteScore
5.00
自引率
7.10%
发文量
14
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