Resumen de The use of information by capital providers: Academic literature review

Stefano Cascino, Mark Clatworthy, Beatriz García Osma, Joachim Gassen, Shahed Imam, Thomas Jeanjean

• In January 2012 The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS) and the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG) invited expressions of interest to undertake a literature review on the use of information by capital providers.

  EFRAG and ICAS are commissioning this literature review to serve as a sound platform for future research and deliberations on the use of information by capital providers and the future evolution of financial statements. The objective of financial reporting is based on satisfying users' needs. As the length and complexity of financial statements continue to grow, the debate about the usefulness of financial statements intensifies. The aim of the commissioned literature review is to identify, consider and evaluate the existing evidence on the use of information by capital providers for decision-making, including assessing stewardship. The findings should serve to inform future standard setting activities.

  As the length and complexity of financial statements continue to grow, the debate about the usefulness of financial statements for economic decision-making has intensified. ICAS and the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG) commissioned this comprehensive literature review on the use of information by capital providers to serve as a sound platform for standard setting and the future evolution of financial statements.

  The aim of this review is to identify, consider and evaluate, from a European perspective, the existing evidence on the use of information by capital providers for decision-making and assessing stewardship. The review was undertaken by a team of independent European academics and the resultant report draws conclusions and implications from across Europe for standard setters, highlights gaps in the existing literature and identifies opportunities for future research on this important topic.