The Need for a Different Approach to Financial Reporting and Standard-setting

International Financial Reporting Standards are questioned. Possibly, there is a need for a different kind of standards and a different procedure for developing them. No doubt, there is a need for a more profound theoretical approach to these issues. Theory-building in accounting should include approaches whereby problem descriptions have a broad coverage and cross the boarders of traditional specialisations. In this paper, a theoretical approach is outlined. According to this approach, insights into control problems for every organisation and system can be gained by analysing relationships between global value chains and a hierarchy of one or several organisations. Time is crucial. Instrumentality is regarded as an inevitable and necessary guide line for any control system that relates resources to functions and visions. Instrumentality concerns the effects of tools on certain functions. In the paper financial reporting and standard-setting are placed in a wide context in which longitudinal relationships are essential for individuals, organisations and control systems. Basic financial accounting concepts and their relationships with business events are discussed. The importance of uncertainty for financial reporting is emphasized, and so is the fact, that control from top-levels is exercised at a distance. A tendency to instrumentalism is also recognized: measures and procedures, for example standard setting procedures, tend to be important in themselves, irrespective of ultimate economic functions in a wider perspective. The analysis in the paper is one application of a general approach to financial control for all types of organisations. The general approach is based on a number of previous research-oriented books published over several decades and the author´s specific own experiences from internal and external processes with organisations in focus. Consistency and integrative power of the ideas have been tested in relation to certain books in various fields outside the core of the subject: applied systems theory, theatre, sociology, economic history, institutional theory and economics.financial reporting; International Financial Reporting Standards; standard-setting; accounting standard setting bodies; supervisory boards; corporate governance; transparency; market value accounting; mark-to-market; fair values; historical values; accounting theory.

Towards a General Theory of Financial Control for Organisations

In this paper, a theory of accounting, control and accounting-related areas is outlined.It is based on a number of previous research-oriented books published over several decades and the author´s specific own experiences from internal and external processes with organisations in focus.Consistency and integrative power of the ideas have been tested in relation to certain books in various fields outside the core of the subject:theatre,sociology, applied systems theory,economic history, institutional theory and economics.The general approach can be described in simple terms as follows.There are global value chains, from resources to output that are in use.These chains change with time.Uncertainty and unpredictability prevail for the present state and for possible changes; to some extent it is possible to estimate risks of the future. At any moment, each organisation has taken some limited position on a chain.Each organisation has a hierarchy which lies above operations. Over time, chains, organisations, hierarchies, output and personal functions vary. According to the approach, insights into control problems for every organisation and system can be gained by analysing relationships between global value chains and a hierarchy of one or several organisations.Time is crucial.financial control; management control; public administration; financial entities; financial reporting; dependencies; function-driven organisations; pay-driven organisations; transfer-driven organisations; supervisory boards; mass media; auditors; natural systems; panarchy; pseudo-commercial units; inter-organisational control; long-term control; short-term effects; hierarchies; global value chains; vertical control; horizontal control; corporate governance; remote control; controllability; transparency; values-in-use; values-in-exchange; fair values; historical costing; opportunity costs; product costing; transfer pricing; local optimization; time-bound optimization; longitudinal relationships.

Prognostic and predictive impact of stroma cells defned by PDGFRb expression in early breast cancer: results from the randomized SweBCG91RT trial

Purpose Predictive biomarkers are needed to aid the individualization of radiotherapy (RT) in breast cancer. Cancer-associated fibroblasts have been implicated in tumor radioresistance and can be identified by platelet-derived growth factor receptor-beta (PDGFRb). This study aims to analyze how PDGFRb expression affects RT benefit in a large randomized RT trial. Methods PDGFRb was assessed by immunohistochemistry on tissue microarrays from 989 tumors of the SweBCG91RT trial, which enrolled lymph node-negative, stage I/IIA breast cancer patients randomized to RT after breast-conserving surgery. Outcomes were analyzed at 10 years for ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence (IBTR) and any recurrence and 15 years for breast cancer specific death (BCSD). Results PDGFRb expression correlated with estrogen receptor negativity and younger age. An increased risk for any recurrence was noted in univariable analysis for the medium (HR 1.58, CI 95% 1.11–2.23, p = 0.011) or PDGFRb high group (1.49, 1.06–2.10, p = 0.021) compared to the low group. No differences in IBTR or BCSD risk were detected. RT benefit regarding IBTR risk was significant in the PDGFRb low (0.29, 0.12–0.67, p = 0.004) and medium (0.31, 0.16–0.59, p < 0.001) groups but not the PDGFRb high group (0.64, 0.36–1.11, p = 0.110) in multivariable analysis. Likewise, risk reduction for any recurrence was less pronounced in the PDGFRb high group. No significant interaction between RT and PDGFRb-score could be detected. Conclusion A higher PDGFRb-score conferred an increased risk of any recurrence, which partly can be explained by its association with estrogen receptor negativity and young age. Reduced RT benefit was noted among patients with high PDGFRb, however without significant interaction.publishedVersio

Cryopreserved platelets in bleeding management in remote hospitals: A clinical feasibility study in Sweden

BackgroundBalanced transfusions, including platelets, are critical for bleeding patients to maintain hemostasis. Many rural hospitals have no or limited platelet inventory, with several hours of transport time from larger hospitals. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of using cryopreserved platelets that can be stored for years, in remote hospitals with no or limited platelet inventory.Material and methodsThree remote hospitals participated in a prospective study including adult bleeding patients where platelet transfusions were indicated. Cryopreserved platelets were prepared in a university hospital, concentrated in 10 ml, transported on dry ice, and stored at −80°C at the receiving hospital. At request, the concentrated platelet units were thawed and diluted in fresh frozen plasma. The indications, blood transfusion needs, and laboratory parameters pre- and post-transfusion, as well as logistics, such as time from request to transfusion and work efforts in preparing cryopreserved platelets, were evaluated.ResultsTwenty-three bleeding patients were included. Nine patients (39%) were treated for gastrointestinal bleeding, five (22%) for perioperative bleeding, and four (17%) for trauma bleeding. The transfusion needs were 4.9 ± 3.3 red blood cell units, 3.2 ± 2.3 plasma units, and 1.9 ± 2.2 platelet units, whereof cryopreserved were 1.5 ± 1.1 (mean ± SD). One patient had a mild allergic reaction. We could not show the difference in laboratory results between pre- and post-transfusion of the cryopreserved units in the bleeding patients. The mean time from the order of cryopreserved platelets to transfusion was 64 min, with a range from 25 to 180 min.ConclusionCryopreserved platelets in remote hospitals are logistically feasible in the treatment of bleeding. The ability to have platelets in stock reduces the time to platelet transfusion in bleeding patients where the alternative often is many hours delay. Clinical effectiveness and safety previously shown in other studies are supported in this small feasibility study