Emerging Markets Journal (Feb 2016)
The Relationship Between Accounting Practices and Effects of Financial Crisis in Turkey: A Case Study on an Oil Company
Abstract
Many reasons lie at the base of all financial crises from the past to the present. If we take into consideration the 2008 subprime mortgage crisis, the only reason cannot be mortgage loans. But the mortgage issue continued to advance and created several other problems. Definitely, the source of mortgage loans problem also had many roots. One of the reasons was the lack of correct use of accounting principles and auditing. This is a strong proof and indicator that, there are many accounting based reasons behind the occurrence of the financial crises. Many examples can be given showing moving away from the basic principles of accounting rules and the general accounting concepts. Moreover, institutions being not fully independent, running creative accounting practices, having problems with fair valuation and transparency issues, presenting unreal financial reports, and sharing misleading audit reports are all related to financial crises.Furthermore, specific businesses and people abuse accounting rules, standards and related legislation for the sake of their own interests. Accounting and finance history has shown us that, even audit institutions, credit institutions and rating agencies are getting unfair advantages and generating unethical cash by making intentional accounting and finance errors, which is actually categorized as fraud.The aim of this study is to analyze financial crises and to determine if accounting practices have any relationship with financial crises. The research investigated an oil company’s financial and operational indicators before and after the 2008 financial crises with related tables and figures. Also, an interview was run with the company’s accounting officer. Based on the statements of firm’s accounting officer, correct accounting practices defended firm from several negative effects of the 2008 financial crisis.
Keywords
