* How to relate accounting information to actual business decisions* How to recognize economically useful information in statements and reports* Uses international accounting standards* How to analyze weaknesses as well as strengths of published financial statementsThere are a great many types of financial statement and report from which essential information can be extracted. This advanced level textbook shows how the student can learn to analyze all of them and use them to extract information useful to managers, investors, and other decision makers. The principle of the book is "decision usefulness"-in other words, the immediate economic value of information-but legal and regulatory frameworks are also reviewed.Especially appropriate for advanced students of accounting, financial services, and business studies.