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ChapterI
FINANCIALACCOUNTINGASASOURCE
OFBUSINESSINFORMATION
1.1.Theconceptofaccounfinganditsfuncfions
Economicactivityrequiresapreciseorientationonthestatusandtheinvolve-
mentofthecompany’sresourcesandtheresultsachieved.Suchknowledgeis
providedbytheeconomicregistrysystem.Thebasicelementofthissystemis
accounting.Thesubjectofaccountingistheeconomicphenomenaandprocess-
esoccurringwhenrunningbusiness(inenterprises,inbudgetaryunits,innon-
profitcompanies,etc.).
Intheeconomicliterature,variousdefinitionsofaccountingcanbefound.
Amongthemisthewell-knowntraditionaldefinitionofStanisławSkrzywan,
whostatesthataccountingisaspecialtypeofeconomicrecords.Itisasystemof
continuousrecognition,grouping,presentingandinterpretingexpressedinmoney
andbalancedgeneralandspecificnumericaldataabouteconomicactivityand
theeconomicsituationofanenterprise.2WłodzimierzBrzezinproposesanother
definitionemphasizingitsroleincompanymanagement,accordingtowhichac-
countingisaspecialinformationandcontrolsystemofaretro-andprospective
natureadaptedtotheobjectivesofbroadlyunderstoodfinancialmanagementof
aneconomicentity(organization).3
Accountingisrecognizedasabusinesslanguage.Wecanusethislanguage
tocommunicatefinancialtransactionsandtheirresults4.Accountingisacom-
prehensivesystemofidentifying,measuring,recording,andcommunicatingan
organization’seconomicactivitiestousers.Usersneedinformationfordecision
making.Externalusersdonotworkfortheorganization.Theyincludestock-
holders,suppliers,banks,employees,governmentagencies,businessowners,
andotherstakeholders.Financialaccountingistheareaofaccountingthatcal-
culatesandrecordsbusinesstransactionsandpreparesfinancialstatementsfor
2S.Skrzywan,Teoretycznepodstawyrachunkowości,PWE,Warszawa1968,p.15.
3W.Brzezin,Ogólnateoriarachunkowości,WyższaSzkołaHandluiPrawawWarszawie,War-
szawa1998,p.20.
4Sprawozdaniefinansowebeztajemnic,collectiveworkedited:G.K.Świderska,Difin,Warszawa
2003,p.1-1.
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