This study examines the links between conditional conservatism in financial accounting and certain changes in the institutional frameworks in Australia, France, Japan and the United States of America (US) during the period 1981–2008. We identify specific time periods where changes in market regulation and financing structure; harmonisation and convergence of accounting standards; and corporate governance occurred. We find that conditional conservatism, measured using the Basu (1997) model, decreased in all four countries over the study period. Indeed, by the end of the period studied, there was little support for the existence of conditional conservatism in any of the four countries. However, it is important to note that the pattern and timing of the changes varied across the four countries.

本研究考察了1981-2008年期间财务会计中的有条件保守主义与澳大利亚，法国，日本和美利坚合众国（US）的体制框架的某些变化之间的联系。我们确定市场监管和融资结构发生变化的特定时间段；统一和统一会计准则；和公司治理发生了。我们发现，使用Basu（1997）模型衡量的条件保守主义在研究期间在所有四个国家均下降了。确实，在所研究的时期结束时，四个国家中的任何一个国家对有条件的保守主义的存在几乎没有支持。但是，必须指出的是，这四个国家的变化方式和时机不同。