Abstract In the article, the author presents a response to a commentary by Robert E. Jensen about accounting reporting, published in this issue of the journal "The Accounting Review." The original paper, presented by the author, was intended to stimulate some thought and action with respect to the direction in which the accounting profession is being drawn by the vicissitudes of legal and other forces relating to the communication of financial affairs. Some of the points on accounting reporting which Jensen has taken issue with include, the apparent relationship of the author's six or seven item "standard report" to psychologist George A. Miller's "channel capacity" observations; the assumption that accountancy ought to attempt to provide decision-related information directly to the user who may not choose to seek interpretation by a specialist; the use of the word "hypothesis"; and some semantics with respect to the statement related to rational investment action. According to the author, the needs of the investment analyst for information are much greater than the needs of the ordinary investor because of his training, analytical frame of reference, and familiarity with problem areas.
John P. Fertakis (Wed,) studied this question.