Fischer and Verrecchia (J. Account. Econom. (2004), forthcoming) studies a model of imperfect competition in which firms’ disclosures are affected by biased information processing. They find that optimism can add punch to a firm's actions. When facing an optimist, a rival is forced to soften its competitive posture, thereby rendering such biases viable. Although the setting provides a cogent explanation for disclosure bias, its reliance on imperfect information processing introduces some questions. One concern is the ease with which polar results can be obtained when the rules-of-the-game are sufficiently relaxed. The discussion provides examples illustrating this and related issues.

Abstract Financial statements summarize a firm's fiscal position using only a limited number of accounts. Readers often interpret financial statements in conjunction with other information, some of which may be aggregated in a different way (or not at all). This paper exploits properties of the double‐entry accounting system to provide a systematic approach to reconciling diverse financial data. The key is the ability to represent the double‐entry system by network flows and, thereby, access well‐recognized network optimization techniques. Two specific uses are investigated: the reconciliation of audit evidence with management‐prepared financial statements, and the creation of transaction‐level financial ratios.