Transparency in Financial Reporting: A Look at Rules-Based Versus Principles-Based Standards‪.‬

INTRODUCTION Transparency in financial reporting has always been considered positive from the standpoint of financial statement users, but not necessarily something for which management has striven. Rather, corporate managers often envision a major part of their role as "marketing" the company, particularly in regard to raising capital and maintaining equity growth. Management can even seem obsessed with painting the company in "a good light."