What is Accounting Engineering

The dual nature of creative accounting has been intensely debated since its emergence in the Anglo-Saxon economies. The lack of a common accounting language, different accounting systems at international level, applied in different languages, international legislation harmonized more or less correctly, amidst a turbulent economic environment, left room for multiple interpretations and meanings. This chapter presents the advantages of fair value in manipulating business performances by creative accounting, but there are voices that are challenging this concept because of its volatility and tendency to subjectivism, and also manipulating the models used to evaluate balance-sheet structures or profit and loss account. The results show that fair value was introduced by accounting norms in response to the deterioration of confidence in the financial statements and targets a new system for assessing the entity's assets and liabilities.