The overarching objective of the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) is clear. It seeks to increase the transparency of financial statements and one of the most frequently discussed topics, unsurprisingly, simply asks how to provide better information.

The ultimate goal is to find out whether companies can, at a reasonable cost, provide users with more useful information about the businesses they acquire. A clearer view on company performance should, in turn, make decisions regarding investments far easier, the IASB argues.