4.13 Obtain the annual reports of three companies in the same industry (usually available from company websites) and consider the items included in property, plant and equipment. Answer the following questions.

(a) What range of measures are used to determine amounts for these items in the reports of the individual companies? Do you think it is valid to add the items, given the measures used? How would you interpret the total amount for property, plant and equipment in the financial statements?

(b) Compare the measures used by the different companies for similar items. Are there any inconsistencies in how similar items are measured by the different companies?

4.19 Obtain the annual reports of two companies in different industries. Assess the decision usefulness of the accounting information contained within these reports from the perspective of the following stakeholders. In your response include an explanation of how the measurement approaches adopted have affected the usefulness of the information.

(a) Shareholders

(b) Managers

(c) Government