Some of the unresolved issues affecting the inferences drawn from value-relevance
research include market efficiency, econometric issues, and other purposes of financial state-
ments. Does market efficiency affect interpretation of the results? I believe it does, but the
findings are important even if markets are inefficient. Are the standard econometric issues
more serious with respect to this research area than elsewhere? Most. if not all, of the
econometric issues faced here are common to other areas of accounting research. Moreover,
value-relevance research incorporates design features to mitigate these concerns. Finally,
what other purposes of financial statements should be explored as a complement to the
value relevance research? Accounting for contracting purposes is a major candidate (Watts
and Zimmerman 1986).