Theoretical aspects of the development of segment accounting

In the conditions of Russia's transition to the market model of economic management and the global financial crisis, those economic entities, which have several business segments, successfully operate because they diversify their risks. In this connection, the order of allocation of business segments and estimation of their effectiveness becomes of special urgency. In the scientific work, different approaches to treatment of the concepts of segment of activity and internal and external segment reporting are considered. On the basis of the obtained conclusions the concept of segment of activity as an object of internal business accounting is clarified. The specific tasks of accounting of activity segments have been substantiated, which allow to build and carry out the correct accounting, analysis and control of an individual activity segment or their group at the level of an economic entity. Factors and risks, which influence the formation of activity segments, are revealed. The known approaches to classification of activity segments are generalized, and the new classification criteria (as per risk level; industry sector; types of products; external buyers; types of activity; geographical regions; responsibility centers) are offered, allowing to broaden the idea of activity segments as objects of accounting, analysis and control.