A Review of Lease Accounting：Implications of IFRS 16

[Purpose]In this paper, I aim to provide a comprehensive review of the conceptual/ institutional evolution and extant research on lease accounting, motivated by the recent change in lease accounting standard of IFRS 16. [Methodology]The study employs literature review with a view to forming a general perspective on lease accounting research. The literature reviewed encompasses conceptual discussions, regulatory pronouncements, survey studies, and numerous empirical/archival studies. [Findings]This paper explicates the evolution of lease accounting standards from the beginning of the 20th century until the present day, driven by the concepts of property right, firm commitment, risk and reward, and more importantly the principle of substance over form. Existing literature is classified into impact studies, determinant studies, relevance studies, and others. [Implications]The implications derived from this review study would offer insights into the post－implementation analysis of the new lease accounting regime.