scholarly journals The Effect Of Abnormal Pay Dispersion On Earnings Management

2016 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 687
Author(s):  
Sanghyuk Byun ◽  
Youngjoo Lee ◽  
Ohjin Kwon
Keyword(s):  
Firm Performance ◽  
Earnings Management ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Financial Statement ◽  
Executive Turnover ◽  
Relative Level ◽  
Top Executives ◽  
Pay Dispersion ◽  
Future Outcomes

This study examines the effect of the abnormal pay dispersion on earnings management. Prior studies find that pay dispersion among top executives affect firm performance and executive turnover. We expect that abnormal pay dispersion among top executives affects financial reporting practice as well as firm performance and turnover and provide evidence of positive association between abnormal pay dispersion and earnings management. This result suggests that executives are more likely to be engaged in earnings management to increase their compensation when they feel unfairness from the relative level of compensation. This finding helps financial statement users interpret firm performance and anticipate future outcomes by implying that additional managerial incentives for financial reporting are derived from internal pay dispersion. Our finding that abnormal pay dispersion leads to higher agency costs should also be of interest to shareholders.

Does Auditor Explanatory Language in Unqualified Audit Reports Indicate Increased Financial Misstatement Risk?

2014 ◽  
Vol 89 (6) ◽  
pp. 2115-2149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith Czerney ◽  
Jaime J. Schmidt ◽  
Anne M. Thompson
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Reporting Quality ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Financial Statements ◽  
Financial Statement ◽  
Financial Reporting Quality ◽  
Accounting Principles ◽  
Client Relationship ◽  
Financial Misstatement ◽  
Audit Reports

ABSTRACT According to auditing standards, explanatory language added at the auditor's discretion to unqualified audit reports should not indicate increased financial misstatement risk. However, an auditor is unlikely to add language that would strain the auditor-client relationship absent concerns about the client's financial statements. Using a sample of 30,825 financial statements issued with unqualified audit opinions during 2000–2009, we find that financial statements with audit reports containing explanatory language are significantly more likely to be subsequently restated than financial statements without such language. We find that this positive association is driven by language that references the division of responsibility for performance of the audit, adoption of new accounting principles, and previous restatements. In addition, we find that (1) “emphasis of matter” language that discusses mergers, related-party transactions, and management's use of estimates predicts restatements related to these matters, and that (2) the financial statement accounts noted in the explanatory language typically correspond to the accounts subsequently restated. In sum, our results suggest that present-day audit reports communicate some information about financial reporting quality.

Financial Reporting and Entrepreneurial Finance: Evidence from Equity Crowdfunding

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Donovan
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Financial Statement ◽  
Entrepreneurial Finance ◽  
Ongoing Debate ◽  
Equity Crowdfunding ◽  
Macroeconomic Uncertainty ◽  
Ex Post ◽  
Insight Into

I study the role of accounting and financial reporting in entrepreneurial finance by examining whether financial statement disclosure increases capital raised through equity crowdfunding. On average, I find a positive association between financial reporting and capital raised, suggesting that accounting reduces information asymmetry with potential investors. Additionally, the importance of financial reporting in equity crowdfunding varies predictably in the cross-section. Specifically, financial reporting is associated with greater capital raised when the firm has longer historical operations, during periods of higher macroeconomic uncertainty, and when complemented by detailed shareholder agreements. Finally, using a mediation analysis, I find evidence that financial reporting is indirectly associated with better ex post performance by increasing the likelihood of raising capital. These results provide insight into the role of financial reporting in entrepreneurial finance and inform the ongoing debate over regulation and disclosure in the equity crowdfunding market. This paper was accepted by Brian Bushee, accounting.

Baywatch International: A Case Linking Financial-Reporting, Business, and User Decisions

2000 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 605-633 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fred Phillips ◽  
Kevin Morris ◽  
Kristina Zvinakis
Keyword(s):  
Earnings Management ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Financial Accounting ◽  
Financial Statement ◽  
Technical Knowledge ◽  
Capital Asset ◽  
Financial Statement Analysis ◽  
Accounting Courses ◽  
Reporting Decisions ◽  
Asset Depreciation

Baywatch International is a hypothetical company that manufactures figure-enhancement products—a rapidly growing industry that is featured frequently in Fortune and on CNNfn. The executives at Baywatch are making financial-reporting decisions pertaining to the company's receivables, inventories, loss contingencies, and capital asset depreciation. These decisions require technical knowledge of fundamental topics covered in introductory financial accounting courses, as well as an appreciation for relationships among financial-reporting, business, and user decisions. Consideration of the implications for financial statement analysis, earnings management, and financial-reporting ethics also is encouraged.

scholarly journals CEO Characteristics and Real Earnings Management in Jordan

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 255
Author(s):  
Mohammad Abedalrahman Alhmood ◽  
Hasnah Shaari ◽  
Redhwan Al-dhamari
Keyword(s):  
Earnings Management ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Stock Exchange ◽  
Reporting Quality ◽  
Personal Characteristics ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Real Earnings Management ◽  
Board Structure ◽  
Political Connection ◽  
Ceo Characteristics

The Chief Executive Officer (CEOs) tends to be the most influential member of a corporation as they exert control over corporate decisions such as financial disclosure, board structure, and company performance in ensuring enhanced corporate performance and earnings. The issue of earnings management (EM) that has captured the attention of researchers may be among the most critical factors that are linked to financial statement manipulation. Therefore, the current study explored the effects of the personal characteristics of CEOs on real earnings management (REM) practices in Jordan. Data of 58 companies listed on the Amman Stock Exchange for six years from 2013 to 2018 were utilised to achieve this study’s objectives. The results of this study revealed that CEOs’ experience had a significantly positive association with REM. Meanwhile, CEOs’ tenure had no impact on REM among Jordanian firms. Also, the results exposed the presence of a significantly negative association between CEO duality and REM. Finally, CEOs’ political connection was found to have a significantly positive association with REM. This study offers empirical evidence on the effect of CEO characteristics on REM and how such characteristics can lead to exploitation, which brings an impact on the financial reporting quality.

scholarly journals The Impact of Financial Statement Comparability on Earnings Management: Evidence from Frontier Markets

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 73
Author(s):  
Wil Martens ◽  
Prem W. S. Yapa ◽  
Maryam Safari
Keyword(s):  
Earnings Management ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Common Law ◽  
Accounting Standards ◽  
Real Earnings Management ◽  
Financial Statement ◽  
Financial Reporting Standards ◽  
Developed Markets ◽  
Accounting Comparability ◽  
The Impact

This paper examined whether financial statement comparability constrains opportunistic earnings management in frontier market countries. Using a large sample of 19 frontier market countries, and an accounting comparability method that maps comparability across several accounting standards, the results show that enhanced financial comparability constrains accruals earnings management (AEM). Contrary to developed markets and novel to this study, a significant relationship between financial comparability and real earnings management (REM) was not found. For greater robustness, AEM and REM were also tested on both International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) adopting and non-adopting countries. The results suggest IFRS adoption constrains AEM, yet exhibited no impact on constraining REM. Additionally, the use of BigN auditors failed to conclusively show an ability to moderate EM. When combined, the results suggest that frontier markets engage in less REM than expected. It is also noted that the legal roots (civil vs. common law) play a significant role in constraining earnings management. Common law countries exhibited lower AEM when comparability increased; this significance was not found in countries that were rooted in civil law. Contributions from this study show that findings from developed markets cannot be generalised to frontier markets.

scholarly journals An Assessment of the Application of Earnings Management Objectives and Instruments in Financial Reporting – Evidence of Survey Research Results

2013 ◽  
Vol 60 (2) ◽  
pp. 148-173
Author(s):  
Andrzej Piosik ◽  
Marzena Strojek-Filus
Keyword(s):  
Earnings Management ◽  
Survey Research ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Research Problem ◽  
Financial Statement ◽  
Board Members ◽  
Executive Board ◽  
Management Tools ◽  
Management Objectives ◽  
Effective Instrument

Abstract The study contains an overview of earnings management tools of reporting entities and capital groups in Poland. Relations between the phenomenon of earnings management and financial reporting policy have been analysed. A research problem related to the significance and application of particular earnings management tools as perceived by practitioners (accountants, executive board members, specialists) has been discussed. Selected tools of earnings management, usually linked with operations, are perceived to be used more intensively. The conducted analysis shows that in the opinion of the surveyed respondents the most effective instrument influencing the desired level of results presented in a financial statement is carrying out transactions under conditions which ensure the achievement of a reported goal. This applies also to capital groups, in which transactions effected between group units were indicated as the ones used to the greatest extent.

The Effect of Real Earnings Management on Auditor Scrutiny of Management's Other Financial Reporting Decisions

2018 ◽  
Vol 93 (5) ◽  
pp. 145-163 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin P. Commerford ◽  
Richard C. Hatfield ◽  
Richard W. Houston
Keyword(s):  
Earnings Management ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Real Earnings Management ◽  
Financial Statement ◽  
Mediation Model ◽  
Reporting Decisions ◽  
Regulatory Scrutiny ◽  
Serial Mediation ◽  
Subjective Estimates ◽  
Inference Theory

ABSTRACT Recent research reveals that accruals-based earnings management (AEM) is decreasing while real earnings management (REM) is increasing, suggesting the correlation is due to regulatory scrutiny. However, based on Correspondent Inference Theory, we predict and find that when management uses REM, auditors are more restrictive of management's subjective estimates, making it more difficult for management to use income-increasing AEM. Our experiment manipulates the presence versus absence of REM, and whether the audit difference potentially impacts the client's ability to meet an earnings target. Using a serial mediation model, we find that when auditors observe REM, they perceive these operating decisions as aggressive, leading them to perceive management as aggressive, ultimately causing greater proposed adjustments on an unrelated audit difference. We contribute to the literature by demonstrating that when auditors observe REM, their altered perceptions about management can cascade, affecting how they respond to management estimates in unrelated financial statement accounts.

Is Earnings Quality Associated with Corporate Social Responsibility?

2012 ◽  
Vol 87 (3) ◽  
pp. 761-796 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yongtae Kim ◽  
Myung Seok Park ◽  
Benson Wier
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Earnings Management ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Socially Responsible ◽  
Financial Reports ◽  
Top Executives ◽  
Accruals Quality ◽  
Corporate Social

ABSTRACT This study examines whether socially responsible firms behave differently from other firms in their financial reporting. Specifically, we question whether firms that exhibit corporate social responsibility (CSR) also behave in a responsible manner to constrain earnings management, thereby delivering more transparent and reliable financial information to investors as compared to firms that do not meet the same social criteria. We find that socially responsible firms are less likely (1) to manage earnings through discretionary accruals, (2) to manipulate real operating activities, and (3) to be the subject of SEC investigations, as evidenced by Accounting and Auditing Enforcement Releases against top executives. Our results are robust to (1) controlling for various incentives for CSR and earnings management, (2) considering various CSR dimensions and components, and (3) using alternative proxies for CSR and accruals quality. To the extent that we control for the potential effects of reputation and financial performance, our findings suggest that ethical concerns are likely to drive managers to produce high-quality financial reports. Data Availability: Data used in this study are available from public sources identified in the study.

scholarly journals Editorial: Fundamental pillars of corporate governance research

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (1, Special Issue) ◽  
pp. 222-224
Author(s):  
Paolo Tenuta ◽  
Alexander Kostyuk
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Firm Performance ◽  
Stock Market ◽  
Earnings Management ◽  
Board Of Directors ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Corporate Ownership ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
The Board Of Directors ◽  
And Control

Corporate governance is a system designed to improve corporate performance through supervision of management performance to ensure accountability to stakeholders based on a regulatory framework. Board of directors as a field of research becomes a major point for intersection of many other issues of corporate governance, such as financial reporting, firm performance, earnings management, stock market, and reaching even well-established fields of research such as accounting and finance. Most of the papers published in this issue (volume 18, issue 1, special issue) of the Corporate Ownership and Control journal are linked to the board of directors’ issues directly or indirectly.

scholarly journals An Investigation IFRS Adoption in Malaysia on The Relationship between The Audit Committee and Quality of Financial Statement

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 115-122
Author(s):  
Citrawati Jatiningrum ◽  
Fauzi Fauzi ◽  
Rita Irviani ◽  
Mujiyati Mujiyati ◽  
Shahanif Hasan
Keyword(s):  
Earnings Management ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Audit Committee ◽  
Financial Statement ◽  
Committee Meeting ◽  
Ifrs Adoption ◽  
Financial Expertise ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Post Period

Audit committees are one of Corporate Governance (CG) mechanisms which are the significant factor in improving its role in inhibiting financial statement fraud (Choi, Jeon & Park, 2004; Habbash, 2010; Soliman & Ragab, 2014). Quality of the Financial Statement emphasised as being in compliance with accounting standards accepted in general, the disclosure scale, and reported numbers although this is not merely a task for the IFRS (Cascino & Gassen, 2010). In recent years, the issue of IFRS adoption in developed and developing countries have been a great deal of attention from many researchers. However, regarding the relationship between the Audit Committee and Quality of Financial Statement with IFRS requirements is still questioning. In fact, the results obtained from some previous researches are inconsistent. Therefore, the objectives in this study are aims to investigate whether post the mandatory IFRS adoption in Malaysia would limit earnings management practice in highlights of governance monitoring on the quality of financial reporting in this environment. This paper gives some evidence: 1) The effect of pre- and post IFRS adoption in Malaysia in the relationship between the Audit Committee and earnings management adoption. 2) examine the differences of the level earnings management on two periods of IFRS adoption in Malaysia. Quality of Financial statement in this study was measured by the level of earnings management with discretional accrual (DA) proxy. The audit committee variable measured by Audit Committee Independence (ACIND), Audit Committee Financial Expertise (ACFEX), Audit Committee Meeting (ACMEET), Audit Committee Size (ACSIZE) and control variable in this study using Board Size (BRDSIZE) and Firm Leverage (FRMLEV). The sample of this study including the two main time periods, there are pre-IFRS adoption and post-IFRS adoption. Using 81 listed companies in Malaysia as a sample, with 567 observations is analysed from 2009 to 2015 (7 years observations) with purposive judgement sampling selection. For seven years, a total of 567 observations is analysed. The pre- IFRS adoption period was tested from 2009 through 2011, and the post-IFRS adoption was tested from 2012 through the end of 2015. The findings in this study with multiplied regression analysis revealed that the hypothesis test in a period of pre- and post IFRS adoption ACFEX and FIRMLEV statistically were significance at 5% level. It means that Audit Committee Financial Expertise (ACFEX) have a significant effect on earnings management practise. According to the result found in the post IFRS adoption period, Audit Committee Meeting (ACMEET) is significant. It means that the frequency of audit committee meetings could be decreasing the level of discretionary accrual. The evidence also unveils both of ACIND and ACSIZE at 5 % level p-value is not significant. The most important result finding on pre- and post period of IFRS adoption in Malaysia provide evidence that based on the statistically significant was upward or the relation more significantly. However, this study also reported with paired sampled test analysis there was no significant difference between the level of earnings management in pre- and post period the adoption of IFRS in Malaysia at 5% level significance.  An important contribution this study has the impact on practices and has implications useful for regulators. The study provides empirical evidence that a relationship between the audit committee and earnings management in the case of IFRS adoption. In contributing to the strength of governance quality and FRQ need to be revisited, especially after mandatory IFRS adoption. Though the audit committee and audit quality are implicitly mentioned in the CG act, it is recommended that formulates specific rules relating to the quality of Financial Reporting. In this regard, it is suggested that company reports would be presented high quality in financial reporting to provide appropriate responses to recommendations made in the reports. Finally, these findings suggest that CG practices in Malaysian that have its own peculiar characteristics compared to other emerging economies.      

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