An ontological analysis of the economic primitives of the extended-REA enterprise information architecture

The resource–event–agent (REA) model for enterprise economic phenomena was first published in The Accounting Review in 1982. Since that time, its concepts and use have been extended far beyond its original accountability infrastructure to a framework for enterprise information architectures. The granularity of the model has been extended both up (to enterprise value chains) and down (to workflow or task specification) in the aggregation plane, and additional conceptual type-images and commitment-images have been proposed as well. The REA model actually fits the notion of domain ontology well, a notion that is becoming increasingly important in the era of E-commerce and virtual companies. However, its present and future components have never been analyzed formally from an ontological perspective. This paper intends to do just that, relying primarily on the conceptual terminology of John Sowa. The economic primitives of the original REA model (economic resources, economic events, economic agents, duality relationships, stock–flow relationships, control relationships, and responsibility relationships) plus some newer components (commitments, types, custody, reciprocal, etc.) will be analyzed individually and collectively as a specific domain ontology. Such a review can be used to guide further conceptual development of REA extensions.     

Defining management accounting constructs: A methodological note on the risks of conceptual misspecification

This paper stresses the need for a sound conceptual specification of research constructs prior to fitting them to explanatory models. It emphasizes that in addressing the conceptual level of the predictive validity framework [Libby, R., Bloomfield, R., & Nelson, M. (2002). Experimental research in financial accounting. Accounting, Organizations and Society, 27, 775–810], special attention must be paid to two issues: (1) the production of a specific agreed-upon meaning and domain for each construct of interest; and (2) the specification and conceptual justification of the nature and direction of the epistemic relationships between constructs, dimensions and indicators (i.e., reflective vs. formative models; latent vs. emergent models). The paper highlights the importance of both issues especially in the case of practice-defined variables, and it provides guidelines on how to address both aspects of conceptual specification. While the issues raised are pertinent to many research areas, the paper concentrates on the implications for management accounting and control systems (MACS) research, using interactive use of control systems [Simons, R. (1995a). Levers of control. Boston: Harvard Business School Press] to illustrate how researchers should go about specifying meaning and epistemic relationships in MACS research.     

工商银行管理流程再造研究

银行管理流程再造是银行业应对当前顾客、竞争和变化的挑战而产生的一场管理观念和管理模式的变革,这场全球性的变革也日益成为我国商业银行关注的热点.工商银行现行管理体系是典型的金字塔结构,当前存在缺乏整体竞争意识、组织结构不合理、风险防范意识不强等问题,这必然要求其对管理模式加以变革以适应商业银行市场竞争的需要.工商银行在实施管理流程再造中须根据银行再造的基本原理和工商银行的现状,在观念、组织结构、制度、业务流程、风险管理、技术、经营策略及企业文化等八个方面实施再造工程,使其自身经营方式发生实质性的变化,以适应新的环境需要.     

Models for designing business situations in the context of mutations

Firms are involved in strategic movements that generate alliances, mergers, acquisitions and divestitures of activities. In this cycle of mutations, change is continuous. Two firms can build an alliance, expand it to other firms, merge, or even dismantle all or any part of their activities. Between competition and cooperation, networks of activities are created and reorganized, contributing to corporate renewal. In such situations, how could information systems provide relevant information for managing mutations and how could they support the global redesign of the strategy, organization and management of firms? In this paper we first give an overview of the mutation process. Then we outline the principles and concepts of an integrated approach to strategy, organization and management in the context of mutations. Third, we present a meta-model based on these principles and concepts that allows the information system to provide models for designing changing configurations of activities. The meta-model can combine strategic, organizational and management thinking. Finally, we propose to look in more detail at the development phase of the mutation process. This brings to the fore the links between economic events and the integrated approach we suggest. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Enterprise large language models: Knowledge characteristics,risks, and organizational activities

Since the release of OpenAI's ChatGPT, there has been substantial interest in and concern about generative AI systems. This paper investigates some of the characteristics, risks, and limitations with the enterprise use of enterprise large language models. In so doing, we study the organizational impact, continuing a long line of research on that topic. This paper examines the impact on expertise, the organizational implications of multiple correlated but different responses to the same query, the potential concerns associated with sensitive information and intellectual property, and some applications that likely would not be appropriate for large language models. We also investigate the possibility of agents potentially manipulating the content in these large language models for their own benefit. Finally, we investigate the emerging phenomenon of “ChatBot Enterprise” versions, including some of the implications and concerns of such enterprise large language models.     

Detecting earnings management using cross-sectional abnormal accruals models

This paper examines specification and power issues in relation to three models used to estimate abnormal accruals. In contrast to the majority of prior work evaluating models estimated in time-series, we examine the performance of cross-sectionally estimated models. In addition to testing the standard-Jones (Jones, 1991) and modified-Jones (Dechow et al., 1995) models, we also develop and test a new specification, labelled the ‘margin model’. Consistent with prior US research employing time-series specifications of the two Jones models, our findings suggest that each of the three cross-sectional models are well specified when applied to a random sample of firm-years. However, the margin model appears to generate relatively better specified estimates of abnormal accruals when cash flow performance is extreme. Analysis of the models' ability to detect artificially induced earnings management indicates that all three procedures are capable of generating relatively powerful tests for economically plausible levels of accruals management (e.g., less than 10% of lagged total assets). Regarding their relative performance, the standard-Jones and modified-Jones models are found to be more powerful for revenue and bad debt manipulations. In contrast, the margin appears to be more powerful at detecting non-bad debt expense manipulations.     

ControlML: A domain-specific modeling language in support of assessing internal controls and the internal control system

In this paper, we refine and extend an earlier language design to introduce a domain-specific modeling language (DSML) for internal control modeling as an extension to an enterprise modeling method. The language is aimed at supporting the assessment of a firm's internal control system through the use of conceptual models of internal controls. In the paper, we report on the design of the modeling language, on its integration with the enterprise modeling method, present the language specification, and discuss language applications in the context of the assessment of an internal control system.     

Knowledge mapping of model risk in banking

For years, bank management has relied on mathematical, statistical and financial models, which increasingly expose banks to model risk. The latter is also extended by the phenomenon of innovation: machine learning, artificial intelligence and big data make the models more and more sophisticated and difficult to manage. This study aims to clarify how the literature on model risk is evolving through a bibliometric survey to understand state of the art and identify the discussion topics, open questions and challenges for the future. The study results show that the literature on model risk is still quite young and sparse. The problems to be solved are conceptual, computational, and organizational. The considerations made lead to the question of whether adding further complexity to model risk management is a solution or whether, on the contrary, it creates new model risks.     

An eye tracking experiment investigating synonymy in conceptual model validation

A key advantage of conceptual models is that their quality can be evaluated and validated before beginning the costlier stages of information system development. Few research studies investigate the validation process for such models, particularly regarding multiplicities, even though multiplicity mistakes can be very costly. We investigated the validation of conceptual model multiplicities, varying how closely natural language statements of business rules match the models that purport to represent those rules. Participants in an eye tracking experiment completed validation tasks in which they viewed a statement and an accompanying UML class diagram in which a specified multiplicity was consistent with the statement (valid) or inconsistent with the statement (invalid). We varied whether the focal multiplicity was a minimum or a maximum and varied the class diagram’s semantics and order compared to that of the statement. Logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between accuracy and the experimental manipulations and controls. The results show that the odds of accuracy in validating class diagrams that used synonyms instead of the exact statement terminology were only 0.46 times the odds of accuracy when the class diagram and statement words matched, showing a costly effect of synonymy. Interestingly, independent of the three levels of relative semantics, the odds of accuracy were 0.48 times when class diagrams were consistent with business rules as they were when class diagrams were inconsistent with business rules. To gain insight into cognition under correct task performance, we conducted additional linear regression analysis on various eye tracking metrics for only the accurate responses. Again, synonymy was observed to be costly, with a cognitive burden of increased integrative transitions between statement and model in the range of 39 to 66%.     

美国商业银行工商信贷面临的挑战、采取的对策及蕴涵的启示

近年来需求、供给与产品之间的互动,使美国工商信贷市场需求下滑,风险增加,收益下降。此外,次级与衍生市场使银行信贷要接受开放、透明、竞争的交易市场的检验。美国商业银行通过改革商业模式、明确市场定位、完善风险控制、差异信贷产品、强化市场营销和提高操作效率,成功地应对了挑战。美国商业银行在工商信贷市场上所遇到的难题在我国工商信贷市场上也初现端倪。随着我国市场经济改革的深化,国有商业银行应借鉴美国商业银行的实践,构建核心竞争力、完善信用风险管理体系、强化企业信贷经营及优化企业信贷流程,才能赢得工商信贷市场的竞争。     

我国区域性征信管理体系建设中存在的问题及建议

西方发达国家大部分都建立了成熟的社会信用征信管理体系.目前,我国的征信管理系统建设主要是十多个省、市、地区在各自行政区域范围内建立的区域性征信管理系统.作者在考察我国多个地区的征信管理系统建设的基础上,总结了尚存在由政府包揽、管理规章过于粗略、信用信息被垄断、把政府信用网站的数据等同于征信服务公司的数据、征信公司普遍亏损以及当成政绩工程建设等问题,并分析了造成这些问题的原因;最后,在借鉴发达国家相关经验的基础上,对建立征信管理体系的模式,信息公开和保护个人隐私及企业秘密,政府、征信公司和企业三方的关系等问题提出了建议.     

Impact of IT governance mechanisms on organizational agility and the role of top management support and IT ambidexterity

Organizations have increasingly relied on information technology (IT) to remain agile in today’s business environment. This study examines the antecedents of organizational agility by integrating top management support, IT governance mechanisms (i.e., structural, process-based, and relational governance), and IT ambidexterity (i.e., IT exploration and exploitation) into a research model. We test our model using statistical data collected from 326 firms in China. Our findings indicate that top management support positively influences structural, process-based, and relational governance. Results show that process-based and relational governance positively influence IT exploration and exploitation, whereas IT exploration and exploitation positively influence organizational agility. In addition, top management support positively impacts organizational agility through the dual mediation of process-based and relational governance and IT exploration and exploitation. We interpret and discuss these findings as well as their theoretical and practical implications.     

Cross-sectional estimation of abnormal accruals using quarterly and annual data: effectiveness in detecting event-specific earnings management

This paper addresses certain methodological issues that arise in estimating abnormal (or discretionary) accruals for detection of event-specific earnings management. Unlike prior studies (e.g., Dechow, Sloan, and Sweeney, 1995; Guay, Kothari, and Watts, 1996) that rely primarily on time-series models, we focus on the specification of cross-sectional models of expected accruals using quarterly as well as annual data. Perhaps more importantly, we present a variation of the Jones model that is shown to be well specified for all cash flow levels. We show that the cross-sectional Jones model yields systematically positive (negative) estimates of abnormal accruals for firms whose cash flows are below (above) their industry median. Using mean squared prediction errors as well as simulation analysis, we show that our model is more powerful than the cross-sectional Jones model in detecting earnings management. In addition, we examine differences in the power of current accrual models in detecting earnings management across audited and unaudited quarters.     

我国集团公司预算管理运行体系的新模式——中原石油勘探局案例研究

本文以中原石油勘探局 1994- 1998年预算管理的案例为基础 ,采用现场研究的方法 ②,概括出集团公司管理的资金预算整合模式和全面预算整合模式 ,并认为每一种模式都是一个由若干阶段或要素组成、可运行、可操作的管理控制系统 ,为我国其他集团公司实现整合提供了可资效法的蓝本。其次 ,本文从技术、组织、行为和环境四个维度描述了集团公司预算管理系统的特征 ,从历史和现状、理论和实务等方面阐述了我国集团公司推行预算管理的重大意义。第三 ,本文阐明预算管理蕴含着“权力共享的分权”这一哲学思想 ,通过预算管理才能达到“分散权责、集中控制”的理想境界     

Does incorporating non-linearity into discretionary accrual models improve their performance?

Using a large sample of firms that restated earnings, this study investigates whether incorporating non-linearity (conditional conservatism) into discretionary accrual models improves their performance in detecting earnings management. The findings of this study are important because discretionary accrual models play a prominent role in several streams of accounting research and the models' ability to isolate the discretionary (managed) component from the non-discretionary (unmanaged) component of total accruals is critical. If the conventional linear discretionary accrual models are mis-specified, it is likely to result in misleading inferences about earnings management behavior. The findings indicate that the non-linear specification improves the performance of most linear models. The findings also indicate that a more sophisticated linear model that incorporates a performance measure and a future growth measure outperforms other simple models.     

Using Reference Models within the Enterprise Resource Planning Lifecycle

ERP-specific reference models describe on a conceptual level the structure and functionality of enterprise resource planning solutions. However, these models focus on depicting executable processes and do not take into account tasks related to business engineering, system selection, implementation or change. This paper discusses how reference process models can be used within the entire ERP lifecycle. All phases of the ERP lifecycle have individual requirements for the management of the relevant knowledge. It will be shown how extended reference models can serve as a knowledge repository for enterprise resource planning. This paper includes several pragmatic recommendations for managers involved in ERP projects.     

Management control of public and not-for-profit activities

Traditional approaches to management control usually fail for public and not-for-profit activities.¹ The type of control applicable to such activities depends on four criteria: are objectives unambiguous, outputs measurable, effects of interventions known, and is the activity repetitive? Depending on where activities stand with regard to these criteria, the control applicable corresponds to one of six different types: routine, expert, trial-and-error, intuitive, judgemental, or political control. The first three types can be represented by cybernetic models; the other three ask for more complex and less deterministic models. For these, a “political” and a “garbage-can” model are described. Key elements in the latter models are the values and the culture of the actors. As an example, the topology for management control is applied to the area of budgeting, covering regular budgeting as well as such techniques as PPBS, MBO, and ZBB and distinguishing between investment budgets, operations budgets for input centers, and operations budgets for input-output centers. Coming back to management control in general, the paper discusses the consequences of choosing the wrong model for a given management control situation: it distinguishes between “Type I” and “Type II” errors. It finally relates management control to organizational adaptation and suggests how to avoid control systems which prevent an organizational system from learning.     

基于组织视角的银行集团并表管理机制研究

并表管理的组织法保障问题属于银行集团公司治理范畴,相关特殊监管规则叠加于企业集团法的一般规则之上,共同形成并表管理的法律框架.在组织机构上,母行董事会宜单设并表管理委员会或将并表管理职权授予既存委员会(对内授权),并通过设立集团管理委员会向管理层授权(对外授权).重置审计委员会的机构归属是消除监事会形骸化的抓手,独立的风险管理部门和首席风险官是并表管理中风险管理的重点.一般企业集团中的间接性管理手段不能迅速有效管控银行集团风险,易导致风险外溢.可以考虑突破附属机构选择权赋予母行直接性管理手段,依据与风险管理的紧密关系及是否涉及公共利益,对直接性并表管理手段进行类型化构建是较为妥当的路径.