The comparative effect of process and outcome accountability in enhancing professional scepticism

Responding to concerns about insufficient professional scepticism in audits (e.g. PCAOB, 2011 , 2012 ; ASIC, 2012 ), we investigate the effect of process and outcome accountability in enhancing the level of professional scepticism and the differences in effects across audit experience levels. In our experiment, we manipulate the type of accountability (outcome versus process) for both novice auditors and audit seniors. We examine the effect on four measures of professional scepticism and find that auditors show greater levels of professional scepticism when they are expected to justify their judgment process, rather than their final judgments. Our results also show that the professional scepticism of novice auditors improves to a greater extent than that of more experienced auditors (audit seniors) under process accountability.     

内部薪酬差距合理性与会计盈余相关性——来自中国上市公司的经验数据

文章基于2006-2012年我国上市公司高管和员工薪酬数据,对企业内部薪酬差距的合理性进行了分析,得出我国企业内部薪酬差距逐渐扩大,内部薪酬差距不合理性凸显的结论。通过采用实证分析的方法,发现会计盈余对企业内部薪酬差距合理性的影响。企业内部薪酬差距合理性可能由经营活动现金流量净额以及总应计共同影响,总应计又分为操控性应计和非操控性应计。经营活动现金流量净额正向影响企业内部薪酬差距合理性;操控性应计项目负向影响薪酬差距的合理性;而非操控性应计对企业内部薪酬差距合理性的影响并不显著。文章研究结果表明,企业进行盈余操纵时,损害了内部薪酬差距合理性,应该充分利用企业内控制度和外部独立审计对企业盈余操纵进行有效监督,进而维护企业内部薪酬差距合理性。     

地方本科高校会计专业综合改革探析

知识经济的发展,给会计工作和会计教育带来巨大的冲击和影响.应用型本科院校应本着为区域经济和社会发展服务的思想,以人才市场为导向,以社会需要为目标,从重新定位会计人才培养方向,优化课程体系,改善教学手段等方面进行专业综合改革.     

Perceptions of Business Ethics in a Multicultural Community: The Case of Malaysia

Leaders and managers of today's multinational corporations face a plethora of problems and issues directly attributable to the fact that they are operating in an international context. With work-sites, plants and/or customers based in another country, or even several countries, representing a vast spectrum of cultural differences, international trade and offshore operations, coupled with increased globalisation in respect to political, social and economic realities, contribute to new dilemmas that these leaders must deal with. Not the least of these being a Code of Ethics and ethical decision making.This paper examines the differences in culture between a group of managers from the United States and similar group from Croatia using Hofstede's theory of International Cultures. The study explores how these cultural dimensions may help in our understanding of the differences in reported whistleblowing. The authors then postulate four hypotheses regarding various aspects of whistleblowing. These Hypotheses were than tested using a survey administered to a sample of U.S.A. and Croatian managers. Finally, the paper discusses the findings and practical implications for contemporary managers in the international arena.     

CFO审计师经历、旋转门现象与会计稳健性

到客户管理层就职是会计师事务所审计师的一个重要职业选择,但监管机构对审计质量和企业财务报告质量的担忧引发了对此类现象的严格监管.本文基于2002年~2011年我国A股上市公司CFO的变更事件,从审计师的职业谨慎性出发,探讨了CFO审计师经历、"旋转门"现象对上市公司会计稳健性的影响.研究发现:CFO审计师经历能提高会计稳健性;"旋转门"现象并没有削弱公司会计稳健性;相比仅有审计师经历的新聘任CFO,"旋转门"现象下的CFO能更快地融入新公司并发挥作用.     

China's Financial Development

At the China Development Forum in Beijing, March 2002, I was asked to be discussant to Governor Dai Xianlong, but his paper, as in most cases, was not made available beforehand, so my own comments had to be made independently. Following that event, I can now remark on the Forum as well as reproducing my discussant paper. In this latter, I emphasize the importance of developing professional skills, greater competition and the application, through regulation, of appropriate incentives for the continued improvement of China's financial system.     

由家族信任到社会信任:家族企业走向职业化管理的必由之路

由于中国社会将信任建立在家族血缘关系上,社会信任普遍缺失,家族制就成为民营企业的唯一选择。民营企业要想走上职业化管理之路,打破家族信任、构建社会信任就成为必然选择。一方面,作为外部社会制度的供给者,政府应构建以法制为基础的社会信任机制;另一方面,作为内部企业制度的供给者,家族企业应建立健全各项内部制度,构筑委托代理双方的心理契约,使之形成长期稳定的信任模式。     

The Effect of Culture on Management Style

Abstract

U.S. and Indonesian managers were surveyed to evaluate cross-cultural differences in managerial style. Four variables were compared and analyzed: autocratic and participative management, and individualism and collectivism. Indonesian managers endorsed a more autocratic style than U.S. managers and valued collectivism more than U.S. managers, while U.S. managers valued individualism more than the Indonesian managers. Additionally, a positive relationship was found between participative management style and individualism. There were no significant differences in the value both groups placed on participative management; both endorsed this concept positively. Results suggest that while there are differences between the preferred management styles of Indonesian and U.S. managers, both groups endorse similar management ideas. This paper concludes that culture affects the ideologies that managers are willing to endorse, and further study is needed to see if it similarly affects the management styles they actually exercise.     

Use of Professional Journal Ads to Promote Accounting Services

ABSTRACT

This paper presents an examination of professional journal advertising by professional accounting firms. Advertisements in the three most widely distributed professional accounting journals were analyzed to ascertain the extent of advertising by accounting firms. Research questions included the following: (1) What is the message or purpose of the ads? (2) What size ads are preferred? (3) What is the information content (firm's location, phone number, etc.) of the ads? (4) Which firms advertise the most?

The findings indicate that the most common advertising message concerned selling computer software, followed by employee recruitment. The most common size ads were between a quarter of a page and a page. Information content ranged from phone number and address to professional credentials and specialized services. Advertisements were widely used by both Big Six and non-Big Six accounting firms. The extent of advertising among Big Six firms, however, is highly varied, with Arthur Andersen & Co. generating the most ads. Advertising allows firms the opportunity to reach consumers, provide useful information, and distinguish themselves from other firms.