Organizational Levels and Perceived Importance of Attributes for Superior Audit Performance

This article examines the attributes considered to be important for superior performance as an auditor and the changing importance of these attributes at different levels of the firm. It also investigates whether auditors are aware of the relative importance of these attributes. Auditors from three Big Six firms provided responses on the relative importance of various attributes for superior performance. The results showed variations in the relative importance of these attributes across different organizational levels. In addition, the results suggest that auditors generally have low to moderate levels of awareness of the relative importance of these attributes.     

Developing Accounting Students' Listening Skills: Barriers,Opportunities and an Integrated Stakeholder Approach

Accountants and employers of accounting graduates consider listening to be among the most important communication skills that graduates possess. However, accounting education practices that develop students' listening skills are uncommon. Further, in the case of listening development, the current approach of prescribing that educators do more to rectify students' skill deficiencies overlooks barriers that prevent greater incorporation of listening instruction in the accounting curriculum. An alternative integrated stakeholder approach to develop students' listening skills is proposed. Informed by a broad range of education literature, the approach identifies cross-disciplinary listening development best practice and barriers to the widespread implementation of such practices in the typical accounting programme, before determining and assigning interrelated listening development roles to key stakeholders who will benefit from improved student listening. While student listening development is feasible under the proposed approach, shared contributions by accounting students, the profession and educators are needed to achieve enhanced skills outcomes.     

Unravelling the complexity of collective mental models: A method for developing and analysing scenarios in multi-organisational contexts

In multi-organisational contexts, scenario building has been used to engage stakeholders in a critical discussion on issues of mutual importance, and to gain their support with regards to possible future responses. A review of existing literature suggests that much has been written regarding the process of scenario development and the benefits of the process, but the detailed analysis of scenario building outcomes, which encompass a large number of issues and their complex interconnections, has not been made explicit for studying and enhancing understanding of a complex societal problem. This paper presents a systematic method for analysing such complex outcomes in order to facilitate reflective thinking on important issues within the wider context for policy development. The method was employed in a series of participative scenario development workshops, which yielded several causal maps around the theme of construction industry skills. A collective map merging the individual subject-specific causal maps was created to help provide a more holistic overview of the pertinent issues surrounding the construction skills debate. The analysis of this collective map promotes a better understanding of the issue in the wider context, the consequence of possible future events and actions, and of the pre-requisition required for certain events/desired outcomes to take place. The main benefit that could be derived from the method is the opportunity to help facilitate and encourage debate and discussion amongst key stakeholders regarding scenario theme, in this case skills improvement within construction. Due to its flexibility and adaptability, the method could potentially be applied to other areas requiring longer range planning and which contain multiple stakeholder perspectives.     

A review of dashboards in performance management: Implications for design and research

Dashboards are expected to improve decision making by amplifying cognition and capitalizing on human perceptual capabilities. Hence, interest in dashboards has increased recently, which is also evident from the proliferation of dashboard solution providers in the market. Despite dashboards' popularity, little is known about the extent of their effectiveness, i.e. what types of dashboards work best for different users or tasks. In this paper, we conduct a comprehensive multidisciplinary literature review with an aim to identify the critical issues organizations might need to consider when implementing dashboards. Dashboards are likely to succeed and solve the problems of presentation format and information load when certain visualization principles and features are present (e.g. high data-ink ratio and drill down features). We recommend that dashboards come with some level of flexibility, i.e. allowing users to switch between alternative presentation formats. Also some theory driven guidance through pop-ups and warnings can help users to select an appropriate presentation format. Given the dearth of research on dashboards, we conclude the paper with a research agenda that could guide future studies in this area.     

ERP实施绩效研究:回顾与展望

从ERP实施对公司业绩的影响、决定ERP实施绩效的因素以及ERP实施效果评价标准等方面对ERP实施绩效研究文献进行了回顾和简评,并根据这些文献构建了ERP实施绩效的研究模型,以期为未来的研究提供方向.     

Unpacking the notion of subjectivity: Performance evaluation and supervisor discretion

This study puts forward the notion of subjectivity according to supervisor discretion and the organization's subjective performance evaluation rules. This is needed because most studies investigating subjectivity do not distinguish supervisor idiosyncrasies from features of the organization's management control systems. This study uses a survey to capture subjectivity and suggests that subjectivity entails two concepts. One concept is related to the amount of discretion that supervisors can exercise under the organization's current performance evaluation. The other concept concerns supervisor's idiosyncrasies when evaluating subordinates. This study provides evidence that subjectivity is multidimensional and may not represent a single concept. The results suggest that studies investigating subjectivity should treat supervisor discretion and subjective performance evaluation rules separately because of their different associations towards subordinate performance, psychological empowerment, and supervisor-subordinate conflict.     

寻租、R&D投资与公司业绩——基于民营上市公司的经验证据

本文手工搜集了2005-2009年中国民营上市公司R&D投资及高管政治联系的数据,从寻租行为与R&D投资活动的竞争性视角,实证研究了两者对公司业绩的影响趋势。本文结果表明,R&D投资持续、稳定地对公司业绩具有显著地提升作用,而寻租行为虽然短期对公司业绩有利,但却显著地损害了公司未来的业绩。本文研究结果表明,R&D投资,而非寻租,才是公司持续性业绩增长的关键。     

Performance Volatility and Wage Elasticity: An Examination of Listed Chinese A-share Enterprises

The management of future financial risk on the part of managers and changes in firm finances are two of the fundamental reasons for upward and downward rigidity of wages. The proxy variable for firm financial risk is volatility, the past performance of which is among the principal indicators of wage rigidity. In firms whose current performance is on the upswing, the greater the volatility in past performance, the smaller the elasticity ratio and the more acute the upward rigidity; the more stable past performance, the larger the elasticity ratio and the more acute the upward elasticity. In firms in which current performance is declining, greater past performance volatility leads to a larger elasticity ratio and more acute downward rigidity, whereas more stable such performance leads to a smaller elasticity ratio and more acute downward rigidity.     

时间压力、责任与审计判断绩效:一项实验研究

近年来,我国注册会计师面临的时间压力和责任日益增加,而时间压力和责任都是影响审计判断绩效的重要环境因素。本文采用实验研究方法,以我国注册会计师为被试,研究了时间压力和责任对我国注册会计师审计判断绩效的影响。研究发现,时间压力显著降低了注册会计师的审计判断效果,但同时提高了判断加工速度,责任能显著提高审计判断效果但对判断效率和判断加工速度没有显著影响。在高责任的情况下,审计判断效果不受时间压力的影响,高责任抑制了高时问压力带来的审计判断效果下降。     

Performance measurement and the use of league tables: some experimental evidence of dysfunctional consequences

The practice of organisations adopting performance measurement systems that utilise a range of key performance indicators linked to various aspects of corporate strategy has become widespread. At the same time, however, many organisations are developing reporting frameworks that summarise these indicators in the form of a league table, ranking sub-units according to their achievements. The use of such league tables has the capacity to create a form of dysfunctional behaviour as managers focus primarily on their league table positions—the notion of measure fixation. This paper describes a new experiment that seeks to explore this possibility. The results suggest that information concerning the change in league table position leads to an increase in risk-seeking behaviour, particularly where a project proposal creates an opportunity for the manager's sub-unit to move to the top of the league table. This is an unintended dysfunctional consequence of using league tables within performance measurement system design.     

国有企业绩效评价研究：理论发展与模式重构

现行国有企业绩效评价模式在实践中发挥了重要作用,但同时其理论基础方面的缺陷与应用方面的局限性也引出了学术界的进一步探讨。共生理论的应用为绩效评价研究开拓了新的视角,以利益相关者理论以及共生理论为基础的国有企业绩效评价模式重构研究,强调国有企业绩效评价必须同时考虑经济效益、社会责任甚至行政责任,从而更有效地推动国有企业价值创造以及经济的可持续发展。     

The Performance of the Foreign‐Owned Sector of UK Manufacturing: Some Evidence and Implications for UK Inward Investment Policy

This paper analyses the reported performance of foreign‐owned manufacturing subsidiaries in the UK between 1994 and 1998. The paper is set in the context of uncertainty about the performance of some foreign‐owned sectors of UK manufacturing and the implications of this performance for the beneficial spillover effects sought by policy‐makers from foreign‐owned capital. Japanese‐owned subsidiaries are the focus of particular attention, with reported profits and tax liabilities significantly below those of subsidiaries from other national sources. The wider ramifications of this finding are analysed for the UK case, particularly in terms of the need to take into account the wider exchequer effects of inward investment in the general evaluation of the financial assistance provided to foreign firms.     

Relating Context Variables to Participative Budgeting and Evaluative Use of Performance Measures: A Meta‐analysis

Extant findings regarding how context variables relate to participative budgeting and the evaluative use of accounting performance measures (APM) are contradictory. Unlike previous reviews of such findings, this empirical article uses a meta‐analysis to examine the relations of context variables with participative budgeting or evaluative use of APM to determine (i) how the variables relate and (ii) which factors might cause between‐correlation variance, such as statistical artefacts or moderating influences of variable measures, sample selection, or industry differences. All meta‐analyses are based on rather small samples. Three groups of context variables emerge. First, some relate significantly and homogeneously to participative budgeting or evaluative use of APM; these direct relations should be considered explicitly in further studies. Second, for some variables, the relations are homogeneous but not significant, such that they are neither simple nor direct. Third, substantial variance exists in the correlations for some context variables; these relations are contingent on other influences. Industry differences and sample selection explain some inconsistencies in exploratory moderator analyses and should receive additional research attention.     

股权分置改革对国有控股比例以及企业绩效影响的研究

2005年施行的股权分置改革对我国资本市场有着深远意义,但关于此次改革对上市公司股权结构和公司绩效的影响仍鲜有研究。本文基于上市公司2002至2011年的面板数据,利用双重差分方法考察了股权分置改革对于不同行业国有控股比例的影响;并进一步利用工具变量方法研究了国有控股比例与企业绩效的因果关系。结果表明,非国家重点战略行业公司在股改后,其国有股权下降幅度显著高于战略行业公司;同时,国有控股下降使非战略行业公司的盈利能力和市场评价指标有显著提高。     

Performance management and organizational strategy: How to design systems that meet the needs of confrontation strategy firms

The link between organizational strategy and performance management system design has been examined in numerous studies. Invariably, strategy is conceptualized using archetypes developed in the 1970s and 1980s. Scholars have increasingly questioned the wisdom of relying on strategic archetypes that are plainly dated and conspicuously disconnected from the possibility of firms competing head-to-head, not out of choice but out of necessity. Cooper (1995) calls such a situation the undertaking of a confrontation strategy. Using an exploratory research design, this paper draws on nine qualitative case studies to examine how performance management systems are designed to meet and support the implementation of a confrontation strategy. Initially six firms, spanning a variety of what were expected to be mature, highly competitive industries likely to feature confrontation strategies, were recruited for participation. This initial study was then followed by a more concentrated examination of one particular industry: the banking industry. Findings from the total case study sample of nine firms lead to the presentation of an original table contrasting the unique performance management system designs associated with the three distinct strategies of cost leadership, differentiation, and confrontation. In particular, and in contrast to firms pursuing cost leadership or differentiation strategies, firms with confrontation strategies are likely to feature collaborative organizational cultures, lean organizational structures, and training and development programs that focus on developing empowered, multi-skilled teams of self-governing and coordinating employees. The exploratory intent of the paper, and thus its reliance on a small sample size of nine organizations, may limit the generalizability of the paper’s findings. In spite of this limitation, the findings offer opportunities for researchers to move beyond the exploratory approach presently adopted and empirically test the confrontation strategy and performance management system linkages proposed. Additionally, practitioners are likely to benefit from a clearer understanding of the type of performance management system design needed to support confrontation strategies.     

Performance and learning in an ambiguous environment: A study of cryptocurrency traders

We investigate the performance and learning ability of traders in an environment governed by ambiguity, such as the cryptocurrency market. Using a profit decomposition methodology, we find significant cross-sectional and temporal heterogeneity in performance. Traders do not learn to progressively increase the magnitude of returns; however, they are able to improve on their ability to realise profits as a mechanism of adaptation to survive through ambiguity. This adaptation increases as traders progress through their career. Moreover, we find evidence in support of the gambler’s fallacy. We argue that learning in ambiguous environments has limitations, allowing traders primarily to survive.     

Carbon Accounting: Challenges for Research in Management Control and Performance Measurement

Carbon reduction programs and corporate emissions reporting have expanded rapidly across firms in response to climate change and global warming. This development is partly driven by institutional demands and partly by value creation considerations. The consequences of these developments for management accounting and control (MAC) are not clear, despite anecdotal evidence that suggests an increasing effort to incorporate carbon accounting into traditional decision and reporting processes. The reasons for this lack of clarity are the disproportionate focus in practice on carbon disclosure, compared to a small number of empirical studies, and the absence of an academic debate in this novel area from a MAC perspective. This paper seeks to stimulate such an academic debate by reviewing the extant literature, identifying key theoretical and empirical shortcomings of extant academic research, and outlining some directions for future studies on carbon accounting. These directions are inspired by more established MAC research that may help to guide and organize MAC research in the emerging and exciting field of carbon accounting.     

Practice Makes Better: Using Immersive Cases to Improve Student Performance on Day 1 of the Common Final Examination*

In the context of an accredited CPA program, we investigate whether an immersive case delivered over several weeks in a team-based environment in the Performance Management elective module improves student performance on Day 1 examinations and whether all students benefit equally from the immersive case. Results show that using an immersive case prior to Capstone 1 significantly improves student performance on practice Day 1 examinations and Day 1 of the Common Final Examination (CFE). Although high-ability students and non-English-as-a-second-language (ESL) students with co-op experience perform better regardless of whether an immersive case is used, ESL students benefit from using an immersive case when evaluating performance on Day 1 of the CFE. In addition, spending six to eight weeks preparing extensively for the CFE after graduate classes end in July seems to contribute to closing performance gaps between students. This study benefits the education process by identifying a tool that educators can use to improve performance on the CFE. It provides insights that may prove useful to CPA Canada and accredited post-secondary institutions as they revamp their programs to align with Competency Map 2.0.     

智力资本与企业战略绩效:基于中国上市公司的实证研究

基于企业资源观的分析框架,从促进企业竞争优势的稀缺战略资源特性出发,构建了智力资本贡献于企业战略绩效的关系模型.采用上市公司2006-2008年的相关数据,对智力资本与企业战略绩效之间的相关性进行了实证研究.研究结果显示物质资本与企业战略绩效显著正相关,人力资本对企业具有积极的价值创造作用,结构资本与企业战略绩效呈一定...     

券商声誉损失与公司IPO市场表现——来自中国上市公司IPO造假的新证据

理论研究表明声誉好的券商在公司IPO过程中能发挥认证作用,但是在实证中学者们对于券商声誉是否真的发挥了认证功能仍然莫衷一是。与国内外文献中普遍采用的券商市场份额、排名等间接声誉指标不同,本文以中国券商所承销的公司IPO过程违规造假为新的研究视角,从声誉损失的角度重新衡量了券商声誉,并以公司IPO后市场表现检验了券商声誉的认证效应。实证研究表明,相较声誉受损的券商,声誉未受损的券商确实具有更好的认证效果,具体表现在:(1)从同一时期来看,相较于那些没有被披露承销过IPO违规造假公司的券商,承销过IPO违规造假公司的券商再次承销的公司IPO发行抑价率较高,股票长期回报率较低;(2)对于同一券商,相对于在IPO违规造假披露之前,在披露之后(声誉受损)券商所承销的公司IPO表现为显著较高的发行抑价率和显著较低的股票长期回报率;(3)基于双重差分模型的结果依然支持上述结论。实证结果还表明相对于传统的券商声誉指标,基于IPO造假构建的声誉损失指标更加有效。