The effect of causal knowledge on individuals' perceptions of nonfinancial performance measures in profit prediction

Although organizations commonly report nonfinancial performance measures (NFPMs) associated with profitability, prior research does not address the extent to which the provision of causal knowledge affects individuals' perceptions of the predictive content of such measures. This study examines how providing NFPMs together with different types of causal knowledge (i.e., strong, weak, or none) affects the perceived usefulness of the measures in a profit prediction context. Weak causal knowledge is defined as the direction of the relationship between an NFPM and earnings, while strong causal knowledge is a complete explanation underlying the relationship. The results provide evidence that providing weak causal knowledge increases individuals' perceptions of the predictive content of an NFPM compared to providing no causal knowledge; however, providing strong causal knowledge does not incrementally affect perceptions beyond providing only weak causal knowledge. These findings have implications for the type of information organizations report concurrently with NFPMs.     

韩国、俄罗斯、澳大利亚三国FDI税收激励政策介绍及借鉴

随着经济全球化进程的加快,中国对外投资也在不断增长。本文从中国主要对外投资国中选取了三个具有代表性的国家——韩国、俄罗斯和澳大利亚,研究其外商直接投资(FDI)税收激励政策及发展趋势,并对我国进一步扩大对外投资和调整FDI税收激励政策提出了几点看法。     

The effect of cost management knowledge on the relationship between budgetary participation and managerial performance

This study investigates the relationship between budget participation (BP), cost management knowledge and managerial performance. It draws on relevant previous research in the theory of work performance and accounting to formulate the research questions. Eighty-three managers from Finnish companies participated in the study. Data were collected from the managers using a mail questionnaire. The results indicate that managers’ cost management knowledge, and especially the balanced perspective of cost management knowledge, moderates the effect of BP on self-perception of managerial performance. It was specifically found that the effect of BP on perceived managerial performance becomes more positive when managers’ cost management knowledge increases. High perception of managerial performance is obtained when both the BP and managers’ cost management knowledge are high. Our results suggest that organizations should improve the cost management knowledge of managers who participate in the budgeting process.     

Impact of special economic zones on firm performance

The establishment of special economic zones (SEZs) is one of the critical policies to promote economic growth. However, the relationship between SEZs and firm performance is still unclear. Using China Industrial Enterprise Database (CIED) from 1998 to 2007, this paper investigates the influence of firm location on its performance mainly from two channels: selection effect and agglomeration effect. The results suggest that firms in SEZs have better performance on average than firms outside SEZs. One reason for the productivity effect is selecting firms with higher productivity to enter the zone and firms with lower productivity to exit the zone. Agglomeration is another critical channel, and the effects are heterogeneous. Both firms in the zones and firms outside the zones gain spillovers from the zones, with the former being larger than the latter. Firms gain larger agglomeration effects from a cluster of the same industry than across industries.     

Meta-analysis of the impact of financial constraints on firm performance

A large number of studies have investigated the relationship between financial constraints and firm performance. However, due to heterogeneity in study design factors, such as choice of measures for constraints and performance, control variables, estimation methods and study sample, the empirical results have been mixed. To mitigate this issue, this paper reports a meta-analysis of the association between financial constraints and firm performance. To assess the overall direction of the relationship and the sources of heterogeneity, we apply meta-analytic methods to 26 studies (providing 189 effect sizes) on the association between financial constraints and financial performance in listed companies. Our result shows that, overall, there is a positive relationship between financial constraints and firm performance. In addition, meta-regression results suggest that return on assets (ROA) and return on equity (ROE) as measures of financial performance, and external finance and size as measures of financial constraints, have a significant negative impact on the relationship between financial constraints and firm performance relative to the mean impact on effect size. Similarly, all of North America and Asia as regional differences, control of size and corporate governance as control variables, and journal quality as strength of results, also have a significant negative impact. On the other hand, market value as a measure of financial performance, and the Whited & Wu index as a measure of financial constraints, have significant positive impact relative to the mean impact. Similarly, cross-country and Europe as regional differences, and publication status as strength of results, all have significant positive impact. Given that firm performance is of fundamental importance to investors, this study therefore helps researchers and policymakers to understand the variation in the empirical results on the impact of financial constraints.     

International Involvement,Target Market Selection,and Consolidated Performance: A Firm-Level Analysis of Taiwan's FDI in China

This paper assesses the sensitivity of consolidated corporate performance to two aspects of foreign direct investment (FDI): international involvement and target market selection. Empirical evidence from China-bound FDI by Taiwan's listed companies between 2000 and 2010 is summarized as follows. First, under the internalization of FDI, performance tends to rise with intensity of FDI activity. Second, profitability appears higher as FDI targets the export market outside China. Third, synergetic performance is created mainly through improved efficiency in resource management rather than increased sales, which indicates effective cost control is crucial for successful FDI in emerging markets such as China.     

FDI与环境污染关系问题的研究综述

改革开放30多年的发展历程说明,FDI对我国的经济发展起到了不可替代的促进作用;然而,FDI给我国环境所造成的损害问题也日渐凸显。本文着眼于FDI的反思与提高利用外资质量,梳理了FDI与环境污染之间关系的文献。研究发现．FDI的环境效应具有普遍的客观性和历史性,而环境规制对FDI的影响不在于其数量的限制,更重要的目的在于流向的引导和结构的调整。     

保险资金的证券投资绩效分析

本文回顾了保险资金在证券投资领域的政策变化历程,分析了保险资金运用效率与基金业绩评价的诸多不同,指出了基于资产组合优化理论的保险资金评价方法的不足,提出用影子组合法,作为一种正向制度激励,对保险资金运用效率进行评价,并基于该方法对三家上市保险公司的资金运用效率进行了比较。     

The effect of corporate culture on firm performance: Evidence from China

This study examines whether corporate culture promotion affects firm performance in China in terms of firm market value, firm financial performance and innovation output. We find consistent evidence that corporate culture promotion is negatively related to firm market value, positively related to innovation output and not significantly related to firm financial performance. In addition, the negative effect of corporate culture promotion on firm market value is driven by small firms and firms located in less developed provinces. Furthermore, we find that some specific corporate culture promotions, such as innovation culture promotion and integrity culture promotion, are not related to firm value or financial performance. However, innovation culture promotion is positively associated with innovation output.     

The effect of changes in Japanese consolidation policy on analyst forecast error

Our broad research objective is to investigate whether convergence towards international standards improves the decision usefulness of information. Recent changes in Japanese consolidated reporting practices to better align with international standards provide an excellent setting to investigate this research objective. Specifically, we examine the effect of changes in Japanese consolidation policy on financial analysts’ perceptions of the persistence of subsidiary earnings. Previous research provides evidence that, prior to the change in consolidation policy, consolidated financial information was not used efficiently in the Japanese capital market. Prior research finds a positive relation between subsidiary earnings and future stock returns in Japan, indicating that investors underestimate the persistence of subsidiary earnings. Consistent with prior research using stock returns, we find that financial analysts also underestimate the persistence of subsidiary earnings in Japan. We document a significant positive relation between subsidiary earnings and future forecast errors of consolidated earnings. However, following the changes in consolidation policy in Japan, we find that financial analysts no longer underestimate the persistence of subsidiary earnings. Changes in Japanese consolidation policy in conformance with international standards increase decision usefulness by improving the ability of financial analysts to predict overall firm performance. One limitation of our research design relates to the adoption of mandated accounting policy changes by all sample firms in the same calendar time. This makes it difficult to control for the impact of correlated omitted variables. While this concern can never be completely eliminated, we provide additional tests that examine sample partitions by firm size and industry. These additional tests support the primary findings that Japan’s efforts to converge consolidation rules with international standards have improved analysts’ consolidated earnings forecasts.     

Changes in CEO compensation structure and the impact on firm performance following CEO turnover

We document changes in compensation structure following CEO turnover and relate them to future performance. Compared to outgoing CEOs, incoming CEOs derive a significantly greater percentage of their compensation from option grants and new stock grants. The voluntary turnover sample shows similar changes in compensation structure while the forced turnover sample results suggest that new stock grants drive the significant increase in incentive compensation following turnover. Post-turnover performance is positively associated with new stock grants as a percentage of total compensation in the full sample and when analyzing forced and voluntary turnovers separately. We find limited evidence that future operating income is positively associated with option grants following forced turnover. Post-turnover improvement in operating income is positively associated with an increase in new stock grants for the incoming relative to the outgoing CEO.

FDI对吉林省的行业内溢出效应实证分析

我国对FDI(外商直接投资)溢出效应的研究始于1998年.迄今对发达省区的研究较多.并已取得了丰硕的成果,但是对东北地区的研究特别是实证分析却较少.在国家鼓励东北老工业基地加强对外开放、积极吸引域外资金和技术以求振兴发展的今天,对东北地区FDI的溢出效应进行实证分析,将会对东北地区利用FDI起到一定的指向性作用.     

Costs of voting and firm performance: Evidence from RegTech adoption in Chinese listed firms

Employing the 2014 mandatory adoption of online shareholder voting in China, we show that the reduction of voting costs through online voting is positively related to participation in shareholder meetings and future firm performance. Our mechanism analysis suggests that the improved firm performance is mainly driven by the enhanced governance role played by informed investors and institutional investors. Further analysis shows that online shareholder voting makes the firms more attractive to mutual fund managers who are far away from the firms. Moreover, we find that the improved firm performance is concentrated in firms with low controlling shareholder ownership, and that online shareholder voting is associated with an increased likelihood of vetoing proposals and lower tunneling.     

人民币实际有效汇率、FDI与中国经济增长——兼论巴拉萨-萨缪尔森效应在中国的适用性

本文在VAR模型的基础上,利用协整分析、格兰杰因果检验和脉冲响应函数,研究了人民币实际有效汇率、FDI和中国经济增长的动态关系.结果表明,长期内人民币实际有效汇率贬值,促进了FDI流入;中国经济增长促进了人民币实际有效汇率的升值,证明了巴拉萨-萨缪尔森效应的存在.     

Slack heterogeneity and firm performance: Investigating the relationship in Indian context

The present study aims to investigate the impact of diverse forms of slack on firm performance in the Indian context: By investigating a panel data set of 426 non-financial Indian firms over a period of 5 years, the empirical results of both fixed effects model and generalized method of moments (GMM) reveal that different forms of slack have a negative impact on firm performance in Indian firms. The results of the study provide support for the agency view of the negative impact of slack resources on firm performance Moreover, the results remain robustly negative across alternative specifications and sub-samples.     

Enterprise risk management and firm performance: Role of the risk committee

In recent years, there have been increasing efforts in the corporate world to invest in risk management and governance processes. In this paper, we examine the impact of Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) on firm performance by examining whether firm performance is strengthened or weakened by the establishment of a board-level risk committee (BLRC), an important governance mechanism that oversees ERM processes. Based on 260 observations from FTSE350 listed firms in the UK during 2012–2015, we find the effectiveness of ERM significantly and positively affects firm performance. We also find strong BLRC governance complements this relationship and increases the firm performance effects of ERM. Our findings suggest the mere formation of a BLRC is not a panacea for ERM oversight; however, existence of a structurally strong BLRC is crucial for effective ERM governance.     

制造业FDI的新动向与我国制造业结构调整

文章在分析近几年制造业FDI的新动向的基础上,分析了其对我国制造业结构升级的正反两方面影响,提出了通过建立跨国联盟发展高科技产业,利用制造业FDI对传统制造业进行信息化改造,完善利用制造业FDI的各项政策,切实提高我国国内相关企业的自身竞争力,将"引进来"与"走出去"有机地结合起来等利用制造业FDI调整和优化我国制造业结构的对策建议.     

The effects of understanding rules and a worked example on the acquisition of procedural knowledge and task performance

Previous research (for example, Bonner and Walker, 1994) has investigated the impact of alternative forms of instruction and practice on both the acquisition of procedural knowledge and task performance. Responding to the call to consider alternative forms of instruction, this study reports the results of an experiment designed to distinguish between the effects of understanding rules and a worked example. Worked examples (such as previously prepared working papers, analysis sheets and spreadsheet templates) are of particular interest as they constitute an important source, frequently used by novice accountants, for understanding and performing various tasks.
The results indicate that understanding rules increase task performance through the acquisition of procedural knowledge, while a worked example provides task-specific heuristics that increase task performance but not procedural knowledge. The different benefits of the two forms of instruction emphasise the importance of matching instruction methods to learning objectives. Furthermore, combining the two forms of instruction lead to the highest levels of task performance even with limited practice and no feedback.
JEL classification: I20; M41     

The decision-influencing use of performance measurement systems in relationships between headquarters and subsidiaries

Although theoretical frameworks assume that performance measurement systems (PMS) can be employed for different uses, there is a lack of prior empirical research examining the use of PMS. In addition, recent International Business studies reveal many unresolved issues about the use of PMS to manage relationships between headquarters and subsidiaries. After summarizing the evolution of the use of PMS over three International Business eras, we focus on the decision-influencing use of PMS, operationalized as the influence of the PMS implemented by headquarters on subsidiaries’ decisions. Based on International Business literature and Management Accounting research, we hypothesize that the subsidiary participation in PMS design, measurement diversity in PMS structure, the linking of PMS to reward, as well as headquarters’ national culture, subsidiary size, and global pressure affect the influence of PMS on subsidiaries’ decisions. We collected data through questionnaires emailed to 100 subsidiaries. Findings show that PMS have a greater influence on decisions in cases of higher subsidiary's participation in PMS design, headquarters’ cultural tolerance for uncertainty, subsidiary size, and global pressure. Contrary to what is contended by advocates of multidimensional approaches to PMS, measurement diversity and the linking of PMS to reward mechanisms do not have a significant impact on the decision-influencing use. We discuss the empirical evidence providing qualitative arguments derived from a focus group, which reveals the existence of a PMS decoupling and helped us to describe four situations with different levels of decision-influencing use of PMS and different economic performance results. The presented quantitative and qualitative empirical evidence offers several insights for research on PMS within multinational companies.     

Implications of student‐generated screencasts on final examination performance

While educational technologies can play a vital role in students’ active participation in introductory accounting subjects, learning outcome implications are less clear. We believe this is the first accounting education study examining the implications of student‐generated screencast assignments. We find benefits in developing the graduate attributes of communication, creativity and multimedia skills, consistent with calls by the profession. Additionally, we find improvement in final examination performance related to the assignment topic, notably in lower performing students. The screencast assignment was optional, and the findings suggest a tailored approach to assignment design related to students’ developmental needs is appropriate.