Accountants’ cognitive styles and ethical reasoning: A comparison across 15 years

Recent attention to accountants’ ethics in the news, in professional practice, and by academia leads to questions about the ethical and cognitive characterization of students selecting accounting careers. We employ the Myers/Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) for assessing cognitive styles, and the Defining Issues Test (DIT) for assessing ethical reasoning to study differences between two groups of accounting graduates and new hires entering the accounting profession across a period of 15 years. We show that the dominant cognitive make-up of accountants has not changed significantly over the study period, which is consistent with prior research. Also, we hypothesize and provide evidence that this dominant style is associated with lower levels of ethical reasoning (as measured by the DIT) than other cognitive styles. The ethical reasoning scores are lower for the 2005 sample than for the 1990 sample. This result may be attributable to age, gender, grade point average, or political orientation; however, incomplete data in our sample does not allow us to make definitive conclusions regarding these control variables. We discuss the implications of these findings for curriculum development and professional practice.     

美国国际银行设施：发展与启示

国际银行设施是美国上世纪80年代推出的重要离岸金融形式,在我国发展境内外币离岸银行业务、推行人民币国际化、推动金融机构＂走出去＂、稳步推行利率市场化和进一步完善人民币汇率形成机制的背景下,重新回顾国际银行设施的建立和发展,对我国具有一定的借鉴意义和启示。     

An international comparison of scale economies in banking: Evidence from Turkey

In this article economies of scale are examined for Turkish banks. The literature on economies of scale in depository institutions is substantial. Yet, virtually all published articles have examined production/costs using data for developed countries, such as the United States, Canada, and Israel. Here we examine data from a country that has an economic system vastly different in terms of per capita productivity. Despite the differences, the results are similar across countries in that we find no significant evidence of economies of scale at output levels near the sample mean. This suggests that the conclusion from examining banks in developed countries—that a bank does not have to be large in order to be competitive from a cost perspective—holds in a less developed country.     

Risk perception in Korea: a comparison with Japan and the United States

Using a psychometric paradigm, this study examines cross-cultural similarities and differences in the risk perceptions of three samples (Korea, Japan and the United States), through a comparison of 70 environmental risks. The results show that the three samples have a similar two-factor structure and two higher order factors ­ 'dread risk' and 'unknown risk' ­ structure risk perceptions of the 70 risks. The results also indicate that differences in the perceptions of specific risks are significant. Speculations for these differences are discussed.     

Unconventional monetary policy and stock repurchases: Firm-level evidence from a comparison between the United States and Japan

This paper is the first comparative study examining the determinants of stock repurchases during the period of unconventional monetary policy. By constructing a vast firm-level dataset of the U.S. and Japan and conducting multivariate Tobit and probit analyses, this paper presents evidence that during the period of unconventional monetary policy, in both the U.S. and Japan, firms with more free cash flow and lower borrowing costs are more likely to repurchase stock, firms with higher financial leverage are more likely to abstain from stock repurchases, and firms coordinate dividends and stock repurchases to please shareholders. I also find striking contrasts between the results of U.S. and Japanese firms, and show the importance of financial structure in explaining the contrasting results. From a micro perspective, this paper provides new insight and evidence to support the view that financial structure should be thought of as an important factor determining the effects of unconventional monetary policy.     

An expanded model of taxpayer compliance: empirical evidence from the United States and Hong Kong

There are a number of differences in the tax system structures of the U.S. and Hong Kong. In addition, the literature suggests there are significant differences between U.S. and Hong Kong (Chinese) cultures. This study explores whether taxpayer compliance is influenced by these differences.Fischer et al.’s (1992) expanded model of taxpayer compliance is used as the underlying theoretical framework. The model is empirically tested using a structural equations approach with a convenience sample of Hong Kong and U.S. taxpayers. Results indicate education has a direct, negative effect on compliance in both groups. This effect is moderated by an indirect, positive link between education, moral development, and compliance. The significant differences noted are that U.S. (Hong Kong) taxpayers used higher (lower) stages of moral reasoning, had more (less) favorable attitudes toward the tax system, and were more (less) compliant. These results suggest that efforts to increase taxpayer compliance need to be tailored to the structure of the tax system and the predominant culture of the taxpayers.     

External balance adjustment: An intra-national and international comparison

Large external imbalances have become a policy concern. This study investigates the determinants of external balances for regions within a single country—Canadian provinces—as well as for a sample of 18 OECD countries. External balance adjustment may differ for provinces since there are few intra-national barriers to the mobility of capital, goods and labour within Canada. Also, because Canada is a monetary union, there is no currency risk associated with lending and borrowing across provinces, and this may promote inter-provincial financial flows. The estimates show that the short run response of the external balance to disturbances, such as a deterioration in the terms of trade, is typically larger for Canadian provinces than for OECD countries. There is also a much greater speed of adjustment of the external balance in the Canadian provinces. This faster adjustment speed, combined with the larger response of the external balance, means that provinces may see a quicker resolution of external imbalances, but larger deficits or surpluses may emerge before adjustment occurs.     

Accounting standards and value relevance of financial statements: An international analysis

Using 17,743 firm-year observations of industrial companies in 21 countries from 1991 to 1997, this paper finds that the use of accrual accounting (versus cash accounting) negatively affects the value relevance of financial statements in countries with weak shareholder protection. This negative effect, however, does not exist in countries with strong shareholder protection. These findings are consistent with the belief that shareholder protection improves the effectiveness of accrual accounting, and suggest the importance of considering shareholder protection when formulating accounting policies related to accruals.     

Executive compensation and managerial incentives: A comparison between Canada and the United States

This paper compares executive pay–performance sensitivities between Canadian firms and US firms. Examining the data for 365 Canadian firms and 675 US firms over the years 1991–1994, we find that the pay–performance sensitivity associated with direct pay and stock ownership is smaller in Canadian firms than in US firms but that the difference diminishes as firm size increases. We also find that during this period Canadian firms underperformed US firms and Canadian CEOs were paid substantially lower than were their US counterparts. Our findings are consistent with the argument that the pay–performance relationship, depending on the intensity of economic regulation, affects corporate performance.     

Operational efficiency in banking: An international comparison

In this paper, we estimate a global cost function for international banks to test for both input and output inefficiencies. Our results for 1988–1992 suggest that for banks in 15 countries, the prevalence of input X-inefficiencies far outweighs that of output inefficiencies (as measured by economies of scale and scope). Moreover, our results suggests that the distribution-free model overestimates the magnitude of X-inefficiencies relative to the stochastic cost frontier approach.Large banks in separated banking countries (that prohibit the functional integration of commercial and investment banking) had the largest measure of input inefficiency amounting to 27.5 percent of total costs as well as significant levels of diseconomies of scale. All other banks have X-inefficiency levels ranging in the area of fifteen percent of total costs with slight economies of scale for small banks.     

An international comparison of working times

Although national statistics on working life are difficult to compare, presented here is an overview of the trends observed in the principal industrialized countries. Pointing out first that the reduction in working time which has occurred over the past few decades, while common to all countries, has come about in different ways and at different rates, and has reached fairly unequal levels, the article emphasizes that the dominant trend today is towards the growing diversification of working time by sector, by company, and even by individual worker. This phenomenon of the individualization of working hours, doubtless attributable to new production constraints, clearly results from the more general diversification of types of work, itself concurrent with the atomization of lifestyles.     

美国联邦政府会计难点热点问题及其启示——基于联邦政府审计报告的分析

我国当前正积极推动政府与非营利组织的会计改革 ,了解和借鉴国外经验十分必要。本文通过分析美国审计总署对美国联邦政府 2 0 0 3和 2 0 0 2年度财务报告的审计情况 ,透视美国联邦政府会计存在的难点热点问题 ,以期对我国政府会计改革有所启示。     

Whistleblower laws and corporate fraud: Evidence from the United States

We use data from the United States to assess whether whistleblower laws that protect private employees from retaliation have an impact on corporate fraud. Currently, eighteen states have whistleblower laws that offer such protection. Our analysis indicates that, in these states, a higher awareness of whistleblower laws is associated with a lower state-level conviction rate for corporate fraud. This finding is consistent with the hypothesis that whistleblower laws that cover private employees have a deterrent effect on corporate fraud, and that awareness of the provisions of whistleblower laws plays a key role in determining their effectiveness as a policy tool.     

The Impact of Financial Accounting Practices on the Measurement of Profit and Equity: Australia Versus the United States

The purpose of this paper is to make a quantitative comparative analysis of differences between Australian financial reporting practices and U.S. GAAP. The empirical data consist of Form 20-F filings for thirteen Australian incorporated companies for the period 1985–93. Based on prior research, there is a test of the hypothesis that U.S. GAAP is more conservative than Australian financial reporting practice. The results of the empirical analysis offer little support for this hypothesis in the context of the reporting of profit. However, the hypothesis is supported for the reporting of shareholders’ equity. The most frequent and material differences in profits relate to asset measurement, equity consolidation and accounting for intangible assets. Generalizations relating to differences in shareholders’ equity are more difficult to make.     

Corporate debt and financial balance sheet adjustment: a comparison of the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Germany

The level of UK corporate debt directly affects financial stability in the United Kingdom because a significant amount of the exposure of the UK financial system is to UK corporates. Our paper provides a comparison of the determinants of corporate debt in the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Germany. The comparison serves to benchmark our findings about the determinants of UK corporate debt. In addition, the UK financial sector is significantly exposed to the corporate sectors in the United States, Germany and France. The model assesses the contribution of investment, acquisitions, cash flows and market-to-book values to the determination of debt, and also the tendency of debt to revert to its optimum level. Debt was found to be positively related to the financing needs of the firm, and the optimum level of debt to be negatively related to the market-to-book ratio. This casts some light on the procyclicality of debt.     

How Representative Are Firms That Are Cross‐Listed in the United States? An Analysis of Accounting Quality

We provide evidence on the characteristics of local generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) earnings for firms cross‐listing on U.S. exchanges relative to a matched sample of foreign firms currently not cross‐listing in the United States to investigate whether U.S. listing is associated with differences in accounting data reported in local markets. We find that cross‐listed firms differ in terms of the time‐series properties of earnings and accruals, and the degree of association between accounting data and share prices. Cross‐listed firms appear to be less aggressive in terms of earnings management and report accounting data that are more conservative, take account of bad news in a more timely manner, and are more strongly associated with share price. Furthermore, the differences appear to result partially from changes around cross‐listing and partially from differences in accounting quality before listing. We do not observe a similar pattern for firms cross‐listed on other non‐U.S. exchanges or on the U.S. over‐the‐counter market, suggesting a unique quality to cross‐listing on U.S. exchanges.