Determinants of risk behaviour: effects of perceived risks and risk attitude on farmer’s adoption of risk management strategies

The importance of risk perception and risk attitude for understanding individual’s risk behaviour are independently well described in literature, but rarely combined in an integrated approach. In this study, we propose a model assuming the choice to implement certain risk management strategies to be directly driven by both perceptions of risks and risk attitude. Other determinants influence the intention to apply different risk strategies mainly indirectly, mediated by risk perception and risk attitude. This conceptual model is empirically tested, using structural equation modelling, for understanding the intention of farmers to implement different common risk management strategies at their farms. Data are gathered in a survey completed by 500 farmers from the Flanders region in Belgium, investigating attitudes towards farming, perceived past exposure to risk, socio-demographic characteristics, farm size, perceptions of the major sources of farm business risk, risk attitudes and the intention to apply common risk management strategies. Our major findings are: (i) perception of major farm business risks have no significant impact on the intention of applying any of the risk strategies under study, (ii) risk attitude does have a significant impact. Therefore, rather than objective risk faced and the subjective interpretation thereof, it is the general risk attitude that influence intended risk strategies to be implemented. A distinction can be made between farmers willing to take risk, who are more inclined to apply ex-ante risk management strategies and risk averse farmers who are less inclined to implement ex-ante risk management strategies but rather cope with the consequences and diminish their effects ex-post when risks have occurred.     

Communication and knowledge as motivators: understanding Singaporean women’s perceived risks of breast cancer and intentions to engage in preventive measures

As breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer among women in Singapore, encouraging them to engage in preventive measures becomes increasingly important. This study aims to take a closer look at the influence of attention to media, interpersonal communication, news elaboration, and knowledge on women’s (aged between 30 and 70) perceived risks of breast cancer and their intentions to engage in preventive measures in Singapore. Attention to media, frequency of interpersonal communication, fatalistic belief, and knowledge structure density were found to be associated with risk perception of breast cancer among Singaporean women. Findings also showed that frequency of interpersonal communication, risk perception, elaboration, and factual knowledge were positively associated with women’s intentions to take up preventive measures such as breast self-examination, clinical breast examination, and mammography. Implications for theory and practice were discussed.     

The effects of firms’ information environment on analysts’ herding behavior

We find financial analysts herd to a greater degree in firms with more opaque information environments as measured by the incidence of short-term institutional investors present. The S-statistic, a measure of forecast bias, and forecast timing and quality metrics are used to measure analyst herding behavior. The results are consistent with the notion that opaque information environments are more conducive to analysts engaging in reputational herding behavior where more capable analysts act first and less capable analysts follow. Additionally, analysts are more likely to issue forecast revisions subsequent to management earnings guidance in less opaque environments. Robustness tests indicate our operational measure of opacity is not subsumed by other measures of the information environment, namely information asymmetry.     

The consequences of perceived risk and objective knowledge for consumers’ investment behavior

Knowledge and risks have a focal role in consumer behavior. However, studies on consumers’ perceive risks in decision situations and the influence of objective knowledge and experience on risk perceptions, consumers’ attitudes and behavioral intentions are scarce. This paper introduces and tests a novel conceptual model that shows how consumers’ objective financial knowledge and investing experience affect their future investment intentions mediated by perceived risks, and attitudes toward investing. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The proposed model fits the data and accounts for attitudes and intentions to investing. This study advances knowledge by directly measuring the behavior-related objective knowledge and experience. We also suggest new insights into the risk concept by showing that consumers perceive five types of risk in investing context and objective financial knowledge and investment experience has varying effects on different risks types, attitudes and intentions. The results also show significant gender differences.     

The effects of analysts’ tax expense forecast accuracy on corporate tax avoidance: An international analysis

A spotlight has recently been cast on the role of analysts as monitors of corporate tax planning, but investigations beyond the US are rare. After extension to the international setting, I investigate whether the strength of investor protection impacts the relationship between analysts’ tax expense forecast accuracy and tax avoidance. Using a sample from 24 countries, I find that firms with high analysts’ tax expense forecast accuracy engage in lower levels of tax avoidance than firms with low forecast accuracy; this relationship is greater for firms in countries with weaker investor protection. These findings suggest that the extent of country-level investor protection substitutes for firm-level governance in constraining managerial incentives for tax avoidance.     

The effects of personal information management capabilities and social-psychological factors on accounting professionals’ knowledge-sharing intentions: Pre and post COVID-19

Given the increased emphasis on individual factors in knowledge management research, this study proposes a research model that examines the effects of personal information management capabilities and social-psychological factors on the knowledge-sharing intention of accounting professionals. The survey results from 136 accounting professionals reveal that both personal information management capabilities and perceived image can positively influence knowledge-sharing behavior. Conversely, reciprocity and loss of knowledge power do not exhibit a significant role in knowledge-sharing intentions. The comparison analyses between pre- and post-COVID-19 sample groups indicate similar results for the hypothesized relationships while there are notable mean differences in knowledge sharing intention, image and information processing capabilities. This study extends current research by incorporating personal information management capabilities to examine the power of the “individual” in knowledge sharing and offers timely evidence of accounting professionals’ personal knowledge management practices during the period of COVID-19. This study raises implications for researchers and practitioners interested in knowledge management in the accounting profession.     

Automatic summarization of earnings releases: attributes and effects on investors’ judgments

Review of Accounting Studies - Firms often include summaries with earnings releases. However, manager-generated summaries may be prone to strategic tone and content management, compared to the...     

Risk as perceived by the German public: pervasive risks and “switching” risks

In 2001, a major project on the perception and evaluation of risks in southern Germany was conducted consisting of survey data as well as of semi‐structured interviews. With reference to the psychometric paradigm, this article analyzes public risk perception, pointing out the perceived risk semantic for nuclear energy, GM‐food, mad cow disease (BSE), crime, global climate change, mobile telephony and its radiation risks. These hazards reveal different patterns of risk perception and different levels of risk acceptability. Secondly, a comparison of qualitative and quantitative findings will be conducted: qualitative analyses indicate that the results of quantitative rating scales on the perception, evaluation and acceptance of technical and environmental hazards might be misleading since the public's focus on risks as elicited by open association stimuli relies much more on ‘everyday‐life’ and ‘pervasive’ risks than for instance on hazards emerging from new technologies. The relevance of technological risks tends to be dependent on the context: If explicitly mentioned in newscasts, in debates or listed in questionnaires memories, fears or other immediate responses become activated, yet they may be forgotten a short time later. We have called this phenomenon “switching effect” and the respective risks “switching risks”. In standardized opinion polls such ‘switching effects’ may evoke firm judgments, even if the importance in the interviewee's mental representation seems marginal.     

People’s responses to risks of electromagnetic fields and trust in government policy: the role of perceived risk,benefits and control

Trust in government policy affects the way people perceive and handle risks. In our study, we investigated the relationships between trust in government policy regarding electromagnetic fields (EMF), perceived risk and perceived benefits of public and personal EMF sources, perceived control over exposure to EMF and responses to the possible EMF health risk (e.g. protest against placement of mobile phone base stations or power lines, or taking own measures against EMF exposure). Previous research indicated that perceived risk and benefits mediate the relationship between trust and people’s risk responses. Additionally, we suggest that perceived control over EMF exposure affects the relation between trust in government policy and perceived risk, and, consequently, the risk responses. We performed a survey among the Dutch population (n?=?1009), which contained questions about risk responses to EMF, perceived risk and benefits of several EMF sources, trust in government policy and perceived control over EMF exposure. Comparing public EMF sources, i.e. power lines and mobile phone base stations, to personal EMF sources, i.e. microwave ovens and cordless and mobile phones, we tested our hypotheses. Variations in risk responses to both public and personal EMF sources were mainly explained by risk perception. In addition, perceived risk partially mediated the relationship between trust in government policy and risk responses. For public sources, perceived control over exposure weakened the negative relationship between trust and perceived risk. We conclude that, especially in people with low perceived control, a lack of trust in government policy may enhance perceptions of health risks, thereby increasing their inclination for risk responses.     

Italian consumers’ attitudes towards food risks: self-protective and non-self-protective profiles for effective risk communication

The study aims to assess Italian consumers’ attitudes towards food risks and seeks to outline their socio-demographic and behavioural characteristics on the basis of their attitudes (self-protective and non-self-protective) towards food risks. Using the Computer-assisted telephone interviewing survey method, a sample of 1000 Italian consumers was interviewed on risk perception issues and general eating habits. Factor analyses on the consumers’ propensities to read the label when buying a food product for the first time, their propensities to seek food-related information and their perceived levels of exposure to food risks have enabled us to define Italian consumers’ attitudes towards food risks. Distinguishing between consumers with more self-protective attitudes and those with less self-protective attitudes and identifying their distinctive socio-demographic and behavioural characteristics (e.g. gender, age, the frequency with which respondents do grocery shopping and the channels used for further inquiry) are crucial for communication campaigns aimed at reducing consumers’ exposure to food risks.     

Confidence and trading aggressiveness of naïve investors: effects of information quantity and consistency

Advances in technology, as well as regulatory and legislative actions, have led to an increase in the quantity of information available to the public. This paper experimentally examines the effects of information quantity and consistency (or directional agreement) on the judgments and trading behavior of naïve investors, holding constant the quality (or predictive value) of information. In my experiment, investors receive accounting signals and make predictions and trading decisions for 24 separate firms. I find that increasing the quantity and consistency of information leads naïve investors to show greater judgment confidence and trading aggressiveness. Increased quantity reduces investors’ expected wealth in laboratory markets, while the effect of consistency on expected wealth depends on the relationship between the low- and high-quality signals investors receive. Results highlight possible unintended consequences of increased disclosure and suggest directions for future experimental and archival research.     

Book-to-market and size effects: compensations for risks or outcomes of market inefficiencies?

We employ the optimal orthogonal portfolio approach to investigate if the size and book-to-market effects in US data are related to risk factors beside the market risk. This method enables us to estimate the upper limit of the risk premium, due to observed as well as all possible unobserved factors, which can be derived from a linear asset pricing model. As a corollary, it is possible to divide the observed average asset return into three parts: one explained by the market factor, one due to the unobserved factors, and finally the non-risk-based (NRB) component. Our empirical results confirm the existence of latent risk factors, which cannot be captured by the market index. In particular, the size effect is related to some other background risk factors than the market portfolio, but a large part of observed book-to-market effect has a NRB explanation.     

Contextualizing politicians’ uses of accounting information: reassurance and ammunition

This paper explores the use of accounting information by local government politicians. The authors examined three very typical council decisions in both their policy formulation and decision-making stages, which had different levels of political conflict. During policy formulation, accounting information was used mostly to provide answers—improving understanding. At the decision-making stage, the level of conflict influenced the quantity of information used, as well as the way it was used. Under low political conflict, accounting information primarily provided reassurance, whereas when there were conflicts between majority and opposition politicians, accounting information was used to (de)legitimize political positions and decisions. This paper is one of the first to contextualize politicians’ use of accounting information and has important implications for practice and future research.     

Effect of perceived risk on nuclear power plant operators’ safety behavior and errors

Safety behavior and human errors are major concerns for nuclear power plant operators. The present study investigated how nuclear power plant operators’ perceived risk influences the quality of their own work performance in terms of safety behavior and errors. In total, 349 operators from two nuclear power plants in China participated in the present study. We found that perceived risk had a negative linear relationship with safety behavior and a quadratic relationship with errors. Leader support played a moderating role in the relationships between perceived risk, safety behavior, and errors. These results supported the job demands–resources model and provided further evidence for the relationship between perceived risk and outcomes related to safety behavior and errors. Our findings suggest that an effective way to address the issue of high perceived risk is to provide a supportive environment.     

Literature review and challenging research agenda on politicians’ use of accounting information

Recent research on politicians’ use of financial and performance information is reviewed. Survey-based studies overestimate the frequency of this use; observational studies present a more accurate picture. A new and challenging research agenda is presented that will improve our understanding of the use and usefulness of accounting information. Implications for the real world of practice are discussed.     

The effects of reputation and relationships on lead banks’ certification roles

We investigate the certification roles of lead bank retention in US syndicated loans with respect to interest rates, then explore how lead banks’ reputation and previous relationships with the borrower alter such certification effects. Our findings support the certification hypothesis. Loan spreads are found to decrease with a higher retention ratio, after controlling for the endogeneity of loan price and retention. The magnitude of certification effect is reduced when the lead bank is a more reputable lender and when there are prior bank–borrower relationships. Lead bank reputation and prior lending relationships can therefore substitute for the need to certify.     

Information about bank intangibles,analyst information intermediation,and the role of knowledge and social forces in the ‘market for information’

Although developments in the sell-side analyst literature have revealed the role of intellectual capital (IC) in analysts’ work, the whole information intermediation progress of IC remains a “black box”. This paper develops an analyst information intermediation model, illustrating how ‘soft’ information changes through analyst acquisition, processing and disclosure of information. Bourdieu’s ideas of habitus, field and capital are used to develop our explanation of the analyst information intermediation model. We argue that the combination of empirical evidence and theoretical explanation provides a new and more comprehensive way to improve understanding of the role of analysts within knowledge and social contexts.     

Understanding investors’ reliance on disclosures of nonfinancial information and mitigating mechanisms for underreliance

This study uses two experiments to examine whether nonprofessional investors rely on voluntarily disclosed nonfinancial information (NFI) and the factors that affect their reliance on such information. Results from experiment one suggest that nonfinancial disclosure affects high-experience (long-term) investors more than low-experience (short-term) investors. In addition, more investing experience seems to compensate the insensitivity to NFI caused by a short-term investment horizon. Results from experiment two suggest that merely requiring participants to evaluate firms’ performance separately based on the financial and nonfinancial measures (NFMs) – or merely presenting the NFMs in a more readable format – does not significantly alter the reliance on the nonfinancial disclosure for low-experience and short-term investors. However, when the two interventions are implemented simultaneously, NFI significantly affects the amount invested by those investors.     

Analysts’ sale and distribution of non fundamental information

We examine an analyst’s sale and distribution of information related to short-term price movements but unrelated to underlying firm value. By selling non fundamental information, the analyst increases competition on the signal, but prices become more sensitive to net order flow, creating an offsetting increase in the non fundamental signal’s value. More precise non fundamental information is more widely distributed. In the limit, a perfect non fundamental signal will be publicly disclosed for an arbitrarily small fee, and the analyst earns profits as if he possessed fundamental information. Consistent with empirical findings, analysts’ recommendations can be profitable, even when widely distributed or seemingly inconsistent with detailed forecasts. Analysis based on non fundamental information does not contribute to greater price efficiency but reduces liquidity costs. In a multi-period setting, traders with non fundamental information do not front-run, preferring to transact only in the period in which uninformed demand is executed.