Some theoretical and methodological suggestions for studies examining accountants' professional judgments and earnings management

The objective of this paper is to provide theoretical and methodological suggestions to guide future research on the controversial topics of accountants' professional judgments and earnings management. Based on an evaluation of prior research, this paper provides four suggestions. First, it is suggested that a focus on the influence of personality variables is likely to provide sharper insights into judgments of individuals. Two relevant personality variables have been selected for this paper, namely, Construal of Self and Regulatory Focus Theory. Both Construal of Self and Regulatory Focus Theory have been, primarily in psychology literature, proven as valid and relevant for judgments, decisions and behavior. Second, prior literature conducted studies on earnings management and ethical issues to a large extent in the United States, often assuming that findings are generalizable and transferable to other countries. Given the importance of contextual factors and of gaining insights from global perspectives, the examination of nations with different contextual environments and particularly of countries in which ethical issues have not been rigorously examined, is suggested. Third, prior research has largely relied on simplistic unidimensional ethics measures that are unlikely to capture the complexity of accountants' professional judgments. It is suggested that a combination of a unidimensional measure and ‘Multidimensional Ethics Measure’ (MEM) provides richer insights into judgments. Fourth, this paper also suggests measuring “holier-than-thou” perception bias. “Holier-than-thou” perception bias means that individuals consider themselves as more ethical than their peers. This bias is important because it may foster an unethical organizational culture. Some of the suggestions included in this paper may provide useful guidance for future studies examining accountants' professional judgments and earnings management.     

The impact of IFRS on accounting quality: Evidence from Greece

This paper examines the impact of IFRS adoption on the quality of accounting information within the Greek accounting setting. Using a sample of 101 firms listed in the Athens Stock Exchange (ASE) for a period of eight years (2001–2008) we find convincing evidence that the implementation of IFRS contributed to less earnings management, more timely loss recognition and greater value relevance of accounting figures, compared to the local accounting standards. Also, our findings document that audit quality further complements the beneficial impact of IFRS since those companies that are audited by Big-5 audit firms exhibit higher levels of accounting quality. Our findings are robust in regard to different model specifications and after controlling for firm-specific effects like size, risk, profitability and growth opportunities.     

产学研联合体利益分配机制研究

利益驱动是产学研联合体构建的根本动力,建立高效合理的利益分配机制关系产学研联合体的稳定和发展。论文重点阐述了建立产学研联合体利益分配机制的理论基础,以此为基础探讨了产学研联合体利益分配机制相应的制度安排。     

基于房价收入比的居民住房支付能力研究——以上海中等收入居民为例

面对高涨的房价,一些城市的中等收入居民既无足够的支付能力也不符合申请经济适用房的条件。本文以上海为例,通过否定国际惯用房价收入比4～6的合理取值范围,分析居民的实际购买力来确定房价收入比取值范围。同时对现行房价收入比指标进行修正和改进,以反映中等收入城市居民真实的住房支付能力现状。     

中国证券市场机构投资者与上市公司盈余管理关联性的研究

本研究从中国证券市场机构投资者与上市公司盈余管理之间关系这一视角出发,来说明机构投资者在公司治理中的作用,通过对相关理论的归纳和分析,构建了研究假设,在此基础上,利用中国上市公司数据,设计实证模型,对研究假设进行了论证.研究发现了在中国证券市场当机构投资者持股比例高时抑制盈余管理,机构持股比例低时加剧盈余管理,即倒U型的关系。研究应用截面数据分析、面板数据分析、单变量分析等方法,从2005年和2007年的数据验证出倒U型的拐点在机构持股6%,说明机构持股6%以后,在公司治理中发挥了抑制操纵盈余的盈余管理的积极作用。利用2004～2007年的数据,进一步的研究发现,随着近年机构投资者的发展和国家的政策导向,机构投资者对盈余管理的抑制作用越来越强,在公司治理中越来越显示出重要的作用。     

CEO与CFO股权激励的治理效应之比较:基于盈余管理的实证研究

在西方发达国家,CFO与CEO拥有相同的法律地位,负有监督CEO的责任,在公司治理结构中拥有重要的地位。本文从盈余管理角度研究我国CFO股权激励的公司治理效应,并比较CFO与CEO股权激励的公司治理效应,发现:尚未实施股权激励计划的公司,其CFO股权和期权占总薪酬比率与盈余管理呈负相关关系,而实施股权激励计划的公司,其CFO股权和期权占总薪酬比率与盈余管理的负相关关系显著变弱;尚未实施股权激励计划的公司,其CFO股权和期权占总薪酬比率对盈余管理抑制的程度显著小于CEO。这表明,正式实施股权激励会诱发盈余管理行为,其它类型的CFO持股则会抑制盈余管理行为,并且CFO股权激励的积极治理效应显著小于CEO。     

基于双基准与多风险制度下的中国外汇储备币种结构配置研究

内容借鉴Markowitz基本均值方差模型的思想,本文运用基于双投资基准和多风险制度的投资组合模型对我国外汇储备币种结构配置进行了实证研究。本文首先从中国实际出发确定了两个投资基准和三种风险制度,进而在此基础上实证研究了在不同投资基准、不同风险制度和不同风险厌恶度情况下的我国外汇储备币种结构。最后,本文提出在不同风险制度转换过程中所对应的我国外汇储备各币种所占比重的调整方向。     

按下葫芦浮起瓢:分析师跟踪与盈余管理途径选择

本文使用2006-2014年的中国上市公司数据,研究了分析师跟踪对企业应计盈余管理和真实盈余管理的不同作用。在控制了内生性和其它相关因素的基础上,本文发现:分析师对应计盈余管理具有监督效应,能够减少应计盈余管理;相反,其对真实盈余管理具有促进作应,跟踪分析师越多,企业真实盈余管理越多。本文对这一现象的解释是:与应计盈余管理相比,真实盈余管理具有较高的隐蔽性,分析师易于监督隐蔽性较差的应计盈余管理,这种监督迫使经理人转向真实盈余管理。本文的结论有助于全面认识和评价分析师的治理作用,指出了分析师跟踪的缺陷,为完善分析师的治理职能提供理论支持和经验证据。     

Directors network centrality and earnings quality

This study examines whether firms with network central boards of directors behave differently from other firms in terms of financial reporting quality. We find that earnings quality among firms is low when board networks are channels of incorrect information transmission (including earnings management information) and for firms whose directors are awarded equity-based compensation have connections through boardroom networks, but earnings quality is better for firms with good performance in spite of their networks. These results are robust to controlling for firm information environment, growth, size, age, leverage, performance, volatility in firm operations, and corporate governance.     

The unintended consequences of voluntary adoption of clawback provisions on managerial ability

I investigate the impact of the voluntary adoption of clawback provisions on managerial ability and predict that clawback provisions will motivate managers to exert more efforts following the adoption of clawback and these efforts will be in the form of an increased managerial efficiency. Using a propensity score matched sample of firms, I find a significant positive association between voluntary clawback adoption and the change in both rank and score of managerial ability. My study highlights the unintended consequences of clawback provisions on CEO's behavior and contributes to the on-going debate on the importance of proactively and carefully drafting clawback policies, further signifying the importance of the SEC's efforts (Rule 10D-1) to enforce clawback policies.