The role of accounting disaggregation in detecting and mitigating earnings management

Though ample empirical evidence alludes to the importance of disaggregated accounting data in the context of earnings management, extant theory considers biases in reporting mostly at the aggregated level of the accounting report. By introducing accounting disaggregation into the conventional theoretical framework of earnings management, this study highlights the essential role that disaggregated accounting data play in detecting and mitigating reporting manipulations. Disaggregated reports are shown to be especially effective when they consist of accounting items that are tightly interrelated by their fundamental economic nature, differ considerably in their sensitivity to reporting manipulations, and vary in their signs.