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Based on the idea that insiders (i.e., managers and controlling shareholders) engage in earnings management to mask their diversion and rent seeking activities from outsiders, this paper presents international evidence supporting both a “diversion hypothesis” where earnings management is decreasing in economic freedom, and a “penalty hypothesis” where earnings management is increasing in human development.

This study investigates the usefulness of net value added in explaining stock returns of a sample of US firms. The results provide evidence that current and past levels of net value added or current and past levels of changes in net value added are associated with stock returns. A case may be made for the disclosure of value added information by US firms.

The American Accounting Association (AAA) Committee on Accounting and Auditing Measurement (1991) had recommended that value added be considered for mandatory disclosure in the US in addition to the income and cash flow statements. This study examines empirically the relative merits of derived performance indicator numbers from value added reporting, accrual accounting and cash flow accounting. The results show that the derived performance indicator numbers based on net value added had lower variability and higher persistency than corresponding numbers based on either earnings or cash flows of 673 US firms for the 1981–1990 period. These results and other related considerations argue strongly in favor of the recommendation of the AAA Committee.

This paper examines how accounting quality, as measured by earnings opacity, affects the stock market wealth effect, which in turn is shown to be linked to economic growth. Stock market wealth effect is negatively affected by earnings opacity. The data also indicate that the exogenous component of the stock market wealth effect — the component defined by earnings opacity‐ is positively associated with economic growth. The direct effect of earnings opacity on economic growth is, as expected negative, but insignificant.

Summarizes previous research on the links between multinationality and earnings persistence and presents a study which applies the autoregressive, integrated, moving‐average time series model to 1990‐1999 data on the largest US multinationals. Explains the methodology and presents the results, which show a negative relationship between the level of multinationality and earnings persistence measures. Puts this down to a negative link between multinationality and performance; and reduced risk through international diversification and profit stabilization.

The paper investigates the link between a firm's overall disclosure quality and its corpoate reputation. The results show that the measure of corporate reputation is positively related to the disclosure measure, after controlling for market and accounting signals indicating the size of assets, market assessment of the value of the assets in place and rate of return on assets.

Looks at fraud and crime in the accounting world. States that beside the conflict approach there are also the ecological theory, cultural transmission theory, and anomie (normlessness or lack of regulation), which can explain deviant behaviour. Gives a framework for fraud in accounting, listing the six points where corporate fraud, white‐collar crime, fraudulent financial reporting and audit failures most often occur. Conclusions given are that greater concern is being shown for business ethics — particularly in the USA.

Outlines the valuation models of Ohlson (1995) and Feltham and Ohlson (1995), which relate share prices to accounting data, and develops a version which substitutes net value added for earnings. Tests it on 1978‐1995 US data and shows that it is better than the conventional model at explaining price. Recommends that future capital market research should consider net value added as an alternative to earnings for wealth measurement.

Provides a useful summary of research on value added (VA) reporting and shows how income statements can be rearranged to show gross or not (of depreciation) VA. Starts with descriptive research on its use in various countries, enumerates its advantages and limitations and goes on to review empirical research on VA firm performance, the informational content of VA (as against conventional) data in market valuation and its predictive ability. Suggests that VA disclosure should be mandatory in the USA and calls for further research on its usefulness.

Fudenberg and Tirole (1995) argue that concern about job security creates an incentive for managers to smooth earnings. Consistent with their model, Defond and Park (1997) show that managers smooth earnings in consideration of both current and future relative performance. To provide a more direct evidence of anticipating smoothing and job security, we hypothesize that the extent of income smoothing will vary with managers' job security concerns as proxied by the level of the investment opportunity set or growth opportunities. Our results confirmed our predictions.