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Article
Publication date: 1 April 2003

Lawrence Cohen

In the Spring 2003 issue of this Journal, I addressed the regulatory uncertainty surrounding the treatment of broker‐dealers’ expense‐sharing arrangements. As pointed out in that…

Abstract

In the Spring 2003 issue of this Journal, I addressed the regulatory uncertainty surrounding the treatment of broker‐dealers’ expense‐sharing arrangements. As pointed out in that article, in 2002 the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (NASD) conducted a comprehensive “sweep” examination of member‐firms’ financial reporting procedures, with special attention to the treatment of expenses and liabilities. The results of the sweep confirmed that many broker‐dealers, particularly small firms, relied on parents and affiliates to pay for part or all of their expenses. The results of this regulatory audit raised the NASD’s concern that many broker‐dealers failed to adhere to the financial responsibility rules under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). In large part, this was due to an inherent conflict between the general accounting standards governing the recording of expenses and liabilities and the requirements imposed on broker‐dealers to accrue and book expenses and liabilities under the Exchange Act’s financial reporting rules. Following the sweep, the NASD wrote to certain member firms that did not appear to be following the financial responsibility rules. These letters asked the firms to explain their failure to report expenses that were paid, or subject to payment by, affiliated parties and to justify their procedures on expense and liability reporting. Some broker‐dealers responded that it was not possible to coordinate the accounting of expense‐sharing arrangements with the reporting requirements set forth under the Exchange Act’s rules.

Details

Journal of Investment Compliance, vol. 4 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1528-5812

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Article
Publication date: 15 January 2024

Arthur Allen, Laurie Corradino and Brian McAllister

The authors examine whether limitations in Form 990 result in zero or understated fundraising and administrative expenses for organizations supported by related organizations…

Abstract

Purpose

The authors examine whether limitations in Form 990 result in zero or understated fundraising and administrative expenses for organizations supported by related organizations. Form 990 does not consolidate financial information of legally separate related organizations, resulting in fundraising and administrative expenses being reported by supporting organizations but not by the supported organization.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use the IRS Statistics of Income Sample Data Files and compare charities receiving support from related organizations (supported) to non-supported charities.

Findings

The authors find evidence that supported organizations are likely to report zero or understated fundraising expenses and zero administrative expenses. Those receiving related donations are more likely to have zero or understated fundraising expense while those receiving related compensation are more likely to have zero and understated fundraising and administrative expenses. The authors also find evidence that supported organizations receiving greater amounts of related donations and related compensation are also more likely to report zero and understated fundraising expenses as well as zero administrative expenses while greater amounts of related compensation are also associated with understated administrative expense.

Practical implications

Since donors and other stakeholders use Form 990 to evaluate nonprofits, its unconsolidated nature could result in a lack of comparability across organizations and misinformed resource allocation (e.g. donation) decisions. The results also have implications for researchers who use zero and understated fundraising and administrative expenses as proxies for low quality reporting or interpret them as data errors.

Originality/value

The paper examines the extent to which zero or understated fundraising expense reporting (i.e. the fundraising expense puzzle) is associated with supported organizations receiving financial support from related organizations. The authors also expand their examination to zero and understated administrative expenses.

Details

Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting & Financial Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1096-3367

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 10 February 2020

Mahmut Sami Öztürk and Hayrettin Usul

The change of production methods, the industrial revolutions, technological developments, and digital transformation have affected almost all functions in the enterprises…

Abstract

The change of production methods, the industrial revolutions, technological developments, and digital transformation have affected almost all functions in the enterprises. Accounting and auditing areas are also quite affected by this transformation. Another important result of technology and digitalization is the rapid increase in errors, frauds, and irregularities. Enterprises are looking for new solutions and investigations against irregularities and frauds. Audits for errors, frauds, or irregularities are among the interests of forensic accounting. Many methods are used to identify errors and frauds in the forensic accounting. However, it is inevitable that digital technologies should be utilized in forensic accounting applications as a result of the rapid spread of automation and computer programs in enterprises within the framework of digitalized business activities. Hence, enterprises will be able to get more effective results through computer programs and artificial intelligence in terms of fraud audit in forensic accounting. Expert system applications use artificial intelligence to enable computer programs to behave just like people. One of the most widely used, most easily applicable, and most understandable types of expert system is rule-based expert system. The aim of this study is to determine the accounting fraud that may occur in enterprises within the framework of forensic accounting through rule-based expert systems. For this purpose, various applications have been implemented in a large-scale production enterprise through the use of rule-based expert systems for the determination of accounting fraud. Benford’s Law, risk levels, and various other criteria were used in the creation of expert systems. According to the results obtained from the study, it has been seen that by means of rule-based expert system applications, enterprises can better detect existing frauds and prevent further irregularities in the future. The study is important and it is expected that the study will contribute to the literature because it is shown in the study that the rule-based expert systems, applied in many fields under the title of social sciences, can also be applied in the field of forensic accounting and auditing.

Details

Contemporary Issues in Audit Management and Forensic Accounting
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-83867-636-0

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Book part
Publication date: 28 September 2020

David L. Gray

Purpose – This article examines the operating lease cost stickiness characteristics exhibited by retail firms.Methodology/approachAnderson, Banker, and Janakiraman (2003) laid…

Abstract

Purpose – This article examines the operating lease cost stickiness characteristics exhibited by retail firms.

Methodology/approachAnderson, Banker, and Janakiraman (2003) laid important groundwork for the study of asymmetric cost behavior or cost stickiness. The authors found that a firm’s selling, general, and administrative costs (SG&A) costs increase more with a sales increase than those expenses decrease with an equivalent sales decline. Their findings provided avenues for many studies with differing focal variables; however, extant research has not explored the degree of cost stickiness associated with operating lease expenses. Recognizing the nature and magnitude of operating leases and the competitive and changing environment for retailers, this study adapts Anderson et al.’s (2003) model to provide insights into operating lease stickiness. The study uses archival financial data from 1997 through 2016 for specialty retail firms in testing the lease cost stickiness hypotheses.

Findings – The results of this study supported the hypotheses that operating lease expenses exhibit stickiness behavior and are relatively stickier than future lease commitments for retail firms.

Originality/value – By focusing on retail firms and related lease expenses, this study provides insights into the increasingly competitive retailer environment. This article’s findings will enhance understanding of how specialty retail firms’ managers react to reduced revenues. Finally, given recent authoritative pronouncements affecting accounting for leases and the significance of leasing transactions, research providing insights into cost behavior and managerial actions stands to make an important contribution to literature and practice.

Book part
Publication date: 1 October 2015

James E. McNulty and Aigbe Akhigbe

Directors help determine the strategic direction of a corporation and are responsible for ensuring the institution has a good system of internal control. Banking institutions…

Abstract

Directors help determine the strategic direction of a corporation and are responsible for ensuring the institution has a good system of internal control. Banking institutions without a strategic direction emphasizing sound lending practices that promote the long-run financial health and viability of the institution will be sued more frequently than peer institutions. Institutions that do not have a good system of internal control will also be sued more frequently. Hence, legal expense is a bank corporate governance measure. We compare the performance of bank legal expense and a widely cited corporate governance index in a regression framework to determine which better predicts bank performance. The regressions indicate legal expense is a much better predictor, hence a better measure of bank corporate governance. Regulators should require legal expense reporting and rank institutions by the ratio of legal expense to assets to help identify institutions with weak governance. Seven case studies illustrate the role of legal expense in corporate governance.

Details

International Corporate Governance
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78560-355-6

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Book part
Publication date: 1 July 2004

John L. Peterman

A study of the price discounts granted by Morton Salt Company and other producers of table salt in the U.S. on their sales of table salt to grocery wholesalers and retailers. The…

Abstract

A study of the price discounts granted by Morton Salt Company and other producers of table salt in the U.S. on their sales of table salt to grocery wholesalers and retailers. The discounts were found to be illegal under the Robinson-Patman Act by the Federal Trade Commission and the Supreme Court. The Commission and the Court believed that the discounts were unjustified price concessions granted to “large” buyers, consistent with the concerns of the Robinson-Patman Act. However, the evidence indicates that the most common discount – the “carload discount” – was received by virtually all buyers, regardless of the buyer’s size; the other discounts – “annual volume” discounts – though received primarily by “large” buyers, were likely cost based. The history of the discounts and likely reasons why they were granted are explored in detail.

Details

Antitrust Law and Economics
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-0-76231-115-6

Abstract

Details

Modelling Our Future: Population Ageing, Health and Aged Care
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-84950-808-7

Article
Publication date: 22 June 2023

Melissa Intindola and Cari Burke-Kolehmainen

This study aims to provide a timely “first look” at the impact of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions on the financial distress of nonprofits.

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to provide a timely “first look” at the impact of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions on the financial distress of nonprofits.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses Internal Revenue Service Form 990 returns, US census information, and Oxford COVID-19 workplace restriction data and utilizes logistic regression to analyze results.

Findings

Nonprofits with greater COVID-19 lockdown restrictions are more likely to experience financial distress, whether measured by a 30% reduction in total, program, management and general, or fundraising expenses. This paper also examines results by subsector using National Taxonomy of Exempt Entities data and finds that the Human Services and Public and Society subsectors drive the full sample results when the authors use total, program, or managerial and general expenses in the measure of financial distress, and the Education and Environment and Animals subsectors drive the results when using fundraising expenses in the measure of financial distress.

Originality/value

Broadly speaking, this paper contributes to the limited research stream examining the impact of crises on nonprofits. More specifically, this study is among the earliest to rely on quantitative data to investigate such effects.

Details

Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting & Financial Management, vol. 35 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1096-3367

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Article
Publication date: 11 April 2023

Qian Long Kweh, Hanh Thi My Le, Irene Wei Kiong Ting and Wen-Min Lu

First, this study assesses the link between research and development (R&D) expenses and firm efficiency. Second, this study explores how family control moderates the link between…

Abstract

Purpose

First, this study assesses the link between research and development (R&D) expenses and firm efficiency. Second, this study explores how family control moderates the link between the two.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses two measures of time-based firm efficiency, namely, a window slacks-based measure (WSBM) and a window epsilon-based measure (WEBM) of data envelopment analysis (DEA). Then, 216 firm-year observations are analyzed in the Taiwanese cultural and creative industries from 2005 to 2017.

Findings

This study finds that R&D expenses significantly worsen firm efficiency, and that family control positively moderates this effect. A further test separating the sample into family-controlled and nonfamily-controlled firms indicates that R&D expenses negatively affect the efficiency of nonfamily-controlled firms but positively affect that of family-controlled firms.

Research limitations/implications

The existing literature has examined the link between R&D expenses and corporate performance. However, the process by which R&D expenses affect corporate performance from a production perspective remains unknown.

Originality/value

Overall, this study provides insights for policymakers to scrutinize resource management and R&D expenses from the production and resource-based perspectives.

Details

International Journal of Emerging Markets, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-8809

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 23 January 2023

Rui Yao and Jie Zhang

The purpose of this study is to examine the association between employment status and financial resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the association between employment status and financial resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employed US nationally representative data. A financial resilience index was created based on households' ability to pay for basic living expenses and the resources used to meet such needs. Employment status was categorized into seven groups based on whether the respondent worked for pay in the last seven days, experience of income shock since the start of the pandemic for workers' household and reasons for not working for non-workers' household. A generalized linear model (GLM) model was used to examine the relationship between respondent employment status and household financial resilience. An ordinary least square (OLS) logistic regression with no proportional odds assumption was employed to investigate the association between the respondent's employment status and household ability to pay for basic living expenses. A logistic regression was utilized to explore the relationship between respondent employment status and resources used by the household to pay for basic living expenses.

Findings

The top three least financially resilient households include those in which the respondent's work was affected by the pandemic, the respondent did not work due to being sick with COVID or caring for someone with COVID and the respondent did not work due to fear of COVID.

Research limitations/implications

Future research should distinguish the reasons for not working when examining the association between unemployment and household financial resilience as well as their overall financial wellbeing. Cross-sectional data cannot establish a causal relationship. Findings using US data may not be generalized to other countries.

Practical implications

Workers with health and employment risks and financial professionals working with these clients should consider these risks when building household financial safety net. Policymakers should develop measures to allow normal business operations while effectively contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Originality/value

This study created a financial resilience index that considers various household situations, allows both internal and external resources to be utilized to cover basic living expenses and reflects the diverse nature of financial resilience. This study is the first to look into voluntary and involuntary labor force separation for COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 related reasons.

Details

International Journal of Bank Marketing, vol. 41 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0265-2323

Keywords

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