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1 – 10 of 57Florian Philipp Federsel, Rolf Uwe Fülbier and Jan Seitz
A gap between research and practice is commonly perceived throughout accounting academia. However, empirical evidence on the magnitude of this detachment remains scarce. The…
Abstract
Purpose
A gap between research and practice is commonly perceived throughout accounting academia. However, empirical evidence on the magnitude of this detachment remains scarce. The authors provide new evidence to the ongoing debate by introducing a novel topic-based approach to capture the research-practice gap and quantify its extent. They also explore regional differences in the research-practice gap.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors apply the unsupervised machine learning approach Latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) to compare the topical composition of 2,251 articles from six premier research, practice and bridging journals from the USA and Europe between 2009 and 2019. The authors extend the existing methods of summarizing literature and develop metrics that allow researchers to evaluate the research-practice gap. The authors conduct a plethora of additional analyses to corroborate the findings.
Findings
The results substantiate a pronounced topic-related research-practice gap in accounting literature and document its statistical significance. Moreover, the authors uncover that this gap is more pronounced in the USA than in Europe, highlighting the importance of institutional differences between academic communities.
Practical implications
The authors objectify the debate about the extent of a research-practice gap and stimulate further discussions about explanations and consequences.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first paper to deploy a rigorous machine learning approach to measure a topic-based research-practice gap in the accounting literature. Additionally, the authors provide theoretical rationales for the extent and regional differences in the research-practice gap.
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Yu Zhou, Jiaxin Liu and Dongliang Lei
This paper aims to investigate whether the two dominant financial reporting regimes, US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (US GAAP) and International Financial Reporting…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate whether the two dominant financial reporting regimes, US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (US GAAP) and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), are associated with audit pricing and audit report lags.
Design/methodology/approach
In 2007, the US SEC eliminated the requirement for foreign registrants to reconcile their financial statements to US GAAP from IFRS. In this post-reconciliation setting in the USA, the authors use panel ordinary least square regressions to examine a sample of foreign firms cross-listed in the USA reporting under IFRS and US domestic firms reporting under US GAAP during the fiscal year 2007–2019.
Findings
The authors find that the firms reporting under IFRS have longer audit report lags than firms reporting under US GAAP. In addition, the authors find that firms reporting under IFRS pay higher audit fees than their US GAAP counterparts. The results are robust after controlling for the firm- and country-specific characteristics as well as using propensity-score matching.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to provide empirical evidence that the differences between the two reporting regimes are associated with auditor behavior, possibly through additional audit efforts and audit complexity associated with auditing the principle-based IFRS relative to the rule-based US GAAP.
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The purpose of this study is to explore the continuity and stability of the impact of accounting information quality on cash holdings, and the moderating effect of this…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to explore the continuity and stability of the impact of accounting information quality on cash holdings, and the moderating effect of this relationship on state ownerships and local appointments.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on China's companies from 2011 to 2019, the authors divided cross-section and panel samples, adopted a linear and classification model and performed grouping regression.
Findings
The authors find that: first, the quality of corporate accounting information can significantly improve the level of cash holding, giving play to the strategic value effect of cash holding. But that boost is based on economies being able to solve agency problems. Second, the reduction of earnings management and the improvement of accounting information quality of NSOEs improve the level of cash holdings, while SOEs are on the contrary. Third, local appointments can play to the emotional strengths of their hometowns and play a synergistic role in this relationship, but the supervision effect of remote appointments is not obvious.
Originality/value
Through endogeneity and other tests, the conclusion is robust. Based on the agency and information asymmetry theory, the authors considered China's institutional and cultural factors, optimized accounting information's measurement and expanded the research boundary of the accounting field. The authors believe that applicable scenarios should be fully considered in the concluding relationship between accounting information quality and cash holdings. Enterprises should give full play to the advantages of cash holdings in strategic decision-making and financial efficiency, improve the quality of accounting information and also consider state ownerships and the differences in directors' emotions to reduce internal agency costs.
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Maria I. Kyriakou, Athanasios Koulakiotis and Vassilios Babalos
The purpose of this study is to examine within a unified framework the timeliness and conservatism of accounting disclosure accommodating the transmission of news among the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine within a unified framework the timeliness and conservatism of accounting disclosure accommodating the transmission of news among the Scandinavian stock markets.
Design/methodology/approach
To this end the authors have used an augmented ordinary least squares (OLS) approach and univariate generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedastic and vector autoregressive (VAR) modeling. The sample covers the period from 1987 to 2020, totaling 1452 observations. The sample was collected from the datastream database.
Findings
The empirical results of this study are consistent with previous findings and provide evidence that accounting reporting is timely and conservative while news is transmitted amongst the Scandinavian stock markets.
Practical implications
The findings could be important for investors, firms and regulators since failure of considering information that is derived from more advanced approaches could result in lower quality of annual reports of companies.
Originality/value
The authors examined the relationship between earnings yield and conditional risk using an augmented OLS model and the transmission of news among Scandinavian stock markets using a VAR model.
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Domenico Campa, Alberto Quagli and Paola Ramassa
This study reviews and discusses the accounting literature that analyzes the role of auditors and enforcers in the context of fraud.
Abstract
Purpose
This study reviews and discusses the accounting literature that analyzes the role of auditors and enforcers in the context of fraud.
Design/methodology/approach
This literature review includes both qualitative and quantitative studies, based on the idea that the findings from different research paradigms can shed light on the complex interactions between different financial reporting controls. The authors use a mixed-methods research synthesis and select 64 accounting journal articles to analyze the main proxies for fraud, the stages of the fraud process under investigation and the roles played by auditors and enforcers.
Findings
The study highlights heterogeneity with respect to the terms and concepts used to capture the fraud phenomenon, a fragmentation in terms of the measures used in quantitative studies and a low level of detail in the fraud analysis. The review also shows a limited number of case studies and a lack of focus on the interaction and interplay between enforcers and auditors.
Research limitations/implications
This study outlines directions for future accounting research on fraud.
Practical implications
The analysis underscores the need for the academic community, policymakers and practitioners to work together to prevent the destructive economic and social consequences of fraud in an increasingly complex and interconnected environment.
Originality/value
This study differs from previous literature reviews that focus on a single monitoring mechanism or deal with fraud in a broadly manner by discussing how the accounting literature addresses the roles and the complex interplay between enforcers and auditors in the context of accounting fraud.
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Xinmeng Hou, Hongji Xie, Shulin Xu, Zefeng Tong and Zeqi Liu
The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of the accounting system reform on corporate innovation behavior and the heterogeneity and underlying mechanisms of this…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of the accounting system reform on corporate innovation behavior and the heterogeneity and underlying mechanisms of this impact. This paper further aims to study the impact of accounting system reform on corporate value.
Design/methodology/approach
This study takes China's A-share listed corporates as a sample and uses the exogenous policy shock of the implementation of the New Accounting Standards in 2007 to design the identification strategy of propensity score matching and difference-in-differences method. By comparing the differences between the innovation level of corporates in high-tech industries and non-high-tech industries before and after the implementation of the New Accounting Standards, the impact of the accounting system reform on corporates' innovative behavior can be identified.
Findings
Results show that compared with corporates in traditional industries, high-tech corporates obtained higher patent output after the implementation of the New Accounting Standards. This reform mainly affects corporate innovation by improving corporate risk-taking. In addition, this paper finds that the reform of the accounting system has increased the market value of high-tech corporates in the long run.
Originality/value
This study provides new empirical evidence for addressing the insufficient innovation incentives for market entities and enriches the existing literature on the economic effects of the change of accounting systems and the influencing factors of corporate innovative behavior from the accounting system perspective.
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Ari Budi Kristanto and June Cao
This systematic literature review presents the evolution of accounting-related research in the Indonesian context. We examine 55 academic articles from the initial 296 records of…
Abstract
Purpose
This systematic literature review presents the evolution of accounting-related research in the Indonesian context. We examine 55 academic articles from the initial 296 records of accounting and finance research in the Q1 Scopus-indexed journals from 1995 to 2022. This study sheds light on Indonesia’s main research streams, unique settings and urgent future research agenda.
Design/methodology/approach
This study adopts a systematic approach for a comprehensive literature review. We select articles according to a series of criteria and compile the metadata for the bibliographic mapping.
Findings
Our bibliometric analysis suggests five main research streams, namely (1) political connection, (2) capital market, (3) audit and accountability, (4) firm policy and (5) banking. We identify the following distinctive country settings, which are well discussed in extant literature: political connection, two-tier board system, weak accounting profession, information opacity and cultural impact on accounting. We outline prospective agendas to examine the institutional mechanisms’ role in addressing major environmental challenges through accountability.
Originality/value
This study offers unique contributions to the literature by comprehensively reviewing accounting-related research in Indonesia. Despite Indonesia’s economic and environmental importance, it has received limited attention from scholars. Using dynamic topic analysis, we highlight the need to examine the role of informal institutions, such as political connections and culture and formal institutional mechanisms, such as corporate governance and environmental disclosure.
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Fuad Fuad, Abdul Rohman, Etna Nur Afri Yuyetta and Zulaikha Zulaikha
This study aims to examine the diametrically opposite effects of probabilistic (risk) and nonprobabilistic uncertainty (ambiguity) on accounting conservatism.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the diametrically opposite effects of probabilistic (risk) and nonprobabilistic uncertainty (ambiguity) on accounting conservatism.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses panel regression models with year and industry-fixed effects. It uses financial and market data from the communication and energy sectors of 24 countries, encompassing 1,946 firms and 5,838 firm-year observations.
Findings
The study reveals that conservatism is a rational response to risk. However, in the presence of higher ambiguity where uncertainty exceeds firm control and outcomes become unpredictable, management reduces conservative accounting practices. Robustness tests support the validity of these findings across different institutional frameworks, agency risks, sample selection and heterogeneity.
Research limitations/implications
This study contributes to the existing literature by exploring the contrasting effects of risk and ambiguity on accounting conservatism. It enhances the understanding of how various institutional factors influence the asymmetric recognition of bad news compared to good news under conditions of uncertainty.
Practical implications
By understanding the role of accounting conservatism in responding to uncertainties, regulators can develop more informed and effective policies that align with the dynamic nature of business environments.
Originality/value
This research provides novel and original ideas suggesting that the change in accounting conservatism is contingent upon the firms’ ambiguity or risk.
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Esraa Esam Alharasis, Hossam Haddad, Mohammad Alhadab, Maha Shehadeh and Elina F. Hasan
This study aims to examine the degree of consciousness of forensic accounting (FA) in Jordan. This study surveys practitioners and academicians about their views and thoughts…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the degree of consciousness of forensic accounting (FA) in Jordan. This study surveys practitioners and academicians about their views and thoughts toward the expected role of using FA techniques to detecting and preventing fraud practices and shedding more light on advantages and obstacles of using the FA techniques.
Design/methodology/approach
To collect the data, a questionnaire was constructed and distributed to the study population which consists of accounting academics, students and accounting practitioners.
Findings
The results of this study show evidence that both students and professionals have a lower level of awareness on the FA concept and its importance. The results also confirm there is a significant correlation between, fraud prevention and detection, advantages of the application of FA, the training courses toward the application of FA and the application of FA in the context of Jordan. It has also been confirmed that there is a number of significant factors hinders this implementation in Jordan.
Research limitations/implications
The findings of this study offer many policy implications for regulators and policymakers on the needed relevant information to address and implement FA in education and practice, thereby activating the FA concept in Jordan.
Originality/value
The primary motivation of this study is driven by the limited and inconclusive research on the FA as a monitoring tool, notably there is a high possibility of fraud and misstatement practices due to the agency conflict. This study is the first of its kind to discuss this topic in the context of Jordan. The need to integrating the accounting education within accounting profession regarding FA becomes an urgent need to develop the awareness level of practitioners when it comes to practice of FA.
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Abhishek N., M.S. Divyashree, Habeeb Ur Rahiman, Abhinandan Kulal and Meghashree Kulal
This study aims to examine the impact of extensible business reporting language (XBRL) technology and its functionality on various aspects of financial reporting and its overall…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the impact of extensible business reporting language (XBRL) technology and its functionality on various aspects of financial reporting and its overall quality.
Design/methodology/approach
To conduct this study, data was collected from a variety of professionals, including accountants, auditors, tax advisors and others. A structured research instrument was developed, and the collected data were analysed using structural equation modelling and mediation analysis techniques.
Findings
The study’s results showed that XBRL technology and its functionality have a noteworthy impact on different aspects of financial reporting. Moreover, the various aspects of financial reporting positively affect the overall quality of financial reporting.
Research limitations/implications
This study solely relied on the opinions of various professionals regarding the current issue under investigation and did not empirically assess the reporting practices of companies by examining their XBRL-based reports. Additionally, it concentrated solely on financial reporting aspects and did not account for non-financial aspects. The main theoretical contributions of this paper to technology in financial reporting, XBRL and accounting literature are that it sheds light on the influence of the use of technologies in the business reporting process and their influence on various aspects of business reporting, which has only received confined focus from earlier studies so far.
Practical implications
This study’s findings could provide valuable insights to the managerial teams of organizations seeking to digitize their business reporting practices, specifically in areas such as regulatory compliance, integrated reporting and timely dissemination of reports in a sustainable way. Furthermore, it could help these teams reap the benefits of technology for various regulatory compliance matters.
Originality/value
This study could assist business organizations and regulatory authorities in adopting and implementing technology such as XBRL for accounting and business reporting. Furthermore, the study’s findings can aid in enhancing financial reporting practices by considering emerging aspects such as ESG and sustainability aspects.
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