Pub Date : 2022-11-07DOI: 10.1108/ara-03-2022-0070
Kriengkrai Boonlert-U-Thai, Philipp D. Schaberl
PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the role of book values, earnings, and future earnings in equity valuation by time, life cycle stage, and market uncertainty using samples of USA and Japanese companies.Design/methodology/approachThis study employs Lubberink and Willett (2021) methodology in using log-linear models to estimate the value relevance of accounting numbers and follows Schaberl (2016) approach to measure %incremental value relevance. The study also includes future earnings in a basic valuation model (Ohlson, 1995) to explore the extent to which stock prices are forward looking.FindingsThis study finds a significant increase by time in the relative value relevance of a combined model with book values and earnings and a combined model with future earnings for both countries. However, the incremental value relevance of book values, earnings, and future earnings remain stable over time. The results by life cycle stage indicate that incremental value relevance of future earnings and earnings are more (less) pronounced for firms in the intro (mature) life cycle stage while the incremental value relevance of book values is highest for firms in the decline stage for both countries. The results by market uncertainty indicate that firms with high market uncertainty display higher incremental value relevance of book values for both countries. The results on future earnings are mixed as USA (Japan) firms with high (low) market uncertainty display more (less) incremental value relevance of future earnings.Practical implicationsThe findings in this study enhance the merits of two basic financial statements (balance sheet and income statement) in a firm's equity valuation for potential investors and existing shareholders and document an additional role of future earnings information in reflecting a firm's stock price, which is beyond what book values and current earnings have already contributed.Originality/valueThis is the first study that uses log-linear models to estimate the value relevance of accounting numbers and investigates value relevance of accounting information in three views: time, life cycle stage, and market uncertainty.
{"title":"Value relevance of book values, earnings, and future earnings: evidence by time, life cycle stage, and market uncertainty","authors":"Kriengkrai Boonlert-U-Thai, Philipp D. Schaberl","doi":"10.1108/ara-03-2022-0070","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/ara-03-2022-0070","url":null,"abstract":"PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the role of book values, earnings, and future earnings in equity valuation by time, life cycle stage, and market uncertainty using samples of USA and Japanese companies.Design/methodology/approachThis study employs Lubberink and Willett (2021) methodology in using log-linear models to estimate the value relevance of accounting numbers and follows Schaberl (2016) approach to measure %incremental value relevance. The study also includes future earnings in a basic valuation model (Ohlson, 1995) to explore the extent to which stock prices are forward looking.FindingsThis study finds a significant increase by time in the relative value relevance of a combined model with book values and earnings and a combined model with future earnings for both countries. However, the incremental value relevance of book values, earnings, and future earnings remain stable over time. The results by life cycle stage indicate that incremental value relevance of future earnings and earnings are more (less) pronounced for firms in the intro (mature) life cycle stage while the incremental value relevance of book values is highest for firms in the decline stage for both countries. The results by market uncertainty indicate that firms with high market uncertainty display higher incremental value relevance of book values for both countries. The results on future earnings are mixed as USA (Japan) firms with high (low) market uncertainty display more (less) incremental value relevance of future earnings.Practical implicationsThe findings in this study enhance the merits of two basic financial statements (balance sheet and income statement) in a firm's equity valuation for potential investors and existing shareholders and document an additional role of future earnings information in reflecting a firm's stock price, which is beyond what book values and current earnings have already contributed.Originality/valueThis is the first study that uses log-linear models to estimate the value relevance of accounting numbers and investigates value relevance of accounting information in three views: time, life cycle stage, and market uncertainty.","PeriodicalId":8562,"journal":{"name":"Asian Review of Accounting","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2022-11-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44041834","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-11-07DOI: 10.1108/ara-04-2022-0087
Shangkun Liang, F. Xin, Junli Yu, Gang Zhao
PurposeThe political influence on the determinants of capital structure has been under-researched for a long time. Taking the turnover of secretary of municipal committee as a political factor in China, this paper studies the effect of local government officials' turnover on firm's capital structure.Design/methodology/approachStarting with all A-shares listed firms in the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges from 2001 to 2018, this paper implements the OLS estimation, staggered difference-in-difference approach to investigate the effects of political turnover on the choice of capital structure.FindingsThe results show that, driven by government officials' turnover, firms will significantly reduce their leverage. When comparing between formal finance (bank loans) and informal finance (payables), the reduction of capital structure is mainly driven by banks, not by suppliers. Furthermore, two possible channels have been investigated. First, the reduction effects are mainly driven by the SOEs when classifying the types of corporate ownership into SOEs and non-SOEs. Second, the reduction effects exist in areas with the more intense government intervention when considering the heterogeneity of the development of institutional environment in provinces.Originality/valueThis paper first contributes to the literature on the determinants of corporate choice on capital structure. Second, this paper enriches the studies on the economic consequences of local government officials' turnover.
{"title":"Local government turnover and capital structure: evidence from China","authors":"Shangkun Liang, F. Xin, Junli Yu, Gang Zhao","doi":"10.1108/ara-04-2022-0087","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/ara-04-2022-0087","url":null,"abstract":"PurposeThe political influence on the determinants of capital structure has been under-researched for a long time. Taking the turnover of secretary of municipal committee as a political factor in China, this paper studies the effect of local government officials' turnover on firm's capital structure.Design/methodology/approachStarting with all A-shares listed firms in the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges from 2001 to 2018, this paper implements the OLS estimation, staggered difference-in-difference approach to investigate the effects of political turnover on the choice of capital structure.FindingsThe results show that, driven by government officials' turnover, firms will significantly reduce their leverage. When comparing between formal finance (bank loans) and informal finance (payables), the reduction of capital structure is mainly driven by banks, not by suppliers. Furthermore, two possible channels have been investigated. First, the reduction effects are mainly driven by the SOEs when classifying the types of corporate ownership into SOEs and non-SOEs. Second, the reduction effects exist in areas with the more intense government intervention when considering the heterogeneity of the development of institutional environment in provinces.Originality/valueThis paper first contributes to the literature on the determinants of corporate choice on capital structure. Second, this paper enriches the studies on the economic consequences of local government officials' turnover.","PeriodicalId":8562,"journal":{"name":"Asian Review of Accounting","volume":"131 15","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2022-11-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41247723","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-11-03DOI: 10.1108/ara-07-2022-0179
Redhwan Al-Dhamari, Bakr Al‐Gamrh, O. Farooque, Elaigwu Moses
PurposeThis study empirically investigates the role of product market competition and mature-stage firm life cycle on the relation between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and market performance in an emerging market context – Malaysia.Design/methodology/approachThe authors construct a comprehensive CSR index toward the economy, environment and society (EES) and apply both Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) and Two-Stage Least Squares (2SLS) instrumental variables (IV) approaches to test the hypotheses of the study.FindingsThe authors find that EES-based CSR generally enhances firms' market performance; however, the level of product market competition undermines the market performance of socially and economically responsible firms. In addition, the study results indicate that mature-stage firm life cycle with more involvement in CSR activities shows better market performance. However, the endogeneity check of CSR suggests that both CSR and mature-stage firms are mutually exclusive in influencing market performance. The study findings are robust to alternative measures and different identifications of high and low default risk situations of sample firms.Practical implicationsThis study carries practical policy implications for the listed firms, regulators and stakeholders in general. For example, regulatory bodies may promote greater involvement in CSR activities by listed companies in the Malaysian stock market. Investors and other market participants should be aware of factors influencing socially responsible firms' market performance such as the corporate life cycle and the level of competition in product markets.Originality/valueThis research work responds to the call of regulatory bodies in Malaysia at a time when the Malaysian economy is under threat of environmental distraction practices by the palm oil industry and import ban by the largest export market, i.e. the European Union by 2030. The study also contributes to the theoretical literature by refining the moderating role of product market competition and mature-stage life cycle on the relationship between CSR and market performance from the perspectives of resource-based and stakeholder theories in emerging economy settings.
{"title":"Corporate social responsibility and firm market performance: the role of product market competition and firm life cycle","authors":"Redhwan Al-Dhamari, Bakr Al‐Gamrh, O. Farooque, Elaigwu Moses","doi":"10.1108/ara-07-2022-0179","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/ara-07-2022-0179","url":null,"abstract":"PurposeThis study empirically investigates the role of product market competition and mature-stage firm life cycle on the relation between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and market performance in an emerging market context – Malaysia.Design/methodology/approachThe authors construct a comprehensive CSR index toward the economy, environment and society (EES) and apply both Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) and Two-Stage Least Squares (2SLS) instrumental variables (IV) approaches to test the hypotheses of the study.FindingsThe authors find that EES-based CSR generally enhances firms' market performance; however, the level of product market competition undermines the market performance of socially and economically responsible firms. In addition, the study results indicate that mature-stage firm life cycle with more involvement in CSR activities shows better market performance. However, the endogeneity check of CSR suggests that both CSR and mature-stage firms are mutually exclusive in influencing market performance. The study findings are robust to alternative measures and different identifications of high and low default risk situations of sample firms.Practical implicationsThis study carries practical policy implications for the listed firms, regulators and stakeholders in general. For example, regulatory bodies may promote greater involvement in CSR activities by listed companies in the Malaysian stock market. Investors and other market participants should be aware of factors influencing socially responsible firms' market performance such as the corporate life cycle and the level of competition in product markets.Originality/valueThis research work responds to the call of regulatory bodies in Malaysia at a time when the Malaysian economy is under threat of environmental distraction practices by the palm oil industry and import ban by the largest export market, i.e. the European Union by 2030. The study also contributes to the theoretical literature by refining the moderating role of product market competition and mature-stage life cycle on the relationship between CSR and market performance from the perspectives of resource-based and stakeholder theories in emerging economy settings.","PeriodicalId":8562,"journal":{"name":"Asian Review of Accounting","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2022-11-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44681610","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-11-02DOI: 10.1108/ara-03-2022-0064
Shailesh Rastogi, Jagjeevan Kanoujiya
PurposeThis study aims to determine the association of Transparency and Disclosure (TD) with financial distress (FID) while the competition (as Lerner Index) moderates the association between the two.Design/methodology/approachThe panel data analysis (static model) is performed to examine the effect of disclosures on the bank's FID. A TD index is built to assess the level of TD. All three versions of Altman's Zscore are employed to measure a bank's FID (High Zscore is opposite of FID). The data of 34 banks running in India for the timeframe 2015–16 to 2018–19 is utilized. Lerner index (LI) is taken as the moderator. The bank-size, valuation and financial leverage are control variables.FindingsThere exists no linear connection between TD and FID. However, TD is positively associated with financial stability (opposite FID). It means TD initially reduces financial stability and improves it after TD crosses a threshold level. Competition (as LI, where the higher value of LI means reduced competition) negatively moderates the association of TD with financial stability. Hence, the findings of this study support the competition-fragility premise. Surprisingly, the negatively significant interaction term of LI and TD implies either high competition and high TD or low competition with low TD, which helps in the bank's financial stability.Originality/valueThe findings provide input to a long-term policy of disclosures and competition in the banking sector, keeping in view the financial stability of the banks. Therefore, findings are novel and carry immense value to the existing knowledge on the topic.
{"title":"Corporate disclosures and financial distress in banks in India: the moderating role of competition","authors":"Shailesh Rastogi, Jagjeevan Kanoujiya","doi":"10.1108/ara-03-2022-0064","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/ara-03-2022-0064","url":null,"abstract":"PurposeThis study aims to determine the association of Transparency and Disclosure (TD) with financial distress (FID) while the competition (as Lerner Index) moderates the association between the two.Design/methodology/approachThe panel data analysis (static model) is performed to examine the effect of disclosures on the bank's FID. A TD index is built to assess the level of TD. All three versions of Altman's Zscore are employed to measure a bank's FID (High Zscore is opposite of FID). The data of 34 banks running in India for the timeframe 2015–16 to 2018–19 is utilized. Lerner index (LI) is taken as the moderator. The bank-size, valuation and financial leverage are control variables.FindingsThere exists no linear connection between TD and FID. However, TD is positively associated with financial stability (opposite FID). It means TD initially reduces financial stability and improves it after TD crosses a threshold level. Competition (as LI, where the higher value of LI means reduced competition) negatively moderates the association of TD with financial stability. Hence, the findings of this study support the competition-fragility premise. Surprisingly, the negatively significant interaction term of LI and TD implies either high competition and high TD or low competition with low TD, which helps in the bank's financial stability.Originality/valueThe findings provide input to a long-term policy of disclosures and competition in the banking sector, keeping in view the financial stability of the banks. Therefore, findings are novel and carry immense value to the existing knowledge on the topic.","PeriodicalId":8562,"journal":{"name":"Asian Review of Accounting","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2022-11-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41484340","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-10-28DOI: 10.1108/ara-09-2022-0225
Jingjing Li
PurposeThis paper aims to identify and evaluate the limitations related to Xin et al. (2022). The discussant also provide suggestions for future research along this line.Design/methodology/approachIn this discussion, the discussant will attempt to identify the main limitations and provide suggestions for future improvement. This written discussion focuses on three main points. First, the discussant will focus on the incremental contribution. Second, the discussant will discuss some remaining issues with the empirical design and propose suggestions for further improvement. Lastly, the discussant will go over the underlying reasons behind the documented results.FindingsXin et al. (2022) investigate the original and important question of whether local leadership turnover leads to lower financial leverage.Originality/valueXin et al. (2022) contribute to the research line of the economic impact of political uncertainty by investigating the turnover year effect of local top leadership in the Chinese setting. Future research can improve our understanding by investigating the underlying mechanisms behind the documented results.
{"title":"Discussion of “local government turnover and capital structure: evidence from China”","authors":"Jingjing Li","doi":"10.1108/ara-09-2022-0225","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/ara-09-2022-0225","url":null,"abstract":"PurposeThis paper aims to identify and evaluate the limitations related to Xin et al. (2022). The discussant also provide suggestions for future research along this line.Design/methodology/approachIn this discussion, the discussant will attempt to identify the main limitations and provide suggestions for future improvement. This written discussion focuses on three main points. First, the discussant will focus on the incremental contribution. Second, the discussant will discuss some remaining issues with the empirical design and propose suggestions for further improvement. Lastly, the discussant will go over the underlying reasons behind the documented results.FindingsXin et al. (2022) investigate the original and important question of whether local leadership turnover leads to lower financial leverage.Originality/valueXin et al. (2022) contribute to the research line of the economic impact of political uncertainty by investigating the turnover year effect of local top leadership in the Chinese setting. Future research can improve our understanding by investigating the underlying mechanisms behind the documented results.","PeriodicalId":8562,"journal":{"name":"Asian Review of Accounting","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2022-10-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46164593","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-10-25DOI: 10.1108/ara-09-2022-0218
Zhifeng Yang
PurposeThe purpose of this study is to discuss Kalia, Basu and Kundu's (KBK’s) paper's motivation, findings and contributions and suggest further development.Design/methodology/approachThis paper is to discuss the meta-analysis of board characteristics and demand for audit Quqality by KBK.FindingsKBK paper is well motivated and makes new contributions to the literature. Future research can expand the sample and examine the moderating effects of institutional factors such as ownership structure, regulatory reforms and country-level investor protection and legal enforcement.Originality/valueBased on the review of KBK’ spaper, this study suggests that future research should expand the sample and examine the moderating effects of institutional factors such as ownership structure, regulatory reforms and country-level investor protection and legal enforcement.
{"title":"An analysis of the meta-analysis of board characteristics and demand for audit quality","authors":"Zhifeng Yang","doi":"10.1108/ara-09-2022-0218","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/ara-09-2022-0218","url":null,"abstract":"PurposeThe purpose of this study is to discuss Kalia, Basu and Kundu's (KBK’s) paper's motivation, findings and contributions and suggest further development.Design/methodology/approachThis paper is to discuss the meta-analysis of board characteristics and demand for audit Quqality by KBK.FindingsKBK paper is well motivated and makes new contributions to the literature. Future research can expand the sample and examine the moderating effects of institutional factors such as ownership structure, regulatory reforms and country-level investor protection and legal enforcement.Originality/valueBased on the review of KBK’ spaper, this study suggests that future research should expand the sample and examine the moderating effects of institutional factors such as ownership structure, regulatory reforms and country-level investor protection and legal enforcement.","PeriodicalId":8562,"journal":{"name":"Asian Review of Accounting","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2022-10-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44434837","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-10-24DOI: 10.1108/ara-01-2022-0001
Huy Viet Hoang, Son Tung Ha, Manh-Linh Tran, Thien Hai Nguyen
PurposeThis study examines the effect of audit quality on earnings management to beat earnings targets among Chinese listed firms, taking into account the firms’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) practice.Design/methodology/approachThe sample consists of all A-shares listed in the Chinese stock market from 2001 to 2019, except firms in the financial industry. Probit estimator is employed to observe the effect of audit quality, proxied by a binary variable indicating whether a firm is audited by a Big 4 audit firm, on the behavior of earnings management to beat earnings targets. Industry and year fixed effects are incorporated into the models to control for differences among industries and time periods.FindingsThe result of this study reveals that audit quality disciplines earnings management to beat earnings targets in Chinese firms. This result holds across different specification and endogeneity tests. The authors further find that auditors seem to be more tolerant to earnings-managed firms that actively disclose CSR activities. However, this moderating effect of CSR disclosure only exists among firms that manage earnings less aggressively.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study suggest that market participants should be mindful of the earnings management phenomenon and make their investment decisions after carefully dissecting and confirming the truthfulness of firms’ financial reporting. Regulators should raise the requirement on the capacity of auditing services to ensure the quality of the audit outcome.Originality/valueThis study is the first to investigate the effect of audit quality on earnings management to beat earnings targets in Chinese firms. Moreover, this study pioneers in observing the moderating effect of CSR disclosure on the relationship between audit quality and earnings management.
{"title":"Is auditor tolerant of earnings management in socially responsible firms? Evidence from China","authors":"Huy Viet Hoang, Son Tung Ha, Manh-Linh Tran, Thien Hai Nguyen","doi":"10.1108/ara-01-2022-0001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/ara-01-2022-0001","url":null,"abstract":"PurposeThis study examines the effect of audit quality on earnings management to beat earnings targets among Chinese listed firms, taking into account the firms’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) practice.Design/methodology/approachThe sample consists of all A-shares listed in the Chinese stock market from 2001 to 2019, except firms in the financial industry. Probit estimator is employed to observe the effect of audit quality, proxied by a binary variable indicating whether a firm is audited by a Big 4 audit firm, on the behavior of earnings management to beat earnings targets. Industry and year fixed effects are incorporated into the models to control for differences among industries and time periods.FindingsThe result of this study reveals that audit quality disciplines earnings management to beat earnings targets in Chinese firms. This result holds across different specification and endogeneity tests. The authors further find that auditors seem to be more tolerant to earnings-managed firms that actively disclose CSR activities. However, this moderating effect of CSR disclosure only exists among firms that manage earnings less aggressively.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study suggest that market participants should be mindful of the earnings management phenomenon and make their investment decisions after carefully dissecting and confirming the truthfulness of firms’ financial reporting. Regulators should raise the requirement on the capacity of auditing services to ensure the quality of the audit outcome.Originality/valueThis study is the first to investigate the effect of audit quality on earnings management to beat earnings targets in Chinese firms. Moreover, this study pioneers in observing the moderating effect of CSR disclosure on the relationship between audit quality and earnings management.","PeriodicalId":8562,"journal":{"name":"Asian Review of Accounting","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2022-10-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42267238","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-10-04DOI: 10.1108/ara-03-2022-0055
Gang Zhao, Xin Yu, Kailun Ni
PurposeThe findings suggest that reducing information processing costs as a result of better transportation is an important ingredient in promoting the pricing of firm-specific information. This study aims to discuss the aforementioned issue.Design/methodology/approachThe authors adopt a difference-in-difference (DID) research design to examine the impact of information processing costs on stock price synchronicity with a sample of firms listed in the Chinese A-share market during 2007 and 2017.FindingsThis paper shows that the launch of the high-speed railway (hereafter HSR) in China is associated with lower stock price synchronicity, consistent with the theory that the HSR reduces investors’ information processing costs (cost of monitoring, acquiring and analyzing firm disclosures). This effect is more pronounced for companies located in remote areas than for those located in large cities. Further tests show that the negative association between the launch of HSR and stock price synchronicity is stronger for companies with higher information asymmetries, proxied by higher equity concentration, higher complexity and lower internal control quality.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the literature in the following three ways. First, prior literature relates the effects of geographic distance to information transmission and information asymmetry between insiders and outside investors (e.g. Coval and Moskowitz, 2001; Kang and Kim, 2008; Malloy, 2005). The authors supplement the literature by providing new empirical evidence from an exogenous shock (natural experiment), that is, the launch of HSR, that facilitates transportation and reduces information transmission costs. Second, prior studies have shown that new airline routes that facilitate transportation improve investment and productivity (e.g. Bernstein et al., 2016; Giroud, 2013). The authors extend this stream of studies by showing that the development of HSR networks reduces information processing costs, and promotes the incorporation of firm-specific information in the asset pricing. More importantly, in this study, the authors explicitly incorporate disclosure processing costs theory into our framework thus enhancing our understanding of how and why improvements in transport relate to better market outcomes.
{"title":"Information processing costs and firm-specific information flows: evidence from the launch of high-speed railway in China","authors":"Gang Zhao, Xin Yu, Kailun Ni","doi":"10.1108/ara-03-2022-0055","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/ara-03-2022-0055","url":null,"abstract":"PurposeThe findings suggest that reducing information processing costs as a result of better transportation is an important ingredient in promoting the pricing of firm-specific information. This study aims to discuss the aforementioned issue.Design/methodology/approachThe authors adopt a difference-in-difference (DID) research design to examine the impact of information processing costs on stock price synchronicity with a sample of firms listed in the Chinese A-share market during 2007 and 2017.FindingsThis paper shows that the launch of the high-speed railway (hereafter HSR) in China is associated with lower stock price synchronicity, consistent with the theory that the HSR reduces investors’ information processing costs (cost of monitoring, acquiring and analyzing firm disclosures). This effect is more pronounced for companies located in remote areas than for those located in large cities. Further tests show that the negative association between the launch of HSR and stock price synchronicity is stronger for companies with higher information asymmetries, proxied by higher equity concentration, higher complexity and lower internal control quality.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the literature in the following three ways. First, prior literature relates the effects of geographic distance to information transmission and information asymmetry between insiders and outside investors (e.g. Coval and Moskowitz, 2001; Kang and Kim, 2008; Malloy, 2005). The authors supplement the literature by providing new empirical evidence from an exogenous shock (natural experiment), that is, the launch of HSR, that facilitates transportation and reduces information transmission costs. Second, prior studies have shown that new airline routes that facilitate transportation improve investment and productivity (e.g. Bernstein et al., 2016; Giroud, 2013). The authors extend this stream of studies by showing that the development of HSR networks reduces information processing costs, and promotes the incorporation of firm-specific information in the asset pricing. More importantly, in this study, the authors explicitly incorporate disclosure processing costs theory into our framework thus enhancing our understanding of how and why improvements in transport relate to better market outcomes.","PeriodicalId":8562,"journal":{"name":"Asian Review of Accounting","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2022-10-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42827305","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-09-27DOI: 10.1108/ara-04-2022-0079
Yu-shan Chang, L. Liu, D. Forgione
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine whether firms use different earnings management approaches when facing financial difficulties and the effects of industry-specialist auditors in constraining those choices. The empirical results suggest that (1) firms with lower risk of business failure but with stronger incentives to adjust earnings upward tend to use real earnings management (REM) income-increasing approaches while (2) at the same time, using discretionary accruals for income-decreasing earnings management, due to constraints imposed by specialist auditors on the use of accrual-based earnings management (AEM). This is consistent with the findings of Chi et al., and the authors do not find similar evidence for the firms with higher risk of failure. Also, (3) regardless of the level of failure risk, firms turn to REM while interestingly, such REM behavior is effectively curbed by industry-leading specialist auditors (specialist auditors with the highest client market share) on financially distressed firms. These results extend the findings of Chi et al. (2011), suggesting that industry-specialist auditors have different tolerance levels for earnings management approaches by firms with different levels of business failure risk. That is, when auditing clients with higher risk of failure, specialist auditors are more likely to maintain higher audit quality through more stringent audit testing and use of more audit staff time to prevent an occurrence of audit failure.Design/methodology/approachThe authors examine earnings management behavior across firms in Taiwan with different levels of business failure risk and the effects of audit partner industry specialization in constraining that behavior. Chi et al. (2011) studied low-risk firms with incentives to adjust earnings upward and found firms use REM when the auditors constrain AEM. The authors extend the work of Chi et al. and observe firms with different levels of failure risk.FindingsThe authors find (1) lower risk firms may use discretionary accruals to adjust earnings downward while the authors find no similar evidence for financially distressed firms, (2) lower risk firms may use REM when their industry-specialist auditors curb AEM and (3) the industry leaders among specialist auditors do the same for the financially distressed firms. The results demonstrate the extent to which industry-specialist auditors apply different tolerance levels for earnings management behaviors across firms with different levels of failure risk.Originality/valueThe study contributes to the literature in the following three ways: first, the authors fill a gap in the existing literature by comparing firms with higher risk of business failure to firms with lower risk of business failure to explore the possible difference in the two different kinds of earnings management behavior; second, the authors extend the findings of Chi et al. (2011) and examine whether specialist auditors, when auditing firms with h
{"title":"Financially distressed firms' earnings management behavior: does audit partners' industry expertise matter?","authors":"Yu-shan Chang, L. Liu, D. Forgione","doi":"10.1108/ara-04-2022-0079","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/ara-04-2022-0079","url":null,"abstract":"PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine whether firms use different earnings management approaches when facing financial difficulties and the effects of industry-specialist auditors in constraining those choices. The empirical results suggest that (1) firms with lower risk of business failure but with stronger incentives to adjust earnings upward tend to use real earnings management (REM) income-increasing approaches while (2) at the same time, using discretionary accruals for income-decreasing earnings management, due to constraints imposed by specialist auditors on the use of accrual-based earnings management (AEM). This is consistent with the findings of Chi et al., and the authors do not find similar evidence for the firms with higher risk of failure. Also, (3) regardless of the level of failure risk, firms turn to REM while interestingly, such REM behavior is effectively curbed by industry-leading specialist auditors (specialist auditors with the highest client market share) on financially distressed firms. These results extend the findings of Chi et al. (2011), suggesting that industry-specialist auditors have different tolerance levels for earnings management approaches by firms with different levels of business failure risk. That is, when auditing clients with higher risk of failure, specialist auditors are more likely to maintain higher audit quality through more stringent audit testing and use of more audit staff time to prevent an occurrence of audit failure.Design/methodology/approachThe authors examine earnings management behavior across firms in Taiwan with different levels of business failure risk and the effects of audit partner industry specialization in constraining that behavior. Chi et al. (2011) studied low-risk firms with incentives to adjust earnings upward and found firms use REM when the auditors constrain AEM. The authors extend the work of Chi et al. and observe firms with different levels of failure risk.FindingsThe authors find (1) lower risk firms may use discretionary accruals to adjust earnings downward while the authors find no similar evidence for financially distressed firms, (2) lower risk firms may use REM when their industry-specialist auditors curb AEM and (3) the industry leaders among specialist auditors do the same for the financially distressed firms. The results demonstrate the extent to which industry-specialist auditors apply different tolerance levels for earnings management behaviors across firms with different levels of failure risk.Originality/valueThe study contributes to the literature in the following three ways: first, the authors fill a gap in the existing literature by comparing firms with higher risk of business failure to firms with lower risk of business failure to explore the possible difference in the two different kinds of earnings management behavior; second, the authors extend the findings of Chi et al. (2011) and examine whether specialist auditors, when auditing firms with h","PeriodicalId":8562,"journal":{"name":"Asian Review of Accounting","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43449506","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-09-27DOI: 10.1108/ara-05-2022-0121
Deepali Kalia, Debarati Basu, Sayantan Kundu
PurposeThe study explores extant knowledge on the nature of the relationship between internal and external corporate governance mechanisms, particularly board characteristics and audit quality, respectively, while also investigating how the relationship varies across geographies.Design/methodology/approachThe extant knowledge is synthesized using a meta-analysis, which is conducted using a sample of 56 empirical studies from publications of varying grades. The studies span over 25 years (1996–2021) and cover 147 empirical samples (343,787 firm-year observations) across more than 20 countries. The dependent variable is audit fees, and the independent variable captures 12 different measures of board characteristics.FindingsOverall, the results reveal a positive association between board characteristics and audit fees, indicating complementarity between governance mechanisms. Effect size analysis shows board characteristics, like size and independence, are positively associated with audit fees. However, heterogeneity is noted for some characteristics, and further analysis by geography (developed vs emerging countries) explains the heterogeneity.Practical implicationsThis study helps multiple stakeholders like firms, shareholders, boards, regulators and policymakers in designing and strengthening governance frameworks.Social implicationsBoth governance and auditing literature benefit from identifying specific board characteristics that drive audit quality consistently across different institutional settings and samples. Heterogeneity analysis helps improve the understanding of contradictions documented in prior literature.Originality/valueThis meta-analysis is the first to explore the interplay between internal and external corporate governance mechanisms, with a focus on board characteristics and audit quality. The study provides valuable insights on how different governance mechanisms influence each other while highlighting, for the first time, how the interaction between governance mechanisms varies by a country's level of development.
{"title":"Board characteristics and demand for audit quality: a meta-analysis","authors":"Deepali Kalia, Debarati Basu, Sayantan Kundu","doi":"10.1108/ara-05-2022-0121","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/ara-05-2022-0121","url":null,"abstract":"PurposeThe study explores extant knowledge on the nature of the relationship between internal and external corporate governance mechanisms, particularly board characteristics and audit quality, respectively, while also investigating how the relationship varies across geographies.Design/methodology/approachThe extant knowledge is synthesized using a meta-analysis, which is conducted using a sample of 56 empirical studies from publications of varying grades. The studies span over 25 years (1996–2021) and cover 147 empirical samples (343,787 firm-year observations) across more than 20 countries. The dependent variable is audit fees, and the independent variable captures 12 different measures of board characteristics.FindingsOverall, the results reveal a positive association between board characteristics and audit fees, indicating complementarity between governance mechanisms. Effect size analysis shows board characteristics, like size and independence, are positively associated with audit fees. However, heterogeneity is noted for some characteristics, and further analysis by geography (developed vs emerging countries) explains the heterogeneity.Practical implicationsThis study helps multiple stakeholders like firms, shareholders, boards, regulators and policymakers in designing and strengthening governance frameworks.Social implicationsBoth governance and auditing literature benefit from identifying specific board characteristics that drive audit quality consistently across different institutional settings and samples. Heterogeneity analysis helps improve the understanding of contradictions documented in prior literature.Originality/valueThis meta-analysis is the first to explore the interplay between internal and external corporate governance mechanisms, with a focus on board characteristics and audit quality. The study provides valuable insights on how different governance mechanisms influence each other while highlighting, for the first time, how the interaction between governance mechanisms varies by a country's level of development.","PeriodicalId":8562,"journal":{"name":"Asian Review of Accounting","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47517976","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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