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Title: Can Priming a Firm’s Organizational Identity Overcome the Influences of National Culture on Auditor Judgment?.
Creator: Killey, Michael, Higgs, Julia, Florida Atlantic University, College of Business, School of Accounting
Abstract/Description: A significant challenge faced by large auditing firms is offering consistent quality across the global network. Unfortunately, variation in judgments and decision-making, resulting from cultural differences, can undermine the provision of a uniform level of audit quality for these international firms. Previous research has determined that national culture influences an auditors’ professional judgments and decisions. Relying on Social Identity Theory, I explore whether inducing one’s...
Show moreA significant challenge faced by large auditing firms is offering consistent quality across the global network. Unfortunately, variation in judgments and decision-making, resulting from cultural differences, can undermine the provision of a uniform level of audit quality for these international firms. Previous research has determined that national culture influences an auditors’ professional judgments and decisions. Relying on Social Identity Theory, I explore whether inducing one’s organizational identification can both enhance auditor judgment and mitigate any deleterious impact that culture may have on the provision of a uniform level of audit quality. I also examine current cultural variations in auditor judgment in order to ensure that the results of earlier studies still typify the international auditing environment. National culture is assessed using two dimensions (individualism/collectivism, power distance) included in Hofstede’s 1980 cultural values framework. Participants from the United States are used to represent an individualistic/low power distance culture while individuals from India are used to represent a collectivistic/high power distance culture. Firms need mechanisms to elicit desired behaviors that may not be consistent with cultural tendencies in order to provide a uniform level of audit quality. Contrary to expectations, no significant differences are identified between the judgments of auditors from India and The United States. The results, however, do provide evidence that enhancing one’s organizational identification can impact certain professional judgments during the audit process. An association between national culture and auditor attitudes pertaining to client trust is also found. The implications of these findings for the professional auditing environment and future academic research are discussed.
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Date Issued: 2016
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004736, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004736
Subject Headings: Corporate governance., Corporations--Auditing., Auditing--Quality control., Identity (Psychology), Accounting--Moral and ethical aspects., Accounting--Professional ethics., Social responsibility of business.
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Big 4 global networks: degree of homogeneity of audit quality among affiliates and relevance of PCAOB inspections.
Creator: Kassawat, Paulina M., Higgs, Julia, Florida Atlantic University, College of Business, School of Accounting
Abstract/Description: The Big 4 global networks (Deloitte, Ernst & Young [E&Y], KPMG, and PricewaterhouseCoopers [PwC]) market themselves as providers of worldwide seamless services and consistent audit quality through their members. Under the current environment in which these auditors operate, there are three types of global network members: inspected non-U.S. affiliates (inspected affiliates, hereafter), non-inspected non-U.S. affiliates (non-inspected affiliates, hereafter), and inspected U.S. offices (U.S....
Show moreThe Big 4 global networks (Deloitte, Ernst & Young [E&Y], KPMG, and PricewaterhouseCoopers [PwC]) market themselves as providers of worldwide seamless services and consistent audit quality through their members. Under the current environment in which these auditors operate, there are three types of global network members: inspected non-U.S. affiliates (inspected affiliates, hereafter), non-inspected non-U.S. affiliates (non-inspected affiliates, hereafter), and inspected U.S. offices (U.S. offices, hereafter). The recent suspension of the China-based Big 4 affiliates from auditing U.S.-listed companies calls into question whether these global networks can deliver the same level of audit quality across all their members and whether those located in jurisdictions denying access to the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB or Board, hereafter) to conduct inspections may benefit from such inspections. This study examines the effect of being an affiliate and the effect of PCAOB inspections on perceived audit quality. I use earnings response coefficients (ERCs) as a proxy for perceived audit quality.
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Date Issued: 2015
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004385, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004385
Subject Headings: Auditing standards -- United States, Business enterprises -- Computer networks, Corporate governance, Disclosure in accounting -- United States, Financial services industry -- Management, Government accountability, Intternational standard on auditing, Public Company Accounting Oversight Board
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Cognitive Dissonance and Auditor Professional Skepticism.
Creator: Adikaram, Ruwan K, Higgs, Julia, Florida Atlantic University, College of Business, School of Accounting
Abstract/Description: I show that auditors experience cognitive dissonance when they fail to take appropriate professionally skeptical (hereafter PS) action in line with high PS judgment I specifically show that cognitive dissonance leads auditors to revise their attitudes on low ranking audit actions upward and lower their risk assessments, consequently, lower overall professional skepticism I also find that auditor cognitive dissonance leads to exaggerated ex-post auditor self-assessments professional skepticism...
Show moreI show that auditors experience cognitive dissonance when they fail to take appropriate professionally skeptical (hereafter PS) action in line with high PS judgment I specifically show that cognitive dissonance leads auditors to revise their attitudes on low ranking audit actions upward and lower their risk assessments, consequently, lower overall professional skepticism I also find that auditor cognitive dissonance leads to exaggerated ex-post auditor self-assessments professional skepticism Professional skepticism is fundamental to performing an audit according to auditing standards and critical to audit quality Extant research that investigates treatments to enhance professional skepticism predominantly treats both skeptical judgment and skeptical action as analogous outcomes of professional skepticism If, however, there is a breakdown between PS judgment and PS action, the overall benefits of these treatments will be trivial I show that cognitive dissonance due to the incongruence between PS judgments and PS actions leads to an unforeseeable corollary of lower overall professional skepticism I also demonstrate a specific mechanism of how auditor incentives lead to lower professional skepticism, hence, lower audit quality Both researchers and practitioners can benefit from this study by better understating the intricacies in the critical link between PS judgment and action Additionally, I provide an empirical investigation of the components in Nelson’s (2009) model of professional skepticism and extend the model to reflect the intricacies between PS judgment and PS action I test my hypotheses via a three-group research design with attitude change as a proxy measure of cognitive dissonance
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Date Issued: 2016
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004772
Subject Headings: Cognitive dissonance, Auditing--Standards, Accounting--Standards, Accounting--Moral and ethical aspects, Accountants--Professional ethics, Auditors--Psychology, Behaviorism (Psychology)
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Evaluating the Demand for Tax Professionals.
Creator: Rosenthal, Leigh, Higgs, Julia, Florida Atlantic University, College of Business, School of Accounting
Abstract/Description: Taxpayers who hire tax professionals to assist with tax matters have a choice as to which type of tax professional to hire. This study looks at the choice between hiring a tax accountant or a tax attorney. Stephenson (2010) identifies four constructs that explain a taxpayer’s motivation to hire a tax professional—legal compliance, time savings, money savings, and a protection from/avoidance of the Internal Revenue Service. A taxpayer may be motivated by one or more of these demand constructs....
Show moreTaxpayers who hire tax professionals to assist with tax matters have a choice as to which type of tax professional to hire. This study looks at the choice between hiring a tax accountant or a tax attorney. Stephenson (2010) identifies four constructs that explain a taxpayer’s motivation to hire a tax professional—legal compliance, time savings, money savings, and a protection from/avoidance of the Internal Revenue Service. A taxpayer may be motivated by one or more of these demand constructs. Further, the context of the advice—whether given in a planning or compliance setting—may influence the choice of a specific type of practitioner. Taxpayers also perceive certain professional features of the practitioner as being associated with either an accountant or an attorney. In a 2 x 1 between subjects research design, I investigate these issues by exploring how the perceived characteristics of the accounting and legal professions and the tax context differentially influence the demand for one of these professionals. I hypothesize that taxpayers who demand a tax professional because of legal compliance or time savings are more likely to hire an accountant. Taxpayers who demand the services of a tax professional because of money savings or a protection from/avoidance of the Internal Revenue Service are more likely to hire an attorney. Additionally, I hypothesize that taxpayers in a planning context are more likely to hire an attorney while taxpayers in a compliance setting are more likely to hire an accountant. In a hierarchal regression, the variable for accuracy was significant in a simple regression of the four Stephenson constructs. In a second tier of the regression, accuracy was again significant as were certain covariates. In the final tier of the regression, no independent variable was significant but certain covariates were significant including client advocacy which was highly significant. The results do demonstrate that taxpayers perceive professional differences between a tax accountant and a tax attorney. Many of the results and the rationales underlying the hypotheses seem to be in the right direction as far as showing the expected demand for a specific tax professional.
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Date Issued: 2016
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004792, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004792
Subject Headings: Tax return preparation industry., Finance--Law and legislation., Econometrics., Accounting--Moral and ethical aspects., Accountants--Professional ethics., Tax consultants--Professional ethics.
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Corporate Tax Aggressiveness, Auditor Provided Tax Services, And Audit Quality: Evidence From Recent PCOAB Rules Concerning Independence And Tax Services.
Creator: Carr, Kellie M., Cao, Jian, Florida Atlantic University, College of Business, School of Accounting
Abstract/Description: Using tax accrual quality as a proxy for audit quality, I investigate whether companies that significantly decreased APTS surrounding the effective date of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board’s 2006 Rules on Ethics, Independence, and Tax Services experienced an improvement in audit quality after the change. Given the specific target of the PCAOB 2006 restrictions is companies aggressively avoiding taxes with the assistance of APTS, I also investigate whether companies associated...
Show moreUsing tax accrual quality as a proxy for audit quality, I investigate whether companies that significantly decreased APTS surrounding the effective date of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board’s 2006 Rules on Ethics, Independence, and Tax Services experienced an improvement in audit quality after the change. Given the specific target of the PCAOB 2006 restrictions is companies aggressively avoiding taxes with the assistance of APTS, I also investigate whether companies associated with tax aggressive services are also more likely to experience an improvement in audit quality following the reductions in APTS. Results suggest an increase in audit quality due to a reduction in economic bonding following APTS restrictions. Consistent with the economic bonding theory, companies that significantly reduced APTS experienced a larger improvement in audit quality after the change compared to companies that did not significantly reduce APTS. For tax aggressive companies, those that reduced APTS did experience a significant increase in audit quality after the change compared to tax aggressive companies that did not significantly reduce APTS. Moreover, companies considered important tax clients by their audit firms that significantly reduced APTS did experience a marginally greater increase in audit quality after the change compared to other important tax clients that did not significantly reduce APTS. Overall, my results indicate that the PCOAB 2006 restrictions were effective in decreasing APTS and economic bonding, thereby leading to improved audit quality, especially among companies associated with tax aggressive services. Accordingly, concerns for loss of knowledge spillover seem to be minimal. There are few studies that investigate the effectiveness of the PCAOB 2006 restrictions on audit quality. Therefore, my study fills this void by using a tax specific measure of audit quality, tax accrual quality, to specifically examine the target of the restrictions— audit clients that are associated with aggressive tax services. My study confirms and expands APTS, economic bonding, audit quality, tax accrual quality, and tax aggressive research, and also provides insight into and support for current policy debates concerning APTS and tax aggressive services.
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Date Issued: 2017
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004884, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004884
Subject Headings: Auditing--Standards--United States., Corporations--Standards--United States., Corporations--Auditing., Organizational effectiveness--Measurement., Financial services industry--Management.
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Do “Superstar” CEOs Impair Auditors’ Independence and Professional Skepticism?.
Creator: Harvin, Oscar, Higgs, Julia, Florida Atlantic University, College of Business, School of Accounting
Abstract/Description: The study examines the potential threat to an auditor’s independence in fact which may result from the extraordinarily favorable personal reputation (superstar status) of an audit client’s CEO This potential threat to an auditors’ independence is the result of a halo effect bias which can distort an individual’s judgment and behavior Accounting firms use a business risk audit approach which involves conducting a strategic risk assessment which assesses the overall threats to the business...
Show moreThe study examines the potential threat to an auditor’s independence in fact which may result from the extraordinarily favorable personal reputation (superstar status) of an audit client’s CEO This potential threat to an auditors’ independence is the result of a halo effect bias which can distort an individual’s judgment and behavior Accounting firms use a business risk audit approach which involves conducting a strategic risk assessment which assesses the overall threats to the business model of an audit client Prior research has demonstrated that the strategic risk assessment can bias the judgment of auditors pertaining to financial account level risk assessments For example, the Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme demonstrated how an extraordinarily well respected individual with superstar status can distort the judgment of knowledgeable and normally skeptical individuals An experiment was conducted to examine the potential threat of a superstar CEO on an auditor’s independence as demonstrated by the ability to distort the judgment of the auditor during the performance of the strategic risk assessment In addition, the experiment was designed to examine whether the halo cognitive bias can lessen the impact that an auditor’s professional skepticism has on his or her judgment and behavior during the audit of a client’s financial statement Unlike other studies which have sought only to demonstrate that a cognitive bias exist which impairs auditor judgment; the study also examined whether the influence of a halo effect bias can be mitigated by the formal rating of audit evidence in a similar manner that was used by Embu and Finley (1977) to successfully mitigate a framing effect The experiment did not support the main hypothesis of the study that auditors assess the strategic risk at a lower risk level for firms that employ a superstar CEO than for those whom employ a non-superstar CEO This result may primarily be due to the inability of the scenario used in the experiment to sufficiently differentiate the characteristics of the superstar and non-superstar CEO Without establishing that the participants’ judgment was being distorted by a superstar CEO; the other hypotheses which involved testing a debiasing method to mitigate the halo effect caused by a superstar CEO and investigating whether a halo effect reduces the impact that auditors’ trait skepticism level has on their judgment could not be properly tested
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Date Issued: 2016
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004771
Subject Headings: Chief executive officers--Professional ethics, Accounting--Moral and ethical aspects, Accountants--Professional ethics, Auditors--Psychology, Behaviorism (Psychology), Industrial management
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Firm Social Network, Information Transfer and Information Environment.
Creator: Bhandari, Avishek, Kohlbeck, Mark, Florida Atlantic University, College of Business, School of Accounting
Abstract/Description: I investigate whether or not a firm’s social network size (also known as social capital) impacts the quality of its information environment. Following social capital theory, I posit three potential channels that help bring an informational advantage to wellconnected firms. First, well-connected firms are likely to have timely access to a broader set of information that affords them the opportunity to disclose this information. Second, a social network fosters trust among social peers, which...
Show moreI investigate whether or not a firm’s social network size (also known as social capital) impacts the quality of its information environment. Following social capital theory, I posit three potential channels that help bring an informational advantage to wellconnected firms. First, well-connected firms are likely to have timely access to a broader set of information that affords them the opportunity to disclose this information. Second, a social network fosters trust among social peers, which promotes the transfer of more accurate information within that network. Third, well-connected executives and directors have greater reputational capital at stake, which may encourage them to provide accurate information to the market. I provide evidence that well-connected firms have higher quality information environments. I further document that the beneficial impact of the firm’s social network size on the quality of the firm’s information environment is higher for complex firms. I also find that the beneficial effect of the firm’s social ties on the quality of the firm’s information environment is greater when the firm’s connections are in the same industry or are top executives or are industry leaders or are financiers in the capital markets. My study extends existing social network literature by investigating whether firm’s social connections to outside executives and directors impact the quality of the firm’s information environment. My paper focuses on the networking skills of the executives and directors and extends the literature on how executives’ and directors’ personal characteristics are important. Additionally, I respond to the call by Engelberg et al. (2013) to identify the mechanism by which a CEO’s network creates value to the firm and well-connected CEOs get paid higher compensation. This study also contributes to a growing debate in social network literature between social capital theory and agency theory. Finally, my study is important to the regulators and standard setters as they can provide further evidence on the impact of non-financial information on the information quality surrounding the firm.
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Date Issued: 2017
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004901
Subject Headings: Corporate governance., Social networks., Business networks., Information technology--Social aspects., Issues management., Work environment--Social aspects.
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: False News Implications for Auditors and Investors.
Creator: Vakilzadeh, Seyed Hamidreza, Kohlbeck, Mark, Florida Atlantic University, College of Business, School of Accounting
Abstract/Description: I examine the determinants and implications of false news on client business risk and firm credibility. False news is defined as information presented as factually accurate, but which contains fabricated facts and is deliberately made public to mislead the reader. Importantly, it is later denied by a credible source. There is a significant concern about the influence of false news on individuals’ decision-making and judgment processes. However, our knowledge regarding false news and its...
Show moreI examine the determinants and implications of false news on client business risk and firm credibility. False news is defined as information presented as factually accurate, but which contains fabricated facts and is deliberately made public to mislead the reader. Importantly, it is later denied by a credible source. There is a significant concern about the influence of false news on individuals’ decision-making and judgment processes. However, our knowledge regarding false news and its implications for financial markets is minimal. I investigate false news by focusing on negative false news that is not initiated from within the company. Building on financial and political motives behind incidents of false news, I examine whether industry competition and media coverage play a role in making a firm a target for false news. I further examine the impact of false news on the firm’s financial reporting behavior and investigate whether the firm’s auditor prices false news. Lastly, based on the argument that false news increases distrust and uncertainty, I examine whether false news decreases the credibility of the firm’s disclosures and test whether the earnings response coefficient (ERC) is lower after the release of false news. I find that lower competition and higher media coverage are associated with higher likelihood of false news. Consistent with my predictions, I also find that false news target firms have higher abnormal accruals, higher abnormal real earnings activities, and higher audit fees. However, I do not find support for the notion that false news reduces credibility of firm’s disclosure.
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Date Issued: 2019
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013273
Subject Headings: Fake news, Investors, Auditors
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Economic Consequences of Implementing the Engagement Partner Signature Requirement in the UK.
Creator: Liu, Min, Kohlbeck, Mark, Florida Atlantic University, College of Business, School of Accounting
Abstract/Description: I investigate the effects of requiring the audit engagement partner (EP) signature and individual EP’s quality on information asymmetry, analysts’ forecast errors and forecast dispersion. I predict and find that, ceteris paribus, there is a significant decline in information asymmetry, analysts’ forecast errors and forecast dispersion from the pre- to post-EP signature period in the UK over both of short-term (e.g., 2008-2010) and long-term (e.g., 2004-2014). These findings hold when using a...
Show moreI investigate the effects of requiring the audit engagement partner (EP) signature and individual EP’s quality on information asymmetry, analysts’ forecast errors and forecast dispersion. I predict and find that, ceteris paribus, there is a significant decline in information asymmetry, analysts’ forecast errors and forecast dispersion from the pre- to post-EP signature period in the UK over both of short-term (e.g., 2008-2010) and long-term (e.g., 2004-2014). These findings hold when using a control sample approach and a different proxy for the information asymmetry, which indicate that my results are not likely due to the effect of concurrent events and correlated omitted variables. These findings provide timely and important empirical evidence to the ongoing debate about whether the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board should pass a similar requirement in the U.S.
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Date Issued: 2016
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004651, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004651
Subject Headings: Auditing -- Standards -- United States, Corporate governance, Corporations -- Auditing -- Standards -- United States, Disclosure in accounting, Financial risk management -- Forecasting, Financial services industry -- Management, International standard on auditing, Public Company Accounting Oversight Board
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Agency costs and accounting quality within an all-equity setting: the role of free cash flows and growth opportunities.
Creator: Cabán, David, Kohlbeck, Mark, Florida Atlantic University, College of Business, School of Accounting
Abstract/Description: I investigate if all-equity firms are a heterogeneous group as it relates to agency costs and accounting quality. All-equity firms are a unique group of firms that choose a “corner solution” as their capital structure. Extant research, supported by well-established theories such as trade-off theory, free cash flow theory, and Jensen’s (1986) control hypothesis, generally conclude that agency conflicts motivate such structure. Research also supports the alternative argument that poor...
Show moreI investigate if all-equity firms are a heterogeneous group as it relates to agency costs and accounting quality. All-equity firms are a unique group of firms that choose a “corner solution” as their capital structure. Extant research, supported by well-established theories such as trade-off theory, free cash flow theory, and Jensen’s (1986) control hypothesis, generally conclude that agency conflicts motivate such structure. Research also supports the alternative argument that poor accounting quality makes debt so prohibitive that such firms are driven to this capital structure. I propose that an all-equity structure is not necessarily symptomatic of agency conflicts and poor accounting quality overall. I investigate if different motivations, within an all-equity setting, reflected by free cash flows and growth opportunities, result in different levels of agency cost and accounting quality. By anchoring on theories that link implicit costs of debt to free cash flow levels and growth opportunities, I hypothesize that free cash flows and growth opportunities are strongly linked to the justification or lack thereof for the pursuit of such strategy. I hypothesize and show that firms in the extremes of the free cash flow to growth rate spectrum exhibit significantly different levels of agency cost and accounting quality within the all-equity setting. These results support my main prediction that there exists agency costs and accounting quality differences within the all-equity setting which are associated with free cash flow levels and growth opportunities and that the pessimistic conclusions for pursuing an all-equity strategy reached by prior research should not be generalized to all such firms.
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Date Issued: 2015
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004432, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004432
Subject Headings: Business enterprises -- Valuation, Cash management, Corporations -- Finance, Corporations -- Growth, Financial risk management, Strategic planning, Venture capital
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Government Procurement and Financial Reporting Quality.
Creator: He, Zhijian Chris, Kohlbeck, Mark, Florida Atlantic University, School of Accounting, College of Business
Abstract/Description: Government spending is essential for the US economy, and the amount of capital that flows from the government to US firms has increased substantially in recent years. Despite the economic importance of the corporate-government contracting relationship, we know little about the firm-level financial outcomes associated with government contracts. In this study, I investigate whether the corporate government contracting relationship affects firm-level financial reporting quality. Using a sample...
Show moreGovernment spending is essential for the US economy, and the amount of capital that flows from the government to US firms has increased substantially in recent years. Despite the economic importance of the corporate-government contracting relationship, we know little about the firm-level financial outcomes associated with government contracts. In this study, I investigate whether the corporate government contracting relationship affects firm-level financial reporting quality. Using a sample of 58,988 US publicly-traded firms from 2001 through 2017, I find that federal government contracting firms are associated with a lower level of discretionary accruals, lower probability of internal control material weaknesses, and lower probability of restatement and fraud as compared to non government contractors. However, this association is weaker when industry competition on government contracts are lower, and government switching costs in which the cost to find new suppliers are higher. Collectively, my empirical results suggest that having the government as a customer has a positive impact on the quality of financial reports.
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Date Issued: 2020
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013438
Subject Headings: Government purchasing, Financial statements, Government contractors
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Obfuscation of Rent Extraction Behavior: Evidence from Investment Inefficiency.
Creator: Mammadov, Babak, Thevenot, Maya, Florida Atlantic University, College of Business, School of Accounting
Abstract/Description: I investigate the association between rent extraction and qualitative/quantitative characteristics of 10-K filings (i.e. readability, financial statement comparability and earnings transparency), subject to existing monitoring constraints. This study focuses on one type of such rent extraction – investment inefficiency (i.e. overinvestment or underinvestment), as extant research provides evidence that it provides personal benefits to managers, often at the expense of shareholders. Managers...
Show moreI investigate the association between rent extraction and qualitative/quantitative characteristics of 10-K filings (i.e. readability, financial statement comparability and earnings transparency), subject to existing monitoring constraints. This study focuses on one type of such rent extraction – investment inefficiency (i.e. overinvestment or underinvestment), as extant research provides evidence that it provides personal benefits to managers, often at the expense of shareholders. Managers have incentives to invest inefficiently but such behavior may be undesirable and result in negative consequences to the manager, such as turnover. Therefore, I expect that managers are likely to obfuscate information in order to make it difficult for investors to detect investment inefficiency, although monitoring over financial reporting may limit their ability to do so. I test whether monitoring over financial reporting reduces information obfuscation. Last, I study the joint effects of investment inefficiency and information obfuscation on CEO turnover and compensation. I expect that investment inefficiency is positively associated with information obfuscation but this relation is weaker for firms with effective monitoring mechanisms over financial reporting. Further, I examine how these factors affect CEO disciplining. Managers get disciplined for inefficient investment decisions. Obfuscating information makes it difficult for investors to evaluate managers’ investment decisions. Therefore, I examine whether information obfuscation prevents managers from being disciplined as a result of inefficient investment behavior. I find that investment inefficiency is positively associated with information obfuscation. Managers are more likely to obfuscate information for overinvestment type of inefficiency as opposed to underinvestment. Further, the results suggest that, while internal monitoring does not reduce information obfuscation, external monitoring constrains information obfuscation. I find that external monitoring (i.e. auditors) provide more stringent monitoring by reducing information obfuscation. I do not find support for my last prediction that information obfuscation prevents disciplining of CEOs.
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Date Issued: 2018
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00005952
Subject Headings: Financial statements, Misleading financial statements, Investments--Accounting
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: TWO ESSAYS ON FINANCIAL REPORTING QUALITY: EXAMINING MANAGERIAL PLACE ATTACHMENT AND CREDIT ACCESS.
Creator: Frost, Tracie Sloop, Kohlbeck, Mark, Florida Atlantic University, School of Accounting, College of Business
Abstract/Description: In essay 1, I investigate the association of place attachment and financial reporting quality. Management characteristics affect a wide range of corporate decisions, including decisions affecting financial reporting quality; however, the influence of managerial place attachment on corporate decision-making has received relatively little attention - even though place attachment is thought to play a significant role in forming individual identity. Place attachment affects the decisions that...
Show moreIn essay 1, I investigate the association of place attachment and financial reporting quality. Management characteristics affect a wide range of corporate decisions, including decisions affecting financial reporting quality; however, the influence of managerial place attachment on corporate decision-making has received relatively little attention - even though place attachment is thought to play a significant role in forming individual identity. Place attachment affects the decisions that individuals make with regards to social and environmental policies, lifestyle, and, in the corporate context, firmlevel policies. Because firms hire local CEOs and CFOs five to eight times more often than expected if geography were irrelevant to the matching process, the question of how managerial place attachment affects financial reporting outcomes is an important one. I investigate the effect of managerial place attachment on financial reporting quality in a sample of publicly traded U.S. firms. My findings indicate that firms with place attached CEOs display higher financial reporting quality, indicating a significant caretaking bond between CEO and stakeholders. CFOs, on the other hand, are marginally associated with lower financial reporting quality, indicating that they are more likely than CEOs to extract personal gain when they are local to their firm headquarters.
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Date Issued: 2020
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013442
Subject Headings: Financial statements, Management, Chief executive officers, Chief financial officers, Place attachment
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The effect of shareholder rights and information asymmetry on option-related repurchase activity.
Creator: Golden, Nan, Kohlbeck, Mark, Florida Atlantic University, College of Business, School of Accounting
Abstract/Description: I investigate the effect of shareholder rights and information asymmetry on option-related repurchase activity. Prior research shows that the dilution effect of the exercise of the employee stock options on earnings per share (EPS) decreases the value of stock options. Thus, managers tend to use stock repurchases rather than dividends to return cash to shareholders (the dividend substitution effect). I document that the executive stock option incentives to repurchase stock as a substitute for...
Show moreI investigate the effect of shareholder rights and information asymmetry on option-related repurchase activity. Prior research shows that the dilution effect of the exercise of the employee stock options on earnings per share (EPS) decreases the value of stock options. Thus, managers tend to use stock repurchases rather than dividends to return cash to shareholders (the dividend substitution effect). I document that the executive stock option incentives to repurchase stock as a substitute for dividends are stronger when firms have weak shareholder rights and the level of information asymmetry positively influences managerial stock option incentives to repurchase stock. Furthermore, prior research indicates that information asymmetry is positively associated with stock repurchases. I also provide evidence indicating that the relationship between information asymmetry and stock repurchases is stronger when firms have weaker shareholder rights.
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Date Issued: 2015
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004373, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004373
Subject Headings: Corporate governance, Corporations -- Finance, Dividends -- Econometric models, Employee stock options, Investment analysis, Stock options -- Econometric models
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The Effect of Financial Statement Transparency on the Likelihood of Restatement and the Effect of Restatement Announcements on Future Levels of Transparency.
Creator: Bressler, Paige D., Kohlbeck, Mark, Florida Atlantic University, College of Business, School of Accounting
Abstract/Description: I explore the impact financial statement transparency has on the probability of restatement and the effect a restatement announcement has on the levels of future financial statement transparency. Information theory suggests that a strong information environment increases accounting quality. Using financial statement transparency as a proxy for the information environment, I find that transparency is associated with a lower probability of financial statement restatement. There are competing...
Show moreI explore the impact financial statement transparency has on the probability of restatement and the effect a restatement announcement has on the levels of future financial statement transparency. Information theory suggests that a strong information environment increases accounting quality. Using financial statement transparency as a proxy for the information environment, I find that transparency is associated with a lower probability of financial statement restatement. There are competing theories to predict how restatement announcements affect future levels of transparency. Skinner’s (1953) theory of operant conditioning, which states that behavior is modified based on positive or negative conditioning suggests that the level of transparency increases after a restatement announcement. However, expectancy theory suggests that firms engage in certain behaviors in order to derive expected rewards or incentives. Motivation is eliminated if the rewards are deemed unobtainable thereby eliminating managers’ incentive to improve their reporting strategy suggesting that the level of transparency decreases after a restatement announcement. I find that restatement announcement has a negative association with the transparency measure and the magnitude of this effect decreases over time compared to non-restatement firms. These results are magnified if the restatement is due to fraud. However, the changes are not significant. Further, the transparency associations are mitigated if there is a change in CEO after the restatement announcement. In addition, using a sample of firms that made a restatement announcement matched with a sample of firms that did not make a restatement announcement, the difference in the transparency measure before and after the restatement announcement is statistically insignificant.
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Date Issued: 2018
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013008
Subject Headings: Financial statements, Transparency
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The Association of the Relative Informativeness of Market Risk Disclosures with Liquidity and Investment Efficiency.
Creator: Luo, Xin, Kohlbeck, Mark, Florida Atlantic University, College of Business, School of Accounting
Abstract/Description: In a 2016 comment letter, the SEC summarizes the ongoing debate regarding the usefulness of market risk disclosures and calls for additional discussion (SEC Concept Release 2016). In response to the SEC’s call, I investigate whether investors and firms benefit from market risk disclosures. Prior literature suggests that informative corporate disclosure is associated with improved liquidity and investment efficiency. I find that informative textual contents of market risk disclosures improve...
Show moreIn a 2016 comment letter, the SEC summarizes the ongoing debate regarding the usefulness of market risk disclosures and calls for additional discussion (SEC Concept Release 2016). In response to the SEC’s call, I investigate whether investors and firms benefit from market risk disclosures. Prior literature suggests that informative corporate disclosure is associated with improved liquidity and investment efficiency. I find that informative textual contents of market risk disclosures improve investors’ information environment, and as a result, are associated with higher liquidity level, lower liquidity uncertainty, and improved investment efficiency. My study is relevant to the ongoing debate regarding the usefulness of market risk disclosures, calls for more detailed regulatory guidance for market risk disclosures, and contributes to the literature on liquidity, investment efficiency, and risk factor disclosures.
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Date Issued: 2018
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00005979
Subject Headings: Investments, Financial statements, Financial risk
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The influence of professional identity and outcome knowledge on professional judgment.
Creator: Johnson, Anna J., Higgs, Julia, Florida Atlantic University, College of Business, School of Accounting
Abstract/Description: In response to the release of one of its Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB or Board) inspection reports, Deloitte notes that “[p]rofessional judgments of reasonable and highly competent people may differ as to the nature and extent of necessary auditing procedures, conclusions reached and required documentation” (PCAOB, 2008, 30). Other responses to PCAOB findings echo this sentiment. Stakeholders need to understand causes of differences between experts’ professional judgments...
Show moreIn response to the release of one of its Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB or Board) inspection reports, Deloitte notes that “[p]rofessional judgments of reasonable and highly competent people may differ as to the nature and extent of necessary auditing procedures, conclusions reached and required documentation” (PCAOB, 2008, 30). Other responses to PCAOB findings echo this sentiment. Stakeholders need to understand causes of differences between experts’ professional judgments to effectively utilize PCAOB inspection findings and firms’ responses to those findings. This study uses Social Identity Theory to explore whether role identity as an audit partner, internal reviewer, or PCAOB inspector, influences an expert’s judgments in an ambiguous decision environment. I find that professional judgments do not differ based on professional identity. This study also examines whether the presence or absence of outcome knowledge explains judgment differences among auditing experts. Consistent with prior research, e.g. Peecher & Piercey, 2008, outcome knowledge does affect experts’ professional judgment. I also find that experts’ level of organizational identification and membership esteem impacts professional judgment.
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Date Issued: 2014
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004126, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004126
Subject Headings: Accountants -- Professional ethics, Accounting -- Decision making, Auditing -- Decision making, Business ethics, Judgment, Managerial accounting
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Investor Connections and Non-GAAP Reporting.
Creator: Harwood, Chad, Kohlbeck, Mark, Florida Atlantic University, College of Business, School of Accounting
Abstract/Description: I investigate whether a firm’s social capital with investors impacts its non-GAAP reporting decisions. Critics of non-GAAP reporting suggest that non-GAAP earnings are incomplete, inaccurate, and can be misleading (Derby, 2001; Dreman, 2001; Elstein, 2001; Black et al., 2007). Firms might be hesitant to provide non-GAAP information if other means are available to transfer information. Social capital provides an alternate method of informing investors. However, social capital might also play...
Show moreI investigate whether a firm’s social capital with investors impacts its non-GAAP reporting decisions. Critics of non-GAAP reporting suggest that non-GAAP earnings are incomplete, inaccurate, and can be misleading (Derby, 2001; Dreman, 2001; Elstein, 2001; Black et al., 2007). Firms might be hesitant to provide non-GAAP information if other means are available to transfer information. Social capital provides an alternate method of informing investors. However, social capital might also play another role in the information environment by building trust between managers and investors (Gabarro, 1978; Gulati, 1995). This trust may reduce investor skepticism of non-GAAP information, enhancing the value of non-GAAP disclosures. Additionally, I examine what impact social capital might have on investors’ investment decisions with respect to non-GAAP reporting. Despite critics’ concerns over non-GAAP reporting, prior literature suggests investors’ reactions are more aligned with the non-GAAP definition of earnings (Bradshaw and Sloan, 2002; Bhattacharya et al., 2003), suggesting other factors might influence investors’ decisions. I investigate whether social capital plays a role in reducing skepticism in non-GAAP information leading to reduced information asymmetry and increased investor reaction to non-GAAP disclosures. I find that non-GAAP reporting is increasing in social capital with investors. However, I find no evidence that investor reactions to non-GAAP earnings information differ based on firms’ social capital with investors. I also find information asymmetry around earnings announcements is higher for non-GAAP reporting firms with greater social capital with investors in comparison to non-GAAP reporters with lower social capital. Taken together, my results suggest social capital impacts the decisions of firms in reporting non-GAAP earnings information, but not the decisions of investors. My results are relevant to the current disclosure environment in that non-GAAP reporting is a current topic of interest for regulators with several updates to non-GAAP guidance having recently occurred.
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Date Issued: 2019
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013214
Subject Headings: GAAP (Accounting), Investors, Social capital (Economics)
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Managerial reputation and Non-GAAP earnings disclosures.
Creator: Cheng, Yun, Kohlbeck, Mark, Florida Atlantic University, College of Business, School of Accounting
Abstract/Description: I examine how managerial reputation affects the quality of non-GAAP earnings disclosures and how the market reacts to non-GAAP earnings disclosures associated with managerial reputation. Although there was an initial dip in the frequency of non-GAAP earnings disclosures after SOX and Regulation G, the frequency of non-GAAP earnings disclosures has increased in recent years (Brown, Christensen, Elliott and Mergenthaler 2012). Motivated by the efficient contracting theory and managerial...
Show moreI examine how managerial reputation affects the quality of non-GAAP earnings disclosures and how the market reacts to non-GAAP earnings disclosures associated with managerial reputation. Although there was an initial dip in the frequency of non-GAAP earnings disclosures after SOX and Regulation G, the frequency of non-GAAP earnings disclosures has increased in recent years (Brown, Christensen, Elliott and Mergenthaler 2012). Motivated by the efficient contracting theory and managerial reputation incentives, I investigate whether reputable managers are associated with higher quality non-GAAP earnings disclosures. I also investigate whether the market is more responsive to non-GAAP earnings disclosed by reputable managers. Using empirical models modified from prior research, I find that reputable managers are less likely to disclose non-GAAP earnings, which is consistent with the efficient contracting explanation. I also find that reputable managers exclude more recurring items that are related to future operating earnings when they disclose non-GAAP earnings, which is consistent with the rent extraction explanation in prior research. Finally, I find that managerial reputation has an incremental effect on the market reaction and that the market is more responsive to non-GAAP earnings disclosed by reputable managers if the unexpected earnings are positive. The study contributes to both non-GAAP earnings disclosures literature and managerial reputation incentives literature. It also has implications for investors, managers, and regulators.
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Date Issued: 2014
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004185, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004185
Subject Headings: Capital productivity -- Measurement, Disclosure in accounting, Industrial management, Investment analysis, Risk management
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Maturity of IT risk management practices and reporting structure: an it manager perspective.
Creator: Vincent, Surani, Higgs, Julia, Florida Atlantic University, College of Business, School of Accounting
Abstract/Description: In December 2009, the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) approved enhanced proxy disclosure rules requiring companies to disclose the board’s leadership structure and the board’s role in risk oversight. Apart from general business risks, boards are increasingly interested in Information Technology (IT) risks as it affects all aspects of the organization (PricewaterhouseCoopers [PwC], 2013). Since the effectiveness of IT risk management depends on senior managers’ actions, this dissertation...
Show moreIn December 2009, the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) approved enhanced proxy disclosure rules requiring companies to disclose the board’s leadership structure and the board’s role in risk oversight. Apart from general business risks, boards are increasingly interested in Information Technology (IT) risks as it affects all aspects of the organization (PricewaterhouseCoopers [PwC], 2013). Since the effectiveness of IT risk management depends on senior managers’ actions, this dissertation attempts to answer the question of whether the maturity of IT risk management practices (the extent to which management performs particular activities to identify, assess, monitor and respond to IT-related risks) in organizations depends on the Chief Information Office (CIO) reporting structure and the board’s leadership structure.
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Date Issued: 2014
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004336, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004336
Subject Headings: Corporate governance, Decision making, Information technology -- Management, Information technology -- Social aspects, Management information systems, Risk management, Strategic planning
Format: Document (PDF)

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