Does investor protection affect the choice of earnings management methods through real activity manipulation and accrual manipulation？ Asian comparison

This paper examines systematic differences in earnings management through real activity manipulation and accrual manipulation across 7 Asia countries. The study proposes arguments that in economies with high investor protection, managers prefer to manage earnings through real activity manipulation rather than through accrual manipulation because accrual manipulation is more likely to draw auditors or regulators scrutiny than real decisions about pricing and production. The study findings are consistent with prediction. Despite being in economies with high investor protection, managers still have bigger discretion in managing earnings through real activities rather than accrual manipulation.

Chaebol Firms＇ Real and Accrual-Based Earnings Management in the Pre-and Post-Asian Financial Crisis Periods

This paper examines chaebol （Korean business group） firms＇ earnings management methods in pre-and post-financial crisis periods in Korea. The financial crisis resulted in chaebol firms increasing their reliance on the external capital markets as chaebol firms achieved internal financing through arbitrary transactions among their affiliated and contracted firms. This produced a higher demand for financial reporting transparency in chaebol firms and strengthened monitoring from investors. These changes in the business environment in Korea following the financial crisis are likely to have led chaebol firms to reduce earnings management by using managers＇ discretion in accounting accruals and to seek alternative means to manage earnings through abnormal operating decisions which are referred to as real activities manipulation. The authors find that chaebol firms have significantly decreased accrual-based earnings management after the financial crisis of Asian compared to non-chaebol firms. The authors also find that chaebol firms have become more inclined to engage in real earnings management after the financial crisis. The results suggest that chaebol firms have shifted their earnings management methods from accruals manipulation to real activities manipulation which is harder to be detected by external auditors and regulators. This study provides insight into the changes in chaebol firms＇ earnings management methods triggered by economic shock. The findings suggest that the shift in chaebol firms＇ financing sources from internal to external capital markets and the increased demand for transparent financial information in the post-financial crisis period are likely to have influenced chaebol firms to substitute real earnings management for accrual-based earnings management after the financial crisis.

The Effect of Real Activities Manipulation on Accrual Earnings Management： The Case in Indonesia Stock Exchange （IDX）

There are three ways to manage earnings, namely, accruals earnings management, real activities manipulation, and shifting of core expense. The famous methods to manage earnings are accruals earnings management and real activities manipulation. Usually, real activities manipulation is conducted on the going period. The action will increase the loss for the firms at the end of the period. To avoid the loss, managers will manage earnings through accruals （discretionary accruals）. Therefore, the objective of this study is to investigate whether real activities manipulation positively influences accruals earnings management. To investigate the issue, this study collected data from Indonesia Stock Exchange （IDX）. Samples of this study are the manufacturing companies. There are 196 firms from the year 2003 to 2007. The results of this study support the research hypothesis that real activities manipulation positively influences accruals earnings management. The higher the real activities manipulation effects, the higher the accruals earnings management at the end of the period.There are three ways to manage earnings, namely, accruals earnings management, real activities manipulation, and shifting of core expense. The famous methods to manage earnings are accruals earnings management and real activities manipulation. Usually, real activities manipulation is conducted on the going period. The action will increase the loss for the firms at the end of the period. To avoid the loss, managers will manage earnings through accruals （discretionary accruals）. Therefore, the objective of this study is to investigate whether real activities manipulation positively influences accruals earnings management. To investigate the issue, this study collected data from Indonesia Stock Exchange （IDX）. Samples of this study are the manufacturing companies. There are 196 firms from the year 2003 to 2007. The results of this study support the research hypothesis that real activities manipulation positively influences accruals earnings management. The higher the real activities manipulation effects, the higher the accruals earnings management at the end of the period.

The Comparison between Accrual Earnings Management and Real Earnings Management

Earnings management is an important topic in modern financial accounting. With the development of social economy, practical circles and theory circles have studied the earnings management more and more carefully. In this paper, we will contrast accrual earnings management with real earnings management in definition, motivation, approach, and economic consequences, and hope to provide some suggestions for our government.

Earnings Management and Fraudulent Financial Reporting： The Malaysian Story

Earnings management research has a long and rich history. The agency conflict, incentives, rationalization, opportunity plus having the capability among the managers to manipulate the financial statements lead them to commit fraud. The loopholes in the standards or the deviation from real operational activities promote this situation to prolong. In relation to this issue, this study examines the earnings management behavior among fraud firms in Malaysia. Further, this study examines the relationship between accruals earnings management as a proxy variable for discretionary accruals and real earnings management as the proxy variable for discretionary cash flow. Sample of 57 alleged fraud firms was selected based on the fraudulent financial reporting offences announced in Bursa Malaysia website. The sample data are collected from public firms which committed fraud from 2001 to 2013. This study found a significant negative relationship between accruals earnings management and real earnings management among the fraud firms in Malaysia suggesting that these firms aggressively manage earnings downwards or upwards essentially to avoid regulators scrutiny apart from aiming to achieve personal incentives. The study significantly finds evidence that fraud firms manage earnings on a sequential basis between accruals earnings management and real earnings management prior to fraud year. The findings indicate that firms opt for real earnings management and make full use of its distinguished features of not easily traceable to continue managing earnings immediately subsequent to fraud year. This study may assist regulators, auditors, and policymakers to curb earnings management patterns that have high likelihood of becoming part of fraud antecedent.

以“数”谋“盈”:企业数字化转型对盈余持续性的影响研究

以2007-2021年沪深A股上市公司为研究样本,基于企业数字化转型的“治理效应”“信息效应”和“融资效应”,实证检验企业数字化转型对盈余持续性的影响及作用机制。研究发现,企业数字化转型可显著提高盈余持续性,其作用机制在于抑制真实盈余管理、提高信息透明度和缓解融资约束。从异质性视角来看,“底层技术运用”和“技术实践应用”均可显著提高盈余持续性;在非国有企业、成长性低的企业中,企业数字化转型对盈余持续性的影响更加显著。企业应该坚定实施数字化转型的信心,增强实施数字化转型的动力,以谋求持续稳定的收益。

实体企业脱实向虚与分析师盈余预测质量——雾里看花还是甄别有道?

当前,实体经济“脱实向虚”倾向较为明显,立足于监管部门日益重视分析师研报质量的现实背景,选取2007—2019年间我国非金融企业作为研究样本,探究实体企业脱实向虚是否以及如何影响分析师盈余预测质量。研究表明:实体企业脱实向虚显著降低了分析师盈余预测质量;机制检验发现,企业脱实向虚通过降低企业信息透明度进而降低了分析师盈余预测质量;进一步研究表明,良好的公司治理和高质量的外部独立审计能削弱企业脱实向虚对分析师盈余预测质量的负面影响,而机构投资者持股则会强化其负面效应。研究从资本市场信息中介视角丰富了企业脱实向虚的经济后果,对政府监管部门引导企业回归主业及提高资本市场的信息效率具有一定启示作用。

法治强化会影响企业真实盈余管理行为吗?——来自环保法庭设立的证据

本文利用各地中级人民法院自2007年开始陆续设立环境资源审判庭这一准自然实验,考察环境法治强化对企业真实盈余管理的影响。研究结果表明,环境资源审判庭的设立会使本地上市公司进行向上的真实盈余管理。机制分析表明,环境资源审判庭显著改善了地区环境司法效率,进而提高企业面临的环境规制风险,使企业从事真实盈余管理以应对未来的潜在诉讼。异质性分析结果表明,对于非国有企业以及处于低法治水平、低生态激励、高经济激励城市的企业,设立环境资源审判庭对企业真实盈余管理的影响更为明显。本文结论对充分发挥环境管制政策作用、引导企业实现高质量绿色转型和可持续发展具有重要启示。

基于制度建设与职务消费的盈余管理行为抑制研究

盈余管理是常见的财务操纵行为,其原因是多方面的,于国有企业而言,高管职务消费则是可能原因之一。基于沪深股市国有企业样本的研究表明,职务消费现象普遍存在,但仅当其规模超出行业平均水平时,才会通过盈余管理加以掩饰。同时,制度建设工作加强所带来的环境优化,有助于抑制盈余管理这种财务操纵行为,具体表现为随着制度建设力度的加强,职务消费与应计盈余管理和真实活动盈余管理间的正向关系都趋于弱化。研究结论为从外部环境视角抑制职务消费及衍生的盈余管理行为提供了线索和依据。

审计费用与高管政治关联对盈余管理的影响

选取2010-2021年期间我国A股市场上的上市公司为对象,形成分析模型,并探讨审计费用、高管政治关联与应计和真实盈余管理之间的相关关系。研究发现:审计费用支出越多,应计盈余管理、真实盈余管理越弱;相对而言,高管存在政治关联的上市公司,其对应的应计盈余管理、真实盈余管理较强;高管政治关联会降低审计费用对真实盈余管理行为的抑制作用,而并没有减弱审计费用对应计盈余管理行为的抑制作用。

行业锦标赛激励如何影响企业高质量发展——基于高管机会主义行为视角

行业劳动力市场的锦标赛激励会改变高管的心理特质和决策行为,进而影响企业发展质量。本研究以沪深A股上市公司为研究对象,基于高管机会主义行为视角,以真实盈余管理和投融资期限错配为中介变量,考察行业锦标赛激励影响企业高质量发展的内在机制。基于有效企业样本的调查数据,运用多元回归方法进行实证分析和稳健分析。研究发现:行业锦标赛激励抑制企业高质量发展,真实盈余管理和投融资期限错配在此影响过程中发挥中介作用。

企业R&D支出费用化资本化与会计盈余管理行为选择研究——基于中国部分上市公司的经验数据

本文基于中国部分上市公司的数据,选取R&D支出全部费用化、全部资本化、部分资本化3个虚拟变量及R&D支出费用化金额、资本化金额用以表征R&D支出披露形式,研究上市公司R&D支出会计政策选择是否与盈余管理程度相关,进而检验R&D支出会计处理盈余管理路径,即检验R&D支出费用化、资本化的确定依据是否受其他非准则因素影响。研究结果显示,有条件资本化会计处理可能成为管理层盈余管理手段,包括应计盈余管理和真实盈余管理。在确定R&D支出费用化金额、资本化金额及R&D支出费用化强度上,管理层除了依据会计准则,还要依据当期利润情况、所得税负、利润质量、审计成本、利润平滑和公司独立性的影响。

股价下跌背景下控股股东股权质押比例对真实盈余管理的影响

在落实2024年政府工作报告中对鼓励企业投资、股权投资、投资者有效投资等重要指示精神,实现企业长远发展的实践中发现,控股股东股权质押比例对真实盈余管理的影响研究具有重要的理论意义与指导价值。而在控股股东股权质押比例与真实盈余管理呈正相关基础上,加入股价下跌这一调节变量后,二者的关系并不明确。通过对A股上市公司中进行股权质押的公司数据进行实证分析发现,在股价下跌时,控股股东股权质押比例增加会促进上市公司真实盈余管理。由于企业真实盈余管理会影响企业会计信息披露的真实性,因此,为促进企业长远发展,实现投资者有效投资,首先企业要加强会计信息披露的管理,其次投资者个人应加强投资知识的理论学习,增强投资风险意识并对企业所披露的会计信息的真实性具有一定的识别能力。

高管薪酬激励、真实盈余管理和企业高质量发展

选取2010—2022年沪深A股上市公司的面板数据,检验高管薪酬激励对企业全要素生产率的影响,探究真实盈余管理在其中是否发挥中介作用,根据产权性质进行异质性分析。结果表明:高管薪酬激励与企业全要素生产率之间存在显著正向关系,同时真实盈余管理在其中发挥部分中介作用;异质性检验发现在非国有企业中,高管薪酬激励显著抑制真实盈余管理行为,而国有企业中并不显著。基于此,从“奖”与“惩”两方面为促进企业高质量发展提出建议。

企业数字化转型、研发投入与真实盈余管理

以2010—2022年沪深A股上市企业为样本,实证检验及多次稳健检验企业数字化转型对盈余管理的影响。结果表明,数字化转型会促进企业负向的真实盈余管理;影响机理是数字化转型的提高会促进企业研发投入,增加管理层进行真实盈余管理的空间、动机和能力,进而促进了企业真实盈余管理。异质性检验发现,在非国有企业中,数字化转型对真实盈余管理的促进作用更强。

一致行动人的治理效能研究:基于真实盈余管理视角

一致行动人作为股权结构的特殊安排形式,是重要的公司治理机制之一。以沪深A股上市公司为研究对象,实证检验一致行动人对真实盈余管理的影响及其作用路径。研究发现:(1)一致行动人能够抑制真实盈余管理行为,表现为一致行动人持股比例越高,真实盈余管理水平越低;(2)路径分析发现,一致行动人通过降低第二类代理水平、提高公司透明度和内部控制质量这三条路径抑制真实盈余管理水平;(3)进一步研究发现,外部监督中的高质量审计、媒体关注、分析师跟踪能够抑制真实盈余管理水平,并且对一致行动人的治理效能具有替代作用。研究结论为如何抑制真实盈余管理提供来自股权结构视角的新证据,并对强化外部监督改善公司治理具有启示意义。

卖空机制对信用评级膨胀的治理效应研究

本文分析了卖空机制对信用评级膨胀的理论影响和作用机制,并采用2011—2021年上市公司数据进行实证检验,结果发现:(1)卖空机制可以显著抑制信用评级膨胀,并且这种抑制效应在内生性检验和其他稳健性检验后依然成立;(2)卖空机制对信用评级膨胀的抑制效应是通过真实盈余管理和信息披露质量渠道实现的;(3)卖空机制对信用评级膨胀的抑制效应在内部控制质量较低、分析师乐观偏差较大、机构投资者持股比例较低与发行者付费模式的公司中更加明显。

冗余资源与会计稳健性

以中国A股上市公司2013—2022年数据为样本,实证研究冗余资源和会计稳健性的关系。研究结果表明:(1)冗余资源和会计稳健性呈显著的负向关系,即公司持有的冗余资源越多,会计稳健性越差;反之,会计稳健性越好;(2)长期资产在冗余资源和会计稳健性的负向关系中起正向调节作用,即在长期资产持有较多的公司中,冗余资源和会计稳健性的负向关系更加明显;(3)真实盈余管理在冗余资源和会计稳健性的负向关系中起负向调节作用,即在真实盈余管理程度较大的公司中,冗余资源和会计稳健性的负向关系会减弱。在公司持有的“闲置资源”一定的条件下,公司持有较多的长期资产,会降低会计稳健性,增加企业风险;而公司增加真实盈余管理程度,则会提高会计稳健性。这对上市公司合理配置资源,减少资源冗余,提高资源利用效率,提高会计稳健性,降低企业经营风险,具有重要的理论意义和现实意义。

财务报表格式调整的真实经济后果——基于“资产处置损益”列报的准自然实验

自2017年,我国利润表中开始增加列报“资产处置损益”,对原列报于“营业外收支”中的部分项目在“营业利润”之上予以反映。文章利用这一准自然实验,实证考察财务报表格式调整在企业资产处置行为中的真实经济后果性。研究发现,“资产处置损益”列报后,企业资产处置行为显著减少,且资产处置收益与损失均表现出显著减少。在执行一系列稳健性检验后,上述结论依然成立。研究也发现,这一影响主要通过约束企业真实盈余管理行为来实现,且主要集中在“十大”会计师事务所审计的公司组。文章从会计信息披露制度完善视角为会计信息披露准则变化在规范企业资产处置行为中的作用提供经验证据与现实参考。

数字化转型与真实盈余管理——基于公司治理和外部审计监督视角

在引导数字经济和实体经济深度融合的背景下,数字化转型成为企业高质量发展的必然选择,基于此,文章以A股上市公司2017-2022年数据作为研究样本,研究数字化转型与真实盈余管理之间的关系,并引入公司治理和外部审计监督作为调节变量,探寻调节变量在数字化转型和真实盈余管理关系中发挥的调节效应。研究发现:数字化转型能够抑制真实盈余管理;完善的公司治理机制和高质量的外部审计可以有效抑制数字化转型对企业真实盈余管理的作用。文中的研究在对数字化转型滞后一期进行稳健性检验后依然成立。研究丰富了数字化转型的经济后果研究文献,同时为公司在新监管环境下如何抑制管理层的真实盈余管理提供了新的思路。