Business Commons^™

Ethics, Corporate Social Responsibility, And Sustainability Education In Aacsb Undergraduate And Graduate Marketing Curricula: A Benchmark Study, Jeananne Nicholls, Joseph F. Hair, Charles B. Ragland, Kurt E. Schimmel

Faculty and Research Publications

AACSB International advocates integration of ethics, corporate social responsibility, and sustainability in all business school disciplines. This study provides an overview of the implementation of these three topics in teaching initiatives and assessment in business schools accredited by AACSB International. Since no comprehensive studies have been conducted for the marketing area, the results provide benchmarks as well as thought-provoking material to initiate business school and marketing faculty discussions on integrating the three topics into their curricula.

Did Sarbanes-Oxley Lead To Better Financial Reporting?, Dennis Chambers, Dana R. Hermanson, Jeff L. Payne

Faculty and Research Publications

The article describes and summarizes five studies that examined whether the landmark Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX) was beneficial or not to financial reporting. The U.S. Congress is stated to have passed the legislation on July 25, 2002 in reaction to a series of financial accounting scandals involving such companies as Enron and WorldCom, as well as the demise of the accounting firm Arthur Andersen LLP. The author asserts that all five of the studies provide evidence of a significant improvement in the financial reporting environment since SOX.

Factors To Be Considered In Determining A Corporation's Commercial Domicile, A. Bruce Clements

Faculty and Research Publications

Laws can vary significantly in taxing multijurisdictional companies depending on a company's degree of corporate presence in the taxing state, the type and source of income earned, and the type of property used or held in the state. Several critical factors can determine a company's tax liability in a state, including the location of the company's commercial domicile. The US Supreme Court's decision in the Wheeling Steel case regarding commercial domicile is overriding in federal, as well as state courts. Accordingly, multistate companies and their tax advisors should consider the location of central management activities when planning to start or …

Revised Innocent Spouse Rules Offer Greater Tax Relief, Linda M. Johnson, A. Bruce Clements

Faculty and Research Publications

When a married couple files a joint tax return, both spouses become jointly and severally liable for the income taxes due, including any additional taxes, interest, and penalties determined at a later date. In the event of an underpayment of income tax, the IRS can proceed against either spouse to collect the entire tax deficiency. This places a spouse in a precarious position in situations where the other spouse deliberately omits income or overstates deductions on a jointly filed income tax return, even if the spouse is totally unaware of the other's transgressions. Relief from joint and several liability is …

Uncertain Litigation Cost And Seller Behavior: Evidence From An Auditing Game, Ping Zhang, Bryan K. Church, Lucy Ackert

Faculty and Research Publications

Investigates difficulties that arise in estimating expected litigation costs in an auditing game in the United States. Effect of effort level on certain and uncertain costs of performing the engagement; Frequency of observed fee offers below the total expected cost of an engagement; Institutional arrangements and damage-sharing regimes; Theoretical and behavioral predictions.

The Threat Of Long-Arm Jurisdiction To Electronic Commerce, Robert J. Aalberts, Anthony M. Townsend, Michael E. Whitman

Faculty and Research Publications

Unfortunately for those whose businesses rely on the Internet, an increasing amount of legal conflict is also arising in reaction to this new business medium. As attorneys and the courts attempt to sort out the Internet’s legal status quo, both are considering such pressing substantive issues as electronic contracts, privacy, trademark, copyright, defamation, computer crimes, censorship, and taxation. It is imperative that information system professionals become aware of how evolving Internet law will affect the medium they are charged with administrating. An informed IS community is also much more capable of mounting legal and political challenges to law that might …

Franchisor Environmental Liability For Previously Contaminated Property, Patrick J. Kaufmann, William S. Vincent

Faculty and Research Publications

Environmental legislation has created potential liability for retailing franchisees that purchase previously contaminated land. Faced with a decision to distance itself from the site selection process or incur the added costs and potential pricing impacts of greater involvement in the process, franchisors have strong incentives to reduce franchisee support. This reduction in support has detrimental implications for both franchise policy and environmental policy. A paper reports the results of an empirical study that links franchisors' concerns about potential environmental liability to actions to distance themselves from the site selection process or, alternatively, formally to require franchisee environmental investigation of all …

Retirement Plan Contributions And Withdrawals, Paul J. Streer, Ray A. Knight, A. Bruce Clements

Faculty and Research Publications

Qualified retirement plans provide for tax deferral, but they are also subject to a 15% excise tax on excess distributions or accumulations, potentially higher marginal income tax rates on plan withdrawals, mandatory contributions for employers, estate taxes at death, and possible substantial income tax liability for plan beneficiaries. Three possible planning strategies to optimize return on funds available for contributions to a qualified plan include investment in alternative assets, lifetime gifts, and accelerated plan withdrawals. While the 3-year suspension of excess distribution excise taxes under the Small Business Job Protection Act may favor plan withdrawals, in certain situations participants are …