Business Commons^™

Demand For And Assessment Of Audit Quality In The Market For Private Capital: A Field Study, Shyam Sunder, Adam Esplin, Karim Jamal

Shyam Sunder

No abstract provided.

Rethinking Financial Reporting: Standards, Norms And Institutions, Shyam Sunder

Shyam Sunder

No abstract provided.

What Is Better Accounting?, Shyam Sunder

Shyam Sunder

No abstract provided.

What Is Better Accounting?, Shyam Sunder

Shyam Sunder

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Supervisory Monitoring On High-End Retail Sales Productivity, Rajiv D. Banker, Seok-Young Lee, Gordon S. Potter, Dhinu Srinivasan

Gordon Potter

Based on a two-stage analysis of a panel of data on 12 outlets of a high-end retailer for 24 months, we investigate how the level of supervisory monitoring affects retail sales productivity. In the first stage, we use Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to compute the relative productivity of retail outlets in using their labor and capital resources to generate store sales. In the second stage, we regress the logarithm of DEA scores on contextual variables to obtain consistent estimators of the impact of contextual variables on productivity (Banker and Natarajan in Operation Research 56:48-58, 2008). Contrary to agency theoretic prediction …

An Empirical Analysis Of Manufacturing Overhead Cost Drivers, Rajiv D. Banker, Gordon S. Potter, Roger G. Schroeder

Gordon Potter

Empirical validity of the claim that overhead costs are driven not by production volume but by transactions resulting from production complexity is examined using data from 32 manufacturing plants from the electronics, machinery, and automobile components industries. Transactions are measured using number of engineering change orders, number of purchasing and production planning personnel, shop- floor area per part, and number of quality control and improvement personnel. Results indicate a strong positive relation between manufacturing overhead costs and both manufacturing transactions and production volume. Most of the variation in overhead costs, however, is explained by measures of manufacturing transactions, not volume.

A Field Study Of The Impact Of A Performance-Based Incentive Plan, Rajiv D. Banker, Seok-Young Lee, Gordon S. Potter

Gordon Potter

Much management accounting research focuses on design of incentive compensation contracts. A basic assumption in these contracts is that performance-based incentives improve employee performance. This paper reports on a field test of the multi-period incentive effects of a performance-based compensation plan on the sales of a retail establishment. Analysis of panel data for 15 retail outlets over 66 months indicates a sales increase when the plan is implemented, an effect that persists and increases over time. Sales gains are significantly lower in the peak selling season when more temporary workers are employed.

Manufacturing Performance Reporting For Continuous Quality Improvement, Rajiv D. Banker, Gordon S. Potter, Roger G. Schroeder

Gordon Potter

Recently many plants have implemented the new manufacturing strategy of continuous quality improvement. The central hypothesis in this paper is that the implementation of a policy of continuous quality improvement results in a shift in the management control system. This article tests this hypothesis by examining the shop floor reporting policies of forty-two plants located in the United States. The paper documents that the extent of information concerning the current status of manufacturing, such as charts on defect rates or schedule compliance and productivity information, provided to workers on the shop floor is positively related to the implementation of continuous …

Earnings Manipulation: A Report By Robert Lavine On The Business Ethics Research Of Kenneth Rosenzweig And Marilyn Fischer, Kenneth Yale Rosenzweig, Marilyn Fischer

Marilyn Fischer

This column by Robert LaVine in the Chartered Accountants Journal of New Zealand reports on the research of University of Dayton professors Kenneth Rosenzweig and Marilyn Fischer, "Is Managing Earnings Ethically Acceptable? Surveys Show Age and Seniority Affect Attitudes on Earnings Management," >>> published in the journal Management Accounting.

Is Managing Earnings Ethically Acceptable? Surveys Show Age And Seniority Affect Attitudes On Earnings Management, Kenneth Yale Rosenzweig, Marilyn Fischer

Marilyn Fischer

Is managing earnings through accounting methods ethically acceptable? That's the question we recently asked a sample group of management accountants. The response to the survey was enlightening. Our survey was designed as a follow-up and extension of the research done by Bruns and Merchant and published in Management Accounting in August 1990. They found that managers disagreed considerably on whether earnings management is ethically acceptable. They also found that in general the respondents thought manipulating earnings via operating decisions was more ethically acceptable than manipulation by accounting methods. Bruns and Merchant were disturbed by these findings. They were concerned that …

Report Earnings Accurately, Kenneth Yale Rosenzweig, Marilyn Fischer

Marilyn Fischer

As authors of the March article, “Is Managing Earnings Ethically Acceptable?,” we wish to thank Alfred M. King for his letter in the April issue questioning some of the contentions in our article. In a time when corruption seems to be rampant in many aspects of our national life, it is important for accountants to discuss openly what are their ethical responsibilities, and what are the limits to those responsibilities. The credibility of accounting numbers is vital to our success as a profession and as individual accountants. There will be no demand for accounting service if accounting information is not …

An Empirical Analysis Of Continuing Improvements Following The Implementation Of A Performance-Based Compensation Plan, Rajiv D. Banker, Seok-Young Lee, Gordon S. Potter, Dhinu Srinivasan

Gordon Potter

Performance improvements subsequent to the implementation of a pay-for-performance plan can result because more productive employees self-select into the firm (selection effect) and/or because employees allocate effort to become more effective (effort effect). We analyze individual performance data for 3,776 sales employees of a retail firm to evaluate these alternative sources of continuing performance improvement. The incentive plan helps the firm attract and retain more productive sales employees, and motivates these employees to further improve their productivity. In contrast, the less productive sales employees’ performance declines before they leave the firm.

An Empirical Analysis Of Performance Impacts Resulting From Conversion To Franchise Operations, James Hesford, Mina Pizzini, Gordon S. Potter

Gordon Potter

Franchising is an important form of organizational control. Possible benefits of franchising include its ability to reduce agency costs that increase with costly monitoring, and provide incentives for the use of local information by onsite managers. However, these benefits may come at a cost, as franchisees may reduce quality by choosing to free ride. While many studies have investigated the reasons for franchising, few studies have documented the impacts of franchising on unit level operating performance. Using time-series data from a number of lodging properties that were converted to franchisee control from company control, this study documents the performance impacts …

Rethinking Financial Reporting: Standards, Norms And Institutions, Shyam Sunder

Shyam Sunder

What Is Better Financial Reporting And How Do We Get There?, Shyam Sunder

Shyam Sunder

No abstract provided.

How Corporate Culture Impacts Unethical Distortion Of Financial Numbers, Joseph F. Castellano, Kenneth Y. Rosenzweig, Harper A. Roehm

Joseph Castellano

The recent accounting scandals have highlighted the critical role that investor confidence in the accuracy and lack of distortion of accounting data plays in the health of capital markets and, indeed, the whole economy. The legal and moral culpability of top-level company managers (as well as auditors) is an issue that will be addressed by the nation in the coming months. Whether or not legal sanctions are imposed on managers, it would be well to examine some of the reasons managers may feel compelled to distort accounting numbers as well as engage in other actions that damage the interests of …

The Abcs Of Communicating Results, Deborah S. Archambeault, Morgen Rose

Deborah Archambeault

Communicating results is an integral part of the internal auditor's job, and The IIA's International Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing recognizes its importance by specifying in Standard 2420 that communications should be "accurate, objective, clear, concise, constructive, complete, and timely." In its 2009 survey. The Biggest Internal Audit Challenges in the Next Five Years, Protiviti, a global consulting firm, ranked communication with management and the audit committee as one of the biggest challenges facing internal auditing through 2012. Their subsequent 2010 Internal Audit Capabilities and Needs Survey identified presentation skills as the top "need to improve" personal …

Standard Costing Variances: Potential Red Flags Of Fraud?, Cecily A. Raiborn, Janet B. Butler, Lucian Zelazny

Lucian Zelazny

This article focuses on how standard cost variances can be used in detecting potential fraudulent activities. Each primary type of variance (material, labor, and overhead) is addressed with a discussion of possible inappropriate causal factors. Additionally, internal controls, graphic techniques, and other methods that can be implemented to combat fraud are provided.

How Does Peer Honesty Affect Focal Manager Honesty In A Budget Reporting Setting?, Michael Paz, Bernhard E. Reichert, Alex Woods

Michael Paz

We examine the effect of peer honesty on focal manager honesty in a budget reporting setting. We disclose peer honesty to the focal manager at three levels: no, partial, and full disclosure of the reporting behavior of the other managers in the focal managers’ cohort. In partial disclosure, only the reports of the least honest peers are disclosed to the focal manager. In full disclosure, all managers’ reports in the cohort are disclosed to the focal manager. We predict and find that disclosure of other managers’ reports leads to less honesty compared to the absence of disclosure. We show that …

An Invitation To Accounting - Aggregation, Shyam Sunder

Shyam Sunder

No abstract provided.

An Invitation To Accounting - Institutions, Shyam Sunder

Shyam Sunder

No abstract provided.

Summary Of Yuji Ijiri Lectures, Tepper School Of Business, Shyam Sunder

Shyam Sunder

No abstract provided.

An Invitation To Accounting - Time And Risk, Shyam Sunder

Shyam Sunder

No abstract provided.

An Invitation To Accounting - Policy, Shyam Sunder

Shyam Sunder

No abstract provided.

Better Financial Reporting, Shyam Sunder

Shyam Sunder

No abstract provided.

Role Of Accounting Academy In Society, Shyam Sunder

Shyam Sunder

No abstract provided.

Demand For And Assessment Of Audit Quality In The Market For Private Capital: A Field Study, Shyam Sunder

Shyam Sunder

An Invitation To Accounting - Causation And Choice, Shyam Sunder

Shyam Sunder

No abstract provided.

Beating Market Expectations, Analysts’ Forecasts Dispersion And The Pricing Of Credit Default Swaps, Mauricio A. Melgarejo

Mauricio Melgarejo

The purpose of this paper is to study the impact of beating analysts’ forecasts and the impact of analysts’ forecast dispersion on the pricing of firms’ credit default swaps (CDSs). CDS premium is the compensation required by investors for bearing firms’ credit default risk. Sell-side analysts collect market, industry and firm information and provide important information in the form of stock recommendations, stock price targets and accounting number forecasts. For that reason, the information contained in their forecasts may provide additional information to investors to price CDSs. My results show that firms that beat analysts’ earnings and revenue forecasts, and …

Does Beating Cash Flow Benchmarks Reduce The Cost Of Debt?, Mauricio A. Melgarejo

Mauricio Melgarejo

This paper examines whether beating previous year cash flow values and analysts' cash flow forecasts impact the firms' cost of debt. Creditors are expected to be more concerned about firm solvency than firm profitability. Accordingly, if lenders have any reference point it may be related to cash flow numbers. This study finds that firms that beat analysts' cash flow forecasts have smaller initial bond yield spreads in the next period and a decrease in their initial bond yield spreads between consecutive periods. This effect is more pronounced at short maturities and for observations with less informative earnings. Firms with lower …