Business Commons^™

Theranos: Case Study And Examination Of The Fraud Triangle, Abbey Jennings

Finance Undergraduate Honors Theses

Fraud is a serious issue which carries significant implications. Fraud committed by top level managers is particularly grievous, as it ripples through a firm, harming the company’s shareholders, employees, and credibility, while posing a threat to individuals and society (Zahra, et al.). A common framework in auditing, the fraud triangle, outlines three factors that if present, increase the risk or enable fraud to occur. The three factors are incentive, opportunity, and rationalization to commit fraud (Barlow).

In 2018, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged Elizabeth Holmes, founder and CEO of a supposedly groundbreaking health tech company, Theranos, with what …

Finance And Accounting Dual-Degree Proposal, Meghan Finley

Senior Honors Projects

No abstract provided.

Colgate-Palmolive Customer Development Finance Internship: A Collection Of Journals Entries & Testimonials Of Professional Development, Braden Byrum

Finance Undergraduate Honors Theses

This is a collection of journal entries and testimonials to professional development that I received from my internship with Colgate-Palmolive on the Walmart team. Over the span of three months it serves as a reflection on my purpose and inflictions throughout my day to day during my internship. The skills developed during this experience are monumental in professional development but also expand into my personal life. These themes are relevant to the life ahead of me and this collection will serve as an endorsement to that.

Impact Of The Quality Of Esg Reporting On Profitability Of Trucking And Oil Companies, Diane Meng

Honors Scholar Theses

A growing number of companies have been providing disclosures regarding ESG issues and goals in their financial reports. Studies have investigated the association between the quality of ESG reporting and the financial performance of various companies, which showed various results. However, the association between the two factors remains unclear. In this study, I examine the relationship between the quality of ESG reporting and the profitability of companies in the trucking and oil industries from 2011 to 2020. I predict that greater quality of ESG reporting results in higher profitability of companies in both industries. Overall, the results of this study …

Big Bath Earnings Management In Accounting, Shannon Danysh-Hashemi

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examines the potential use of big bath earnings management (BBEM) techniques in the leisure and travel industries during the pandemic of 2020. Data is collected through Compustat and Mergent Online databases and then merged for analysis using SPSS 27. First, the preliminary t-test shows the possibility of the firms in these industries to have conducted BBEM. After, modified Jone's model is used to distinguish discretionary from non-discretionary accruals. Using multiple regression analysis, three hypotheses are tested to discover whether the year of the pandemic, political costs, and executive compensation had any significant effect on the use of discretionary …

Sec Reporting Of Cybersecurity Incidents, Michaela Morosky

Honors Scholar Theses

This paper documents the reporting to the SEC of 197 major incidents of cybersecurity breaches among public firms in the years 2011-2019. My goal is to contribute to the debate on the need to revise the disclosure guidance by evaluating the extent to which cybersecurity breaches are disclosed in SEC filings under the current regulatory regime. In evaluating the individual breaches, I document whether prior to the SEC’s 2022 proposed amendment, firms were already following the SEC recommendation of disclosing material cybersecurity breaches in a timely manner. I find that it is extremely rare for a firm to follow the …

Analyzation Of Audit Procedures In The Wake Of The Early 2000s Accounting Scandals, Zachary Byar

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Enron, WorldCom, and Tyco International were companies that operated in different industries and had different levels of net profit for decades. However, these companies had one pivotal thing in common: accounting fraud. In the early 2000s, accounting scandals from large companies created a major impact on the financial markets, causing Congress to take action to increase investor protection through the origination of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. The Act was meant to restore investor confidence through strengthened disclosures and auditing requirements for public corporations. However, even with the creation of this new Act from Congress, fraud is still prevalent today, …

The Effect Of 100 Percent Population Testing On The Perception Of Cpa Firms With Limited Liability Exposure, Brock Revels

Honors Theses

The present study investigates whether retail investors believe that a CPA firm’s liability exposure or the type of evidence collected by the firm impacts their ability to remain unbiased during the audit. This study is inspired by calls for further research pertaining to the benefits and effectiveness that big data can provide to the audit industry or whether it could lead to more regulation. After receiving approval for the study by the Institutional Review Board, retail investors responded to an experiment in order to gather information for the study. The results indicate that retail investors believe that a CPA firm’s …

Analysis Of Accounting: A Series Of Case Studies Examining Relevant Topics And Concepts, Jermaine Barnes Jr

Honors Theses

This thesis is a compilation of various case studies addressing relevant issues and concepts within the field of accounting. It is composed of twelve cases designed to address and analyze numerous topics that are currently relevant to the field of accounting and my future career within this field. The information presented herein addresses a wide range of necessary skills and knowledge applicable to this field, and this information was gathered through analysis and documentation of a multitude of topics, such as the Financial Crisis of 2008, the first presidential debate of the 2020 election, the various demographical trends of cities …

Accounting Case Studies, Avery Andress

Honors Theses

This thesis is a collection of accounting case studies. There are twelve cases that comprise this thesis including: A Tale of Two Cities, Asset Concepts, Presidential Debate, Excel Course, Taxodus - Playing The Global Tax Avoidance Game, Business Interview - Tony Huffman, Case Competition - Overview, Case Competition - Audit, Case Competition - Tax, Case Competition - Advisory, Case Competition - Earnings, Stock Price, and Analysis, and Financial Crisis of 2008. There are a variety of topics involved in these cases. I completed a case that involved watching a Presidential Debate and learned more about each candidate’s policies. Also, …

Aicpa Adopts Changes To Auditor’S Report, Ashley Bentley

ETSU Faculty Works

Throughout 2019 and 2020, the AICPA’s Auditing Standards Board (ASB) issued a collection of seven new auditing standards. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the original effective date of the guidance was deferred. All seven standards went into effect in 2021. The new requirements build on the AICPA’s continuous effort to improve audit quality and promote audit consistency between public and private companies. Many of the provisions of the new standards are closely aligned with previously issued standards by the PCAOB and IAASB. Statement on Auditing Standards (SASs) Nos. 134-140 impact several aspects of the audit, including the concept of materiality, …

5 Ways To Turn The Pandemic Into An Opportunity For E-Commerce Disruption, Yuanto Kusnadi, Gary Pan

Research Collection School Of Accountancy

It is safe to say that the COVID-19 pandemic had upended life as we knew it. Schools embraced blended learning, brick-and-mortar businesses were shuttered, and mask wearing whilst at indoor venues remains the order of the day. Amid the chaos, one bright spot is the opportunity for e-commerce entrepreneurs to disrupt traditional businesses.

Financial Indicators Of Bankruptcy Risk In Local Government Entities, Beth Parker Seymore

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The efficiency and stability of a local government can impact the lifestyle of its citizens. While Chapter 9 bankruptcies are not common, when they do occur, they can be disruptive and extremely costly. Scholarly literature on bankruptcy prediction focuses primarily on corporate bankruptcies. Therefore, a gap exists regarding predictors specific to municipal bankruptcies. This non-experimental quantitative study examined the relationship between the financial indicators of those government entities that have declared bankruptcy as compared to financial indicators from similar government entities that have not declared bankruptcy in order to identify possible predictors of bankruptcy. The analysis established that two financial …

Fraud Risk Management To Detect And Prevent Employee Fraud In Small Rural Businesses, Daphne Yuying Bishop

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This section provides discussion and research results of this study. The researcher used qualitative multiple case study to explore how small rural businesses establish Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) internal controls to deter and prevent employee fraud. A qualitative multiple case study was based on the fraud diamond theory. Thirty small business owners or managers located in rural areas were interviewed to gain a greater understanding of the effectiveness of internal control in small rural businesses. After thematic analysis, the researcher identified seven major themes: (a) management’s commitment to integrity and ethical value, (b) identifying high-risk …

Financial Analysis Of Accountancy In America Today Through Collective Case Studies, Caitlyn Henry

Honors Theses

The following thesis contains a collection of ten accounting case studies that were written and directed under the advisement of Dr. Victoria Dickinson during the enrollment of Honors Accountancy 420. Dr. Dickinson presented us with unique prompts for each case study and guided our research as we dove into the professional world of accounting standards in America today. Five of my cases specifically correlate to The Coca-Cola Company, which my case competition team selected to research as we devised tax, audit, and advisory plans to better the company. We presented our findings to a panel of accounting professionals from numerous …

Project Foresight Annual Report, 2020-2021, Paul J. Speaker

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Project FORESIGHT is a business-guided self-evaluation of forensic science laboratories across the globe. The participating laboratories represent local, regional, state, and national agencies. Economics, accounting, finance, and forensic faculty provide assistance, guidance, and analysis. Laboratories participating in Project FORESIGHT have developed standardized definitions for metrics to evaluate work processes, linking financial information to work tasks, and functions. Laboratory managers can then assess resource allocations, efficiencies, and value of services—the mission of Project FORESIGHT is to measure, preserve what works, and change what does not.

The benchmark data for the 2020-2021 performance period includes laboratory submissions for a variety of fiscal …

Accounting Internship Thesis - Koch Industries, Casey Rivero

Accounting Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis outlines my accounting internship experience with Koch Industries during the summer of 2021. It describes the company's background, explains my role and responsibilities throughout the summer, and details the tools and technology I worked with. This thesis shows what is to be expected of the present day accountant and bridges the gap between university course material and real-life corporate application.

Conway Properties Llc, Cody Conway

Accounting Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis shows the business model for Conway Properties, LLC.

Short Sellers And Insider Trading Profitability: A Natural Experiment, Xia Chen, Qiang Cheng, Ting Luo, Heng Yue

Research Collection School Of Accountancy

We examine the impact of short sellers on insider trading profitability using a natural experiment of a pilot program which relaxed short-selling constraints for randomly selected pilot stocks. We find that pilot firms experienced a significant decrease in insider trading profitability during the pilot program. The results are more pronounced for the pilot firms with poor information quality, and for the pilot firms without corporate restrictions on insider trading. Our evidence suggests that short sellers serve an important market disciplinary role by reducing insider trading profitability.

Strategic Management Accounting Information And Performance: Mediating Effect Of Knowledge Management, Ruhanita Maelah, Baha'a Aldeen Hussein Mohamed, Amizawati Mohd Amir

The South East Asian Journal of Management

Research Aims: The objective of this study is to examine the relationship ‎between Strategic Management Accounting (SMA) information, Knowledge Management (KM), and the performance of ‎Malaysian hospitals.

Design/methodology/approach: A survey is employed, and data is collected using self- administered questionnaires. Responses from 95 Malaysian private hospitals were ‎analysed using Partial Least Squares (PLS) 3.0.

Research Findings: The findings indicate that SMA ‎information positively affects ‎performance, and KM mediates the ‎relationship between SMA information and interpretation.

Theoretical Contribution/Originality: This study utilised the Resource-Based View (RBV) theory to explain SMA information as a resource and KM as a capability that impacts the …

International Students’ Awareness Of U.S. Tax Filings, Janene R. Finley, Amanda M. Grossman, Denise O'Shaughnessy

International Journal for Business Education

International students studying in the United States (U.S.) must follow many rules and regulations implemented by the federal government, including tax filing requirements. Generally, international students must file Form 8843 with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) indicating that they are nonresidents exempt from taxation on worldwide income during their first five years in the U.S. In addition, they must file Form 1040-NR if they earn any taxable income in the U.S. This exploratory study examines the level of tax filing knowledge international students possess, as well as the characteristics of both international students and their educational institutions to ascertain …

Data Privacy Regulations In The United States, China, And The European Union, Charlsey A. Kelly

Honors College Theses

This paper compares and discusses the different data privacy regulations found in the United States, China, and the European Union. It is no secret that big tech companies like Facebook and Google continuously collect data on their users. The big question is what protections and rights one has as a consumer. The answer to this question differs when you are in different parts of the world. Currently the United States does not have a federal data privacy law, China recently adopted a new data privacy law called the Personal Information Protection Law, and the European Union has a data privacy …

2017 Tax Cuts And Jobs Act And Its Effect On Vertical Equity For Homeowners, Melanie Auclair

Honors Projects in Accounting

Data from the Internal Revenue Service's Statistics of Income (SOI) was analyzed to compare the tax subsidy for homeowners from filing year 2018 (for calendar year 2017) and filing year 2019 (for calendar year 2018). Homeowner tax benefits were calculated with an extensive analysis to understand how the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act changes affected homeowner tax benefits on a vertical equity basis. Prior research has shown homeowner tax benefits are regressive in nature. The primary research question in this study is whether TCJA increased or decreased regressivity of homeowner tax benefits. The results of this study have shown that …

The Impact Of Emerging Big Data And Analytical Approaches, Kennedy Akpeneye

Honors Projects in Accounting

Although accounting has gone through many significant changes over the years due to big data and data analytics, the profession remains at the core of business. Big data has not only impacted the accounting profession but has also completely transformed the business world. As accounting associates are continuously introduced to new technology software, their ability to analyze and interpret data is enhanced. The research in this paper seeks to understand how big data and analytics are currently impacting the work of beginning accounting associates. More specifically, this thesis analyzes certain trends in big data within the accounting industry. This involves …

Changes To Corporate Codes Of Ethics: A Twelve-Year Analysis, Curtis Silverman

Honors Projects in Accounting

The Enron scandal caused companies and their Board of Directors to reconsider how they were utilizing their code of ethics, especially after the legislation of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Enron's Board of Directors provided the CFO, Andy Fastow, with a waiver of the code of ethics to negotiate with himself, while also on behalf of Enron. The issue with this waiver was that, at the time, investors were left in the dark because they did not need to be notified about any changes or exceptions made to the code of ethics. After learning about why codes of ethics and …

Ethical Monetization For Social Media Companies, Leo Phillips

Honors Theses

The most popular social media companies today all monetize primarily through the same revenue stream, advertising. Popular social media strategies have developed similar methods to increase the advertising revenue that each user generates. These strategies for monetization have become ever increasingly exploitative and harmful to the social media user population as these major companies are gripped in a technological arms race to capture as much of their user’s time and attention as possible. The effects of increased social media use are a general overall decline in our society’s physical, emotional, and social health (Haugen, 2021 & Harris, 2019). These health …

Using Modern Portfolio Theory To Create Efficient Portfolios From The S&P Index, Dylan Rhoads

Steeplechase: An ORCA Student Journal

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index (S&P 500) serves as a proxy for the U.S. equity market and is among the most widely cited financial instruments in the world. Its risk and return can be accepted as the market’s, leading it to be the benchmark for performance in many investment settings. Modern portfolio theory helps to quantify performance by explaining the relationship between risk and return. Every portfolio has its own return and risk level, with the optimal allocations falling on the “Efficient Frontier”, that is the line on a graph that connects the portfolios that have the maximum return …

The Benefits That Come From Moving Out Of State For College, Sadie Morris

Student Research Symposium

My topic is about how moving to a new state can benefit a student when starting college. Not that many students move to a different state to go to college, and there can be a lot of benefits that come from moving some where new. This poster highlights the positives that come from moving to a new state from college.

Corporate Website Disclosures And Financial Reporting Quality, Nicholas Mueller

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study examines the relationship between corporate website disclosures and financial reporting quality. Using a sample of the S&P 500 and S&P 400 firms, a voluntary website disclosure score is created by identifying specific website disclosures. After controlling for website disclosure requirements imposed by U.S. stock exchanges, the results indicate that firms with greater website disclosures are associated with lower abnormal accruals and differential persistence of cash flows and operating accruals. Additionally, using the Chen, Miao, and Shevlin (2015) measures for disaggregation quality of financial statement items, the results suggest that the association between financial reporting quality and website disclosures …

Society Dilemma Of Computer Technology Management In Today's World, Iwasan D. Kejawa Ed.D

School of Computing: Faculty Publications

Abstract - Is it true that some of the inhabitants of the world’s today are still hesitant in using computers? Research has shown that today many people are still against the use of computers. Computer technology management can be said to be obliterated by security problems. Research shows that some people in society feel reluctant or afraid to use computers because of errors and exposure of their privacy and their sophistication, which sometimes are caused by computer hackers and malfunction of the computers. The dilemma of not utilizing computer technology at all or, to its utmost, by certain people in …