Accounting Commons^™

Unemployment Insurance Benefits And Income Smoothing, Tee Yong Jeffrey Ng, Tharindra Ranasinghe, Guifeng Shi, Holly I. Yang

Research Collection School Of Accountancy

Labor unemployment insurance reduces unemployment concerns. We argue that these benefits moderate incentives to smooth earnings to reduce employees’ concerns about unemployment risk. Using exogenous variations in unemployment insurance benefits, we find evidence consistent with this argument. We also find that that link between unemployment insurance benefits and income smoothing is stronger when there is higher unemployment risk and when the firm is likely to employ more low-wage workers, who find unemployment insurance benefits especially useful. Our paper contributes to the literature by showing that public policy decisions such as unemployment insurance have significant, albeit probably unintended, externalities on corporate …

'Substance' – A Singapore's Perspective, Cindy Siu Ching Wong, Siau Yan Tang

Research Collection School Of Accountancy

One of the principles underpinning the OECD Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (“BEPS”) project is the concept of “substance”. Taxation is to be aligned with substance so that profits are being taxed in the location where value is created. However, what constitutes “substance” has not been clearly defined. This paper seeks to examine the concept of substance as applied in different contexts and attempts to put forth a notion of substance that is relevant to Singapore. Having examined the subject matter, the authors are of the view that it is no longer sufficient to have “substance” as a vague guiding …

Strategies For Ensuring The Timeliness Of Small Business Financial Reporting In Nigeria, Nanzing Nangil Nden

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small business owners in Nigeria submit financial reports to regulators and stakeholders, and they often lack strategies to ensure timeliness in the Nigeria report rendition. Lack of accounting competence and audit lag in the preparation, rendition, and submission of financial statements and reports are some of the contributors to this lack of timeliness. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies that owners of small businesses used to ensure timeliness of financial reporting. The population for this study was 5 owners of small businesses in Nigeria. Management by objectives and Hoshin Kanri were the conceptual framework for …

Strategies To Prevent And Detect Occupational Fraud In Small Retail Businesses, Marquita V. Davis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Business owners' lack of strategies to prevent and detect occupational fraud in small retail businesses in the United States could result in substantial financial losses or insolvency. Grounded in Cressey's fraud triangle, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore internal control strategies 6 owners of small retail businesses in southeastern Pennsylvania used to prevent and detect occupational fraud. Face-to-face interviews, observations, and documentation are the data collection techniques I used in this study. Data were transcribed, coded, analyzed, and member checked to identify emergent themes. Six themes emerged from the thematic analysis: financial impact, transaction responsibility and …

Strategies To Implement Efficient Closing Cycles, Mary Christine Scott

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many financial leaders lack strategies to make the timely fiscal reporting needed for business to obtain profitability, competitive advantage, and sustainability. The purpose of this single case study was to explore successful strategies used to complete efficient closing cycles to evaluate performance and support business decisions. The conceptual framework for this study was process improvement and the theory of constraints. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with 5 purposively selected leaders; data were supplemented with information from the organization's website and print materials. Financial leaders who had developed successful strategies to complete timely financial statements were selected to participate in …

Corporate Environmental Strategies For Balancing Profitability With Environmental Stewardship, Stephen I. Carmer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, citizens concerned with climate change and income inequity scrutinize the activities of corporations. Sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) have a critical role in business management, because stakeholders demand transparency in a company's operations. This correlation study, grounded in stakeholder theory, examined the relationship between environmental initiatives, CSR, and net profit for U.S. corporations. Participants included 96 companies with listing on either National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations, or the New York Stock Exchange, or both, with and without evidence of CSR and environmental disclosures. The multiple regression analysis significantly predicted higher net profit for …

Designing A Framework For Maintaining Good Moral Character When Providing Accounting Services To The Legal Cannabis Industry, Alice Guy Azzaro

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Cannabis, once delegated to transactions in the shadows and the constant threat of criminal prosecution, has emerged as a booming industry as states continue to legalize it for medical and recreational use. Federal lawmakers have yet to bless the use of cannabis through legislation, so the threat of criminal penalties looms for both cannabis businesses and the businesses that support them, such as CPA firms. State legalization has brought forth an industry that once operated under the radar into the light of legitimacy. With legitimacy comes the obligation to both report and pay taxes at the federal, state, and local …

Investigating The Impact Of Publicly Announced Information Security Breaches On Corporate Risk Factor Disclosure Tendencies, Sandra J. Cereola, Joanna Dynowska

Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

As the reported number of data breaches increase and senators push for more disclosure regulation, the SEC staff issued a guidance in 2011 on disclosure obligations relating to cybersecurity risks and incidents. More recently, on February 26, 2018 the SEC Commission issued interpretive guidance to help assist public companies prepare disclosures regarding cybersecurity risks and incidents. As reported incidents of cybersecurity breaches occur, investors are concerned about the risks associated with these incidents and the impact they may have on financial performance. Although the SEC staff guidance warns public companies to make timely disclosure, recognizing the threat that cybercrime poses …

The Fall Of The 10-K Report: Measuring The Impact Of Accounting Ratios On Financial Performance, Matthew Daruty

CMC Senior Theses

The annual 10-K report has historically been the most important aspect in assessing the position of a publicly held company. However, as the flow of information has increased with the dawn of new technologies, less and less attention has been paid to these audited financial statements. In order to assess if investors are still reacting to the information contained in the annual report, this paper examines the relationship between accounting ratios and stock price in banks traded on United States stock exchanges. By examining accounting ratios instead of simply looking at Earnings Per Share, new information was revealed regarding what …

Ranking Accounting Journals By Topical Area And Methodology, John A. Barrick, Nathan W. Mecham, Scott L. Summers, David A. Wood

Faculty Publications

This paper presents rankings of accounting journals disaggregated by topical area (AIS, audit, financial, managerial, tax, and other) and methodology (analytical, archival, experimental, and other). We find that only for the financial topical area and archival methodology does the traditional top-3 characterization of the best journals accurately describe which journals publish the most-cited work. For all other areas, including AIS, audit, managerial, tax, and other topics, and all other methodologies, including experimental, analytical, and other methodologies the top- 3 characterization does not describe which journals publish the most cited work. For only analytical research does the traditional top-6 journal characterization …

International Auditing Considerations At Carrefour S.A., Timothy Seidel, Bill Tayler

Faculty Publications

Carrefour S.A. is a multinational retailer headquartered in France that operates over 10,800 stores worldwide consisting of hypermarkets (a supermarket and department store under one roof), supermarkets, and convenience stores, as well as e-commerce websites. The objective of this three-part case study is to expose students to international (or multi-national client) audit issues/considerations. Multi-national clients often have multiple locations or components that require separately audited financial information that is included in consolidated or group financial statements. The first case exposes students to the need to allocate materiality across components of a group audit. The second part of the case then …

Graduate Bulletin: 2019-2020, Minnesota State University Moorhead

Graduate Bulletins (Catalogs)

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Auditors’ Informal Communication In The Audit Environment On Financial Reporting Outcomes, Emily K. Hornok

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

I examine the effect of auditors’ recurring, informal communication with managers and other auditors on financial reporting outcomes in a laboratory experiment in which participants in the roles of auditors and managers interact in a stylized audit setting. My 2×2 between-subjects design manipulates whether the auditors are able to informally communicate with either, neither, or both the manager and other auditors. I find that when the auditor and manager informally communicate, they each develop a social bond, which increases the manager’s feeling of accountability towards the auditor, causes the manager to make more honest representations to the auditor, and leads …

Binary Bright-Line Decision Models For Going Concern Assessment: Analysis Of Analytical Tools For Bankruptcy Prediction Considering Sensitivity To Materiality Thresholds, Sid Bundy

Theses and Dissertations--Accountancy

In August, 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued an update concerning the disclosure of uncertainties about an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern. The standard requires an entities management to evaluate whether there is substantial doubt about the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern and to provide related footnote disclosures in certain circumstances. One consequence of this regulation is the need for guidance for audit testing of management’s assessments in each phase of the audit.

This research evaluates the usefulness of bankruptcy prediction models as analytical tools in the planning stage of an audit for …

Accounting For Goodwill: The Effectiveness Of Amortization And Impairments Before And After Asc 350, Jessica Cruz

CMC Senior Theses

Prior to the implementation of FAS 142 in 2002, goodwill was amortized annually. Now, companies with goodwill on their books must test it annually for impairment. This paper examines the effectiveness of goodwill amortization and impairment of goodwill both before and after the adoption of FAS 142 by analyzing their effect on abnormal stock returns. My results regarding the effect of goodwill amortization on stock returns are inconsistent, suggesting that goodwill amortization is not useful in determining the value of a company. My results also suggest that the stock market anticipates goodwill impairments before they are announced.

An Analysis Of The Financial Reporting Quality Of Early Adopters Of Accounting Standards Update, Asu 2016-02, Hannah D. Eubanks

Theses and Dissertations

In 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board updated the way lease transactions are reported. This paper offers insight into the financial reporting quality of the early adopters of Accounting Standards Update on Leases, ASU 2016-02. Methodology modeled after an event study on clawback provisions conducted by Dehaan, Hodge, and Shelvin (2013) aids in the development of the hypothesis and matched-sample event study using restatements and audit opinions as proxies for financial reporting quality. It is hypothesized that the early adopters of ASU 2016-02 will have better financial reporting quality when compared to a control group. Results do not support the …

The United Nations’ 2030 Agenda For Sustainable Development And The Impact Of The Accounting Industry, Jessica Long

Honors College Theses

No abstract provided.

Storytelling In The Accounting Classroom, Michelle Freeman, Gary Burkette

ETSU Faculty Works

Under what conditions and in what situations is the telling of personal history and other stories an effective teaching tool?

Storytelling has been used by many of the greatest teachers throughout history. Plato, Jesus and Gandi, used stories, parables and personal histories to educate students (Zabel 1991). In fact, storytelling has been referred to as the foundation of the teaching profession (Abrahamson 1998). In recent years, the use of storytelling has received attention from academic researchers and has been studied in several academic disciplines. It has been suggested that the use of storytelling in higher education settings increases student performance …

Regulatory Changes, Board Monitoring And Earnings Management In Nigerian Financial Institutions, Ishaq Ahmed Ishaq Ahmed Mohammed, Ayoib Che-Ahmad, Mazrah Malek

DLSU Business & Economics Review

This paper explores the heterogeneity of board of directors and shareholders involvement in the audit committee in addressing the question of whether the board of directors and audit committee shareholders are effective in suppressing earnings management after the implementation of 2011 revised Code of Corporate Governance in Nigeria. The paper utilized data generated after the implementation of the new Code. It examines explicitly board effectiveness and audit committee shareholder chairman on earnings management in Nigerian financial institutions. The study utilizes a dynamic panel data model of the generalized method of moment (GMM) in analyzing the data. The empirical results suggest …

Exploration Of Financial Accounting: A Compilation Of Individual Case Studies, Allison Gaerke

Honors Theses

This thesis contains twelve accounting-related case studies completed in Accounting 420: Independent Studies, a two-semester thesis course taught by Dr. Victoria Dickinson. For most cases, students were given access to case materials that provided brief descriptions of real companies along with the companies’ financial statements and related footnotes. The cases also provided conceptual, procedural, and analytical questions for students to answer; completing a case study entailed answering the questions selected by Dr. Dickinson and writing a brief introduction to the case. Students were given time in class to work in small groups to start answering the case questions. Students used …

Comprehensive Analysis Of Financial Reporting Through Case Studies, Griffin Anderson Clark

Honors Theses

This thesis covers both fundamental and nuanced issues relating to accounting and, more specifically, financial reporting. These issues range from cash flow analysis to bank auditing opinions. The thesis is a compilation of twelve case studies assigned by Dr. Victoria Dickinson in the Professional Research and Development Program. From a broader perspective, the insight gained through this thesis is primarily concerned with how the three fundamental financial statements, the balance sheet, income statement, and statement of cash flows interact with one another within a given fact set. Transactions, estimates, and adjustments can influence all three financial statements, changing how financial …

Fundamental Accounting Concepts: A Compilation Of Case Studies, Shelby Mackenzie Loftis

Honors Theses

This thesis is a compilation of twelve case studies that were completed over the course of an academic school year. These cases covered a variety of topics such as accounts receivables, property, plant, and equipment (PPE), long-term debt, shareholders' equity, deferred income taxes, revenue recognition, and many more. The cases touched on subjects that were relevant to things we covered in our other accounting classes, along with items we were exposed to during our internship. For many of the cases, we collaborated with fellow students in our thesis class to help analyze some of the questions posed in the case …

The Application Of Accounting Concepts Through Case Studies, Olivia Hamilton

Honors Theses

My thesis addresses several important concepts of accounting principles. These concepts are explored through twelve different case studies that each help address a specific topic. The topics cover the treatment of items such as accounts receivables, property, plant, and equipment, long-term debt, shareholder’s equity, marketable securities, deferred income taxes, and revenue recognition rules. The methods used to complete these cases was to take the information I learned in class as well as reference my textbooks. It helped me to understand what the questions were asking and therefore the corresponding solutions. For each case, I had to search through each company’s …

Accounting Cases, Drew Caruthers

Honors Theses

I developed my thesis in the Accounting 420 class, which is an exclusive class for accounting majors in the Sally Barksdale Honors College at Ole Miss. The class would meet once a week for two semesters. The class period would involve us receiving accounting cases that we would work on during the class and the rest of the week. The accounting cases involve real world companies and financial statements. Each case was designed to help us figure out and learn a different accounting topic each week with a total of 12 cases. The professor, Dr. Dickinson, would grade and suggest …

Accounting Standards And Topics Implemented And Analyzed, Makenzie Courtland Mcneill

Honors Theses

The objective of this thesis is to report on multiple accounting standards and topics through the use of twelve different cases. The cases that were researched included the topics of evaluation of financial statements, profitability and earnings, accounts receivable, and working through a time value of money problem. Additionally, subjects such as research and development costs, the data analytics tool IBM Watson, long-term debt, stockholders’ equity, marketable securities, deferred income taxes, and revenue recognition were also analyzed throughout this paper. These cases were written to help the reader, and others, learn from their questions. The questions in the cases, as …

A Compilation Of Accounting Case Studies, Madelyn Smith

Honors Theses

The following thesis is a compilation of case studies in various areas of financial accounting that I completed over the course of two semesters under the advisory of Dr. Victoria Dickinson. During the class we reviewed different case studies that focused on various accounting concepts and principles that we were learning about in Intermediate Accounting. After analyzing each case and having discussions about the material in class, we would complete questions that required us to understand conceptually and practically how the information provided to us would affect the company. We dealt with companies that followed U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, …

An Analysis Of Financial Accounting Fundamentals Through Case Studies, Sarah Caswell

Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to analyze and discuss a broad range of financial reporting topics. This paper was developed over the course of a year in the Honors Accountancy Independent Study class led by Dr. Victoria Dickinson. It is organized into a series of 12 case studies that each examine a specific accounting issue or topic. This required using all resources available to research and understand the specific topics and companies at hand. This process gave me an advanced knowledge of financial accounting beyond the traditional accounting classroom lectures and textbooks. As a result, writing this thesis acquainted …

An Exploration Of Key Accounting Concepts Through Case Studies, Morgan L. Cannon

Honors Theses

Accounting is a profession characterized by precision, innovation, and evolution. In an everchanging environment, it essential to ascertain a firm foundation in understanding Generally Accepted Accounting Principles as set by the Financial Accounting Standards Board. The following case studies present extensive explanations to promote the understanding of key accounting concepts, preparation and analysis of financial statements, as well as spotlights special topics in the current accounting climate. These case studies contextualize critical accounting concepts to demonstrate the connection between the principles and standards presented in academia as they are adapted in practice. The case studies were completed under the direction …

An Analysis Of Cases In Financial Reporting, Caroline L. Cotton

Honors Theses

This thesis includes twelve different cases of various topics in financial reporting, such as deferred income taxes, revenue recognition, marketable securities, and many others. The solutions to the cases were found in fulfillment of ACCY 420 at the University of Mississippi during the Fall of 2017 and the Spring of 2018. The thesis is formatted below so that the questions to each case are visible to the reader. When it was fitting, there are also journal entries, t-accounts, and tables to go along with the questions. Each case focuses on a different area of financial accounting with an emphasis on …

Funding Strategies For Smallholder Rice Farmers In Afadzato South District, Ghana, Faith S. Ababio-Twi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Agriculture revenue contributions to Ghana's gross domestic product have declined because of limited farm funding, which has constrained some smallholder rice farmers access credit to acquire necessary inputs, and to secure a stable market for their harvests. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore successful strategies some smallholder rice farmers in the Afadzato South District of Ghana used in obtaining farm funding. Data collection included semistructured, face-to-face interviews with 9 smallholder rice farmers who successfully obtained farm funding. Previous research, reports, and policies of the Ghana Ministry of Food and Agriculture served as additional data collection …