Finance and Financial Management Commons^™

Effects Of Political Connections On Earnings Management Practices In Nigeria: Does The Board Of Directors’ Efficacy Matter?, Auwalu Musa

International Journal of Management, Finance and Accounting

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of political connections and earnings management and to explore the role of the board of directors’ efficacy on the relationship between political connections and earnings management practices. A panel data set of 365 observations from 73 firms (2018 to 2022) listed on the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX) was used, and the Driscoll and Kraay standard error fixed effect was employed in testing the hypotheses. The findings indicated that politically connected boards are positively associated with accrual earnings management and negatively associated with real earnings management practices. The study also finds …

Unveiling The Pathways: Exploring Influential Factors Shaping The Intentions To Engage With Chatgpt, Nurul Izzah, Anusuyah Subbarao

International Journal of Management, Finance and Accounting

Artificial intelligence (AI), notably embodied in ChatGPT, has transformed various sectors, including education and content creation. Initially conceptualized in the 1950s, AI’s integration into education has facilitated personalized learning and dynamic evaluations. ChatGPT, an AI language model, exhibits advancements in natural language processing, aiding users in generating custom content. ChatGPT has rapidly gained popularity, reaching over 100 million monthly users. Its educational potential lies in providing tailored learning experiences and streamlining administrative tasks. However, there is a lack of research in the literature on factors influencing the use of ChatGPT among university students in Malaysia for educational purposes. Therefore, the …

Decade-Long Analysis Of Sustainable Development Goals Compliance And Financial Performance Tiers In All Banking Companies Listed On Bursa Malaysia, Kien Seng Lok, Khai Wah Khaw, Xinying Chew, Wei Chien Ng

International Journal of Management, Finance and Accounting

This study examines the relationship between Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) compliance and financial performance in Malaysian banks from 2013 to 2022. Using advanced machine learning techniques, including Support Vector Machines, Decision Trees, K-nearest Neighbours, Extra Trees, Gradient Boosting, and Random Forests, banks were classified into financial performance tiers. Gradient Boosting was the most effective, achieving 80% accuracy in categorising medium and low-performance tiers. Significant correlations were found between SDGs 10 and 15, as well as financial metrics like market capitalisation and asset turnover. These findings highlight the benefits of integrating specific SDGs into banking strategies and the need for supportive …

Exploration Of Designing An Automatic Classifier For Questions Containing Code Snippets—A Case Study Of Oracle Sql Certification Exam Questions, Hung-Yi Chen, Po-Chou Shih, Yunsen Wang

Department of Accounting and Finance Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

This study uses the Oracle SQL certification exam questions to explore the design of automatic classifiers for exam questions containing code snippets. SQL’s question classification assigns a class label in the exam topics to a question. With this classification, questions can be selected from the test bank according to the testing scope to assemble a more suitable test paper. Classifying questions containing code snippets is more challenging than classifying questions with general text descriptions. In this study, we use factorial experiments to identify the effects of the factors of the feature representation scheme and the machine learning method on the …

Managers' Staging Of Earnings Conference Calls Around Actual Share Repurchases, Hong Kim Duong, Chuong Do, Huy N. Do

Accounting Faculty Publications

We use earnings call transcripts to examine whether managers strategically change their disclosure behaviors before an actual share repurchase. Our findings suggest that managers use tone management to strategically portray a more negative outlook for the firm in the earnings call before an actual repurchase. In addition, we find that managers of repurchasing firms “cast” the call with more unfavorable analysts even when more favorable analysts are available. These disclosure strategies aim to influence the information flows to the market and allow repurchasing firms to repurchase their shares at a discounted price. We further show that insiders of repurchasing firms …

Has The Iasb Successfully Achieved Its Stated Goals? A Literature Synthesis And Theoretical Model, Stephen B. Salter, Hong Kim Duong, Gaurav Gupta

Accounting Faculty Publications

The purpose of this paper is to examine whether the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) has been successful in achieving its stated objective of enhancing the comparability of financial reports produced across the globe. According to IFRS.org, "IFRS Accounting Standards bring transparency by enhancing the international comparability and quality of financial information, enabling investors and other market participants to make informed economic decisions." To meet our research objective, we summarize the research on international financial reporting standards (IFRS) found in seven relevant ABDC A and A* journals for 2016-2021. Based on the examination of published research, we create a model …

Employee Benefit Plan Audits: Knowledge Spillover For Improving Quality, Lisa Ann Nash

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study provides a unique glimpse into the work of non-BigN accounting firms offering Employee Benefit Plan (EBP) audit services for single employer defined contribution plans. The study examines knowledge spillover from joint services and EBP auditor specialization to improve EBP audit quality. EBPs often incur low-quality audits, resulting in penalties assessed by the Department of Labor (DOL) for deficiencies. Companies may feel a sense of comfort hiring the same auditor they used for their company financial statements, but the EBP audits require the auditor to possess specialized knowledge beyond the requirements for the financial statements to confirm compliance with …

Effect Of Trade Openness On Food Security In Economic Community Of West African States Region, Yahaya Umar Isah, Ikubor, Ofili Jude, Bernard, O. A., Zakari Saheed S., Ayodeji, S.

DLSU Business & Economics Review

This study investigates the impact of trade openness on food security in the ECOWAS trade zone. The study relied on the system GMM approach to analyze the impact of trade openness on overall and disaggregated components of food security in the ECOWAS trade zone during the period 2014 and 2021. Annual time series data were sourced from the Food and Agriculture Organization, World Bank Metadata base, and World Integrated Trade Solution. Major findings from the study reveal that trade openness has a significant positive impact on overall food security indicators. However, trade openness has not significantly impacted food availability and …

The Global Value Chain Effects Of Rcep: Estimating The Impact On The Philippines, Caesar B. Cororaton

DLSU Business & Economics Review

This paper extends the global CGE model results of Cororaton (2022) by disaggregating further the RCEP trade creation effects on the Philippines into global value chain (GVC) impacts. The GVC analysis indicates that the trade agreement in RCEP results in higher Philippine exports of US$ 2.8 billion in 2031, of which the increase in Philippine domestic value added is US$ 2.4 billion, significantly higher than the foreign value added of US$ 403 million. Electronic products contribute 67% of the value added generated within the Philippines. The increase in the import contents of Philippine exports is only US$ 413 million. Furthermore, …

Proof Of Reserves: A Double-Helix Framework, Maksym Lazirko, Deniz Appelbaum, Miklos Vasarhelyi

Department of Accounting and Finance Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Cryptocurrency exchanges face increasing pressure to demonstrate reserve adequacy following platform failures, yet current Proof of Reserves (PoR) systems suffer from incomplete verification approaches that examine either on-chain or off-chain assets separately. This study introduces the Double-Helix Framework, a verification methodology that integrates on-chain blockchain analysis with off-chain consensus algorithms to provide complete assessment of exchange financial positions. The framework employs parallel verification strands that simultaneously validate blockchain-recorded transactions and off-chain financial information, creating a unified assessment mechanism that addresses the verification gaps in existing PoR systems. The framework's integration of traditional auditing principles with distributed ledger verification creates new …

Breaking The Language Barriers? Machine Translation Technology And Analysts’ Forecasts For Firms With Foreign Operations, Bingxu Fang, Pengkai Lin

Research Collection School Of Accountancy

We study the impact of machine translation technology on analysts’ forecasts for firms with foreign operations. Exploiting the staggered rollout of Google Translate’s support for translating foreign languages into English, we find that U.S. analysts improve their forecast accuracy for firms with substantial business exposure to the corresponding foreign countries. We obtain similar evidence using an international sample of analysts covering firms outside their home countries. The improvement in forecast accuracy is greater for analysts with limited language skills or brokerage resources to process foreign information. Further analysis suggests that analysts raise more questions about firms’ foreign exposure during conference …

Uncovering Earnings Management In The U.S. Tech Industry: Strategies To Meet Or Just Beat Analyst Eps Expectations, Morgan Schilling

CMC Senior Theses

This paper investigates earnings management practices within the U.S. tech industry, focusing on firms that meet or just beat analyst EPS expectations. I specifically built off the Stubben (2010) model that used discretionary revenue to identify potential mismanagement across multiple industries. The modified model incorporates deferred revenue as well as accounts receivable to identify revenue recognition practices in an industry where subscription based revenue is highly relevant. I hypothesize that tech firms with aggressive revenue recognition strategies, particularly those with higher levels of accounts receivable, are more likely to engage in earnings management in order to meet EPS targets. A …

Altman Z-Score Relationship With Stock Price Performance After Layoff Announcements, Natalie Phillips

CMC Senior Theses

This paper examines the broader implications of such workforce reductions, historically prevalent in corporate environments since the advent of "new capitalism" in the late 20th century. Characterized by intense global competition, deregulation, and technological advancements, this era saw a surge in corporate downsizing as a means to enhance efficiency and competitiveness. Despite the strategic intentions, layoffs often signal underlying organizational challenges, prompting critical inquiry into their short- and long-term impacts on firm performance and investor sentiment. Central to this study is the exploration of whether a firm's Altman Z-Score, a metric predicting bankruptcy risk, influences stock price reactions following layoff …

The Pricing Of Forecast-Based Earnings Uncertainty In Equity Markets, Brenda G. Galvan

CMC Senior Theses

This paper constructs a firm-level measure of earnings forecast uncertainty by adapting the macroeconomic methodology of Jurado et al. (2015) to micro-level financial statement data from Compustat and CRSP. Using a two-stage estimation procedure, I first forecast the scaled year-over-year changes in earnings, defined as the change in income before extraordinary items normalized by firm sales,based on lagged firm fundamentals. I then model the squared forecast errors to extract the unpredictable component of earnings variation, generating a forward-looking, firm-specific measure of ex-ante uncertainty. Empirically, I examine whether this forecast uncertainty measure is priced in equity markets by regressing future stock …

The Effect Of The Tcja And Cares Act On Charitable Contributions And The Financial Health Of The Nonprofit Sector, Nathanio A. Bright

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis examines the impact of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act of 2020 on charitable contributions and nonprofit financial health. The standard deduction increase introduced by the TCJA disincentivized middle to low-income earners from making contributions. In March 2020, Congress temporarily increased the AGI limit on charitable deductions while simultaneously offering an above-the-line deduction for all U.S. taxpayers. While earlier studies have analyzed the effect of the TCJA in disincentivizing charitable contributions, no study has examined the moderating effect of the TCJA and CARES Act in affecting contributions …

Accounting Aspects Of Appraisals, Raymond A. Weber

Bachelors’ Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to explain the application of appraisals to the following specific accounting problems: 1. The Establishment of Plant Accounts 2.The Determination of Invested Capital 3. The Distribution of Departmental Investment

It is important to keep accurate property records in every line of industry; yet property accounts are subject to many inaccuracies, and their correct maintenance offers many perplexing problems to the accountant. This thesis is, therefore, an attempt to point out some of the more common errors which creep into property records, and to show how appraisals may be applied to correct these errors. Particular …

Navigating Uncertainty In Global Auditing: Institutional Barriers, Coordination Challenges, And Auditor Responses, Eric P. Krause

2025

Enhancing transparency and coordination in global auditing is increasingly critical as financial markets become more interconnected. My dissertation examines how regulatory fragmentation and uncertainty shape cross-border audit practices and outcomes. Through three related studies, I explore the effects of economic and political uncertainty, regulatory tension, and global audit network structures on audit-related decisions and consequences. The first paper is a literature review that synthesizes findings from over 40 empirical studies on how economic and political uncertainty affect financial reporting, capital markets, and auditor behavior. Motivated by the rise of uncertainty indices—such as the Economic Policy Uncertainty (EPU) Index (Baker et …

Watchdogs Or Lapdogs: How Audit Committees Influence Financial Reporting Quality And Cybersecurity, Yanru Yang

2025

With the increasing complexity of the business environment, the role of corporate governance and oversight is expanding continuously. Grounded in archival research, my dissertation consists of three studies that explore the features of audit committees in monitoring both financial reporting and broader areas, such as cybersecurity.

The first paper, co-authored with Gopal Krishnan and Wei Yu, examines the implications of audit committee (AC) director departure for financial reporting quality and audit risk. We find that the departures in the firms with most concerning AC departures are associated with a higher likelihood of a future “Big R” restatement announcement and auditor …

Navigating New Capital Sources: Financing Constraints And The Growth Of Private Credit, David George Mathias Jr.

CMC Senior Theses

The rapid growth of private credit—non-bank lending where firms receive funds directly from private lenders like asset managers, private equity firms, and institutional investors—has reshaped corporate financing dynamics. This paper examines how private credit influences firm financing constraints and macroeconomic risk through the use of a dataset consisting of private credit deals, firm-level financial metrics, and macroeconomic indicators from 1995 to 2023. Regression analysis reveals that private credit has an insignificant effect on financing constraints as it generally acts as a substitute for traditional financing and a counterforce to tightening bank policies. However, a significant relationship emerges between private credit …

Bed Allocation Model For Infection Control During A Pandemic, Rosemary R. Seva, Dennis E. Cruz, Lourdes Marie Tejero

DLSU Business & Economics Review

This study proposes a model of allocating beds in a hospital considering infection control during a pandemic. The problem was formulated using the quadratic assignment problem (QAP) in a multi-period planning horizon. The main objective is to

minimize the spread of infection by maximizing the total distance (TD) between areas assigned to the pandemic and non- pandemic patients. Model validation using GAMS showed that the assignment of patient groups to areas is determined by

the arrival rates of patients and the area’s capacity. The model was able to identify periods when the sharing of space was more advantageous. The model’s …

The Follower Fallacy: Revisiting Engagement Hypothesis By Evidencing Nonlinear Dynamics In Influencer Marketing, Pranjal Jain, Pooja Jain, Anju Jain

DLSU Business & Economics Review

The traditional premise posits a positive correlation between influencer following (indegree) and engagement metrics, covering likes, shares, comments, and so forth. This study aims to either affirm or dent this engagement hypothesis. Through a methodical analysis of engagement data, this research recognizes potential deviations from the anticipated linear trajectory. Contrary to antecedental social influence, campaign customization, indegree composition, and post components define diverse nonlinear trajectories, empirically challenging the existing research assumptions underlying hypothesis. By evidencing the multifaceted dynamics of influencer engagement, this study offers critical insights for marketers navigating the complexities of contemporary digital marketing landscapes, facilitating the optimization of …

Determinants Of Corporate Capital Structure And The Emerging Role Of Intangibles And Innovation: The Case Of Japanese Corporations, Michael Angelo A. Cortez

DLSU Business & Economics Review

This study aims to modernize capital structure determinants in line with changing economic environments by incorporating the function of intangible assets, particularly innovations, into capital structure decisions. Traditional independent variables such as tangibility, firm size, profitability, growth opportunities, and profitability have been thoroughly researched, but the growing importance of intangible assets and innovations in the contemporary economy with advanced technology calls for a reassessment of their impact on capital structures. I examine 95 enterprises listed in the Nikkei over 11 years (2014–2024) using cross-section generalized least squares regression and dynamic panel data estimation. Results show that corporate leverage decisions (debt-to-equity …

Assessing The Impact Of Shifting To Non- Combusted Alternatives To Reduce The Economic Cost Of Tobacco-Related Illnesses: A Cost Of Illness Approach In The Philippine Case, Christopher James Cabuay

DLSU Business & Economics Review

Smoking continues to be one of the leading causes of death and disability around the world. Recent health studies, however, have reported that these diseases are more likely to be due to the smoke from burning rather than the actual nicotine content. This study uses a cost-of-illness approach in estimating the cost of smoking-related illness in the Philippines and calculating the potential reduction in costs if a significant portion of the adult smoking population switches to the exclusive use of non-combusted alternatives (NCAs), which drastically reduces the risk of contracting smoking-related diseases. This study finds that cost reductions in the …

Vocational Education And Training (Tvet) And Its Impact On The Employment Prospects Of The Als Graduates, Martha Joy J. Abing, Mitzie Irene P. Conchada

DLSU Business & Economics Review

The pressure for technical-vocational education and training to deliver skilled and competent laborers has become a major concern in the labor market. As such, the strong desire to explore the effectiveness of TVET’s skills training programs remains. There is limited literature on the employability of the alternative learning system graduates in comparison to those graduates of the ALS program who did not pursue TVET. Using the dataset of the World Bank STEP Skills Measurement Household Survey for the Philippines, 2015-2016, this study seeks to determine whether completing TVET has significantly increased the employability of ALS graduates. Utilizing the method of …

A Review Of Climate Change And Its Financial Impact On The Transportation Sector, Ray Anthony L. Almonares

DLSU Business & Economics Review

In this paper, I review the existing literature on climate risks—both transition and physical—and their relationship with firm performance, with a specific focus on transportation finance. I find that the broad literature on carbon emissions and firm performance overlooks two critical characteristics of the global transportation sector: its heavy reliance on fossil fuels and the international scope of its operations. As a result, the conclusions drawn from this body of work may not be directly applicable to global transportation companies. Furthermore, I examine existing studies on extreme sea levels and the global maritime transportation sector, noting that these studies have …

Performance Auditing Trends At A Supreme Audit Institution: Uk National Audit Office, 1999 To 2021, Amir Michael, Laurence Ferry, Bruce Mcdonald, Henry Midgley

School of Public Service Faculty Publications

Performance audits have become increasingly important across the world. Scholars know that a variety of practices are incorporated within performance audits and have mapped this diversity. However, few quantitative studies examine performance auditing as a practice. This study fills that gap. By analyzing the published performance audit documentation of the UK National Audit Office (NAO), the study explores the influences of governmental change and crises behind changes in a supreme audit institution's performance audit. It also examines whether performance audits are diverse by examining the language used by the auditors. The study provides evidence that neither crises nor changes of …

Provision Cfo: Empowering Strategic Financial Excellence For Small Businesses And Entrepreneurs, Cindra Vang

Doctor of Strategic Leadership (DSL) Capstone Abstracts

Project Overview

ProVision CFO offers strategic financial management solutions tailored to the unique needs of entrepreneurs, small businesses, and rapidly growing organizations. This project aims to equip clients with robust financial strategies and actionable insights necessary for sustainable growth, operational excellence, and long-term success. ProVision CFO provides comprehensive financial guidance including fractional CFO and accounting services.

Project Themes

The ProVision CFO framework encompasses three key components designed to optimize financial performance and organizational effectiveness. Component One—Strategic Clarity: Establishing clear financial goals aligned with organizational vision, mission, and values. Component Two—Financial Optimization: Providing accounting services to streamline financial processes and enhance …

Financial Literacy As A Predictor For Future Financial Outcomes, Roy Baker Jr.

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

John Adams once stated that “All the perplexities, confusions and distresses in America arise not from defects in their constitutions or confederation, not from a wont of honor or virtue, so much as from the downright ignorance of the nature of coin, credit, and circulation” (Adams, 1787). Yet the apparent lack of dedication to the financial literacy of the U.S. population seems contrary to one of our Founding Father’s sentiments. Implementation of a financial literacy curriculum at the secondary education level can be described as ad hoc at best. Using delinquency data and the financial literacy programs of all 50 …

Harvest Gold Distillery, Alexis Mackey, Alexander Grecco, Cole Smith, Maggie Patterson, Blake Benko

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The goal of our research project is to establish and grow Harvest Gold Distillery: a corn-based liquor distillery in Ohio that aims to produce and sell high-quality spirits while offering unique services that enhance outreach in the community. The motivation behind this business venture is rooted in one of our team member’s family traditions; Alex’s family makes homemade liquors, which has fostered an in-depth understanding of the distillation process. Alex’s firsthand experience with the craft provides a solid foundation, yet we recognize that starting a distillery involves significant challenges and requires thorough research in several functions of business. This project …

Corruption Perception, Institutional Quality And Stock Prices: Evidence From The Egyptian Capital Market, Rasha Elbolok, Gina Eltabei, Dina Hassouna

Business Administration

This study examines the impact of institutional quality and corruption perception on stock prices in the Egyptian capital market, with a focus on the post-revolution period from to . Using the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) methodology, this study provides empirical evidence on the significant role of macro-political factors and firm-specific variables in shaping stock market dynamics. The findings reveal that institutional quality, characterized by governance efficiency, regulatory frameworks, and the rule of law, positively correlates with stock prices. Similarly, enhanced corruption perception control significantly boosts investor confidence, leading to increased market valuations. Firm-level factors such as Tobin’s Q and …