IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/ausact/v26y2016i1p66-75.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Influence of Remuneration Structures on Financial Reporting Quality: Evidence from Australia

Author

Listed:
  • Maryam Safari
  • Barry J. Cooper
  • Steven Dellaportas

Abstract

type="main"> This cross-sectional study investigates the influence of remuneration structures on financial reporting quality, based on a sample of companies listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX). Compliance with Remuneration Principle eight issued by ASX (providing recommendations on formation, operation and disclosure of remuneration committees) is expected to improve financial reporting quality represented by a decreased level of earnings management. This study expands the corporate governance literature by examining an under-researched mechanism to address the agency problem. Earnings management, as a consequence of the agency problem, is measured using the level of absolute discretionary accruals. In this study, we use the modified Jones model to measure the level of discretionary accruals and the existence of reduced earnings management. The study is conducted using a random sample of 214 firm-year observations selected from the ASX listed companies. Our findings show a higher level of compliance with the principle on remuneration is associated with lower levels of earnings management. The findings support the efficient functioning of the ASX-proposed remuneration structure in reducing earnings manipulations.

Suggested Citation

  • Maryam Safari & Barry J. Cooper & Steven Dellaportas, 2016. "The Influence of Remuneration Structures on Financial Reporting Quality: Evidence from Australia," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 26(1), pages 66-75, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ausact:v:26:y:2016:i:1:p:66-75
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1111/auar.12083
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Laurent Botti & Sabri Boubaker & Amal Hamrouni & Bernardin Solonandrasana, 2014. "Corporate governance efficiency and internet financial reporting quality," Review of Accounting and Finance, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 13(1), pages 43-64, February.
    2. Bergstresser, Daniel & Philippon, Thomas, 2006. "CEO incentives and earnings management," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 80(3), pages 511-529, June.
    3. Klein, April, 2002. "Audit committee, board of director characteristics, and earnings management," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 33(3), pages 375-400, August.
    4. Yu Flora Kuang, 2008. "Performance-vested Stock Options and Earnings Management," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(9-10), pages 1049-1078.
    5. Renee B. Adams & Benjamin E. Hermalin & Michael S. Weisbach, 2010. "The Role of Boards of Directors in Corporate Governance: A Conceptual Framework and Survey," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 48(1), pages 58-107, March.
    6. Chang, Jui Chin & Sun, Huey-Lian, 2009. "Corrigendum to "Crossed-listed Foreign Firms' Earnings Informativeness, Earnings Management and Disclosures of Corporate Governance Information under SOX" [International Journal of Accountin," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 44(2), pages 217-217, June.
    7. Xie, Biao & Davidson, Wallace III & DaDalt, Peter J., 2003. "Earnings management and corporate governance: the role of the board and the audit committee," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 9(3), pages 295-316, June.
    8. Zoltan Matolcsy & Jonathan Tyler & Peter Wells, 2011. "The Impact of Quasi-Regulatory Reforms on Boards and Their Committees During the Period 2001–2007," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 21(4), pages 352-364, December.
    9. Hart, Oliver, 1995. "Corporate Governance: Some Theory and Implications," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 105(430), pages 678-689, May.
    10. Michael C. Jensen, 2010. "The Modern Industrial Revolution, Exit, and the Failure of Internal Control Systems," Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, Morgan Stanley, vol. 22(1), pages 43-58, January.
    11. Degeorge, Francois & Patel, Jayendu & Zeckhauser, Richard, 1999. "Earnings Management to Exceed Thresholds," The Journal of Business, University of Chicago Press, vol. 72(1), pages 1-33, January.
    12. Pepper, Alexander & Gore, Julie & Crossman, Alf, 2013. "Are long-term incentive plans an effective and efficient way of motivating senior executives?," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 41818, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    13. Jerry Sun & George Lan & Guoping Liu, 2014. "Independent audit committee characteristics and real earnings management," Managerial Auditing Journal, Emerald Group Publishing, vol. 29(2), pages 153-172, February.
    14. Michael Seamer, 2014. "Does Effective Corporate Facilitate Continuous Market Disclosure?," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 24(2), pages 111-126, June.
    15. Niamh Brennan, 2008. "Editor's Introduction. Corporate Governance and Financial Reporting," Open Access publications 10197/3855, Research Repository, University College Dublin.
    16. Reza Monem, 2011. "The One.Tel Collapse: Lessons for Corporate Governance," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 21(4), pages 340-351, December.
    17. Robert G. Bowman & Farshid Navissi, 2003. "Earnings management and abnormal returns: Evidence from the 1970–1972 Price Control Regulations," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 43(1), pages 1-19, March.
    18. Jay Dahya & John J. McConnell & Nickolaos G. Travlos, 2002. "The Cadbury Committee, Corporate Performance, and Top Management Turnover," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 57(1), pages 461-483, February.
    19. Duchin, Ran & Matsusaka, John G. & Ozbas, Oguzhan, 2010. "When are outside directors effective?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 96(2), pages 195-214, May.
    20. Jacqueline Christensen & Pamela Kent & Jenny Stewart, 2010. "Corporate Governance and Company Performance in Australia," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 20(4), pages 372-386, December.
    21. Mark Wilson, 2011. "Earnings Management in Australian Corporations," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 21(3), pages 205-221, September.
    22. Benjamin E. Hermalin & Michael S. Weisbach, 2003. "Boards of directors as an endogenously determined institution: a survey of the economic literature," Economic Policy Review, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, vol. 9(Apr), pages 7-26.
    23. David Aboody & John Hughes & Jing Liu, 2005. "Earnings Quality, Insider Trading, and Cost of Capital," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(5), pages 651-673, December.
    24. Jones, Jj, 1991. "Earnings Management During Import Relief Investigations," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(2), pages 193-228.
    25. Andrew Ferguson & Matthew Grosse & Stephen Kean & Tom Scott, 2011. "Your Governance or Mine?," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 21(4), pages 406-417, December.
    26. Coles, Jeffrey L. & Daniel, Naveen D. & Naveen, Lalitha, 2008. "Boards: Does one size fit all," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(2), pages 329-356, February.
    27. Bushman, Robert M. & Smith, Abbie J., 2001. "Financial accounting information and corporate governance," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(1-3), pages 237-333, December.
    28. Hutchinson, Marion & Gul, Ferdinand A., 2004. "Investment opportunity set, corporate governance practices and firm performance," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 10(4), pages 595-614, September.
    29. Klein, April, 1998. "Firm Performance and Board Committee Structure," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 41(1), pages 275-303, April.
    30. Craig Deegan & Muhammad Azizul Islam, 2012. "Corporate Commitment to Sustainability – Is it All Hot Air? An Australian Review of the Linkage between Executive Pay and Sustainable Performance," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 22(4), pages 384-397, December.
    31. Kothari, S.P. & Leone, Andrew J. & Wasley, Charles E., 2005. "Performance matched discretionary accrual measures," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 163-197, February.
    32. Healy, Paul M., 1985. "The effect of bonus schemes on accounting decisions," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 7(1-3), pages 85-107, April.
    33. Reeb, David & Upadhyay, Arun, 2010. "Subordinate board structures," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 16(4), pages 469-486, September.
    34. Chang, Jui Chin & Sun, Heuy Lian, 2009. "Crossed-listed foreign firms' earnings informativeness, earnings management and disclosures of corporate governance information under SOX," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 44(1), pages 1-32, March.
    35. Koh, Ping-Sheng, 2003. "On the association between institutional ownership and aggressive corporate earnings management in Australia," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(2), pages 105-128.
    36. Ahn, Sungyoon & Choi, Wooseok, 2009. "The role of bank monitoring in corporate governance: Evidence from borrowers' earnings management behavior," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 33(2), pages 425-434, February.
    37. Ryan Davidson & Jenny Goodwin‐Stewart & Pamela Kent, 2005. "Internal governance structures and earnings management," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 45(2), pages 241-267, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Ujkan Bajra & Simon Cadez, 2018. "The Impact of Corporate Governance Quality on Earnings Management: Evidence from European Companies Cross†listed in the US," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 28(2), pages 152-166, June.
    2. Stewart Jones & Nurul Alam, 2019. "A machine learning analysis of citation impact among selected Pacific Basin journals," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 59(4), pages 2509-2552, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ujkan Bajra & Simon Cadez, 2018. "The Impact of Corporate Governance Quality on Earnings Management: Evidence from European Companies Cross†listed in the US," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 28(2), pages 152-166, June.
    2. Nooraisah Katmon & Omar Al Farooque, 2017. "Exploring the Impact of Internal Corporate Governance on the Relation Between Disclosure Quality and Earnings Management in the UK Listed Companies," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 142(2), pages 345-367, May.
    3. Nimisha Kapoor & Sandeep Goel, 2017. "Board Characteristics, Firm Profitability and Earnings Management: Evidence from India," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 27(2), pages 180-194, June.
    4. Ahsan Habib & Md. Borhan Uddin Bhuiyan, 2016. "Overlapping Membership on Audit and Compensation Committees and Financial Reporting Quality," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 26(1), pages 76-90, March.
    5. Armstrong, Christopher S. & Guay, Wayne R. & Weber, Joseph P., 2010. "The role of information and financial reporting in corporate governance and debt contracting," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(2-3), pages 179-234, December.
    6. Nguyen, Quynh & Kim, Maria H. & Ali, Searat, 2024. "Corporate governance and earnings management: Evidence from Vietnamese listed firms," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 89(PA), pages 775-801.
    7. Hussein Abedi Shamsabadi & Byung-Seong Min & Richard Chung, 2016. "Corporate governance and dividend strategy: lessons from Australia," International Journal of Managerial Finance, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 12(5), pages 583-610, October.
    8. Dechow, Patricia & Ge, Weili & Schrand, Catherine, 2010. "Understanding earnings quality: A review of the proxies, their determinants and their consequences," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(2-3), pages 344-401, December.
    9. Alves, Sandra, 2012. "Executive stock options and earnings management in the portuguese listed companies," Revista de Contabilidad - Spanish Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 15(2), pages 211-235.
    10. Hideaki Sakawa & Naoki Watanabel, 2021. "Earnings quality and internal control in bank-dominated corporate governance," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 20(2), pages 188-220, April.
    11. Renee B. Adams & Benjamin E. Hermalin & Michael S. Weisbach, 2010. "The Role of Boards of Directors in Corporate Governance: A Conceptual Framework and Survey," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 48(1), pages 58-107, March.
    12. Crespí-Cladera, Rafel & Pascual-Fuster, Bartolomé, 2014. "Does the independence of independent directors matter?," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 28(C), pages 116-134.
    13. Ng, Jeffrey & Wu, Hong & Zhai, Weihuan & Zhao, Jing, 2021. "The effect of shareholder activism on earnings management: Evidence from shareholder proposals11We appreciate the helpful comments and suggestions from Stephen Taylor, Gary Biddle, Santosh Ramalingego," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    14. Naeem Tabassum & Satwinder Singh, 2020. "Corporate Governance and Organisational Performance," Springer Books, Springer, number 978-3-030-48527-6, January.
    15. Mohamed Khalil & Aydin Ozkan, 2016. "Board Independence, Audit Quality and Earnings Management: Evidence from Egypt," Journal of Emerging Market Finance, Institute for Financial Management and Research, vol. 15(1), pages 84-118, April.
    16. Bill Francis & Iftekhar Hasan & Qiang Wu, 2015. "Professors in the Boardroom and Their Impact on Corporate Governance and Firm Performance," Financial Management, Financial Management Association International, vol. 44(3), pages 547-581, September.
    17. Zhi‐Yuan Feng & Hua‐Wei Huang, 2021. "Corporate governance and earnings management: A quantile regression approach," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(4), pages 5056-5072, October.
    18. Mehdi Bouras & Mohamed Imen Gallali, 2017. "Earnings Management, Equity-based Compensation, Economic Conjuncture and Governance Mechanisms: A Comparative Study between France and the United States," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 7(2), pages 585-600.
    19. Dauth, Tobias & Pronobis, Paul & Schmid, Stefan, 2017. "Exploring the link between internationalization of top management and accounting quality: The CFO’s international experience matters," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 26(1), pages 71-88.
    20. Chia-Ling Chao & Shwu-Min Horng, 2013. "Asset write-offs discretion and accruals management in Taiwan: the role of corporate governance," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 40(1), pages 41-74, January.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:ausact:v:26:y:2016:i:1:p:66-75. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/journal.asp?ref=1035-6908 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.