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The Impact of Recognition Versus Disclosure on Financial Information: A Preparer's Perspective

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  • SHANA M. CLOR‐PROELL
  • LAUREEN A. MAINES

Abstract

We investigate whether recognition on the face of the financial statements versus disclosure in the footnotes influences the amount that financial managers report for a contingent liability. Using an experiment with corporate controllers and chief financial officers, we find that financial managers in public companies expend more cognitive effort and exhibit less strategic bias under recognition than disclosure. This difference appears to be associated with capital market pressures experienced by public company managers as we find that both the cognitive effort and bias exhibited by private company managers are unaffected by placement. As a result, public company managers make higher liability estimates for recognized versus disclosed liabilities. Their liability estimates are similar to those of private company managers for recognition but lower than private company managers’ estimates for disclosure. Our results have implications for auditors and financial statement users in evaluating recognized versus disclosed information for public and private companies.

Suggested Citation

  • Shana M. Clor‐Proell & Laureen A. Maines, 2014. "The Impact of Recognition Versus Disclosure on Financial Information: A Preparer's Perspective," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(3), pages 671-701, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:joares:v:52:y:2014:i:3:p:671-701
    DOI: 10.1111/1475-679X.12053
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Kusano, Masaki, 2020. "Does recognition versus disclosure affect risk relevance? Evidence from finance leases in Japan," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 38(C).
    2. Ian D. Gow & David F. Larcker & Peter C. Reiss, 2016. "Causal Inference in Accounting Research," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(2), pages 477-523, May.
    3. Kusano, Masaki, 2018. "Effect of capitalizing operating leases on credit ratings: Evidence from Japan," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 45-56.
    4. Novak Aleš, 2016. "Issues in the Recognition versus Disclosure of Financial Information Debate," Naše gospodarstvo/Our economy, Sciendo, vol. 62(4), pages 52-61, December.
    5. Rani Hoitash & Udi Hoitash & Ari Yezegel, 2021. "Can sell-side analysts’ experience, expertise and qualifications help mitigate the adverse effects of accounting reporting complexity?," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 57(3), pages 859-897, October.
    6. Yiwei Dou & M. H. Franco Wong & Baohua Xin, 2019. "The Effect of Financial Reporting Quality on Corporate Investment Efficiency: Evidence from the Adoption of SFAS No. 123R," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 67(5), pages 2249-2266, May.
    7. Soon‐Yeow Phang, 2020. "Impacts of the timing of the discovery of a subsequent event on the auditors’ approach to subsequent events," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 60(4), pages 4121-4146, December.
    8. Koonce, Lisa & Mongold, Cassie & Quaid, Laura & White, Brian J., 2024. "Experimental research on standard-setting issues in financial reporting," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    9. Ma, Mark (Shuai) & Thomas, Wayne B., 2023. "Economic consequences of operating lease recognition," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 75(2).
    10. Jones, Joanne & MacTavish, Carolyn & Schultz, Wendy, 2019. "The effect of gender and firm identification on auditor pre-negotiation judgments," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 49-57.
    11. Libby, Robert & Rennekamp, Kristina M. & Seybert, Nicholas, 2015. "Regulation and the interdependent roles of managers, auditors, and directors in earnings management and accounting choice," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 25-42.
    12. Robert Bloomfield & Mark W. Nelson & Eugene Soltes, 2016. "Gathering Data for Archival, Field, Survey, and Experimental Accounting Research," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(2), pages 341-395, May.

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