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Why controllers compromise on their fiduciary duties: EEG evidence on the role of the human mirror neuron system

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  • Eskenazi, Philip I.
  • Hartmann, Frank G.H.
  • Rietdijk, Wim J.R.

Abstract

Business unit (BU) controllers play a fiduciary role to ensure the integrity of financial reporting. However, they often face social pressure from their BU managers to misreport. Drawing on the literature on the human mirror neuron system, this paper investigates whether controllers' ability to withstand such pressure has a neurobiological basis. We expect that mirror neuron system functionality determines controllers' inclination to succumb to social pressure exerted by self-interested managers to engage in misreporting. We measure mirror neuron system functionality using electroencephalographic (EEG) data from 29 professional controllers during an emotional expressions observation task. The controllers' inclination to misreport was measured using scenarios in which controllers were being pressed by their manager to misreport. We find a positive association between controllers' mirror neuron system functionality and their inclination to yield to managerial pressure. In line with our expectation, we find that this association existed specifically for scenarios in which managers pressed their controllers out of personal rather than organizational interests. We conclude that BU controllers’ neurobiological characteristics are involved in financial misreporting behavior and discuss the implications for accounting research and practice.

Suggested Citation

  • Eskenazi, Philip I. & Hartmann, Frank G.H. & Rietdijk, Wim J.R., 2016. "Why controllers compromise on their fiduciary duties: EEG evidence on the role of the human mirror neuron system," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 41-50.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:aosoci:v:50:y:2016:i:c:p:41-50
    DOI: 10.1016/j.aos.2016.02.003
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    Cited by:

    1. Russell, Hannah Michelle & Ariail, Donald L. & Smith, Katherine Taken & Smith, L. Murphy, 2020. "Analysis of compassion in accounting and business students, overall and by gender," Journal of Accounting Education, Elsevier, vol. 53(C).
    2. van Rinsum, M., 2019. "Utilizing Incentives and Accountability: In Control in Control?," ERIM Inaugural Address Series Research in Management EIA 2019-078-F&A, Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM), ERIM is the joint research institute of the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University and the Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) at Erasmus University Rotterdam..
    3. Christian Daumoser & Bernhard Hirsch & Matthias Sohn, 2018. "Honesty in budgeting: a review of morality and control aspects in the budgetary slack literature," Journal of Management Control: Zeitschrift für Planung und Unternehmenssteuerung, Springer, vol. 29(2), pages 115-159, August.
    4. Kim T. Baumgartner & Carolin A. Ernst & Thomas M. Fischer, 2022. "How Corporate Reputation Disclosures Affect Stakeholders’ Behavioral Intentions: Mediating Mechanisms of Perceived Organizational Performance and Corporate Reputation," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 175(2), pages 361-389, January.
    5. Olsen, Carmen & Gold, Anna, 2018. "Future research directions at the intersection between cognitive neuroscience research and auditors’ professional skepticism," Journal of Accounting Literature, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 127-141.
    6. Bo Karlsson & Anders Hersinger & Monika Kurkkio, 2019. "Hybrid accountants in the age of the business partner: exploring institutional drivers in a mining company," Journal of Management Control: Zeitschrift für Planung und Unternehmenssteuerung, Springer, vol. 30(2), pages 185-211, July.
    7. Anna M. Rose & Jacob M. Rose & Ikseon Suh & Jay Thibodeau & Kristina Linke & Carolyn Strand Norman, 2021. "Why Financial Executives Do Bad Things: The Effects of the Slippery Slope and Tone at the Top on Misreporting Behavior," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 174(2), pages 291-309, November.
    8. Ikseon Suh & John T. Sweeney & Kristina Linke & Joseph M. Wall, 2020. "Boiling the Frog Slowly: The Immersion of C-Suite Financial Executives into Fraud," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 162(3), pages 645-673, March.
    9. Frimanson, Lars & Hornbach, Janina & Hartmann, Frank G.H., 2021. "Performance evaluations and stress: Field evidence of the hormonal effects of evaluation frequency," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).

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