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Corporate governance and earnings management: Evidence from Vietnamese listed firms

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  • Nguyen, Quynh
  • Kim, Maria H.
  • Ali, Searat

Abstract

Using the hand-collected data of 800 Vietnamese non-financial firms from 2008 to 2018, this study constructs a comprehensive corporate governance index in alignment with the corporate governance code of best practices in Vietnam. We provide strong evidence that corporate governance quality restrains earnings management, measured by both the absolute and signed discretionary accruals and the real earnings management. In particular, the negative association between corporate governance quality and earnings management is more profound in private firms (non-SOEs), firms with high foreign ownership and low concentrated ownership, and high growth firms compared to their peers. The observed results are robust to alternative measures of discretionary accruals, total accruals andreal earnings management. Furthermore, the results are corroborated using instrumental variables, firm fixed effects and propensity score matching methods to address potential reverse causality and sample selection bias.

Suggested Citation

  • 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.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:reveco:v:89:y:2024:i:pa:p:775-801
    DOI: 10.1016/j.iref.2023.07.084
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Corporate governance; Ownership structure; Accrual-based earnings management; Real earnings management; Discretionary accruals; Emerging markets; Vietnam;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill
    • G34 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Mergers; Acquisitions; Restructuring; Corporate Governance
    • M41 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - Accounting

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