IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i17p13026-d1228242.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Mandatory Disclosure of Corporate Social Responsibility and the Quality of Earnings Management

Author

Listed:
  • Qunpeng Fan

    (School of Economic, Management and Law, Jilin Normal University, Siping 136000, China
    Graduate School of Management of Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan 48547, Republic of Korea
    These authors contributed equally to this work and should be regarded as co-first authors.)

  • Dongphil Chun

    (Graduate School of Management of Technology, Pukyong National University, Busan 48547, Republic of Korea)

  • Qi Ban

    (School of Finance, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China)

  • Yitong Jiang

    (School of Economics, Shanghai University, Shanghai 201800, China)

  • Huiting Li

    (School of Foreign Languages for Business, Guangxi University of Finance and Economics, Nanning 530007, China
    These authors contributed equally to this work and should be regarded as co-first authors.)

  • Luyuan Xu

    (School of Economics and Trade, Guangxi University of Finance and Economics, Nanning 530007, China)

Abstract

Using the exogenous shock caused by the mandatory corporate social responsibility (CSR) information disclosure policy in 2008, this paper examines the impact of mandatory CSR information disclosure on the earnings management activities of listed firms in China from the perspective of external corporate regulation based on the Difference-in-Differences (DID) method. The results show that mandatory CSR information disclosure can significantly improve the quality of firms’ earnings management. The mechanism analysis shows that the policy’s enhancement of the effectiveness of external regulation by regulators and the media played an important role in curbing firms’ earnings management activities. The heterogeneity analysis shows that the inhibitory effect of mandatory CSR disclosure policy on firms’ earnings management activities is better in firms with lower analyst coverage and lower institutional ownership. The study further extends the mechanism of the impact of mandatory CSR disclosure on firms’ earnings management activities, and provides practical guidance on how to improve the quality of firms’ earnings management and enhance the efficiency of corporate governance.

Suggested Citation

  • Qunpeng Fan & Dongphil Chun & Qi Ban & Yitong Jiang & Huiting Li & Luyuan Xu, 2023. "Mandatory Disclosure of Corporate Social Responsibility and the Quality of Earnings Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-20, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:17:p:13026-:d:1228242
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/17/13026/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/17/13026/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Xue, Shuyu & Chang, Qi & Xu, Jingwen, 2023. "The effect of voluntary and mandatory corporate social responsibility disclosure on firm profitability: Evidence from China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    2. Qi Ban, 2022. "The Quality of Corporate Social Responsibility Information Disclosure and Enterprise Innovation: Evidence from Chinese Listed Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-22, December.
    3. Alfred Endres & Tim Friehe & Bianca Rundshagen, 2015. "Environmental liability law and R&D subsidies: results on the screening of firms and the use of uniform policy," Environmental Economics and Policy Studies, Springer;Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies - SEEPS, vol. 17(4), pages 521-541, October.
    4. Roychowdhury, Sugata, 2006. "Earnings management through real activities manipulation," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(3), pages 335-370, December.
    5. Goss, Allen & Roberts, Gordon S., 2011. "The impact of corporate social responsibility on the cost of bank loans," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 35(7), pages 1794-1810, July.
    6. Jiang, Wei & Zhang, Cheng & Si, Chengyu, 2022. "The real effect of mandatory CSR disclosure: Evidence of corporate tax avoidance," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    7. Xue Wang & Feng Cao & Kangtao Ye, 2018. "Mandatory Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Reporting and Financial Reporting Quality: Evidence from a Quasi-Natural Experiment," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 152(1), pages 253-274, September.
    8. Chen, Yi-Chun & Hung, Mingyi & Wang, Yongxiang, 2018. "The effect of mandatory CSR disclosure on firm profitability and social externalities: Evidence from China," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(1), pages 169-190.
    9. Yonghai Wang & Jiawei Wang, 2023. "Does mandatory CSR disclosure affect audit efficiency? Evidence from China," Managerial Auditing Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 38(6), pages 863-900, June.
    10. Dameng Hu & Yuanzhe Huang & Changbiao Zhong, 2021. "Does Environmental Information Disclosure Affect the Sustainable Development of Enterprises: The Role of Green Innovation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-22, October.
    11. Bushman, Robert M. & Piotroski, Joseph D., 2006. "Financial reporting incentives for conservative accounting: The influence of legal and political institutions," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(1-2), pages 107-148, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Qi Ban & Huiting Zhu, 2023. "Quality of Mandatory Social Responsibility Disclosure and Total Factor Productivity of Enterprises: Evidence from Chinese Listed Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-22, June.
    2. Rong Xu & Yongze Cui & Qi Ban & Yang Xie & Xiaoyun Fan, 2024. "Can Mandatory Disclosure of CSR Information Drive the Transformation of Firms towards High-Quality Development?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-21, May.
    3. Qi Ban, 2022. "The Quality of Corporate Social Responsibility Information Disclosure and Enterprise Innovation: Evidence from Chinese Listed Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-22, December.
    4. Liu, Chengyun & Su, Kun & Zhang, Miaomiao, 2021. "Water disclosure and financial reporting quality for social changes: Empirical evidence from China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 166(C).
    5. Qinlin Zhong & Fuxiu Jiang & Dan Li & Chun Yuan, 2023. "How does mandatory CSR reporting affect supply chain? A new perspective from suppliers," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 63(1), pages 199-227, March.
    6. Fangjun Wang & Zhichao Zhang & Luying Xu, 2020. "Corporate social responsibility and financial statement comparability: Evidence from China," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(3), pages 1375-1394, May.
    7. Xin, Zhuoyao & Zhang, Zongyi & Xiang, Cheng, 2024. "Do suppliers value clients’ ESG profiles? Evidence from Chinese firms," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 241-258.
    8. Hu, Juncheng, 2021. "Do facilitation payments affect earnings management? Evidence from China," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    9. Jiang, Wei & Zhang, Cheng & Si, Chengyu, 2022. "The real effect of mandatory CSR disclosure: Evidence of corporate tax avoidance," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    10. Yuyuan Chang & Wen He & Jianling Wang, 2021. "Government Initiated Corporate Social Responsibility Activities: Evidence from a Poverty Alleviation Campaign in China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 173(4), pages 661-685, November.
    11. Masahiro Enomoto, 2018. "Cross-Country Research on Earnings Quality: A Literature Review and Future Opportunities," Discussion Paper Series DP2018-06, Research Institute for Economics & Business Administration, Kobe University, revised Oct 2020.
    12. Viana, Jr., Dante Baiardo C. & Lourenço, Isabel & Black, Ervin L. & Martins, Orleans Silva, 2023. "Macroeconomic instability, institutions, and earnings management: An analysis in developed and emerging market countries," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 51(C).
    13. Ramzi Benkraiem & Sabri Boubaker & Asif Saeed, 2022. "How does corporate social responsibility engagement affect the information content of stock prices?," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 43(5), pages 1266-1289, July.
    14. Isabel‐Maria García‐Sánchez & Nazim Hussain & Sana Akbar Khan & Jennifer Martínez‐Ferrero, 2020. "Managerial entrenchment, corporate social responsibility, and earnings management," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(4), pages 1818-1833, July.
    15. He, Guanming & Li, Zhichao & Yu, Ling & Zhou, Zhanqiang, 2023. "Contribution to poverty alleviation: A waste or benefit for corporate financing?," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    16. Ho, Simon S.M. & Li, Annie Yuansha & Tam, Kinsun & Tong, Jamie Y., 2016. "Ethical image, corporate social responsibility, and R&D valuation," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 40(PB), pages 335-348.
    17. Anagnostopoulou, Seraina C. & Tsekrekos, Andrianos E. & Voulgaris, Georgios, 2021. "Accounting conservatism and corporate social responsibility," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 53(4).
    18. Garanina, Tatiana & Kim, Oksana, 2023. "The relationship between CSR disclosure and accounting conservatism: The role of state ownership," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    19. Sun, Weizheng & Chen, Shuning & Jiao, Yuqing & Feng, Xu, 2024. "How does ESG constrain corporate earnings management? Evidence from China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    20. Wang, Kai & Li, Tingting & San, Ziyao & Gao, Hao, 2023. "How does corporate ESG performance affect stock liquidity? Evidence from China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).

    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:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:17:p:13026-:d:1228242. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.