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The Joint Effect of Audit Quality and Legal Regimes on the Use of Real Earnings Management: International Evidence

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  • Ahrum Choi
  • Jong‐Hag Choi
  • Byungcherl Charlie Sohn

Abstract

This study investigates whether and how a firm's real earnings management (REM) is influenced by the strength of a country's legal regime and the presence of a Big 4 auditor. In a cross‐country examination using data from 22 countries, we find that REM increases in countries with stronger legal regimes as firms switch from accrual‐based earnings management (AEM) to REM. The presence of a Big 4 auditor reduces REM (as well as AEM) and attenuates the positive relation between legal regime strength and REM. Our results suggest that higher‐quality auditors limit client firms’ use of REM, especially in countries with a strong legal regime. Incidence conjuguée du régime juridique et de la qualité de l'audit sur le recours á la gestion du résultat réel : données internationales Les auteurs se demandent si les sociétés sont influencées par la solidité du régime juridique d'un pays et la présence d'auditeurs des Quatre Grands dans leur décision et leur façon de recourir à la gestion du résultat réel (GRR). L'analyse de données provenant de 22 pays à laquelle ils procèdent révèle que la GRR augmente dans les pays où le régime juridique est plus solide, les sociétés passant de la gestion du résultat fondée sur les régularisations (GRFR) à la GRR. La présence d'un auditeur des Quatre Grands réduit le recours à la GRR (de même qu’à la GRFR) et atténue la relation positive entre la solidité du régime juridique et la GRR. Les résultats de l’étude semblent indiquer que les audits de qualité supérieure sont associés à une limitation du recours à la GRR chez les sociétés clientes, en particulier dans les pays où le régime juridique est solide.

Suggested Citation

  • Ahrum Choi & Jong‐Hag Choi & Byungcherl Charlie Sohn, 2018. "The Joint Effect of Audit Quality and Legal Regimes on the Use of Real Earnings Management: International Evidence," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 35(4), pages 2225-2257, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:coacre:v:35:y:2018:i:4:p:2225-2257
    DOI: 10.1111/1911-3846.12370
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    1. Singh, Harjinder & Sultana, Nigar & Islam, Ariful & Singh, Abhijeet, 2022. "Busy auditors, financial reporting timeliness and quality," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 54(3).
    2. Belal Ali Abdulraheem Ghaleb & Shaker Dahan Al-Duais & Abdulwahid Ahmed Hashed, 2021. "Audit Committee Chair s Legal Expertise and Real Activities Manipulation: Empirical Evidence from Malaysian Energy and Utilities Sectors," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 11(1), pages 65-73.
    3. Elmawazini, Khaled & Galariotis, Emilios & Hossain, Ashrafee T. & Rjiba, Hatem, 2024. "Federal judge ideology and real earnings management," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    4. Tang, Hui-Wen & Chen, Anlin, 2020. "How do market power and industry competition influence the effect of corporate governance on earnings management?," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 212-225.
    5. Hu, Fang & Kusnadi, Yuanto & Wang, Jiwei & Wang, Yujie, 2022. "Insider trading restrictions and real activities earnings management: International evidence," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    6. Zhongchao Wang & Shaoni Zhou & Yuping Zhou & Hao Yang, 2024. "The impact of CEOs' early‐life experience on the financialization of non‐financial firms: Evidence from the great Chinese famine," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(2), pages 1609-1626, April.
    7. Nguyet T. M. Nguyen & Abdullah Iqbal & Radha K. Shiwakoti, 2022. "The context of earnings management and its ability to predict future stock returns," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 59(1), pages 123-169, July.
    8. Lee, Eugenia Y. & Ha, Wonsuk & Park, Sunyoung, 2023. "Auditor specialization in R&D and clients’ R&D investment-q sensitivity," Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 19(2).
    9. Dal Maso, Lorenzo & Kanagaretnam, Kiridaran & Lobo, Gerald J. & Mazzi, Francesco, 2020. "Is accounting enforcement related to risk-taking in the banking industry?," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 49(C).
    10. Mohamed Khalil & Sandy Harianto & Yilmaz Guney, 2022. "Do political connections reduce earnings management?," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 59(1), pages 273-310, July.
    11. Xin Cui & Shouyu Yao & Zhenming Fang & Hua Wang, 2021. "Economic policy uncertainty exposure and earnings management: evidence from China," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 61(3), pages 3937-3976, September.
    12. Choi, Ahrum & Jia, Jingyi & Song, Byron Y. & Zhou, Gaoguang, 2024. "Cultural tightness and financial reporting behavior around the world," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    13. Cheng, Feiyang & Chiao, Chaoshin & Fang, Zhenming & Wang, Chunfeng & Yao, Shouyu, 2020. "Raising short-term debt for long-term investment and stock price crash risk: Evidence from China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 33(C).
    14. Shouyu Yao & Zhuoqun Wang & Mengyue Sun & Jing Liao & Feiyang Cheng, 2020. "Top executives’ early‐life experience and financial disclosure quality: impact from the Great Chinese Famine," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 60(5), pages 4757-4793, December.
    15. Fernando Comiran & Subprasiri Siriviriyakul, 2023. "Detecting overproduction: Evidence from inventory write‐down," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 63(3), pages 3351-3386, September.
    16. Davis, Frederick & Khadivar, Hamed, 2024. "Accrual and real earnings management by rumored takeover targets," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    17. Ahsan Habib & Dinithi Ranasinghe & Julia Yonghua Wu & Pallab Kumar Biswas & Fawad Ahmad, 2022. "Real earnings management: A review of the international literature," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 62(4), pages 4279-4344, December.
    18. Dang, Man & Puwanenthiren, Premkanth & Truong, Cameron & Henry, Darren & Vo, Xuan Vinh, 2022. "Audit quality and seasoned equity offerings methods," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    19. Saeed Rabea Baatwah & Adel Ali Al-Qadasi, 2020. "Determinants of outsourced internal audit function: a further analysis," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 10(4), pages 629-659, December.

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