Non-GAAP earnings: International overview and suggestions for future research

This paper shows how non-generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) earnings have been found to be more informative than GAAP earnings in several scenarios like countries where non-GAAP disclosures are compulsory and countries where these disclosures are voluntary but regulated

Contractor tendering research: Going beyond bid/no-bid and markup models

Within a wider research programme into the effectiveness and efficiency of the tendering procedures of construction contractors (CCs), a content analysis of tender research published in 27 journals between 2010 and 2016 found that CC tendering procedure research remains a low-focus area. CC-related tender research commonly focuses on factors influencing ‘bid/no-bid’ and markup decisions, often combined with developed decision modelling. Comparing the content analysis results with semi-structured interviews with 20 Australian civil engineering CCs (including some of Australia’s largest contractors, and with eight involved in international operations), it was found that the industry remains largely unaware and unsupportive of such developed tender decision tools. Instead, CCs suggest tender research should focus on efficient tendering procedures, encouraging clients to use standard rather than bespoke contracts, and improved quality and risk transfer in tender documents. The combined semi-structured interview findings and content analysis results provide researchers with contemporary tender research themes that civil engineering CCs, and potentially more general contractors, are more likely to embrace, thereby advancing the efficiency of construction tendering and contractors’ work procurement management

Choice of governance structure and earnings quality

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the effectiveness of voluntary governance mechanisms in Australia. Design/methodology/approach – This study identifies similar choices of corporate governance by Australian firms and tests the effectiveness of the choices made based on the earnings quality of reported firms. Cluster analysis is conducted using governance best practice variables, firm size and an earnings quality variable. Findings – This paper’s results support the voluntary governance approach for smaller firms, but suggest that mandatory governance requirements could be beneficial for larger firms. Evidence suggests that a benefit accrues for larger firms with the adoption of governance best practice. Cluster analysis indicates that larger firms tend to exhibit higher levels of adoption of governance best practice than smaller firms. Originality/value – This paper adds to the literature by providing important information regarding the suitability of adoption of voluntary governance mechanisms in Australia.Pamela Kent, Richard Anthony Kent, James Routledge, Jenny Stewar