Informal institutions and managers’ earnings management choices: evidence from IFRS-adopting countries

In this study, we investigate the role of informal institutions (religiosity and culture) in determining managers’ choices of earnings management methods (accruals vs. real activities), after controlling for formal institutions (investor protection, enforcement quality and equity market development). Using an ethical perspective, we find that managers tend to choose an earnings management strategy that meets the prevailing social (informal) norms of the environment where the firm is headquartered. Specifically, our analysis shows that firms domiciled in countries with strong religious adherence and highpower- distance cultures prefer to manage their earnings ‘upwards’ through real activities rather than accruals. Overall, our results suggest that informal institutions determine managers’ earnings management choices at least as strongly as formal institutions do. It would therefore be misleading to analyze managers’ choices in managing earnings solely from the formal rules perspective without considering the role of informal constraints or vice versa

Abnormal inventory and performance in manufacturing companies: evidence from the trade credit channel

This paper examines the value of abnormal inventory and the channels through which firms decrease abnormally high inventory or increase abnormally low inventory for a sample of 976 United Kingdom (UK) manufacturing firms over the period from 2006 to 2015. Using GMM regressions, the results show that (i) an optimal inventory policy exists; and (ii) firms that are able to converge at this optimal inventory level byeither decreasing abnormally high inventory or increasing abnormally low inventory to improve operational and stock performance. Importantly, the results show that trade receivables and trade payables are the channels through which firms achieve efficient inventory management

Mapping of Internal Audit Research: A Post-Enron Structured Literature Review

Purpose — This paper reviews the field of internal auditing (IA) post-Enron to develop insights into how IA research has developed, offer a critique of the research to date and identify ways that future research can help to advance IA. Design/methodology/approach — A structured literature review (SLR) was used to analyse 471 papers from 64 journals published between 2005 and 2018 based on a number of criteria; namely, author, journal type, journal location, year, theme, theory, nature of research, research setting, regional focus, method and citations. Findings — The IA literature has not significantly contributed to knowledge of the internal audit function (IAF), and we still know relatively little about the factors that contribute to making the impact of IA practice effective and measurable. The IA literature is US dominated (authors and journals), focused on the American context (publicly listed companies), reliant on positivist analyses and largely makes no explicit reference to theory. Central regions (emerging economies) and key organisational settings (private SMEs and not-for-profit organisations) are largely absent in prior IA research. This paper evaluates and identifies avenues through which future research can help to advance IA in order to address emerging challenges in the field. Originality/value — This is the first comprehensive review to analyse IA research in the postEnron period (2005–2018). The findings are relevant to researchers who are looking for appropriate research outlets and emerging scholars who wish to identify their own research directions. Keywords — Internal audit, internal audit function, structured literature review, Enron Paper type — Literature revie

Information technology in the British and Irish undergraduate accounting degrees

Using an online questionnaire and a series of semi-structured interviews, this study seeks the perceptions ofaccounting educators and professional accounting bodies in the UK and Ireland on the status quo of technologicaldevelopments within accounting curricula and the factors influencing this status quo. Findings suggest a fairlywidespread view that technological developments represent an important area that should be covered acrossaccounting curricula, to expose changes in the marketplace and to enhance the employability of graduates.However, it is still a peripheral component in accounting curricula, with no clear agenda for change. Professionalaccounting bodies seem to play a hegemonic inhibiting role through accreditation requirements although otherinhibitors were reported such as lack of competent/interested staff and lack of time/space in already overloadedsyllabi

Electronic Appraisal Methodology for Right-of-Way Acquisition in Highway Projects

When right-of-way is acquired for highway projects, state departments of transportation (DOTs) must ensure property owners receive a fair market value for their land by delivering high-quality appraisals. Despite recent technological advances, the highly complicated appraisal process often results in similar properties being assessed differently. Several DOTs sponsored a study to develop an electronic appraisal method to improve the appraisal process and to reduce the likelihood of inconsistent appraisal values by capturing, transmitting, storing, managing, and analyzing the appraisal data. The proposed method’s framework is discussed and a prototype of the system has been developed to demonstrate its features

Mycotoxin exposure and human cancer risk : a systematic review of epidemiological studies

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in investigating the carcinogenicity of mycotoxins in humans. This systematic review aims to provide an overview of data linking exposure to different mycotoxins with human cancer risk. Publications (2019 and earlier) of case–control or longitudinal cohort studies were identified in PubMed and EMBASE. These articles were then screened by independent reviewers and their quality was assessed according to the Newcastle–Ottawa scale. Animal, cross‐sectional, and molecular studies satisfied criteria for exclusion. In total, 14 articles were included: 13 case–control studies and 1 longitudinal cohort study. Included articles focused on associations of mycotoxin exposure with primary liver, breast, and cervical cancer. Overall, a positive association between the consumption of aflatoxin‐contaminated foods and primary liver cancer risk was verified. Two case–control studies in Africa investigated the relationship between zearalenone and its metabolites and breast cancer risk, though conflicting results were reported. Two case–control studies investigated the association between hepatocellular carcinoma and fumonisin B1 exposure, but no significant associations were observed. This systematic review incorporates several clear observations of dose‐dependent associations between aflatoxins and liver cancer risk, in keeping with IARC Monograph conclusions. Only few human epidemiological studies investigated the associations between mycotoxin exposures and cancer risk. To close this gap, more in‐depth research is needed to unravel evidence for other common mycotoxins, such as deoxynivalenol and ochratoxin A. The link between mycotoxin exposures and cancer risk has mainly been established in experimental studies, and needs to be confirmed in human epidemiological studies to support the evidence‐based public health strategies

Understanding early organogenesis using a simplified in situ hybridization protocol in Xenopus

Organogenesis is the study of how organs are specified and then acquire their specific shape and functions during development. The Xenopuslaevis embryo is very useful for studying organogenesis because their large size makes them very suitable for identifying organs at the earliest steps in organogenesis. At this time, the primary method used for identifying a specific organ or primordium is whole mount in situ hybridization with labeled antisense RNA probes specific to a gene that is expressed in the organ of interest. In addition, it is relatively easy to manipulate genes or signaling pathways in Xenopus and in situ hybridization allows one to then assay for changes in the presence or morphology of a target organ. Whole mount in situ hybridization is a multi-day protocol with many steps involved. Here we provide a simplified protocol with reduced numbers of steps and reagents used that works well for routine assays. In situ hybridization robots have greatly facilitated the process and we detail how and when we utilize that technology in the process. Once an in situ hybridization is complete, capturing the best image of the result can be frustrating. We provide advice on how to optimize imaging of in situ hybridization results. Although the protocol describes assessing organogenesis in Xenopus laevis, the same basic protocol can almost certainly be adapted to Xenopus tropicalis and other model systems

Development of Best Practices for Right-of-Way Valuations and Negotiations in Transportation Projects

The valuations of properties and the negotiations with property owners are two major tasks in the right-of-way acquisition process for transportation projects. If improved, those tasks can increase the overall project delivery efficiency. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) funded a research project that aimed to recommend some best practices for successful valuations and negotiations in Texas. The authors reviewed the different strategies and procedures followed in TxDOT by conducting interviews and surveys with right-of-way personnel. Guidelines supported by recommended practices were identified for both valuation and negotiation and then reviewed and validated by experts. Lastly, implementation guides were developed