A HOLISTIC MODEL FOR EARNINGS QUALITY MEASUREMENT USING PARTIAL LEAST SQUARES.

La calidad del resultado es un tema recurrente en investigación contable. Esto genera la necesidad de desarrollar medidas empíricas apropiadas del concepto que permitan extraer conclusiones válidas sobre sus causas o consecuencias. A pesar de la naturaleza multidimensional de la calidad del resultado, los estudios adoptan mayoritariamente enfoques unidimensionales para medirla. Estos modelos sufren de incorrecta especificación y sesgo de estimación al no considerar el resto de dimensiones. Más aún, el escaso número de medidas multidimensionales no incluye todas las dimensiones, asigna igual peso a todas ellas y no considera sus correlaciones. Los principales métodos de estimación de calidad del resultado sufren también de varios problemas. Por esta razón, proponemos el uso de PLS como un proceso sistemático de doble fase que primero analiza la validez y consistencia interna de los conceptos representados por sus medidas empíricas y, si se cumple, la representatividad de las relaciones entre las diferentes variables.Earnings quality is an important topic in empirical research of financial accounting. This makes necessary developing appropriated empirical measures for this concept that allow the extraction of valid conclusions about its causes or consequences. Despite multidimensional nature of earnings quality, the majority of studies adopt unidimensional scopes for its measurement. These models suffer from misspecification and estimation bias for not considering the rest of dimensions. Furthermore, the scant number of multidimensional measures are not including all dimensions, with equal weights for all of them and without controlling for their correlations. The main methods traditionally used to estimate earnings quality suffer as well from several problems. For that reason, we propose the use of PLS as a systematic, double-step process that first analyses the validity and internal consistency of the concepts that are represented by the proxies and, if this is met, the representativeness of the relationships between the different variables.Tesis Univ. Jaén. Departamento de ECONOMÍA FINANCIERA Y CONTABILIDAD. Leída el 10 de enero de 2019

Utilización de Mínimos Cuadrados Parciales en la investigación contable de archivo: Aplicación a la medición de la calidad del resultado

Despite the advantages of Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) over regression models that have contributed to its popularisation in several fields of research in social sciences, it has not been broadly applied in archival accounting research. In this paper, we present a guidance for the application of SEM – and, particularly, the Partial Least Squares (PLS) method – to the (arguably) most recurrent topic on empirical archival accounting research: earnings quality. We highlight several problems that arise in earnings quality measuring, indicating how PLS can help to overcome them. We also run a simulation process whose results show that PLS method outperforms the other approaches even in situations of limited information.PGC2018-096440-B-I0

Una revisión del análisis multidimensional de la calidad del resultado contable

There is a generalized consensus among accounting researchers about the multidimensional nature of earnings quality: Earnings quality depends on a series of characteristics that enhance the usefulness of the earnings figure for decision making. In this paper, we undertake a literature revision on empirical research on earnings quality that reveals that, although earnings quality is probably the most recurrent topic in accounting, empirical research that have treated earnings quality as a multidimensional concept is almost inexistent. In this sense, we document that: (1) Most of the empirical papers on earnings quality deal with just one earnings characteristic, not including the potential effect of the other characteristics related to earnings quality. (2) Some characteristics (particularly, accruals quality and, in a lesser way, conservatism) are widely employed for representing earnings quality, whereas other characteristics (smoothness, persistence) are much less used by researchers. (3) The research on the relationships among the different earnings quality characteristics is scant and with mixed results. (4) Only a few papers develop multidimensional measures of earnings quality, but these measures are based on too restrictive assumptions and there is no evidence of superiority over single-dimension measures. We complement our bibliometric analysis by discussing the limitations of both the single-dimension approach and the multidimensional approaches used to date, illustrating our arguments with a simulation process. Henceforth, this review contributes to prior literature highlighting the main problems in prior literature for earnings quality measurement

Using partial least squares in archival accounting research: an application to earnings quality measuring

Despite the advantages of Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) over regression models that have contributed to its popularisation in several fields of research in social sciences, it has not been broadly applied in archival accounting research. In this paper, we present a guidance for the application of SEM – and, particularly, the Partial Least Squares (PLS) method – to the (arguably) most recurrent topic on empirical archival accounting research: earnings quality. We highlight several problems that arise in earnings quality measuring, indicating how PLS can help to overcome them. We also run a simulation process whose results show that PLS method outperforms the other approaches even in situations of limited information.FPI Acción 16 UJA y Proyecto de Investigación de la Universidad de Jaén UJA/2015/06/0

Why do student perceptions of academic performance improve? The influence of acquired competences and formative assessment in a flipped classroom environment

The university system must be able to respond to the growing demand for graduates with certain skills that guarantee their employability. A key requirement of this goal is the use of different teaching-learning methods, such as the flipped classroom methodology. However, although some studies have shown the advantages of this model, more research is needed to identify the reasons for these positive effects and the contexts in which it works best. In this paper, we analyse the perceptions of students of six undergraduate subjects at the University of Jaén (Spain) concerning their acquired competences and the formative assessment received in a flipped classroom environment. In addition, we analyse whether these two variables influence these student perceptions of achieving better academic outcomes. The results show that both aspects explain student perceptions of better performance and are key elements in the provision of a better learning environment. In this way, these results contribute to the literature concerning the positive effects of a flipped classroom on the teaching-learning process in higher education.Proyecto de Innovación Docente de la Universidad de Jaén titulado ‘Aulas invertidas (Flipped Classroom): Una nueva forma de enseñar y aprender’, Financiado por la Universidad de Jaén (España) como parte del ‘Plan de Innovación y Mejora Docente’ (PIMED-UJA 2019

A Review on the Multidimensional Analysis of Earnings Quality

There is a generalized consensus among accounting researchers about the multidimensional nature of earnings quality: Earnings quality depends on a series of characteristics that enhance the usefulness of the earnings figure for decision making. In this paper, we undertake a literature revision on empirical research on earnings quality that reveals that, although earnings quality is probably the most recurrent topic in accounting, empirical research that have treated earnings quality as a multidimensional concept is almost inexistent. In this sense, we document that: (1) Most of the empirical papers on earnings quality deal with just one earnings characteristic, not including the potential effect of the other characteristics related to earnings quality. (2) Some characteristics (particularly, accruals quality and, in a lesser way, conservatism) are widely employed for representing earnings quality, whereas other characteristics (smoothness, persistence) are much less used by researchers. (3) The research on the relationships among the different earnings quality characteristics is scant and with mixed results. (4) Only a few papers develop multidimensional measures of earnings quality, but these measures are based on too restrictive assumptions and there is no evidence of superiority over single-dimension measures. We complement our bibliometric analysis by discussing the limitations of both the single-dimension approach and the multidimensional approaches used to date, illustrating our arguments with a simulation process. Henceforth, this review contributes to prior literature highlighting the main problems in prior literature for earnings quality measurement

Students’ perceptions of their learning outcomes in a flipped classroom environment

The flipped classroom model has positive effects on the educational process, and has recently become an alternative to the traditional model. However, additional research is necessary to identify the causes of those improvements and the contexts in which this methodology performs better. In this study, we analyze the perceptions of different students pursuing a bachelor’s degree at the University of Jaén (Spain) regarding flipped learning dynamics and the relationship between those perceptions and perceptions of their learning outcomes. Specifically, we investigate whether students’ acquired competences and attitude, as well as the use of formative assessment have positive effects on student perceptions on results. To accomplish this task, during the first semester of the 2020–2021 and 2021–2022 academic years, we collected the opinions of students via a questionnaire and tested those relationships using PLS. The results indicate that the three variables (acquired competences, attitude, and formative assessment) explain the perceptions of students with respect to achieving better grades, and are key elements of superior learning, that can improve students’ performance. Accordingly, this study provides evidence regarding the positive effects of flipped classroom on the teaching–learning process in higher education and explains the reasons for the resulting improvement in learning outcomes.Proyecto de Innovación Docente de la Universidad de Jaén “Aulas invertidas (Flipped Classroom): Una nueva forma de enseñar y aprender”, financiado por la Universidad de Jaén (España) (PIMED-UJA 2019)

The adoption of corporate social responsibility active learning methodology with management accounting students

The aim of this paper is to integrate active methodology on corporate social responsibility (CSR) learning into management accounting studies. The linkages between sustainable management and management accounting demand those future managers integrate CSR into their training in an effective way, as they will become change agents for CSR. A representative sample of students at the University of Jaen has been selected in order to adopt CSR active learning, which allows us to draw conclusions about how they perceive CSR and its management. Qualitative methodology has been integrated in this project-based learning using flipped classroom. Our evidence full supports the validity of the CSR active learning methodology to create an effective learning context that involves professional and emotional competences, as the answers offered mainly included some relevant topics covered by CSR research and social and environmental accounting (SEA). This study contributes to previous literature assessing the potential of active methodologies in CSR learning. Also, it provides important insights for university and business school managers to design or modify curricula that are related to management accounting in line with sustainabilit

Students’ attitude: Key to understanding the improvement of their academic RESULTS in a flipped classroom environment

The flipped classroom model has been shown in recent years to have a positive effect on students’ motivation and academic performance. In this paper, we analyze the perception that students of six undergraduate subjects at University of Ja´en (Spain) have of the subjects’ formative assessment and their attitude towards this new teaching-learning model. In addition, we analyze whether both variables influence their perception of achieving better academic results. The results of our study show that both aspects (formative assessment perception and attitude) explain students’ perception of outcomes. It leads us to conclude that students’ attitude is a key element of fostering more and better learning that improves their performance. In this way, our results provide further evidence for the literature on the positive effects of the flipped classroom on the teaching-learning process at the university level for students, teachers and scholars.“Aulas invertidas (Flipped Classroom): Una nueva forma de enseñar y aprender”, financiado por la Universidad de Jaén en el marco del “Plan de Innovación y Mejora Docente” (PIMED-UJA 2019

Nonprofit good governance mechanisms: A systematic literature review

There is widespread acknowledgment of the importance of nonprofit good governance with a need for guidance on different effective mechanisms to increase ethical practices for the whole sector to assist professionals and researchers. This study explores two research questions: (1) What are the main reasons that inspire nonprofit organizations (NPOs) to implement good governance mechanisms? (2) What are the good governance mechanisms conducted by NPOs? The purpose is to serve as a reference and an instrument of reflection for interested NPOs exploring good governance mechanisms to make their accountability work more effective. We used a systematic literature review methodology for identification, selection, and analysis of published research on nonprofit good governance. A set of 89 articles published until 2021 was analyzed, and a new classification that identified 3 lines and 13 sublines of research was provided. Our results show that a variety of internal mechanisms and international third-party initiatives are underpinned by the need to adhere to standards of ethics and honesty.Grupo de Investigación “SEJ289: Information and Management Systems in the Andalusian Company” de la Universidad de Jaé