Real Earnings Management and the Organisational Life Cycle – The Example of Industrial Enterprises

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15678/ZNUEK.2022.0997.0301

Keywords:

real earnings management, organisational life cycle, Roychowdhury model, Dickinson model, industrial enterprises

Abstract

Objective: The paper shows the scope and paths of real earnings management (REM) in industrial enterprises listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange and located in diversified phases of the organisational life cycle.

Research Design & Methods: Analytical formulas created by S. Roychowdhury were used to estimate the scale of real net profit (and loss) management. The phases of an organisation’s life cycle were distinguished using V. Dickinson’s assumptions. The research also employed non-parametric tests: Kruskal-Wallis or Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon.

Findings: Companies’ REM practices were noted to intensify particularly during introduction and decline phases. Such practices include overproduction, the manipulation of sales volumes, relaxed receivables management policy, and extraordinary price discounts.

Implications / Recommendations: The level and nature of REM practices differ statistically according to the phase of the life cycle in which the enterprise is located.

Contribution: The research contributes to the further search for factors that determine REM on the Polish capital market.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Adizes I. (1979), Organizational Passages – Diagnosing and Treating Lifecycle Problems of Organizations, „Organizational Dynamics”, vol. 8(1), https://doi.org/10.1016/0090-2616(79)90001-9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0090-2616(79)90001-9

Ali A., Zhang W. (2015), CEO Tenure and Earnings Management, „Journal of Accounting and Economics”, vol. 59(1), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacceco.2014.11.004. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacceco.2014.11.004

Bansal M., Ali A., Choudhary B. (2021), Real Earnings Management and Stock Returns: Moderating Role of Cross-sectional Effects, „Asian Journal of Accounting Research”, vol. 6(3), https://doi.org/10.1108/AJAR-11-2020-0107. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/AJAR-11-2020-0107

Bartov E. (1993), The Timing of Asset Sales and Earnings Manipulation, „The Accounting Review”, vol. 68(4).

Becker C.L., DeFond M.L., Jiambalvo J., Subramanyam K.R. (1998), The Effect of Audit Quality on Earnings Management, „Contemporary Accounting Research”, vol. 15(1), https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1911-3846.1998.tb00547.x. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1911-3846.1998.tb00547.x

Bedard J., Chtourou S.M., Courteau L. (2004), The Effect of Audit Committee Expertise, Independence, and Activity on Aggressive Earnings Management, „Auditing: A Journal of Practice & Theory”, vol. 23(2), https://doi.org/10.2308/aud.2004.23.2.13. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2308/aud.2004.23.2.13

Bereskin F.L., Hsu P-H., Rotenberg W. (2018), The Real Effects of Real Earnings Management: Evidence from Innovation, „Contemporary Accounting Research”, vol. 35(1), https://doi.org/10.1111/1911-3846.12376. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1911-3846.12376

Bulan L.T., Yan Z. (2010), Firm Maturity and the Pecking Order Theory, „International Journal of Business and Economics”, vol. 9(3), http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1760505. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1760505

Bushee B.J. (1998), The Influence of Institutional Investors on Myopic R&D Investment Behavior, „The Accounting Review”, vol. 73(3).

Campa D. (2019), Earnings Management Strategies during Financial Difficulties: A Comparison between Listed and Unlisted French Companies, „Research in International Business and Finance”, vol. 50, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ribaf.2019.07.001. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ribaf.2019.07.001

Comporek M. (2020), Analiza porównawcza zastosowania modeli Roychowdhury’ego i Gunny w estymacji realnego zarządzania zyskiem, „Zeszyty Naukowe Uniwersytetu Ekonomicznego w Krakowie”, nr 4(988), https://doi.org/10.15678/ZNUEK.2020.0988.0403. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15678/ZNUEK.2020.0988.0403

Dichev I.D., Graham J.R., Harvey C.R., Rajgopal S. (2013), Earnings Quality: Evidence from the Field, „Journal of Accounting and Economics”, vol. 56(1–2), suppl. 1, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacceco.2013.05.004. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacceco.2013.05.004

Dickinson V. (2011), Cash Flow Patterns as a Proxy for Firm Life Cycle, „The Accounting Review”, vol. 86(6), http://dx.doi.org/10.2308/accr-10130. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2308/accr-10130

Ferentinou A.C., Anagnostopoulou S.C. (2016), Accrual-based and Real Earnings Management before and after IFRS Adoption, „Journal of Applied Accounting Research”, vol. 17(1), https://doi.org/10.1108/JAAR-01-2014-0009. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JAAR-01-2014-0009

Ghaleb B., Kamardin H. (2018), Real Earnings Management: A Review of Literature and Future Research, „Asian Journal of Finance & Accounting”, vol. 10(1), https://doi.org/10.5296/ajfa.v10i1.13282. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5296/ajfa.v10i1.13282

Graham J.R., Harvey C.R., Rajgopal S. (2005), The Economic Implications of Corporate Financial Reporting, „Journal of Accounting and Economics”, vol. 40, https://doi.org/10.3386/w10550. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3386/w10550

Greiner L.E. (1972), Evolution and Revolution as Organizations Grow, „Harvard Business Review”, vol. 7–8.

Gunny K.A. (2010), The Relation between Earnings Management Using Real Activities Manipulation and Future Performance: Evidence from Meeting Earnings Benchmarks, „Contemporary Accounting Research”, vol. 27(3), https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1911-3846.2010.01029.x. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1911-3846.2010.01029.x

Hanks S. (1990), An Empirical Examination of the Organizational Life Cycle in High Technology Firms, Doctoral dissertation, Graduate School of Business, University of Utah.

Hermanson D.R., Ackert L.F., Popova V.K., Qu H. (2021), Real Earnings Management: Insights for Financial Professionals, „Management Accounting Quarterly”, vol. 22(4).

Järvinen T., Myllymäki E-M. (2015), Real Earnings Management before and after Reporting SOX 404 Material Weaknesses, „Accounting Horizons”, vol. 30(1), https://doi.org/10.2308/acch-51310. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2308/acch-51310

Jovanovic B. (1982), Selection and the Evolution of Industry, „Econometrica”, vol. 50(3), https://doi.org/10.2307/1912606. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/1912606

Khurana I.K., Pereira R., Zhang E. (2018), Is Real Earnings Smoothing Harmful? Evidence from Firm-specific Stock Price Crash Risk, „Contemporary Accounting Research”, vol. 35(1), https://doi.org/10.1111/1911-3846.12353. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1911-3846.12353

Kim J., Kim Y., Zhou J. (2017), Languages and Earnings Management, „Journal of Accounting and Economics”, vol. 63(2–3), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacceco.2017.04.001. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacceco.2017.04.001

Kim S.H., An Y. (2018), The Effect of Ownership-control Disparity on the Chinese Firm’s Real Activity Earnings Management, „Pacific Accounting Review”, vol. 30(4), https://doi.org/10.1108/PAR-01-2018-0003. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/PAR-01-2018-0003

Koronacki J., Mielniczuk J. (2001), Statystyka dla studentów kierunków technicznych i przyrodniczych, Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN, Warszawa.

Lester D.L., Parnell J.A., Carraher A. (2003), Organizational Life Cycle: A Five-stage Empirical Scale, „The International Journal of Organization Analysis”, vol. 11(4), https://doi.org/10.1108/eb028979. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/eb028979

Puto A., Brendzel-Skowera K. (2011), Przegląd wybranych modeli rozwoju współczesnych przedsiębiorstw, „Zeszyty Naukowe Politechniki Częstochowskiej. Zarządzanie”, nr 1.

Quinn R.E., Cameron K. (1983), Organizational Life Cycles and Shifting Criteria of Effectiveness: Some Preliminary Evidence, „Management Science”, vol. 29(1), https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.29.1.33. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.29.1.33

Roychowdhury S. (2006), Earnings Management through Real Activities Manipulation, „Journal of Accounting and Economics”, vol. 42(3), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacceco.2006.01.002. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacceco.2006.01.002

Schipper K. (1989), Commentary on Earnings Management, „Accounting Horizons”, vol. 3(4–5).

Spence A.M. (1979), Investment Strategy and Growth in a New Market, „The Bell Journal of Economics”, vol. 10(1), https://doi.org/10.2307/3003316. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/3003316

Śnieżek E., Wiatr M. (2017), Interpretacja i analiza przepływów pieniężnych. Ujęcie sprawozdawcze i menedżerskie, Wolters Kluwer Polska, Warszawa.

Vorst P. (2016), Real Earnings Management and Long-term Operating Performance: The Role of Reversals in Discretionary Investment Cuts, „Accounting Review”, vol. 91(4), https://doi.org/10.2308/accr-51281. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2308/accr-51281

Wang S., D’Souza J.M. (2006), Earnings Management: The Effect of Accounting Flexibility on R&D Investment Choices, Johnson School Research Paper Series No. 33–06, http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.878345 . DOI: https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.878345

Wernerfelt B. (1985), The Dynamics of Prices and Market Shares over the Product Life Cycle, „Management Science”, vol. 31(8), https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.31.8.928. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.31.8.928

Downloads

Published

15-12-2022

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Comporek, M. (2022). Real Earnings Management and the Organisational Life Cycle – The Example of Industrial Enterprises. Krakow Review of Economics and Management Zeszyty Naukowe Uniwersytetu Ekonomicznego W Krakowie, 3(997), 11-29. https://doi.org/10.15678/ZNUEK.2022.0997.0301