• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.15 no.7
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• pp.477-488
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• 2015

This study investigates the association between non-audit services and audit quality, using a sample of firms in which audit services and non-audit services are provided by a same audit firm. This study extends previous studies by separating auditors into Big4 and Non-Big4 audit firms as each group may have different incentives to impair their independence. According to the empirical results, audit quality, proxied by absolute value of discretionary accruals has significant negative association with non-audit service fee for Non-Big4 audit firms, but not for Big4 audit firms, suggesting that Non-Big4 audit firms may impair their independence with increased non-audit service fees. Non-Big4 audit firms are known to be relatively small and local firms that might be highly economically dependent upon a specific client firm whereas Big4 audit firms are not. This results may be of interest to regulators and capital market investors and standard setters who concern a recent trend of increasing non-audit services that are provided by an audit firm which also provides audit service at the same time.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.75-80
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• 2016

Purpose - A growing demand for sustainability reporting has placed pressure on firms with non-financial information that affects firm valuation, growth, and development. In particular, a number of researchers have investigated various topics in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), non-financial information. Prior studies suggest that CSR may affect corporate outcomes like corporate reporting, financial performance, and disclosures. However, the results from prior studies are not clear whether CSR affects corporate outcomes. This is partially due to the measurement issues with CSR. In this study, we examine whether CSR affects the quality of corporate reporting, one of the popular measures in corporate outcomes. We find an evidence that CSR positively affects the quality of corporate reporting. Research design, data, and methodology - In this study, we collected a unique dataset of CSR from MSCI. Total 169 firms listed in the Korean Stock Exchange from 2011 to 2014 were collected and analysed with the detailed CSR reports. Using a correlation test, we found a weak association between CSR and the quality of corporate reporting. However, the regression tests provided a strong relationship between CSR and the quality of corporate reporting after controlling for other variables that may affect the quality of corporate reporting. Additionally, we calculated the t-statistics based on heteroskedaticity-consistent standard errors (White, 1980). Results - Before we run the regression test, we sort the measures of the two dependent variables into each rating of CSR (from AAA to CCC). The results indicate that the quality of corporate reporting measured by discretionary accruals and performance-matched discretionary accruals monotonically decrease as the CSR ratings increase. This supports our hypothesis. In the regression tests, the coefficient on MJDA (PMDA) is -0.183 (-0.173) and significant at the 5% level. We can interpret the results as CSR affecting the quality of corporate reporting in positive ways. Other coefficients on control variables are consistent with prior studies. For example, the coefficients on both LOSS and LEV are positive and significant at conventional level, meaning that firms with financial difficulty may harm their quality of corporate reporting. Conclusion - We found an evidence that CSR is positively associated with the quality of corporate reporting. This study contributes to the literature in various ways. First, this study extends the line of CSR research by providing additional evidence in the setting of ethical behaviors by managements. This is consistent with the hypothesis and supports the results of prior studies. Second, to the best of my knowledge, this is the first study using the MSCI CSR ratings. In contrast with prior studies using different measures of CSR, the MSCI CSR ratings allow us to provide in-depth analysis. Third, the additional measure of dependent variable (PMDA) allows us to improve the robustness of our results. Overall, the results provided this study to extend the findings in prior studies by providing incremental evidence.

• Management & Information Systems Review
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.125-140
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• 2015

KOSDAQ market reorganized their division system from two types to four types of division departments such as blue chip, venture, medium, and technology development departments in 2011. However, under the current new division system, financially unhealthy firms attempting to take advantage of the classifying opportunity of blue chip department are likely to engage in pernicious earnings management. The objective of this study is to investigate the earnings management behavior surrounding the time of KOSDAQ firms entering the blue chip department via new division system. More specifically, we test whether the firms classified blue chip department tend to engage in upward earnings management using accruals and real activities before and after they achieve blue chip status. In this study, we analyzed 111 firms classified blue chip department in 2011 according to new division system in KOSDAQ market. Major test results indicate that firms entering the blue chip department according to current KOSDAQ division system in general, tend to inflate reported earnings by means both of accruals and real activities right before the entering year. This result suggests that the firms classified blue chip department engage in opportunistic earnings management with a view to uplifting their market values. Our study is expected to provide clues useful for searching policy directions which intend to ameliorate adverse side effects of the current KOSDAQ division system. In sum, the regulatory authorities and enforcement bodies need to exercise caution in deliberating more stringent review procedures so that financially healthy and promising candidates are properly segregated from their poor and risky counterparts, thus enhancing the beneficial effects, while mitigating adverse side effects of the system.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.66-92
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• 2019

Purpose - Foreign Exchange Rates (FER) have been one of the most significant factors for both Korean exporters and the economy of Korea. The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether exporters with a high level of Exchange Rate Elasticity of Sales (ERES) make the use of earnings management for Income Smoothing (IS). Design/methodology - Income smoothing was obtained using the methodology suggested by Leuz, Nanda and Wysocki (2003). Accruals-based Earnings Management (AEM) was estimated using Discretionary Accruals (DA) calculated by the operant Jones Model developed by Dechow, Sloan and Sweeney (1995). Real Earnings Management (REM) was obtained using the methodologies suggested by Roychowdhury (2006) and Cohen and Zarowin (2010). Data were 2,402 firm years of public listed companies on the KRX, which were not in the financial industry and had a settlement of accounts in December for the period from 2013 to 2017. Findings - Results of the evaluation are as follows. First, companies with higher levels of ERES have relatively lower levels of smoothing of reported income. This might be because a fluctuation in sales caused by an exchange rate fluctuation has a direct impact on the volatility of the reported income. Second, companies with high levels of both ERES and IS have a positive correlation with both AEM and REM. This might be because companies with high levels of IS engage in earnings management to smooth reported income. Specifically, it is possible to assume that for smoothing the reported income, not only AEM but also REM is practiced. Third, companies with high levels of ERES but low levels of IS have a negative correlation with both AEM and REM. This could be interpreted as companies exhibiting low levels of IS due to higher levels of ERES tend to control IS. In addition, such results were supported by firms relying highly on exporting, and are consequently sensitive to exchange rate fluctuation. Therefore, it may conclude that companies with high levels of ERES make the use of earnings management as a means of IS. Originality/value - This study can find its significance from the fact that it is the first study, empirically verifying that companies of Korea, where exportation is a large part, use both AEM and REM as a means for smoothing reported income upon facing exchange rate fluctuations. In addition, it is highly expected that the results of this study could be useful for participants of financial markets when making IS-related decisions.

• Journal of Industrial Convergence
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.65-72
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• 2023

This study's purpose is to verify how the periodically designated auditor in the recently implemented periodic auditor designation system affects audit quality. In this study, hypotheses were established by reviewing previous studies, and 980 samples of 2019 and 2020 were selected for KOSPI-listed companies. Dechow & Dichev (2002)'s accrual quality was used as the dependent variable, and the effect of whether or not a company was periodically designated as an auditor and whether or not a Big 4 auditor was selected was empirically analyzed. As a result of the analysis and correlation analysis, a statistically significant difference was confirmed in the quality of the dependent variable accrual and the independent variable designated auditor (PA). However, as a result of the regression analysis model 1, it was found that the designated auditor was not significant, but it was confirmed that there was a significant difference in the control variables. Further analysis confirmed the difference in audit quality according to the Big 4 auditors. This study is significant in that it is a study that uses empirical data to study the effect of audit quality and the selection of regularly designated auditor companies after the introduction in 2019 and 2020. Due to the non-disclosure of government-designated companies, there is a limit that there may be a difference from the selection based on the researcher's published selection criteria.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.5-11
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• 2013

Purpose - The main question in this study is whether there is any relationship between corporate governance variables and earnings quality. The size of the board and audit committee, the number of stockholding managers and non-executive directors, and management quality are considered as independent corporate governance variables in the hypotheses. Research design, data, and methodology - Earnings quality is used as the dependent variable. Input from the abovementioned variables are drawn from 94 listed companies in the Tehran Stock Exchange for the period between 2006 and 2010. Results - This study examines corporate governance aspects such as the size of the board of directors, the number of shares held by the board, the board's independence, and the percentage of non-executive directors. The results show that establishing an audit committee has a significant role in ensuring higher quality reported earnings. Conclusions - The regression statistics output reveals a meaningful relationship between earnings quality and the size of the board of directors, the number of non-executive directors, and the size of the audit committee. This result indicates that improving earnings quality requires that the size of the board of directors be taken into account.

• The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.15-21
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• 2013

Purpose - Our goal was to determine whether there is a relationship between actual profits' deviation from the profits expected in earnings per share's adjustment announcements and the degree of apparent earnings management in annual financial statements. Research design, data, and methodology - The samples consisted of 133 companies from ten industries. The companies were selected among those listed in the stock exchange, and their data were examined covering the two-year period from 2008 to 2010. Tests were conducted using a regression model and SPSS statistical software. Results - The findings indicate the following. There is no significantly positive relationship among the last earnings per share's adjustment forecast, the first earnings forecast per share, and earnings management. Moreover, the amount of the latest earnings per share's adjustment forecast relative to its first forecast is not associated with the companies' discretionary accruals items. Finally, the hypothesis that a relationship exists between companies' latest adjustments of their earnings per share and earnings management was tested the results indicate that there is no such relationship. Conclusions - The study's results suggest that the amount of earnings per share's adjustment is not a motivation for earnings management.

• The Journal of Information Systems
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.107-124
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• 2005

ERP systems are comprehensive sorfware packages that seek to integrate the complete range of lbusiness processes and functions in order to present a heuristic perspectives of a firm from a single information and information technlogy architecture. The ERP systems have delicate internal controls with built-in devices. It is known that the delicate internal controls help to enhance the accounting transparency. We empirically investigate the relationship between the ERP systems inplementations and an accounting transparency. In order to measure the accounting transparency differences, we compare the ERP systems implementation firms with firms which did not implement the ERP systems by 6 financial ratios (accruals, net profit margin, operation cash folo to sales, total debt to equity, accounts receivable changes, assets quality). Data are collecte from 135 firms implemented the ERP systems and 135 firms non-implemented the systems (the firms listed in the Korea Stock Exchange). We analyze financial statements from 270 firms for the period 2001-2003 to ezamine the 6 financial ratios differences. The results of 810 firms analyses over the 3-year period indicate that the ERP systems implementation firms show the statistically significant differences in the accrual ratio, the net profit margin ratio, operating cash flow to sales ratio, and total debt to equity ratio from the ERP systems non-implementation firms. But there is statistically no differences between the two groups for accounts receivable changes to sales ratio and assets quality.

• The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.23-26
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• 2015

Purpose - To mislead shareholders about a firm's actual economic performance, managers frequently manage dividends. Earnings management also affects performance reviews. Managers attempt to manage reported earnings caused by current economic events to accurately reflect their current performance. Research design, data, and methodology - The sample consisted of 312 company-years from companies in the pharmaceutical distribution industry listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange. A study period from 2004 to 2014 was selected. In this study, a model for measuring the performance of the net profits to total assets of a division of Jones was used to measure earnings management. Results - This study found a negative correlation between corporate performance and earnings management. Conclusions - The results for the earnings management company indicated a significant inverse relationship. Therefore, the company's performance weakened as its earnings management activity increased. In other words, the results showed that the company's performance-based accruals earnings management, the actual management of profits, and the general level of earnings management had significant inverse relationships. Thus, as the company's profits declined, earnings management activity increased.

• Asian Journal of Business Environment
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.5-16
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• 2021

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the impact of auditor-client traffic convenience on accrual -based and real earnings management of the client firms. Research design, data and methodology: Using a sample of firms listed in Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges over the period of 2007 to 2018, this paper empirically investigates the association between auditor-client traffic convenience and earnings management. We use three measures of auditor-client traffic convenience: railway traffic convenience, expressway traffic convenience, and air traffic convenience. The accrual-based earnings management is measured by abnormal accruals estimated by industry and year using the Modified Jones Model. Results: Findings indicate that traffic convenience is conducive to detecting and restraining positive accrual earnings management and real earnings management. After changing the measurement of independent variable and dependent variable, including potential omitted variables, the results are statistically unchanged. Further, the research shows that traffic convenience can not only improve audit quality, but also lead to higher fee premiums. Auditors didn't share with clients the cost reduction benefits caused by traffic convenience. Conclusions: Traffic convenience provides auditors with easy access to the client firms, alleviating the information asymmetry and improving corporate earnings quality. The findings have implications for regulators, audit practitioners and stakeholders.