This study investigates whether the agency conflicts inherent in a dual class ownership structure are associated with the level of firms' tax avoidance. Dual class ownership presents a unique agency problem because insiders' voting rights (i.e., insiders' ability to control the firm) exceed...

This study examines the effect of shareholder scrutiny of tax issues on corporate tax behavior. Specifically, we examine the factors associated with receiving shareholder tax litigation and the effect of such litigation on the future tax behavior of both the sued firm and its peers. We find...

This paper examines the impact of religion on financial reporting. We predict that firms in religious areas are less likely to engage in financial reporting irregularities because prior research links religiosity to reduced acceptance of unethical business practices and because managers in...

Using a unique, hand-gathered sample of 893 forward-looking voluntary disclosures by 70 proxy contest firms during 1992–2001, we examine whether managers temporarily alter the frequency and tone of their disclosures during proxy contests. Broadly consistent with the corporate control contest...

This study examines whether factors that influence firms' overall investment strategies also influence the decision to invest in a tax shelter. Our results suggest that firms with large investment opportunity sets are less likely to invest in tax shelters. We also find that firms with greater...

This study investigates whether expected economic growth is associated with corporate tax planning. We predict that higher expected economic growth increases the net present value of tax planning opportunities and thus increases investment in tax planning. Consistent with our prediction, we find...

We explore the effect of corporate opacity on the relation between staggered boards and firm value. We find that through mitigating takeover pressure, staggered boards become increasingly beneficial to firm value as opacity increases. In addition, we document that staggered boards reduce value...

We examine the effect IFRS adoption has had on audit effort and the effectiveness of greater audit effort on constraining earnings management. While prior studies have examined the costs of IFRS adoption, it is unclear whether IFRS adoption affects audit effort and whether extra audit effort...

Recent studies indicate dividends are associated with higher quality earnings. Our study extends the literature by examining whether dividends' information is associated with auditors' assessment of their clients' earnings quality. Our results show that auditors charge lower fees to...

This study examines the extent to which audit clients successfully engage in internal control opinion shopping activities and whether audit market competition appears to facilitate those activities. Regulators have long been concerned about the impact of both audit market competition and opinion...