Prior literature examines the determinants and consequences of tax avoidance in relation to earnings. Extending this research to the role of cash in motivating corporate tax avoidance, I consider a firm's liquidity, as measured by the quick ratio and free cash flows, insufficient cash holdings,...

This study examines whether the earnings quality of a firm that first announces quarterly earnings in its industry impacts the magnitude of intra-industry information transfers. Prior research shows that higher quality earnings better reflect the operating fundamentals of a firm. I argue that...

The two essays in this dissertation study issues related to debt contracting. The first essay examines whether aspects of debt contracting have been affected by the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 that increased monitoring of management's activities by independent directors,...

We consider a monopolist selling durable goods to consumers with unit demands but different preferences for quality. The seller can offer items of different quality at the same time to induce buyers to self-select, as in Mussa-Rosen (1978), but is not artificially constrained to offer only one...

Tax authorities utilize the audit process, imposing penalties on tax evaders, as their primary means of enforcement. In recent years, a “service” paradigm, whereby tax authorities provide information about correct tax reporting to taxpayers, has shown the potential to further “encourage”...

As an alternative to analyzing field data, our research utilizes controlled laboratory experiments with human decision makers and salient financial incentives. Within the laboratory, we determine (hence, know) the true tax liability, and then identify the effects of information services by...

Publicly reported information on the environmental behavior of firms can increase the efficacy of private markets as a mechanism to control environmental malfeasance through liability for harm, consumer demand response, and shareholder reaction. In the case of mandatory information disclosure...