In recent years, scholars have started to draw on upper echelons theory to analyze the relationship between the characteristics of top managers and management accounting and control systems. This short survey paper aims to give an overview of upper echelons theory and its current applications to...

This study investigates whether family businesses (FBs) differ from non-family businesses (NFBs) regarding the institutionalisation of management accounting. Furthermore, it analyses whether FB-specific contextual factors such as the existence of non-family management and the level of family...

We discuss the measurement of environmental performance (EP) in quantitative empirical research. Initially, we review and classify existing EP measures. Based on that, we analyze their validity and reliability. To provide a clear conceptualization of EP, we mainly refer to the framework of Wood...

Value based performance measures are intended to capture increases in shareholder wealth. At the same time they have to measure the realization of the returns initially planned for. To provide incentives for management to act in the interest of owners, bonus payments are often based on these...

The correct definition and calculation of the free cash flows plays a crucial role in the process of valuing companies. The two main components of a valuation model, free cash flow and the costs of capital, need to be determined simultaneously. The different approaches to valuation are different...

This paper studies the role of the accrual process for providing value relevant information on intangibles. Expensing research & development (R&D) expenditures is, by nature, equivalent to cash accounting. Prior studies have found that accrual information has superior explanatory power for...

Die mit der Unternehmenssteuerreform 2008 vorgesehenen Änderungen sind für die Unternehmensbewertung von erheblicher Relevanz: Insbesondere die Einführung einer sog. Zinsschranke, welche die steuerliche Abzugsfähigkeit von Zinsaufwendungen beschränken soll, die Tarifsenkung bei der...

With its standards FAS 141 and 142 the Financial Accounting Standard Board has revolution-ized the accounting for business combinations. One of the major changes is the abolishment of goodwill-amortization, which has been replaced by an annual impairment test at the level of a reporting unit....

This paper examines compensation schemes in order to induce efficient investment decisions by a manager. The problem under investigation is the manager's "impatience". A shorter time horizon or higher personal cost of capital may induce him to underinvest relative to the efficient investment...

Wertorientierte Steuerungskennzahlen sollen den Zielerreichungsgrad bezüglich der Zielsetzung der Steigerung des Vermögens der Eigentümer wiedergeben. Sie müssen aber auch die spätere Erwirtschaftung der geplanten Überschüsse sicherstellen. Um dezentrale Manager zu zielkonformem Verhalten...