We examine asset sales as a method of real earnings management around the benchmarks of loss avoidance and last year's earnings. Evidence is reported of asset sales to boost or reduce earnings near the benchmark of last year's earnings. For the benchmark of zero earnings our results are...

We argue that the effectiveness of corporate governance can best be assessed with reference to its ability to provide a positive outcome with respect to choices made by management or controlling shareholders. We use the curtailment of earnings management as a desirable and measurable outcome of...

Previous literature finds that situations that put managers under significant levels of pressure (e.g. IPO, upcoming credit rating changes, violation of debt covenant, etc.) might affect the way earnings are manipulated. The aim of this study is to investigate whether the pressure caused by the...

EU gave the opportunity to each Member State to oblige/allow non-listed (i.e. private) companies to use IFRS. Considering a sample of Italian private companies which switched to IFRS in the time span from 2005 to 2008, we compare financial reporting quality between IFRS adopters and a matched...