We investigate how activist short sellers (AShSs) expose publicly listed firms in an increasingly popular form of “research reports” openly denouncing alleged frauds, flawed business models, accounting irregularities, and wrongdoings. We focus on six AShSs that issued research reports that...

Traditional forms of expertise are increasingly challenged in different domains, not least because of the possibilities offered by the spread of the Internet. We aim to understand how a claim to alternative expertise in the investment domain emerged, developed, and propagated, taking advantage...

Activist short sellers (AShSs) and financial analysts are information intermediaries who analyze firm disclosures as well as produce and disseminate influential investment narratives. This study aims to better understand narrative challenges surrounding the legitimate expertise of financial...