The moderating effect of corporate governance on the relationship between accrual earnings management and firm performance
Subject Areas : Role of accounting in capital market efficiency and Informativeness
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Keywords: Earnings Management, Financial Performance, Corporate Governance,
Abstract :
This study examines the relationship between earnings management and firm performance, emphasizing the moderating role of corporate governance. Based on agency theory, managers may use earnings management as a tool to enhance personal benefits, which can lead to abuse and reduce the quality of financial reporting. Corporate governance mechanisms, such as an efficient and independent board of directors, are essential to controlling opportunistic earnings management and improving financial reporting quality. The characteristics of the board of directors, including size, composition, ownership, and independence, can influence the extent of earnings management control. The statistical population of this research includes companies listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange from 2012 to 2022. Data were collected using the Rahavard Novin software and the Codal system. The findings indicate that earnings management affects firm performance, and managers use earnings management to improve short-term company performance. However, corporate governance quality did not play a moderating role in this relationship. Additionally, managers under pressure from shareholders and the market tend to invest in short-term projects with quick returns while neglecting long-term opportunities with higher profitability. This applied research adopts an ex-post empirical method, and its results highlight the importance of strengthening corporate governance mechanisms to reduce opportunistic earnings management and enhance long-term firm performance
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