We examine the determinants of voluntary adoption of IFRS by medium-to-large UK unlisted firms (8417 firms comprising 287 IFRS firms and 8130 non-IFRS firms in 2009). Analysing voluntary adoption allows us to better understand the cost/benefits of choosing a specific set of accounting standards. Using univariate and multivariate analyses, we find that internationality, leverage, firm size and a...

In a large sample of entrepreneurs, 2D:4D (second-to-fourth digit) ratio and managerial performance are studied. Entrepreneurs with lower ratio manage larger firms, manage larger firms when acquire control and experience faster average growth. Firms run by high prenatal testosterone entrepreneurs have lower profitability as measured by return on assets and return on sales. Prenatal testosterone...

We analyze the optimal contract to finance the series of investments of a growing firm. The analysis is based on the need to repeatedly raise funds when informed insiders can expropriate outside investors. The optimal contract can be implemented by a sequence of one-period debt contracts and equity ownership by outsiders. Debt is optimal, as it reduces the expected cost of auditing, while parti...

this paper investigates the relationship between earnings management and quality of earnings for the bankrupt and non-bankrupt firms listed in the tehran stock exchange from 2007 to 2012.the earnings quality  is measured by four separate accounting-based earnings attributes: accruals quality, earnings persistence, earnings predictability; earnings and is also examined by testing the relationshi...

We demonstrate that simply by using the ethnic makeup surrounding a firm’s location, we can predict, on average, which trade links are valuable for firms. Using customs and port authority data on the international shipments of all U.S. publicly-traded firms, we show that firms are significantly more likely to trade with countries that have a large resident population near their firm headquarter...

We provide a unified explanation for several apparent anomalies in the cross-section of asset returns, namely the failure of the CAPM to account for the cross-sectional relation between average stock returns and firm valuation ratios, past investment, profitability, market beta, or idiosyncratic volatility. Using a calibrated structural model, we argue that these characteristics are imperfect p...

We use an innovative survey tool to collect management practice data from 731 medium sized manufacturing firms in Europe and the US. We find these are strongly associated with better firm performance in terms of productivity, return on capital employed (profitability), Tobin’s Q and sales growth. We also find a surprisingly large dispersion of management practices across firms with a long ‘tail...

Building on concepts from a resource-based view of a firm and real option theory we propose a model that describes the links between a firm options development and the expected profitability. Empirical results of structural equation models on the video-game industry indicate that (i) the balance between industry innovativeness and firm inno-vativeness affects the perception of potential option,...