Empirical Studies in Financial Accounting

Abstract This study investigates for developing a model for corporate governance rating in Iran. We review corporate governance literature and resources and after taking into account social, economic, political and cultural conditions of Iran, the conceptual model and questionnaire was prepared. Based on the developed conceptual model, ownership effects, shareholders right, transparency and board effectiveness were selected as criteria of the model. Every criterion includes some components and every component has some indicators. The questionnaire was filled by academic and capital market experts and analyzed by AHP and TOPSIS methods and final model was developed. Research findings show that transparency, board effectiveness, shareholders rights and ownership effects orderly have the biggest coefficients in the model. Consistency rate of criteria's and components is also in the acceptable level. (Below 10%)

Abstract Empirical studies of capital structure are fraught with difficulties. As mentioned by Harris and Raviv (1991), the interpretation of results of these studies should consider the difficulties involved in measuring both leverage and the explanatory variables. In other words, resulting from empirical studies of capital structure is "definitional-dependent of leverage" and on the other hand, may be affected by the imperfect measurement of the study made by researcher. In this study, ten measures have been used to define financial leverage for the first time (in Iran).  The results show firstly, some firm characteristics are associated with financial leverage. Level of leverage is negatively correlated with profitability and growth opportunities, and positively related to size variable, but tangibility is not related to  leverage;  secondly,  the  results  are  affected  by  definition  of leverage. In other words, the results of the first part are affected by ten measures of financial leverage measurement. Especially, the decompositional analysis shows current debt and its components have an important effect on the results of the study. This finding challenges traditional measurements of leverage.  

Abstract Pension plans accounting is a controversial issue. Providing the defined benefits pension plans in companies' financial statements is very important considering the lack of accounting standard in Iran in this regard, and most of the financial statements users are interested in true understanding of companies' pension plans. The number of such companies which are qualified to entering in Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE) has increased; hence economic consequences of measuring and releasing of obligations have been noteworthy. The current research studies uniformity of pension plans in financial statements reporting and necessity of creating a new standard in this regard. The sample population of this research are 9 companies and banks that have had defined benefits pension plan for the financial year of 1388. Also the data of research has been collected using viewpoint of expertise and persons questionnaire. Examines of binominal distribution, chi square and mean have been applied for analyzing of data. Results of this study, indicates the lack of uniformity in reporting pension plans in financial statements of employer and entities which have mostly use recognition rather disclosure. However some incompetence is in recognition and disclosure. Also from viewpoint of pension plan financial statements users, releasing of pension plans information is useful, so they believe it is necessary that a new standard should be created.

Abstract The purpose of this study is to investigate the existence of conservatism and its effect on value relevance of accounting information. The methodology of present study is quasi experimental. The statistical society includes companies accepted in Tehran Stock Exchange, and the time span of the study is from the beginning of 2000 up to the end of 2008.  The Basu Model was exploited for investigating and assessment of the extent of conservatism in sample companies and for the investigation of value relevance of accounting information, the present study made use of Easton & Harris Model. The   results   are   indicative   of   the   presence   of   conservatism. Furthermore it was observed that as we descend from companies with low conservatism to companies with medium conservatism, the value relevance of accounting information increases; although the mentioned increase is not perceptible, value relevance of accounting information decreases a great deal when moving from companies, medium in conservatism toward companies with high conservatism. Consequently there cannot be found a clear relevance between conservatism and value relevance of accounting information.

Abstract This paper investigates earnings quality with a balance sheet approach. Earnings quality has various definitions. One of them is Earnings persistence. It means that the company has more ability for maintaining current earnings. We compared accrual component persistence with cash component.  We introduced a comprehensive definition of accruals for measuring the accrual component persistence of earnings. Our population includes listed companies in Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE) for the period 1380 to 1387. We analyzed a sample of 141 companies. In contrast to prior researches, our findings don't confirm less accrual component persistence of earnings in compare with cash component of earnings.

Abstract This paper investigates the relationship between Accounting Conservatism and Bankruptcy Risk in Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE). To do so, the sample firms have been divided into two groups: bankrupting firms and non-bankrupt firms. It is assumed that firms subject to the article 141 of the amendment to Commercial Law, for two years, are more vulnerable to bankruptcy. Using the Feltham and Ohlson model (1995) to measure conservatism, the sample firms have been analyzed in two steps: first, firms vulnerable to bankruptcy, second non-bankrupt firms and then all sample firms. The results of our sample of 222 firms listed in TSE; show that conservatism is dominant in all firms and years. Second, conservatism is lower in bankrupting firms.

Abstract This study aims at investigating the feasibility of the application of "Balanced Scorecard", in performance measurement of Shiraz hospitals. Balanced Scorecard is one of the management accounting techniques which was first introduced by Robert Kaplan and David Norton in 1992. This technique organized in four distinct prospective: financial, customer, internal processes and learning and growth. Four prospective related to balanced scorecard were analyzed based on one main hypothesis and four subsidiaries. The gained results of Statistical analysis showed that indicating in all prospective of Balanced Scorecard in Shiraz  hospitals  is  possible, but yet pre­ required and needed thought to implementing this technique in Shiraz hospitals is not done well. We found out through more surveys that customer prospective was the most noticeable prospective and internal processes, financial and learning and growth prospective were ranked respectively.