Governance implications of the effects of stakeholder management on financial reporting

Author: Mattingly James E.   Harrast Steven A.   Olsen Lori  

Publisher: Emerald Group Publishing Ltd

ISSN: 1472-0701

Source: Corporate Governance: The Int J of Effective Board Performance, Vol.9, Iss.3, 2009-06, pp. : 271-282

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Abstract

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to test whether effective stakeholder management results in transparent financial reporting. Design/methodology/approach - This paper uses a linear model informed by stakeholder theorizing and established measures of stakeholder management, earnings quality, and earnings management. Findings - Organizations exhibiting effective stakeholder management have higher earnings quality and are less likely to engage in discretionary earnings management. Research implications - Future research should carefully sort out the meaning of different measures of earnings quality, should clarify cross-national institutional differences to reconcile contradictions in extant research, and should discover the underlying governance orientations that shape decision-making processes and outcomes. Practical implications - Governing bodies must take into account how underlying organization cultures shape governance regimes, which may determine the transparency with which organization actors interact with various stakeholder groups. Originality/value - This study establishes a positive link between effective stakeholder management and transparent financial reporting, suggesting that both may be artifacts of deeper underlying orientations toward accountability, transparency, and managerial discretion.