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Auditor-Client Disagreements, Auditor Resignations, And Audit Fees Charged By Successor Auditors
Full text linkThis paper investigates the effects of auditor-client disagreement disclosure on auditor resignations and audit fee charged by successor auditors. Using a matched sample of auditor changes over the period 2003-2016, we find that auditor resignations are more often accompanied by auditor-client disagreements. We also find that Big 4 auditors are more likely to resign from their engagements when they disagree with their clients. Further, we document that successor auditors charge higher audit fees for firms that have disagreements with their predecessor auditors. Relative to non-Big 4 auditors, Big 4 successor auditors charge even higher audit fee for disagreement firms
Personalized Weekly Overviews: A Comparison Of Text And Video Announcements Measuring Student Engagement, Achievement And Misunderstanding In An Online Classroom
Full text linkThis study explored the effect of delivery modes for personalized weekly overviews in online courses. Specifically, the study worked to determine if a significant difference between announcements delivered in plain text versus announcements delivered via video influenced: 1) total student engagement; 2) student achievement; 3) instructor related inquires; and 4) instructor evaluations. The study concluded that total student engagement increased in plain text groups, student achievement, as measured by overall grade, increased in text-based groups, student-to-instructor related inquiries increased in text-based groups and that instructor evaluations were not significantly influenced in either group. Finally, while text-based populations reported higher levels of student-to-instructor inquiries, more recorded time in the online course, and an increased overall score, the text-based group also reported a higher fail and/or withdraw rate versus the video-based announcement group. The study concluded with a recommendation for further research involving persistence rates of students in both categories
Bridging The CPA Exam Gap: Do Internships Matter?
Full text linkIn this paper we consider whether experience gained on the job through an internship results in knowledge that can help with passing the CPA exam. It would seem that a candidate for the CPA exam would be better prepared if they had the combination of education and practical experience. We examine the CPA exam performance of 72 graduate students that completed a public accounting internship prior to sitting for the CPA exam compared to 98 graduate students that did not complete an internship in public accounting. Our analysis indicates that on average students completing internships score higher on all parts of the CPA exam. In addition, on average, students completing internships had a higher overall pass rate for each section of the exam, with the pass rate for the Regulation (REG) section being significantly higher for students that have completed internships; we also find that on average students with internships pass 2 sections of the exam prior to graduation as compared to 1.69 for students that have not completed internships
A Field Study: The Business Of Engaging Higher Education Adjunct Faculty
Full text linkCompetition among higher educational institutions has increased especially among public and private institutions; this is exacerbated by demographic changes whereby the number of high school graduates continues to decrease. Additionally, colleges and universities face daunting competition challenges retaining students; therefore, they are reexamining their long-established business models. As a result, to offset costs, higher education institutions continue to increase the hiring of adjunct faculty. Currently, adjunct instructors account for more than half of all faculty appointments and that number is expected to increase. To amplify the situation, college and university accreditation organizations are requiring student retention and faculty work engagement as part of the effectiveness and accreditation process. Customarily, compared to full-time faculty, adjunct faculty are less engaged with their work as effective coaches and mentors for students outside the classroom. Thus, a quantitative study using the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale questionnaire sought adjunct faculty feedback in terms of engagement with their work for academic and student success and how the results could be used to increase this engagement
Do Trading Derivatives Classification Affect Bank Holding Company’s Earnings Volatility And Firm Value?
Full text linkThis study examines the differential impact of bank holding companies (BHCs) that consistently report trading gains (successful speculators) and those that consistently report no gain or trading losses (unsuccessful speculators) on earnings volatility and firm value. Under Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 815 (previously SFAS 133- Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities), all gains/losses related to trading derivatives are recognized in current earnings; whereas, gains/losses on hedging derivatives are netted with changes in the fair value of the underlying asset/liability with only the ineffective portion of the hedge being reported in current earnings. Given differential accounting recognition and underlying risk factors, we expect and find that current period trading gains/losses lead to greater earnings volatility; however, the relationship becomes insignificant when BHCs consistently report trading gains (successful speculators) or no gains and trading losses (unsuccessful speculation). Further we find that successful speculation is significantly negatively associated with firm value, which implies that market participants perceive trading positions held by BHCs as high-risk investments regardless of the outcome of the trading exposure. The findings of this study should be useful to business professionals, bank regulators, and accounting standard setters in determining the economic impact of current accounting standards on bank performance, investors in evaluating the costs and benefits of bank’s derivative risk management policies, and accounting academics in evaluating the impact of current accounting regulation on bank derivative use
Drawing As A Method To Facilitate Conceptual Change In Earth Sciences Education
Full text linkCommunicating even fundamental scientific concepts can be challenging. Furthermore, student mental models are often difficult to uncover even by the most talented teacher or researcher. Drawing is a universal process skill widely used by scientists to refine their conceptions about a wide range of topics, communicate ideas, and advance scientific thought in their disciplines. Just as drawing is useful to scientists for refining their conceptions, it has the potential to be useful for revealing misconceptions when teaching from a conceptual change perspective of science students’ mental models. Using a design study methodology and framed within the knowledge integration perspective of conceptual change, this longitudinal study investigates the efficacy of a delimited-sketch activity on the conceptual change of novices’ mental models about groundwater residence. A delimited-sketch activity, the focal case of this study, involves (i) students drawing to expand upon a provided partially-drawn concept sketch and then (ii) collectively debriefing the ideas communicated in the completed student-expanded concept sketches. The activity’s efficacy at facilitating conceptual change is tested with two different sample populations at two different large public universities in the USA. The first population is drawn from an introductory-level college geoscience course designed for non-science majors and the second population is drawn from a similar course designed for science majors. The activity has a large significant impact on moving students away from novice-like toward more expert-like conceptions of groundwater residence. The impact is observed even two months after the activity concludes
Exploring Antecedents Of Unethical Business Decisions
Full text linkAdhering to recent arguments that unethical decision making is driven by the underlying psychological processes, the purpose of this study is to investigate the role of individual psychographics (i.e., cognitive style, decision confidence, emotional intelligence, and attitude toward risk) in ethical decision making within a business context. Using a novel approach, the researchers capture ethical decision making using a computer-simulated market context and couple the results with survey data. The results of the regression analysis reveal that an individual’s cognitive style, decision confidence, emotional intelligence, and attitude toward risk play a significant role in ethical decision making. Participants with an analytical cognitive style were less likely to engage in unethical means to accomplish business objectives compared to those with intuitive or adaptive cognitive styles. Similarly, greater confidence in decision making, higher emotional intelligence, and a greater preference for risk were also found to increase the chances that an individual avoids engaging in unethical decision making. Finally, the effect of cognitive style was found to be stronger than the other factors examined in this research. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed
Assessment Of Psychological Advertising Along Consumer Rights And The Rule On Section 5 Of The Federal Trade Commission, Part 1 Of 2: Unfairness Doctrine
Full text linkOver a century of research and empirical findings have linked advertising with consumer choice based on affective information processing, which many researchers emphasized as unconscious brain processing. This paper examines a variety of empirical findings and historical data on psychological or affective processing which provides evidence that psychological advertising affects consumer behavior and choice. Thereafter, building on existing research and literature, we analyze the legal implications of psychological advertising to stimulate affective or unconscious decisions that impairs rational choice and thus harmful. Based on this argument, we analyze the current federal consumer protection law regulating advertising under Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act (“FTC Act”) which bans unfair and deceptive practices, then present rationales for change followed by a framework for revision. The objectives of such change is to ensure that this regulation upholds consumer rights and provide a consumercentric process that respects free choice. One outcome of this proposal will be a ban on advertising practices that utilize psychological stimuli. The framework will focus on expanding the “unfairness” doctrine of the FTC Act. The Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) states that “unfair acts or practices injure both consumers and competitors because consumers who would otherwise have selected a competitor’s product are wrongly diverted by the unfair act or practice,” thus an effective customer-centric regulation could postulate a healthier economy
Social Media And Critical Thinking: A Hermeneutic, Phenomenological Study Of Business Professors
Full text linkStudies on social media and critical thinking skills have emphasized students’ perspectives. Few researchers have interviewed business professors regarding their perceptions of how students’ critical thinking skills have developed through social media. This hermeneutic, phenomenological study interviewed eight business professors for the purpose of describing the educators’ perceptions of how social media has affected undergraduates’ critical thinking skills and practical job skills. Paul and Elder’s (2014) critical thinking development theory served as the conceptual framework. Data were collected from interviews with business professors primarily in several regions of the United States. Five themes emerged: 1) going across contexts; 2) case method teaching; 3) discussing and collaborating; 4) building information literacy; and 5) learning from experts.
The five themes comprise Critical Thinking Development by Social Media (DSM). Business professors perceive social media as having influenced the critical thinking skills of undergraduates through intentional, industrious learning as represented by DSM. Business professors perceive social media as having influenced the practical job skills of undergraduates through intentional, industrious learning as represented by DSM with emphasis on phases 3) discussing and collaborating, and 5) learning from experts. The implications touch on academic institutions, business schools, business deans, other educators, and employers. Future research may offer case studies of social media and critical thinking projects at higher education institutions
Assessing The Internal Control Structure For Income Tax Account Balances And Their Related Disclosures
Full text linkWe provide practical considerations to guide auditors in performing a preliminary assessment of the design of the auditee’s control structure related to income tax account balances and their related disclosures which should contribute to more reliable financial reporting. While our process is specifically designed for use in performing an integrated audit under PCAOB Auditing Standard No. 5 (PCAOB, 2007), the internal control objectives and related control activities we present are also useful in performing other types of audits or limited engagements