Regulation and legal nature as determinants of financial information quality in universities
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62059/LatArXiv.preprints.186Keywords:
Earnings managment, Earnings quality, UniversitiesAbstract
This research aimed to estimate accounting manipulation practices in Chilean universities by using earnings management models. By employing financial reports from 53 universities for the years 2014 to 2022, a model was implemented to estimate discretionary accruals using the econometric technique known as the Generalized Method of Moments. Two specific hypotheses were tested: on the one hand, the difference in discretionary accruals between public and private entities, and on the other hand, whether the increased regulations on the Chilean higher education system since 2018 have reduced earnings management. It was found that public universities report lower earnings management and therefore higher quality financial information. Additionally, it was confirmed that the increased regulations introduced to the higher education system in Chile do not impact the earnings management of entities. This research, unprecedented in the national context, has practical implications for both regulatory bodies and university administrators, as it is equally important to ensure the financial sustainability of entities and the quality of the financial information upon which sustainability assessments are based.
References
Aldahray, A. (2024). Notes Readability and Discretionary Accruals. 27(2), 229-238. doi:https://www.doi.org/10.6018/rcsar.459281
Al-Shattarat, B. (2024). The influence of leverage on accrual-based and real earnings management: Evidence from the UK. Revista de Contabilidad - Spanish Accounting Review, 27(2), 239-248. doi:https://www.doi.org/10.6018/rcsar.499761
Arellano, M., & Bond, S. (1991). Some tests of specification for panel data: Monte Carlo evidence and an application to employment equations. The review of economic studies, 58(2), 277-297. doi:https://doi.org/10.2307/2297968
Bisogno, M., & Donatella, P. (2022). Earnings management in public-sector organizations: a structured literature review. Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting & Financial Management, 34(6), 1-25. doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBAFM-03-2021-0035
Boll, D., Müller, H., & Sidki, M. (2022). Determining the drivers of earnings management among municipal enterprises: Evidence from Germany. Public Money & Management, 42(7), 501-510. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/09540962.2022.2076515
Cannon, J. N., Lamboy-Ruiz, M. A., & Watanabe, O. V. (2022). Ownership type and earnings management in US hospitals. Advances in accounting, 58, 100612. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adiac.2022.100612
Capkun, V., Collins, D., & Jeanjean, T. . (2016). The effect of IAS/IFRS adoption on earnings management (smoothing): A closer look at competing explanations. Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, 35(4), 352-394. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaccpubpol.2016.04.002
Choi, A., Lee, E., Park, S., & Sohn, B. (2021). The differential effect of accrual-based and real earnings management on audit fees: international evidence. Accounting and Business Research, 52, 254-290. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/00014788.2021.1911779.
Cohen, D. A., Dey, A., & Lys, T. Z. (2008). Real and accrual‐based earnings management in the pre‐and post‐Sarbanes‐Oxley periods. The accounting review, 83(3), 757-787. doi: https://doi.org/10.2308/accr.2008.83.3.757
Cohen, S. & Malkogianni, I. (2021). Sustainability measures and earnings management: evidence from Greek municipalities. Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting & Financial Management, 33(4), 365-386. doi:https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBAFM-10-2020
Cunningham, L. M., Johnson, B. A., Johnson, E. S., & Lisic, L. L. (2020). The switch‐up: An examination of changes in earnings management after receiving SEC comment letters. Contemporary Accounting Research, 37(2), 917-944. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/1911-3846.12546
Cyr, D., Landry, S. & Fortin, A. (2023). Earnings Management in the Charitable Sector: A Canadian Study. Canadian Journal of Nonprofit and Social Economy Research, 14(1), 69-88. doi: https://doi.org/10.29173/cjnser587
Dechow, P. M., & Schrand, C. M. (2004). Earnings quality. The Research Foundation of CFA Institute. Obtenido de https://csinvesting.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Defining-Earnings-Quality-CFA-Publication.pdf
Dechow, P. M., Sloan, R. G., & Sweeney, A. P. (1995). Detecting earnings management. Accounting review, 70(2), 193-225. Obtenido de https://www.jstor.org/stable/248303
DeFond, M. L., & Jiambalvo, J. . (1994). Debt covenant violation and manipulation of accruals. . Journal of accounting and economics, 17((1-2)), 145-176. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/0165-4101(94)90008-6
Autor, (2024). CAPIC REVIEW.
Autor, (2024). CIRIEC-España, Revista de Economía Pública, Social y Cooperativa (en prensa)
Autor, (2023). Formación Universitaria.
Eldenburg, L. G., Gunny, K. A., Hee, K. W., & Soderstrom, N. (2011). Earnings management using real activities: Evidence from nonprofit hospitals. The accounting review, 86(5), 1605-1630. doi: https://doi.org/10.2308/accr-10095
Galdi, F. C., Johnson, E. S., Myers, J. N., & Myers, L. A. (2021). Accounting for inventory costs and real earnings management behavior. Advances in Accounting, 53, 100530. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adiac.2021.100530
Garcia Osma, B., Scarlat, E., & Shields, K. (2020). Insider trading restrictions and earnings management. Accounting and Business Research. 50(3), 205-237. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/00014788.2020.1712650
Gilchrist, D.J., Etheridge, D. & Liu, Z. (2024). Managing government commissioning and philanthropic expectations: earnings management in Australian nonprofit disability service providers. Journal of Accounting Literature, 46(2), 200-213. doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/JAL-05-2023-0073
Habib, A., Ranasinghe, D., Wu, J. Y., Biswas, P. K., & Ahmad, F. (2022). Real earnings management: A review of the international literature. Accounting & Finance. Accounting & Finance, 62(4), 4279-4344. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/acfi.12968
Healy, P. M. (1985). The effect of bonus schemes on accounting decisions. . Journal of accounting and economics, 7((1-3)), 85-107. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/0165-4101(85)90029-1
Healy, P. M., & Wahlen, J. M. (1999). A review of the earnings management literature and its implications for standard setting. Accounting horizons, 13(4), 365-383. doi:10.2308/acch.1999.13.4.365 https://doi.org/10.2308/acch.1999.13.4.365
Heese, J. . (2018). The role of overbilling in hospitals’ earnings management decisions. European Accounting Review, 27(5), 875-900. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/09638180.2017.1383168
Huang, S., Roychowdhury, S., & Sletten, E. (2020). Does litigation deter or encourage real earnings management? The Accounting Review, 95(3), 251-278. doi: https://doi.org/10.2308/accr-52589
Jaggi, B., & Lee, P. (2002). Earnings management response to debt covenant violations and debt restructuring. . Journal of Accounting, Auditing & Finance, 17(4), 295-324. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/0148558X0201700402
Jones J. (1991). Earnings Management During Import Relief Investigations. Journal of Accounting Research, 29(2), 193-228. doi: https://doi.org/10.2307/2491047
Kuroki, M. (2018). Earnings Management toward Zero: Evidence from Japanese Private Colleges and Universities. In TJAR/Conference. En I. TJAR/Conference (Ed.). Obtenido de https://www.rieb.kobe-u.ac.jp/tjar/conference/6th/CB_4MakotoKUROKI.pdf
Ley No. 21.091. (2018). Sobre Educación Superior, Julio 21, 2024, Diario Oficial, Chile. Obtenido de https://bcn.cl/3liyi
Malkogianni, I., & Cohen, S. (2022). Earnings management in public hospitals: The case of Greek state-owned hospitals. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540962.2022.2071005. Public Money & Management, 42(7), 491-500. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/09540962.2022.2071005
Mardones, J. A. G., & Palacios, J. A. M. (2023). Chilean Universities and Universal Gratuity: Suggestions for a Model to Evaluate the Effects on Financial Vulnerability. Sustainability, 15(13), 9961. doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/su15139961
McNichols, M. F., & Stubben, S. R. (2008). Does earnings management affect firms’ investment decisions? The accounting review, 83(6), 1571-1603. doi:https://doi.org/10.2308/accr.2008.83.6.1571
Nguyen, T., & Soobaroyen, T. (2019). Earnings management by non‐profit organisations: Evidence from UK charities. Australian Accounting Review, 29(1), 124-142. doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/auar.12242
Norma de Caracter General N°461. (2021). Establece la estructura de contenido de la memoria anual de los emisores de valores. https://www.cmfchile.cl/normativa/ncg_461_2021.pdf
Obeng, V. A., Ahmed, K., & Miglani, S. (2020). Integrated reporting and earnings quality: The moderating effect of agency costs. Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, 60, 101285. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pacfin.2020.101285
Perotti P. & Wagenhofer A. (2014). Earnings quality measures and excess returns. Journal of business finance & accounting, 41(5-6), 545-571. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/jbfa.12071
Rico, C. (2024). IFRS y earnings management en la información financiera de las pymes colombianas. Contaduría y administración, 69(4), 74-99. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.22201/fca.24488410e.2024.4652
Schipper, K. (1989). Earnings management. Accounting horizons, 3(4), 91-102. Obtenido de https://www.proquest.com/docview/208918065?pq-origsite=gscholar&fromopenview=true&sourcetype=Scholarly%20Journals
Tohara, Y. (2024). Transparency or ambiguity? Voluntary IFRS adoption and earnings management in Japan. . Accounting & Finance. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/acfi.13221
Toro, M., Muñoz, L. & Velásquez, V. (2025). Calidad del resultado contable y marco normativo aplicado; caso de las empresas del sector real colombiano que reportan a la superintendencia de sociedades. Contaduría y Administración, 70(2), 56-73. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.22201/fca.24488410e.2025.5250
Ugrin, J. C., Mason, T. W., & Emley, A. (2017). Culture's consequence: The relationship between income-increasing earnings management and IAS/IFRS adoption across cultures. Advances in accounting, 37, 140-151. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adiac.2017.04.004
Viana, D. B. C., Lourenço, I. M. E. C., & Paulo, E. (2023). The effect of IFRS adoption on accrual-based and real earnings management: emerging markets' perspective. Journal of Accounting in Emerging Economies, 13(3), 485-508. doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/JAEE-05-2021-0172
Wen, Y. C., Huang, P., Shen, H. C., & Zhang, Y. (2019). The role of organizational forms in nonprofit firms' real earnings management: Evidence from nonprofit hospitals in Taiwan. Advances in accounting, 46, 100418. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adiac.2019.04.003
Downloads
Downloads
Posted
Categories
Data Availability Statement
Los datos utilizados en este estudio no han sido puestos a disposición del público de los autores. Sin embargo, la fuente de los datos se encuentran tanto en el Ministerio de Educación de Chile (www.mifuturo.cl/sies/) como en la Superintendencia de Educación Superior del mismo país (www.sesuperior.cl).
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Alejandro Diaz Ramos, René Garcías Molina (Autor/a)

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This preprint contains the reported license and associated copyright. Once published in an associated journal or other publisher, the published version assumes the publisher's terms and conditions.