IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/pal/ijodag/v17y2020i2d10.1057_s41310-020-00078-x.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Does whistleblowing framework influence earnings management? An empirical investigation

Author

Listed:
  • Olayinka Erin

    (Covenant University)

  • Omololu Adex Bamigboye

    (Obafemi Awolowo University)

Abstract

In this study, we investigated the impact of whistleblowing framework on earnings management of Nigeria’s financial firms listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange for the period of 2013–2017. This is necessitated by the increase in whistleblowing activities around the globe. With a sample of 50 firms operating in the financial institutions in Nigeria, we drew insights from the legitimacy theory to examine the effect of whistleblowing framework on earnings management. We developed whistleblowing index to measure whistleblowing framework and accounted for other determinants of whistleblowing framework like audit committee size, risk committee independence, audit committee independence, external audit size, board composition, firm size and international ownership. While earnings management was measured through discretionary accruals. We analysed the data using both content analysis and generalized method of moments. The findings empirically revealed that most Nigerian financial firms intensified efforts towards whistleblowing disclosure, which has a significant impact on the reduction of earnings management practices. This study’s findings call for clear responsibility and a strong drive for whistleblowing disclosure by corporate institutions in Nigeria and other emerging economies. The result of this study provides practical implication in the areas of business ethics, good governance and corporate transparency. The empirical approach used in this study emphasizes the need for corporate organizations to embrace whistleblowing practices and integrate whistleblowing information into their reporting cycle. The finding implies that non-compliance with whistleblowing reporting or disclosure by corporate organizations may have an adverse effect on corporate growth, corporate sustainability and corporate reputation in the long run. A major contribution of this study is the construction of a comprehensive whistleblowing index capable of guiding policy makers, managers and researchers in measuring their whistleblowing activities and reporting.

Suggested Citation

  • Olayinka Erin & Omololu Adex Bamigboye, 2020. "Does whistleblowing framework influence earnings management? An empirical investigation," International Journal of Disclosure and Governance, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 17(2), pages 111-122, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:ijodag:v:17:y:2020:i:2:d:10.1057_s41310-020-00078-x
    DOI: 10.1057/s41310-020-00078-x
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1057/s41310-020-00078-x
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1057/s41310-020-00078-x?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Stikeleather, Bryan R., 2016. "When do employers benefit from offering workers a financial reward for reporting internal misconduct?," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 1-14.
    2. Makowsky, Michael D. & Wang, Siyu, 2018. "Embezzlement, whistleblowing, and organizational architecture: An experimental investigation," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 58-75.
    3. Koenker, Roger & Machado, Jose A. F., 1999. "GMM inference when the number of moment conditions is large," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 93(2), pages 327-344, December.
    4. Gary Rothwell & J. Baldwin, 2007. "Ethical Climate Theory, Whistle-blowing, and the Code of Silence in Police Agencies in the State of Georgia," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 70(4), pages 341-361, February.
    5. Gao, Lei & Brink, Alisa G., 2017. "Whistleblowing studies in accounting research: A review of experimental studies on the determinants of whistleblowing," Journal of Accounting Literature, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 1-13.
    6. Adriana S. Cordis & Elizabeth M. Lambert, 2017. "Whistleblower laws and corporate fraud: Evidence from the United States," Accounting Forum, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(4), pages 289-299, December.
    7. Dechow, Patricia & Ge, Weili & Schrand, Catherine, 2010. "Understanding earnings quality: A review of the proxies, their determinants and their consequences," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(2-3), pages 344-401, December.
    8. Near, Janet P. & Miceli, Marcia P., 2016. "After the wrongdoing: What managers should know about whistleblowing," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 59(1), pages 105-114.
    9. P. Cassematis & R. Wortley, 2013. "Prediction of Whistleblowing or Non-reporting Observation: The Role of Personal and Situational Factors," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 117(3), pages 615-634, October.
    10. Grimm, Veronika & Choo, Lawrence & Horvath, Gergely & Nitta, Kohei, 2016. "Whistleblowing and Diffusion of Responsibility: An Experimental Investigation," VfS Annual Conference 2016 (Augsburg): Demographic Change 145781, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    11. Alleyne, Philmore & Haniffa, Roszaini & Hudaib, Mohammad, 2019. "Does group cohesion moderate auditors’ whistleblowing intentions?," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 69-90.
    12. Alexander Dyck & Adair Morse & Luigi Zingales, 2010. "Who Blows the Whistle on Corporate Fraud?," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 65(6), pages 2213-2253, December.
    13. Berentsen, Aleksander & Bruegger, Esther & Loertscher, Simon, 2008. "On cheating, doping and whistleblowing," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 24(2), pages 415-436, June.
    14. Choo, Lawrence & Grimm, Veronika & Horváth, Gergely & Nitta, Kohei, 2019. "Whistleblowing and diffusion of responsibility: An experiment," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 287-301.
    15. Brennan, Niamh & Kelly, John, 2007. "A study of whistleblowing among trainee auditors," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 61-87.
    16. Schmidt, Matthias, 2005. ""Whistle Blowing" Regulation and Accounting Standards Enforcement in Germany and Europe--An Economic Perspective," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 25(2), pages 143-168, June.
    17. Lee, Gladys & Xiao, Xinning, 2018. "Whistleblowing on accounting-related misconduct: A synthesis of the literature," Journal of Accounting Literature, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 22-46.
    18. Harris, Richard D. F. & Tzavalis, Elias, 1999. "Inference for unit roots in dynamic panels where the time dimension is fixed," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 91(2), pages 201-226, August.
    19. Valentine, Sean & Godkin, Lynn, 2019. "Moral intensity, ethical decision making, and whistleblowing intention," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 277-288.
    20. Seifert, Deborah L. & Sweeney, John T. & Joireman, Jeff & Thornton, John M., 2010. "The influence of organizational justice on accountant whistleblowing," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 35(7), pages 707-717, October.
    21. Kanika Bhal & Anubha Dadhich, 2011. "Impact of Ethical Leadership and Leader–Member Exchange on Whistle Blowing: The Moderating Impact of the Moral Intensity of the Issue," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 103(3), pages 485-496, October.
    22. Manuel Arellano & Stephen Bond, 1991. "Some Tests of Specification for Panel Data: Monte Carlo Evidence and an Application to Employment Equations," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 58(2), pages 277-297.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Paul Olojede & Olayinka Erin, 2021. "Corporate governance mechanisms and creative accounting practices: the role of accounting regulation," International Journal of Disclosure and Governance, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 18(3), pages 207-222, September.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Verschuuren, Pim, 2020. "Whistleblowing determinants and the effectiveness of reporting channels in the international sports sector," Sport Management Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(1), pages 142-154.
    2. Lee, Gladys & Xiao, Xinning, 2018. "Whistleblowing on accounting-related misconduct: A synthesis of the literature," Journal of Accounting Literature, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 22-46.
    3. Sebastian Oelrich, 2019. "Making regulation fit by taking irrationality into account: the case of the whistleblower," Business Research, Springer;German Academic Association for Business Research, vol. 12(1), pages 175-207, April.
    4. Hengky Latan & Charbel Jose Chiappetta Jabbour & Ana Beatriz Lopes de Sousa Jabbour, 2019. "‘Whistleblowing Triangle’: Framework and Empirical Evidence," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 160(1), pages 189-204, November.
    5. Hanen Khemakhem & Richard Fontaine & Nadia Smaili & Mahbub Zaman, 2023. "Whistleblowing regulations and the role of audit committees: insight from interviews," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 27(1), pages 131-151, March.
    6. Elka Johansson & Peter Carey, 2016. "Detecting Fraud: The Role of the Anonymous Reporting Channel," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 139(2), pages 391-409, December.
    7. Valentine, Sean & Godkin, Lynn, 2019. "Moral intensity, ethical decision making, and whistleblowing intention," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 277-288.
    8. Hengky Latan & Christian M. Ringle & Charbel Jose Chiappetta Jabbour, 2018. "Whistleblowing Intentions Among Public Accountants in Indonesia: Testing for the Moderation Effects," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 152(2), pages 573-588, October.
    9. Sebastian Krügel & Matthias Uhl, 2023. "Internal whistleblowing systems without proper sanctions may backfire," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 93(8), pages 1355-1383, October.
    10. Waseem Yousaf & Raheel Jamil, 2020. "Does Moral Intensity Affect the Whistleblowing Intentions?," iRASD Journal of Management, International Research Alliance for Sustainable Development (iRASD), vol. 2(2), pages 84-99, December.
    11. Paul Andon & Clinton Free & Radzi Jidin & Gary S. Monroe & Michael J. Turner, 2018. "The Impact of Financial Incentives and Perceptions of Seriousness on Whistleblowing Intention," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 151(1), pages 165-178, August.
    12. Barbara Culiberg & Katarina Katja Mihelič, 2017. "The Evolution of Whistleblowing Studies: A Critical Review and Research Agenda," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 146(4), pages 787-803, December.
    13. Shweta Mehrotra & R. K. Mishra & V. Srikanth & Govind Prasad Tiwari & E. V. Mahesh Kumar, 2020. "State of Whistleblowing Research: A Thematic Analysis," FIIB Business Review, , vol. 9(2), pages 133-148, June.
    14. Muel Kaptein, 2022. "How Much You See Is How You Respond: The Curvilinear Relationship Between the Frequency of Observed Unethical Behavior and The Whistleblowing Intention," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 175(4), pages 857-875, February.
    15. Fangjun Xiao & Bernard Wong-On-Wing, 2022. "Employee Sensitivity to the Risk of Whistleblowing via Social Media: The Role of Social Media Strategy and Policy," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 181(2), pages 519-542, November.
    16. Hengky Latan & Charbel Jose Chiappetta Jabbour & Ana Beatriz Lopes de Sousa Jabbour, 2021. "To Blow or Not to Blow the Whistle: The Role of Rationalization in the Perceived Seriousness of Threats and Wrongdoing," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 169(3), pages 517-535, March.
    17. Monica Ramos Montesdeoca & Agustín J. Sánchez Medina & Felix Blázquez Santana, 2019. "Research Topics in Accounting Fraud in the 21st Century: A State of the Art," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-31, March.
    18. Hengky Latan & Charbel Jose Chiappetta Jabbour & Ana Beatriz Lopes de Sousa Jabbour, 2021. "Social Media as a Form of Virtual Whistleblowing: Empirical Evidence for Elements of the Diamond Model," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 174(3), pages 529-548, December.
    19. Baban Eulaiwi & Ahmed Al‐Hadi & Lien Duong & Keira Clark & Grantley Taylor & Brian Perrin, 2022. "Audit pricing and corporate whistleblower governance: evidence from Australian financial firms," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 62(2), pages 2339-2384, June.
    20. Gao, Lei & Brink, Alisa G., 2017. "Whistleblowing studies in accounting research: A review of experimental studies on the determinants of whistleblowing," Journal of Accounting Literature, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 1-13.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:pal:ijodag:v:17:y:2020:i:2:d:10.1057_s41310-020-00078-x. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.palgrave.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.