IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/fobric/v12y2018i1d10.1186_s11782-018-0046-6.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Accounting research in China: commemorating the 40th anniversary of reform and opening up

Author

Listed:
  • Huacheng Wang

    (School of Business, Renmin University of China)

  • Kangtao Ye

    (School of Business, Renmin University of China)

  • Kai Zhong

    (University of International Business and Economics)

Abstract

This study reviews the influential accounting literature on China topics published both in international and Chinese journals in the recent four decades to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the reform and opening up in China. We first review the literature published in the first two decades, where normative research is dominant and financial accounting and managerial accounting are the main topics. Then, looking more in-depth at the most recent literature, we separately discuss the articles published from 1998 to 2007 and from 2008 to 2018, in which many topics are covered including financial accounting, managerial accounting, financial management and corporate governance, auditing and tax. Finally, conclusions and future suggestions are raised based on the issues explored over the past four decades.

Suggested Citation

  • Huacheng Wang & Kangtao Ye & Kai Zhong, 2018. "Accounting research in China: commemorating the 40th anniversary of reform and opening up," Frontiers of Business Research in China, Springer, vol. 12(1), pages 1-37, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:fobric:v:12:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1186_s11782-018-0046-6
    DOI: 10.1186/s11782-018-0046-6
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1186/s11782-018-0046-6
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1186/s11782-018-0046-6?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. Kai Li & Tan Wang & Yan-Leung Cheung & Ping Jiang, 2011. "Privatization and Risk Sharing: Evidence from the Split Share Structure Reform in China," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 24(7), pages 2499-2525.
    2. Zhou, Zhong Hui, 1988. "Chinese accounting systems and practices," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 13(2), pages 207-224, March.
    3. Lily H. Fang & Josh Lerner & Chaopeng Wu, 2017. "Intellectual Property Rights Protection, Ownership, and Innovation: Evidence from China," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 30(7), pages 2446-2477.
    4. Piotroski, Joseph D. & Zhang, Tianyu, 2014. "Politicians and the IPO decision: The impact of impending political promotions on IPO activity in China," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 111(1), pages 111-136.
    5. Fan, Joseph P.H. & Wong, T.J. & Zhang, Tianyu, 2007. "Politically connected CEOs, corporate governance, and Post-IPO performance of China's newly partially privatized firms," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(2), pages 330-357, May.
    6. Cull, Robert & Xu, Lixin Colin, 2005. "Institutions, ownership, and finance: the determinants of profit reinvestment among Chinese firms," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 77(1), pages 117-146, July.
    7. Ang, James S. & Cheng, Yingmei & Wu, Chaopeng, 2015. "Trust, Investment, and Business Contracting," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 50(3), pages 569-595, June.
    8. Qi Chen & Xiao Chen & Katherine Schipper & Yongxin Xu & Jian Xue, 2012. "The Sensitivity of Corporate Cash Holdings to Corporate Governance," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 25(12), pages 3610-3644.
    9. Allen, Franklin & Qian, Jun & Qian, Meijun, 2005. "Law, finance, and economic growth in China," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 77(1), pages 57-116, July.
    10. Kalok Chan & Albert J. Menkveld & Zhishu Yang, 2008. "Information Asymmetry and Asset Prices: Evidence from the China Foreign Share Discount," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 63(1), pages 159-196, February.
    11. Jin, Li & Myers, Stewart C., 2006. "R2 around the world: New theory and new tests," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 79(2), pages 257-292, February.
    12. Hung, Mingyi & Wong, T.J. & Zhang, Tianyu, 2012. "Political considerations in the decision of Chinese SOEs to list in Hong Kong," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 53(1), pages 435-449.
    13. Chow, Chee W. & Harrison, Graeme L. & McKinnon, Jill L. & Wu, Anne, 1999. "Cultural influences on informal information sharing in Chinese and Anglo-American organizations: an exploratory study," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 24(7), pages 561-582, October.
    14. Shu Lin & Haichun Ye, 2018. "Foreign Direct Investment, Trade Credit, and Transmission of Global Liquidity Shocks: Evidence from Chinese Manufacturing Firms," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 31(1), pages 206-238.
    15. Hanwen Chen & Jeff Zeyun Chen & Gerald J. Lobo & Yanyan Wang, 2010. "Association Between Borrower and Lender State Ownership and Accounting Conservatism," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(5), pages 973-1014, December.
    16. Unknown, 2014. "Media Coverage 2014," 2014: Ethics, Efficiency and Food Security: Feeding the 9 Billion, Well, 26-28 August 2014 225573, Crawford Fund.
    17. Qingchuan Hou & Qinglu Jin & Rong Yang & Hongqi Yuan & Guochang Zhang, 2015. "Performance Commitments of Controlling Shareholders and Earnings Management," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 32(3), pages 1099-1127, September.
    18. Chan, K. Hung & Chow, Lynne, 1997. "An empirical study of tax audits in China on international transfer pricing," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 23(1), pages 83-112, May.
    19. Chen, Gongmeng & Firth, Michael & Xin, Yu & Xu, Liping, 2008. "Control Transfers, Privatization, and Corporate Performance: Efficiency Gains in China's Listed Companies," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 43(1), pages 161-190, March.
    20. Xu, Yin & Xu, Xiaoqun, 2016. "Taxation and state-building: The tax reform under the Nationalist Government in China, 1928–1949," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 17-30.
    21. Zhifeng Yang, 2013. "Do Political Connections Add Value to Audit Firms? Evidence from IPO Audits in China," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(3), pages 891-921, September.
    22. Lennox, Clive & Wu, Xi & Zhang, Tianyu, 2016. "The effect of audit adjustments on earnings quality: Evidence from China," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 61(2), pages 545-562.
    23. Hanwen Chen & Jeff Zeyun Chen & Gerald J. Lobo & Yanyan Wang, 2011. "Effects of Audit Quality on Earnings Management and Cost of Equity Capital: Evidence from China," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(3), pages 892-925, September.
    24. Xianjie He & T.J. Wong & Danqing Young, 2012. "Challenges for Implementation of Fair Value Accounting in Emerging Markets: Evidence from China," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(2), pages 538-562, June.
    25. Wei Jiang & Hualin Wan & Shan Zhao, 2016. "Reputation Concerns of Independent Directors: Evidence from Individual Director Voting," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 29(3), pages 655-696.
    26. Feng Chen & Songlan Peng & Shuang Xue & Zhifeng Yang & Feiteng Ye, 2016. "Do Audit Clients Successfully Engage in Opinion Shopping? Partner‐Level Evidence," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(1), pages 79-112, March.
    27. Liao, Li & Liu, Bibo & Wang, Hao, 2014. "China׳s secondary privatization: Perspectives from the Split-Share Structure Reform," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 113(3), pages 500-518.
    28. Shi, Song & Sun, Qian & Zhang, Xin, 2018. "Do IPOs Affect Market Price? Evidence from China," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 53(3), pages 1391-1416, June.
    29. repec:oup:rfinst:v:25:y::i:12:p:3610-3644 is not listed on IDEAS
    30. Robert M. Bowen & Shantanu Dutta & Songlian Tang & Pengcheng Zhu, 2018. "Inside the “black box” of private in-house meetings," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 23(2), pages 487-527, June.
    31. Firth, Michael & Lin, Chen & Zou, Hong, 2010. "Friend or Foe? The Role of State and Mutual Fund Ownership in the Split Share Structure Reform in China," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 45(3), pages 685-706, June.
    32. Jiang, Guohua & Lee, Charles M.C. & Yue, Heng, 2010. "Tunneling through intercorporate loans: The China experience," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 98(1), pages 1-20, October.
    33. Charles J. P. Chen & Xijia Su & Ronald Zhao, 2000. "An Emerging Market's Reaction to Initial Modified Audit Opinions: Evidence from the Shanghai Stock Exchange," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 17(3), pages 429-455, September.
    34. O'Connor, Neale G. & Deng, Johnny & Luo, Yadong, 2006. "Political constraints, organization design and performance measurement in China's state-owned enterprises," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 31(2), pages 157-177, February.
    35. Mariassunta Giannetti & Guanmin Liao & Xiaoyun Yu, 2015. "The Brain Gain of Corporate Boards: Evidence from China," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 70(4), pages 1629-1682, August.
    36. Tang, Vicki Wei, 2011. "Isolating the effect of disclosure on information risk," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 52(1), pages 81-99, June.
    37. DeFond, Mark L. & Wong, T. J. & Li, Shuhua, 1999. "The impact of improved auditor independence on audit market concentration in China," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 28(3), pages 269-305, December.
    38. Wang, Qian & Wong, T.J. & Xia, Lijun, 2008. "State ownership, the institutional environment, and auditor choice: Evidence from China," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 46(1), pages 112-134, September.
    39. Chen, Yi-Chun & Hung, Mingyi & Wang, Yongxiang, 2018. "The effect of mandatory CSR disclosure on firm profitability and social externalities: Evidence from China," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(1), pages 169-190.
    40. Junxiong Fang & Jeffrey Pittman & Yinqi Zhang & Yuping Zhao, 2017. "Auditor Choice and Its Implications for Group†Affiliated Firms," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 34(1), pages 39-82, March.
    41. Li, Oliver Zhen & Liu, Hang & Ni, Chenkai & Ye, Kangtao, 2017. "Individual Investors’ Dividend Taxes and Corporate Payout Policies," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 52(3), pages 963-990, June.
    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. Mike W. Peng, 2019. "Global competition and diffusion of the “A” list," Frontiers of Business Research in China, Springer, vol. 13(1), pages 1-23, December.

    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. Fuxiu Jiang & Kenneth A Kim, 2020. "Corporate Governance in China: A Survey [The role of boards of directors in corporate governance: a conceptual framework and survey]," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 24(4), pages 733-772.
    2. Jianlei Han & Jing He & Zheyao Pan & Jing Shi, 2018. "Twenty Years of Accounting and Finance Research on the Chinese Capital Market," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 54(4), pages 576-599, December.
    3. Allen, Franklin & Qian, Jun & Qian, Meijun, 2018. "A Review of China’s Institutions," CEPR Discussion Papers 13269, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    4. Jiandong Chen & Douglas Cumming & Wenxuan Hou & Edward Lee, 2016. "CEO Accountability for Corporate Fraud: Evidence from the Split Share Structure Reform in China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 138(4), pages 787-806, November.
    5. Tan, Yongxian & Tian, Xuan & Zhang, Xinde & Zhao, Hailong, 2020. "The real effect of partial privatization on corporate innovation: Evidence from China's split share structure reform," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    6. Yangyang Chen & Jun Huang & Ting Li & Jeffrey Pittman, 2022. "It's a Small World: The Importance of Social Connections with Auditors to Mutual Fund Managers’ Portfolio Decisions," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(3), pages 901-963, June.
    7. Liu, Jinyu & Wang, Zhengwei & Zhu, Wuxiang, 2021. "Does privatization reform alleviate ownership discrimination? Evidence from the Split-share structure reform in China," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    8. Wei Huang & Hong Zhang & Abhinav Goyal & Jason Laws, 2019. "Internal capital market mergers in weak external market environment: An emerging market evidence," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 24(4), pages 1486-1505, October.
    9. Ole-Kristian Hope & Han Wu & Wuyang Zhao, 2017. "Blockholder exit threats in the presence of private benefits of control," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 873-902, June.
    10. Danlin Shen & Carl R. Chen & Xinyan Yan & Zhihong Yi, 2022. "Do credit market accessibility and legal protection shape corporate innovation?," Journal of Financial Research, Southern Finance Association;Southwestern Finance Association, vol. 45(3), pages 719-754, September.
    11. Kuo, Jing-Ming & Ning, Lutao & Song, Xiaoqi, 2014. "The Real and Accrual-based Earnings Management Behaviors: Evidence from the Split Share Structure Reform in China," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 49(1), pages 101-136.
    12. Piotroski, Joseph D. & Zhang, Tianyu, 2014. "Politicians and the IPO decision: The impact of impending political promotions on IPO activity in China," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 111(1), pages 111-136.
    13. Guo, Kai & Ke, Bin & Tang, Song, 2023. "Private firms' financial constraints and share pledging by controlling shareholders of publicly listed firms: Evidence from China," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    14. Massa, Massimo & li, zhe & xu, niahang & Zhang, Hong, 2016. "The Impact of Sin Culture: Evidence from Earning Management and Alcohol Consumption in China," CEPR Discussion Papers 11475, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    15. Rui Zhang & Raymond M. K. Wong & Gaoliang Tian & Mohan M. Fonseka, 2021. "Positive spillover effect and audit quality: a study of cancelling China’s dual audit system," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 61(1), pages 205-239, March.
    16. Amon Chizema & Wei Jiang & Jing-Ming Kuo & Xiaoqi Song, 2020. "Mutual funds, tunneling and firm performance: evidence from China," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 55(1), pages 355-387, July.
    17. Dang, Tri Vi & He, Qing, 2016. "Bureaucrats as successor CEOs," BOFIT Discussion Papers 13/2016, Bank of Finland, Institute for Economies in Transition.
    18. Liang, Hao & Renneboog, Luc & Sun, Sunny Li, 2015. "The political determinants of executive compensation: Evidence from an emerging economy," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 25(C), pages 69-91.
    19. Ole‐Kristian Hope & Heng Yue & Qinlin Zhong, 2020. "China's Anti‐Corruption Campaign and Financial Reporting Quality†," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 37(2), pages 1015-1043, June.
    20. Zhang, Shanshan & Liu, Chang, 2020. "State ownership and the structuring of lease arrangements," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).

    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:spr:fobric:v:12:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1186_s11782-018-0046-6. 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.springer.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.