IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/advacc/v68y2025ics0882611025000070.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Principle-based accounting standards and earnings management in private hotel firms: The impact on government subsidies

Author

Listed:
  • Dimitropoulos, Panagiotis E.

Abstract

Effective 2015, the new Hellenic Accounting Standards (HAS) introduced a principle-based financial reporting environment to the Greek business setting. The scope of this study is to examine the impact of new HAS on the accounting quality (earnings management and income smoothing behaviors) of private hospitality firms in Greece, and the subsequent effect on the granting of government subsidies. The empirical analysis used accounting data from 3928 unique hotel firms operating in Greece, over the period 2003–2018. Panel fixed effects and logit regression analysis indicated that the introduction of the new principle-based HAS contributed to an increase in earnings management and income smoothing behaviors of private hotel firms. Furthermore, the deterioration of accounting quality under the new HAS was more severe for medium and small hotel firms, relative to their larger counterparts. Furthermore, the subsequent increase of earnings management by small and medium sized firms was accompanied by an increase of government subsidies, suggesting that SMEs with reduced accounting quality were rewarded with higher government financing under the new accounting regime.

Suggested Citation

  • Dimitropoulos, Panagiotis E., 2025. "Principle-based accounting standards and earnings management in private hotel firms: The impact on government subsidies," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:advacc:v:68:y:2025:i:c:s0882611025000070
    DOI: 10.1016/j.adiac.2025.100812
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0882611025000070
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.adiac.2025.100812?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

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Dimitropoulos, Panagiotis E. & Asteriou, Dimitrios & Kousenidis, Dimitrios & Leventis, Stergios, 2013. "The impact of IFRS on accounting quality: Evidence from Greece," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 29(1), pages 108-123.
    2. Neil Garrod & Urska Kosi & Aljosa Valentincic, 2008. "Asset Write‐Offs in the Absence of Agency Problems," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(3‐4), pages 307-330, April.
    3. Ramzi Benkraiem & Itidel Ben Saad & Faten Lakhal, 2021. "New insights into IFRS and earnings quality: what conclusions to draw from the French experience?," Journal of Applied Accounting Research, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 22(2), pages 307-333, January.
    4. Die Hu & Lu Qiu & Maoyan She & Yu Wang, 2021. "Sustaining the sustainable development: How do firms turn government green subsidies into financial performance through green innovation?," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(5), pages 2271-2292, July.
    5. Habib, A. & Ranasinghe, D. & Huang, H.J., 2018. "A literature survey of financial reporting in private firms," Research in Accounting Regulation, Elsevier, vol. 30(1), pages 31-37.
    6. Sabrina T. Howell, 2017. "Financing Innovation: Evidence from R&D Grants," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 107(4), pages 1136-1164, April.
    7. Mary E. Barth & Wayne R. Landsman & Mark H. Lang, 2008. "International Accounting Standards and Accounting Quality," Journal of Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 46(3), pages 467-498, June.
    8. Panagiotis E. Dimitropoulos, 2020. "Cash Holding Determinants in the Greek Hotel Industry: SMEs Versus Large Firms," Springer Proceedings in Business and Economics, in: Vicky Katsoni & Thanasis Spyriadis (ed.), Cultural and Tourism Innovation in the Digital Era, pages 585-596, Springer.
    9. Aikaterini C. Ferentinou & Seraina C. Anagnostopoulou, 2016. "Accrual-based and real earnings management before and after IFRS adoption," Journal of Applied Accounting Research, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 17(1), pages 2-23, February.
    10. Vasileios Zisis & John Sorros, 2015. "Differences in earnings management between audited and non-audited private manufacturing firms: evidence from Greece," International Journal of Accounting, Auditing and Performance Evaluation, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 11(1), pages 84-105.
    11. Hollis Ashbaugh & Morton Pincus, 2001. "Domestic Accounting Standards, International Accounting Standards, and the Predictability of Earnings," Journal of Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 39(3), pages 417-434, December.
    12. Panagiotis E. Dimitropoulos & Konstantinos Koronios, 2021. "Capital Structure Determinants of Greek Hotels: The Impact of the Greek Debt Crisis," Springer Proceedings in Business and Economics, in: Vicky Katsoni & Ciná van Zyl (ed.), Culture and Tourism in a Smart, Globalized, and Sustainable World, pages 387-402, Springer.
    13. Graham, John R. & Harvey, Campbell R. & Rajgopal, Shiva, 2005. "The economic implications of corporate financial reporting," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 40(1-3), pages 3-73, December.
    14. Aikaterini C. Ferentinou & Seraina C. Anagnostopoulou, 2016. "Accrual-based and real earnings management before and after IFRS adoption," Journal of Applied Accounting Research, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 17(1), pages 2-23, February.
    15. Jensen, Michael C. & Meckling, William H., 1976. "Theory of the firm: Managerial behavior, agency costs and ownership structure," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 3(4), pages 305-360, October.
    16. Guo, Feng & Zou, Bo & Zhang, Xiaofei & Bo, Qingwen & Li, Kai, 2020. "Financial slack and firm performance of SMMEs in China: Moderating effects of government subsidies and market-supporting institutions," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 223(C).
    17. Feldman, Maryann P. & Kelley, Maryellen R., 2006. "The ex ante assessment of knowledge spillovers: Government R&D policy, economic incentives and private firm behavior," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(10), pages 1509-1521, December.
    18. Jochen Bigus & Nadine Georgiou & Philipp Schorn, 2016. "Legal Form and Earnings Properties," European Accounting Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(3), pages 515-548, September.
    19. Dante Baiardo Cavalcante Viana & Isabel Maria Estima Costa Lourenço & Edilson Paulo, 2022. "The effect of IFRS adoption on accrual-based and real earnings management: emerging markets' perspective," Journal of Accounting in Emerging Economies, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 13(3), pages 485-508, June.
    20. Meuleman, Miguel & De Maeseneire, Wouter, 2012. "Do R&D subsidies affect SMEs’ access to external financing?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(3), pages 580-591.
    21. Mantzari, Elisavet & Georgiou, Omiros, 2019. "Ideological hegemony and consent to IFRS: Insights from practitioners in Greece," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 70-93.
    22. Panagiotis E. Dimitropoulos & Ourania Vrondou & Konstantinos Koronios, 2019. "Earnings Predictability of the Greek Hospitality Industry During the Crisis," Springer Proceedings in Business and Economics, in: Vicky Katsoni & Marival Segarra-Oña (ed.), Smart Tourism as a Driver for Culture and Sustainability, chapter 0, pages 647-658, Springer.
    23. Michael J. Turner & Chris Guilding, 2011. "An investigation of the motivation of hotel owners and operators to engage in earnings management," Qualitative Research in Accounting & Management, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 8(4), pages 358-381, November.
    24. Ole-Kristian Hope & Wayne Thomas & Dushyantkumar Vyas, 2011. "Financial credibility, ownership, and financing constraints in private firms," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 42(7), pages 935-957, September.
    25. Christensen, Hans B. & Hail, Luzi & Leuz, Christian, 2013. "Mandatory IFRS reporting and changes in enforcement," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 56(2), pages 147-177.
    26. Paulo Maçãs Nunes & Zélia Serrasqueiro, 2017. "Short-term debt and long-term debt determinants in small and medium-sized hospitality firms," Tourism Economics, , vol. 23(3), pages 543-560, May.
    27. Lerner, Josh, 1999. "The Government as Venture Capitalist: The Long-Run Impact of the SBIR Program," The Journal of Business, University of Chicago Press, vol. 72(3), pages 285-318, July.
    28. Jeong†Bon Kim & Cheong H. Yi, 2006. "Ownership Structure, Business Group Affiliation, Listing Status, and Earnings Management: Evidence from Korea," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 23(2), pages 427-464, June.
    29. Michael Minnis & Nemit Shroff, 2017. "Why regulate private firm disclosure and auditing?," Accounting and Business Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(5), pages 473-502, July.
    30. Leuz, Christian & Nanda, Dhananjay & Wysocki, Peter D., 2003. "Earnings management and investor protection: an international comparison," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(3), pages 505-527, September.
    31. Bok Baik & Seung-Youb Han & Bong Hwan Kim & Seungbin Oh, 2022. "Financial reporting quality of privately held firms: evidence from private corporations versus limited companies," Asia-Pacific Journal of Accounting & Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(5), pages 1184-1207, September.
    32. Chen, Xiao & Lee, Chi-Wen Jevons & Li, Jing, 2008. "Government assisted earnings management in China," Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, Elsevier, vol. 27(3), pages 262-274.
    33. Hui Sun & Xiaocong Yang & Xuan Tang & Fei Peng, 2023. "How innovation funding leads enterprises to engage in research and development: Small and medium enterprises’ perspective," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 18(7), pages 1-20, July.
    34. Ioannis Tsalavoutas, 2017. "The Role and Current Status of IFRS in the Completion of National Rules – Evidence from Greece," Accounting in Europe, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(1-2), pages 102-112, May.
    35. Chan, Kam C. & Seow, Gim S., 1996. "The association between stock returns and foreign GAAP earnings versus earnings adjusted to U.S. GAAP," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 21(1), pages 139-158, February.
    36. Chen, Yu & Wang, Yuandi & Hu, Die & Zhou, Zhao, 2020. "Government R&D subsidies, information asymmetry, and the role of foreign investors: Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment on the shanghai-hong kong stock connect," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    37. Panagiotis Dimitropoulos & Lazaros Ntasis & Konstantinos Koronios, 2021. "The net effect of the travel restriction policy on tourism demand: evidence from Greece," Journal of Entrepreneurship and Public Policy, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 10(3), pages 402-423, July.
    38. Urska Kosi & Aljosa Valentincic, 2013. "Write-offs and Profitability in Private Firms: Disentangling the Impact of Tax-Minimisation Incentives," European Accounting Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(1), pages 117-150, May.
    39. Chen, Jin & Heng, Cheng Suang & Tan, Bernard C.Y. & Lin, Zhijie, 2018. "The distinct signaling effects of R&D subsidy and non-R&D subsidy on IPO performance of IT entrepreneurial firms in China," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(1), pages 108-120.
    40. Ramzi Benkraiem & Itidel Ben Saad & Faten Lakhal, 2021. "New insights into IFRS and earnings quality: what conclusions to draw from the French experience?," Post-Print hal-03157523, HAL.
    41. Christian Leuz & Peter D. Wysocki, 2016. "The Economics of Disclosure and Financial Reporting Regulation: Evidence and Suggestions for Future Research," Journal of Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 54(2), pages 525-622, May.
    42. Jones, Jj, 1991. "Earnings Management During Import Relief Investigations," Journal of Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(2), pages 193-228.
    43. Michael J. Turner & Chris Guilding, 2011. "An investigation of the motivation of hotel owners and operators to engage in earnings management," Qualitative Research in Accounting & Management, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 8(4), pages 358-381, November.
    44. Luís Pacheco & Fernando Tavares, 2017. "Capital structure determinants of hospitality sector SMEs," Tourism Economics, , vol. 23(1), pages 113-132, February.
    45. repec:eme:jaar00:jaar-05-2020-0094 is not listed on IDEAS
    46. Brenda van Tendeloo & Ann Vanstraelen, 2005. "Earnings management under German GAAP versus IFRS," European Accounting Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(1), pages 155-180.
    47. Yang, Jingwen & Hemmings, Danial & Jaafar, Aziz & Jackson, Richard H.G., 2022. "The real earnings management gap between private and public firms: Evidence from Europe," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 49(C).
    48. He, Guanming, 2016. "Fiscal Support and Earnings Management," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 51(1), pages 57-84.
    49. Cumming, Douglas, 2007. "Government policy towards entrepreneurial finance: Innovation investment funds," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 22(2), pages 193-235, March.
    50. Anwer S. Ahmed & Michael Neel & Dechun Wang, 2013. "Does Mandatory Adoption of IFRS Improve Accounting Quality? Preliminary Evidence," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(4), pages 1344-1372, December.
    51. Zhao, Yujie & Zhou, Donghua & Zhao, Kangsheng & Zhou, Ping, 2019. "Is the squeaky wheel getting the grease? Earnings management and government subsidies," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 297-312.
    52. 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.
    53. Kothari, S.P. & Leone, Andrew J. & Wasley, Charles E., 2005. "Performance matched discretionary accrual measures," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 163-197, February.
    54. Burgstahler, David & Dichev, Ilia, 1997. "Earnings management to avoid earnings decreases and losses," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 24(1), pages 99-126, December.
    55. Neil Garrod & Urska Kosi & Aljosa Valentincic, 2008. "Asset Write-Offs in the Absence of Agency Problems," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(3-4), pages 307-330.
    56. Lambert, Richard A., 2001. "Contracting theory and accounting," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(1-3), pages 3-87, December.
    57. repec:eme:jaar00:jaar-01-2014-0009 is not listed on IDEAS
    58. Panagiotis E. Dimitropoulos, 2018. "Profitability Determinants of the Greek Hospitality Industry: The Crisis Effect," Springer Proceedings in Business and Economics, in: Vicky Katsoni & Kathy Velander (ed.), Innovative Approaches to Tourism and Leisure, pages 405-416, Springer.
    59. Geraroid O Cualain & Vincent Tawiah, 2023. "Review of IFRS consequences in Europe: An enforcement perspective," Cogent Business & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(1), pages 2148869-214, December.
    60. Elisabetta Ipino & Antonio Parbonetti, 2017. "Mandatory IFRS adoption: the trade-off between accrual-based and real earnings management," Accounting and Business Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(1), pages 91-121, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Kim, Jong-Hoon & Fujiyama, Keishi & Koga, Yuya, 2024. "The effect of voluntary international financial reporting standards adoption on information asymmetry in the stock market: Evidence from Japan," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    2. Iatridis, George Emmanuel, 2011. "Accounting disclosures, accounting quality and conditional and unconditional conservatism," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 20(2), pages 88-102, April.
    3. Iatridis, George, 2010. "International Financial Reporting Standards and the quality of financial statement information," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 19(3), pages 193-204, June.
    4. Trinh, Quoc Dat & Haddad, Christian & Salameh, Elie, 2023. "Financial institutional blockholders and earnings quality: Do blockholders contestability and countries' institutions matter?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    5. Obeng, Victoria A. & Ahmed, Kamran & Miglani, Seema, 2020. "Integrated reporting and earnings quality: The moderating effect of agency costs," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    6. 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.
    7. Massimiliano Bonacchi & Antonio Marra & Paul Zarowin, 2019. "Organizational structure and earnings quality of private and public firms," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 24(3), pages 1066-1113, September.
    8. Halaoua, Sameh & Hamdi, Badreddine & Mejri, Tarek, 2017. "Earnings management to exceed thresholds in continental and Anglo-Saxon accounting models: The British and French cases," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 39(PA), pages 513-529.
    9. Trimble, Madeline, 2018. "A reinvestigation into accounting quality following global IFRS adoption: Evidence via earnings distributions," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 18-39.
    10. In Tae Hwang & Kang Sung Hur & Sun Min Kang, 2018. "Does the IFRS Effect Continue? An International Comparison," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-20, December.
    11. Martin Walker, 2013. "How far can we trust earnings numbers? What research tells us about earnings management," Accounting and Business Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 43(4), pages 445-481, August.
    12. Aase, Øivind André Strand, 2022. "Effects of Voluntary Audit on Accounting Quality in Small Private Firms," Discussion Papers 2022/1, Norwegian School of Economics, Department of Business and Management Science.
    13. Li, Na & Shi, Guifeng & Guo, Ping & Wu, Yanqin & Zhuo, Weijia, 2025. "Does mandatory operating information disclosure affect corporate earnings management? Evidence from China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 768-790.
    14. Dung Viet Tran & M. Kabir Hassan & Reza Houston, 2020. "Discretionary loan loss provision behavior in the US banking industry," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 55(2), pages 605-645, August.
    15. Sidney J. Gray & Tony Kang & Zhiwei Lin & Qingliang Tang, 2015. "Earnings Management in Europe Post IFRS: Do Cultural Influences Persist?," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 55(6), pages 827-856, December.
    16. Iatridis, George & Kadorinis, George, 2009. "Earnings management and firm financial motives: A financial investigation of UK listed firms," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 18(4), pages 164-173, September.
    17. Oz, Ibrahim Onur & Yelkenci, Tezer, 2018. "Examination of real and accrual earnings management: A cross-country analysis of legal origin under IFRS," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 24-37.
    18. Himanshu & Jatinder P. Singh & Ashwani Kumar, 2020. "Prioritizing and Establishing Cause and Effect Relationships Among Financial Reporting Quality Metrics," Vision, , vol. 24(3), pages 330-344, September.
    19. Jean Jinghan Chen & Peng Cheng & Xinrong Xiao, 2011. "Related party transactions as a source of earnings management," Applied Financial Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(3), pages 165-181.
    20. De George, Emmanuel T. & Li, Xi & Shivakumar, Lakshmanan, 2016. "A review of the IFRS adoption literature," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 67599, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:eee:advacc:v:68:y:2025:i:c:s0882611025000070. 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: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/advances-in-accounting/ .

    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.