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Gender differences in compensation and earnings management: Evidence from Australian CFOs

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  • Duong, Lien
  • Evans, John

Abstract

We investigate the impact of CFO gender on CFO compensation and earnings management in Australia. In a sample of exchange-listed firms from 2006 to 2010, we find a significant gender pay gap in CFO compensation but much of this pay gap dissipates when female CFOs are matched using a propensity scoring method. Female CFOs tend to choose less risky remuneration packages with more cash and less non-cash component, with more salary and less bonus than their male peers. In addition, female CFOs are more conservative and deliver higher reporting quality compared to male CFOs. They engage substantially less in both accruals-based and real-based earnings management than their male counterparts. The difference in behavior of earnings management and in the selected compensation structures between male and female CFOs can be possibly explained by the gender-based difference in personal risk preference.

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  • Duong, Lien & Evans, John, 2016. "Gender differences in compensation and earnings management: Evidence from Australian CFOs," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 40(PA), pages 17-35.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:pacfin:v:40:y:2016:i:pa:p:17-35
    DOI: 10.1016/j.pacfin.2016.07.004
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    Cited by:

    1. Francis, Bill B. & Hasan, Iftekhar & Hovakimian, Gayane & Sharma, Zenu, 2023. "Gender pay gap in American CFOs: Theory and evidence," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    2. Jingyu Gao & Adi Masli & Ikseon Suh & Jingchang Xu, 2021. "The Influence of a Family Business Climate and CEO–CFO Relationship Quality on Misreporting Conduct," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 171(1), pages 99-122, June.
    3. Zalata, Alaa Mansour & Abdelfattah, Tarek, 2021. "Non-executive female directors and earnings management using classification shifting," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 301-315.
    4. John Nowland & Larelle Chapple & Joseph Johnston, 2021. "The role of the company secretary in facilitating board effectiveness: reporting and compliance," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 61(S1), pages 1425-1456, April.
    5. Nattapong Laksomya & John G. Powell & Suparatana Tanthanongsakkun & Sirimon Treepongkaruna, 2018. "Are Internet message boards used to facilitate stock price manipulation? Evidence from an emerging market, Thailand," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 58(S1), pages 275-309, November.
    6. Zhou, Li & Lei, Lei, 2017. "Can money always talk? : implication for environmental compensation by international agribusiness," IDE Discussion Papers 641, Institute of Developing Economies, Japan External Trade Organization(JETRO).
    7. Cai, Yongbin & Li, Mengzhe, 2022. "CEO-CFO tenure consistency and audit fees," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    8. Chatterjee, Bikram & Jia, Jing & Nguyen, Mai & Taylor, Grantley & Duong, Lien, 2023. "CEO remuneration, financial distress and firm life cycle," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    9. Dina El Mahdy & Fatima Alali, 2023. "Female CFOs and managerial opportunism," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 60(3), pages 1161-1207, April.
    10. Liu, Xiaoxia & Li, Minghui & Tong, Jamie Yixing & Zhang, Feida, 2022. "CFO gender and tax aggressiveness: Evidence from China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Chief Financial Officers; Executive compensation; Gender pay gap; Earnings management; Risk aversion; Australia;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G34 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Mergers; Acquisitions; Restructuring; Corporate Governance
    • J33 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Compensation Packages; Payment Methods
    • M41 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - Accounting

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