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Financing and Investment Efficiency, Information Quality, and Accounting Biases

Author

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  • Lin Nan

    (Krannert School of Management, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907)

  • Xiaoyan Wen

    (Department of Accounting, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607)

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate the effect of accounting biases on firms' financing decisions and the role of accounting biases in endogenous information quality. We show that in industries with generally low-profit prospects, a downward-biased accounting system performs better than a neutral accounting system, and a more downward bias helps mitigate both investment and financing inefficiency; whereas for industries with generally high-profit prospects, an upward-biased accounting system is better than a neutral accounting system, and a more upward bias helps improve financing efficiency. In addition, we find that a more downward-biased accounting system motivates good firms to exert more effort to improve the information quality, which improves overall efficiency. This paper was accepted by Mary Barth, accounting .

Suggested Citation

  • Lin Nan & Xiaoyan Wen, 2014. "Financing and Investment Efficiency, Information Quality, and Accounting Biases," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 60(9), pages 2308-2323, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ormnsc:v:60:y:2014:i:9:p:2308-2323
    DOI: 10.1287/mnsc.2013.1864
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Zhang, Ruchuan & Gao, Weiyan & Chen, Shanshan & Zhou, Li & Li, Aijun, 2024. "Dose digital transformation contribute to improving financing efficiency? Evidence and implications for energy enterprises in China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 300(C).
    3. Qi Chen & Zeqiong Huang & Xu Jiang & Gaoqing Zhang & Yun Zhang, 2021. "Asymmetric Reporting Timeliness and Informational Feedback," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 67(8), pages 5194-5208, August.
    4. Sebastian Kronenberger & Volker Laux, 2022. "Conservative Accounting, Audit Quality, and Litigation," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 68(3), pages 2349-2362, March.
    5. Jialu Li & Meiying Yang & Xuan Zhao, 2019. "Quantifying and mitigating inefficiency in information acquisition under competition," Central European Journal of Operations Research, Springer;Slovak Society for Operations Research;Hungarian Operational Research Society;Czech Society for Operations Research;Österr. Gesellschaft für Operations Research (ÖGOR);Slovenian Society Informatika - Section for Operational Research;Croatian Operational Research Society, vol. 27(4), pages 985-1007, December.
    6. Baojun Jiang & K. Sudhir & Tianxin Zou, 2021. "Effects of Cost‐Information Transparency on Intertemporal Price Discrimination," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 30(2), pages 390-401, February.
    7. Zhao, Lingxiao & Liu, Xiao & Tang, Yunpeng & Zhang, Wenjing, 2024. "Functional subsidies, selective subsidies and corporate investment efficiency: Evidence from China," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    8. Dordzhieva, Aysa & Laux, Volker & Zheng, Ronghuo, 2022. "Signaling private information via accounting system design," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(1).
    9. Lin Nan & Xiaoyan Wen, 2019. "Penalties, Manipulation, and Investment Efficiency," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 65(10), pages 4878-4900, October.
    10. Felix Zhiyu Feng & Wenyu Wang & Yufeng Wu & Gaoqing Zhang, 2023. "Ignorance Is Bliss: The Screening Effect of (Noisy) Information," Papers 2302.11128, arXiv.org, revised Aug 2024.
    11. Laux, Volker & Ray, Korok, 2020. "Effects of accounting conservatism on investment efficiency and innovation," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(1).
    12. Yin, Hongying & Jin, Xin & Quan, Xiaofeng & Yu, Junli, 2022. "Does social network improve corporate financing efficiency? Evidence from China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    13. Judson Caskey & Volker Laux, 2017. "Corporate Governance, Accounting Conservatism, and Manipulation," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 63(2), pages 424-437, February.
    14. Kuo‐Cheng Kuo & Wen‐Min Lu & Thanh Nhan Dinh, 2020. "Firm performance and ownership structure: Dynamic network data envelopment analysis approach," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 41(4), pages 608-623, June.
    15. Lu, Tong & Ruan, Lijun, 2024. "Coordination and Conservatism," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    16. Li, Xiao-Lin & Yang, Miao & Ge, Xinyu & Zhao, Chen, 2025. "Monetary policy uncertainty and corporate credit financing in China: The role of accounting information quality," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    17. Nan, Lin & Tang, Chao & Zhang, Gaoqing, 2024. "Whistleblowing bounties and informational effects," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 77(1).
    18. Laux, Christian & Laux, Volker, 2024. "Accounting conservatism and managerial information acquisition," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 77(2).

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