Innate and discretionary accruals quality and corporate governance

Pamela Kent, Bond University
James Routledge, Bond University
Jenny Stewart

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Interim status: Citation only.

Kent, P., Routledge, J., & Stewart, J. (2009). Innate and discretionary accruals quality and corporate governance. Accounting and finance, 50(1), 1-25.

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2009 HERDC submission. FoR code: 1501

© Copyright The Authors; Journal compilation © 2009 AFAANZ

Abstract

This paper extends previous research on the association between corporate governance mechanisms and accruals quality. We derive measures of the discretionary and innate components of accruals quality and regress them against corporate governance characteristics. For discretionary accruals, we find use of a Big 4 audit firm and a larger audit committee as the primary governance mechanisms associated with higher accruals quality. For innate accruals quality, we find that higher quality is associated with an independent board of directors, a larger, more independent and more active audit committee, and use of a Big 4 audit firm. Our findings suggest a stronger relation between sound governance mechanisms and innate accruals quality than discretionary accruals quality.