Prior research suggests that the efficacy of a formally independent member of the board of directors could be undermined by social ties with the CEO. In this study, we examine the relation between CFO/CEO-board social ties and earnings management over the 2000-2007 time period. Our results...

While auditor attestation of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting (ICFR) is required for firms with a public float of at least $75 million (accelerated filers), the SEC has delayed auditor attestation for non-accelerated filers several times. The Dodd-Frank Act of 2010...

The disclosure of non-GAAP (pro forma) earnings numbers by managers in the post-SOX era continues to attract attention from regulators, media, and researchers. However, there is limited empirical evidence on how auditors view clients that emphasize pro forma earnings over GAAP earnings. We study...