We analyze the optimal behavior of an organization when its employees can manipulate the organization's accounting system to their private advantage. We find that the organization may benefit by helping its employees manipulate the system. This help can reduce the employees' private returns from...

GAAP mandates a variety of departures from historical cost valuation. We consider a simple model that produces corresponding variety, depending on prevailing regulatory objectives and economic conditions. The model entails entrepreneurial investment in an asset followed by private information...

This paper surveys conflicts of interest in the corporate governance arena, with emphasis on auditors, boards of directors, analysts and investment bankers, regulators, management, attorneys and investors. Enron provides a host of examples as well. I stress the multifaceted nature of these...

We analyze the optimal behavior of an organization when its employees can manipulate the organization's accounting system to their private advantage. We find that the organization may benefit by helping its employees manipulate the system. This help can reduce the employees' private returns from...

We consider a regulatory problem in which there is a hierarchy of control. Consumers (or Congress) direct the activities of a regulator, who, in turn, oversees the activities of a monopolistic firm. Both the regulator and the firm are self-interested actors. The regulator must be motivated to...

We consider a double moral hazard problem in which the efforts of two parties, e.g., a principal who initially owns an enterprise and a risk-averse agent in the enterprise, are not verifiable. The realized value of the enterprise's random profit stream is also unverifiable. There is also no...