Since 1974, Ramp;D expenditures have been fully expensed when incurred partly because Ramp;D activities are claimed to be associated with a high degree of uncertainty in future economic benefits. In this study, we estimate the association between Ramp;D expenditures and capital expenditures...

We use pension asset allocation data to examine the relation between the expected long-term rate of return (ERR) on pension assets and the amount of funds allocated by fund managers to equity securities. If firms use their best estimate of the ERR, then cross-sectional differences in the ERR...

This study explains the cross-sectional variation in firms' selected assumptions (discount rates and health care cost trend rates) used to measure the obligation for post-retirement benefits other than pensions (PRB) under SFAS No. 106. Our aim is to examine whether managements manger the...

This study uses SFAS No. 106 disclosures to investigate the abilities of post-retirement benefit (PRB) liability components, and annual PRB cost components to explain cross-sectional variation in market-to-book ratios. SFAS No. 106 requires disclosure of the sensitivity of the PRB liability and...

We identify and test motives for corporate pension asset allocations using a proprietary asset allocation database covering the 1988-1994 period. We focus on the question of whether the recognition of additional minimum pension liability in accordance with SFAS No. 87 affects asset allocation....

The fixed-effects specification is often used in panel datasets as a way of dealing with correlated omitted variables. A review of recent accounting publications reveals that while researchers are generally aware of the need to include fixed-effects in empirical models when using panel datasets...

An analysis of a proprietary dataset reveals that non-trivial proportions of directors, Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and Chief Financial Officers in Swedish listed companies have been convicted or suspected of crimes. Based on prior literature, we argue that directors and senior executives...