Title: Does policy uncertainty affect earnings quality? Evidence from China

Authors: Sang Ho Kim; Yohan An

Addresses: Bryant University-BITZH, Room QA504-1, Qiushi Building, No.6 Jinfeng Road, Tangjiawan, Zhuhai, Guangdong, 519088, China ' Department of Finance and Accounting, Tongmyong University, 428, Sinseon-ro, Nam-gu, Busan, 48520, South Korea

Abstract: This study investigates the effects of policy uncertainty (PU) on earnings quality in Chinese firms. It is known that high uncertainty in economic policy has a detrimental effect on the overall economy and affects individual firms' investment decisions as well as cost of capital. Although a number of studies have examined the relationship between financial reporting quality and PU, most findings concern advanced economies or international settings, providing little insight for emerging markets. This study demonstrates that earnings quality deteriorates as PU increases in China because managers have an incentive to intervene in the financial reporting process to alleviate the adverse impact driven by a rise in PU. In addition, we found that Chinese firms are likely to respond heterogeneously to changes in PU, depending on their ownership and industry types.

Keywords: policy uncertainty; earnings quality; China; discretionary accruals; earning management.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMFA.2024.135352

International Journal of Managerial and Financial Accounting, 2024 Vol.16 No.1, pp.43 - 68

Received: 25 Sep 2021
Accepted: 16 Jun 2022
Published online: 06 Dec 2023 *

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