Journal Screenshot

International Journal of Academic Research in Accounting, Finance and Management Sciences

Open Access Journal

ISSN: 2225-8329

The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic and IFRS Adoption on Earnings Quality: Malaysian Evidence

Wan Razazila Wan Abdullah, Norhayati Zamri, Farah Husna Mohd Fatzel, Enny Nurdin Sutan Maruhun, Naimah Ahmad Yahya

http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARAFMS/v12-i3/15096

Open access

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is regarded as the world's most serious health, economic, and social crisis. Therefore, managers play an important role in ensuring the survival of their business, and their discretion in financial reporting during a crisis becomes an interesting area to study. Meanwhile, the adoption of the International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) is anticipated to enhance the accuracy of earnings reported in financial statements. As a result, the objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between IFRS adoption and the impact of COVID-19 on earnings quality among Malaysian public listed companies. This study used two measures of earnings management: Accrual Earnings Management (AEM) and Real Earnings Management (REM). The sample of this study covers the period after the implementation of MFRS 111 for Construction companies in the year 2012 until the latest COVID-19 outbreak up to the year 2021. This study discovered that earnings management decreases after the adoption of IFRS, indicating that earnings management activities have been mitigated. However, the results also demonstrate that that earnings management figures are significant during the COVID-19 outbreak. Furthermore, the findings show that board composition and firm characteristics have an impact on firms' decisions to manage their earnings, whether on an accrual or real earnings management basis.

Abbadi, S. S., Hijazi, Q. F., & Al-Rahahleh, A. S. (2016). Corporate governance quality and earnings management: Evidence from Jordan. Australasian Accounting, Business and Finance Journal, 10(2), 54–75. https://doi.org/10.14453/aabfj.v10i2.4
Ahmed, A. S., Neel, M. J., & Wang, D. (2013). Does Mandatory Adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards Improve Accounting Quality? Preliminary Evidence. SSRN Electronic Journal, December. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1460859
Ayedh, A. M., Fatima, A. H., & Mohammad, M. H. S. (2019). Earnings management in malaysian companies during the global financial crisis and the coincidental effect of IFRS adoption. Australasian Accounting, Business and Finance Journal, 13(1), 4–26. https://doi.org/10.14453/aabfj.v13i1.2
Barai, M. K., & Dhar, S. (2021). COVID-19 pandemic: Inflicted costs and some emerging global issues. Global Business Review, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1177/0972150921991499
Becker, C. L., DeFond, M. L., Jiambalvo, J., & Subramanyam, K. R. (1998). The effect of audit quality on earnings management. Korea International Accounting Review, null(38), 43–74. https://doi.org/10.21073/kiar.2011..38.003
Biswas, S., Bhattacharya, M., Sadarangani, P. H., & Jin, J. Y. (2022). Corporate governance and earnings management in banks: An empirical evidence from India. Cogent Economics and Finance, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23322039.2022.2085266
Callao, S., & Jarne, J. I. (2010). Have IFRS affected earnings management in the European Union?. Accounting in Europe, 7(2), 159-189.
Chen, H., Chen, J. Z., Lobo, G. J., & Wang, Y. (2011). Effects of audit quality on earnings management and cost of equity capital: Evidence from China. Contemporary Accounting Research, 28(3 (Fall 2011)), 892–925. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1911-3846.2011.01088.x
Chi, C. W., Hung, K., Cheng, H. W., & Lieu, P. T. (2015). Family firms and earnings management in Taiwan: Influence of corporate governance. International Review of Economics & Finance, 36, 88–98. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iref.2014.11.009
Cohen, D. A., & Zarowin, P. (2008). Accrual-based and real earnings management activities around seasoned equity offerings.
Datastream International. (2022). Available: Refinitiv Workspace.
Dechow, P. M., Sloan, R. G., & Sweeney, A. P. (1995). Detecting earnings management. Accounting Review, 70(2), 193–225. https://ssrn.com/abstract=5520
Fama, E. F., & Jensen, M. C. (1983). Separation of ownership and control. Journal of Law and Economics, 26(2), 301–325.
Ferentinou, A. C., & Anagnostopoulou, S. C. (2016). Accrual-based and real earnings management before and after IFRS adoption: The case of Greece. Journal of Applied Accounting Research.
Garrett, K. W. C., Mohamad, S., Shafie, R. Bin, & Sadiq, M. (2020). International financial reporting standards and earnings management: Comparative study of pre-post full convergence of IFRS in Malaysia. Journal of Critical Reviews, 7(2), 85–89. https://doi.org/10.31838/jcr.07.02.17
Gull, A. A., Nekhili, M., Nagati, H., & Chtioui, T. (2018). Beyond gender diversity: How specific attributes of female directors affect earnings management. British Accounting Review, 50(3), 255–274. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bar.2017.09.001
Gulzar, M. A., & Zongjun, W. (2011). Corporate governance characteristics and earnings management: Empirical evidence from Chinese listed firms. International Journal of Accounting and Financial Reporting, 1(1), 133. https://doi.org/10.5296/ijafr.v1i1.854
Hasan, M. T., & Abdul Rahman, A. (2020). The role of corporate governance on the relationship between IFRS adoption and earnings management: Evidence from Bangladesh. International Journal of Financial Research, 11(4), 329–345. https://doi.org/10.5430/ijfr.v11n4p329
Healy, P. M., & Wahlen, J. M. (1999). A review of the earnings management literature and its implications for standard setting. Accounting Horizons, 13(4), 365–383. https://doi.org/10.2308/acch.1999.13.4.365
Jensen, M. C., & Meckling, W. H. (2019). Theory of the firm: Managerial behavior, agency costs and ownership structure. Corporate Governance: Values, Ethics and Leadership, 77–132. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.94043
Khaldoon, A., Ahmad, A., & Wei, H. (2019). The role of board characteristics on the relationship between International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) adoption and earnings management: Evidence from China. Journal of Accounting and Taxation, 11(9), 145–154. https://doi.org/10.5897/jat2019.0357
Khalil, M., & Ozkan, A. (2016). Board independence, audit quality and earnings management: Evidence from Egypt. Journal of Emerging Market Finance, 15(1), 84–118. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0972652715623701
Klein, A. (2002). Audit committee, board of director characteristics, and earnings management. Journal of Accounting and Economics, 33(06), 375–400. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165410102000599
Kyaw, K., Olugbode, M., & Petracci, B. (2015). Does gender diverse board mean less earnings management? Finance Research Letters, 14, 135–141.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.frl.2015.05.006
Lassoued, N., & Khanchel, I. (2021). Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on earnings management: An evidence from financial reporting in European firms. Global Business Review, November. https://doi.org/10.1177/09721509211053491
Liang, B. (2022). The impact of COVID-19 on earnings management of listed companies. 10(2), 53–60.
Malofeeva, T. N. (2018). The impact of IFRS adoption on earnings management in Russia. European Research Studies Journal, 21(2), 147–164. https://doi.org/10.35808/ersj/991
Mardessi, M. S., & Fourati, M. Y. (2020). The impact of audit committee on real earnings management: Evidence from Netherlands. Corporate Governance and Sustainability Review, 4(1), 33–46. https://doi.org/10.22495/cgsrv4i1p3
Mongrut, S., & Winkelried, D. (2019). Unintended effects of IFRS adoption on earnings management: The case of Latin America. Emerging Markets Review, 38(April 2018), 377–388. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ememar.2018.11.004
Nazir, M. S., & Talat, A. (2018). Impact of corporate governance on discretionary earnings management: A case of Pakistani firms. Pakistan Economic and Social Review, 56(1), 157–184.
Orazalin, N. (2020). Board gender diversity, corporate governance, and earnings management: Evidence from an emerging market. Gender in Management, 35(1), 37–60. https://doi.org/10.1108/GM-03-2018-0027
Ozili, P. K. (2021). Accounting and financial reporting during a pandemic. New Challenges for Future Sustainability and Wellbeing, 105183, 87–93. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-80043-968-920211005
Peasnell, K. V., Pope, P. F., & Young, S. (2005). Board Monitoring and Earnings Management: Do Outside Directors Influence Abnormal Accruals? Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, 32(7/8), 1311–1346. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0306-686X.2005.00630.x
Roychowdhury, S. (2006). Earnings management through real activities manipulation. Journal of Accounting and Economics, 42(3), 335–370.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacceco.2006.01.002
Ryu, H., & Chae, S. J. (2022). The impact of COVID-19 on earnings management in the distribution and service industries. Journal of Distribution Science, 20(4), 95–100. https://doi.org/10.15722/jds.20.04.202204.95
Said, K. (2019). The impact of IFRS adoption on earnings management: Results from Canada. Journal of Economics and Business, 2(3). https://doi.org/10.31014/aior.1992.02.03.107
Saona, P., Muro, L., San Martin, P., & Baier-Fuentes, H. (2019). Board of director’s gender diversity and its impact on earnings management: An empirical analysis for select european firms. Technological and Economic Development of Economy, 25(4), 634–663. https://doi.org/10.3846/tede.2019.9381
Schipper, K. (1989). Earnings Management. Accounting Horizons, 3(4), 91–102.
Setiawan, D., Taib, F. M., Phua, L. K., & Chee, H. K. (2019). IFRS and earnings management in Indonesia: The effect of independent commissioners. International Journal of Business and Society, 20(1), 37–59.
Sun, L., & Rath, S. (2008). Fundamental determinants, opportunistic behavior and signaling mechanism: An integration of earnings management perspectives. International Review of Business Research Papers, 4(4), 406–420.
Susak, T. (2020). The effect of regulatory changes on relationship between earnings management and financial reporting timeliness: The case of COVID-19 pandemic. Zbornik Radova Ekonomskog Fakultet Au Rijeci, 38(2), 453–473.
https://doi.org/10.18045/zbefri.2020.2.453
Thiruvadi, S., & Huang, H. W. (2011). Audit committee gender differences and earnings management. Gender in Management, 26(7), 483–498.
https://doi.org/10.1108/17542411111175469
Damak, T. S. (2018). Gender diverse board and earnings management: evidence from French listed companies. Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal, 9(3), 289–312. https://doi.org/10.1108/SAMPJ-08-2017-0088
Wan Abdullah, W. R. (2012). Earnings management: Evidence concerning Shariah-approved companies in Malaysia [Lincoln University New Zealand].
https://researcharchive.lincoln.ac.nz/handle/10182/5483
Wan Ismail, W. A., Kamarudin, K. A., Van Zijl, T., & Dunstan, K. (2013). Earnings quality and the adoption of IFRS-based accounting standards: Evidence from an emerging market. Asian Review of Accounting, 21(1), 53–73.
https://doi.org/10.1108/13217341311316940
Wardhani, R., & Anggraenni, M. D. (2017). The effect of leverage and IFRS convergence on earnings management through real activities manipulation in Asia. Asian Journal of Business and Accounting, 10(1), 87–125.
Wijayana, S., & Gray, S. J. (2019). Institutional factors and earnings management in the Asia-Pacific: is IFRS adoption making a difference?. Management International Review, 59(2), 307–334.
Xiao, H., & Xi, J. (2021). The COVID-19 and earnings management?: China ’ s evidence. 13(June), 59–77. https://doi.org/10.5897/JAT2020.0436

In-Text Citation: (Abdullah et al., 2022)
To Cite this Article: Abdullah, W. R. W., Zamri, N., Fatzel, F. H. M., Maruhun, E. N. S., & Yahya, N. A. (2022). The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic and IFRS Adoption on Earnings Quality: Malaysian Evidence. International Journal of Academic Research in Accounting Finance and Management Sciences, 12(3), 536–557.