1、1本科毕业论文（设计）外文翻译外文题目EARNINGSMANAGEMENTUNDERGERMANGAAPVERSUSIFRS外文出处EUROPEANACCOUNTINGREVIEW外文作者TENDELOO,BV,ANDVANSTRAELEN,A原文EARNINGSMANAGEMENTUNDERGERMANGAAPVERSUSIFRSABSTRACTTHISPAPERADDRESSESTHEQUESTIONWHETHERVOLUNTARYADOPTIONOFINTERNATIONALFINANCIALREPORTINGSTANDARDSIFRSISASSOCIATEDWITHLOWEREARNI
2、NGSMANAGEMENTBALLETALJOURNALOFACCOUNTINGANDECONOMICS,3613,PP235270,2003ARGUETHATADOPTINGHIGHQUALITYSTANDARDSMIGHTBEANECESSARYCONDITIONFORHIGHQUALITYINFORMATION,BUTNOTNECESSARILYASUFFICIENTONEINGERMANY,ACODELAWCOUNTRYWITHLOWINVESTORPROTECTIONRIGHTS,ARELATIVELYLARGENUMBEROFCOMPANIESHAVECHOSENTOVOLUNTA
3、RILYADOPTIFRSPRIORTO2005WEINVESTIGATEWHETHERGERMANCOMPANIESTHATHAVEADOPTEDIFRSENGAGESIGNIFICANTLYLESSINEARNINGSMANAGEMENTCOMPAREDTOGERMANCOMPANIESREPORTINGUNDERGERMANGENERALLYACCEPTEDACCOUNTINGPRINCIPLESGAAP,WHILECONTROLLINGFOROTHERDIFFERENCESINEARNINGSMANAGEMENTINCENTIVESOURSAMPLE,CONSISTINGOFGERMA
4、NLISTEDCOMPANIES,CONTAINS636FIRMYEAROBSERVATIONSRELATINGTOTHEPERIOD19992001OURRESULTSSUGGESTTHATIFRSADOPTERSDONOTPRESENTDIFFERENTEARNINGSMANAGEMENTBEHAVIORCOMPAREDTOCOMPANIESREPORTINGUNDERGERMANGAAPTHESEFINDINGSCONTRIBUTETOTHECURRENTDEBATEONWHETHERHIGHQUALITYSTANDARDSARESUFFICIENTANDEFFECTIVEINCOUNT
5、RIESWITHWEAKINVESTORPROTECTIONRIGHTSTHEYINDICATETHATVOLUNTARYADOPTERSOFIFRSINGERMANYCANNOTBEASSOCIATEDWITHLOWEREARNINGSMANAGEMENT1INTRODUCTIONTHEINTERNATIONALACCOUNTINGSTANDARDSIAS,NOWRENAMEDASINTERNATIONALFINANCIALREPORTINGSTANDARDSIFRS,HAVEBEENDEVELOPEDTOHARMONIZECORPORATEACCOUNTINGPRACTICEANDTOAN
6、SWERTHENEEDFORHIGHQUALITYSTANDARDSTOBEADOPTEDIN2THEWORLDSMAJORCAPITALMARKETSBALLETAL2003ARGUETHATADOPTINGHIGHQUALITYSTANDARDSMIGHTBEANECESSARYCONDITIONFORHIGHQUALITYINFORMATION,BUTNOTNECESSARILYASUFFICIENTONETHISPAPERCONTRIBUTESTOTHISDEBATEBYEXAMININGWHETHERTHEADOPTIONOFHIGHQUALITYSTANDARDSLIKEIFRSI
7、SASSOCIATEDWITHHIGHFINANCIALREPORTINGQUALITYINPARTICULAR,WEQUESTIONWHETHERIFRSARESUFFICIENTTOOVERRIDEMANAGERSINCENTIVESTOENGAGEINEARNINGSMANAGEMENTANDAFFECTTHEQUALITYOFREPORTEDEARNINGSPREVIOUSRESEARCHPROVIDESEVIDENCETHATTHEMAGNITUDEOFEARNINGSMANAGEMENTISONAVERAGEHIGHERINCODELAWCOUNTRIESWITHLOWINVEST
8、ORPROTECTIONRIGHTS,COMPAREDTOCOMMONLAWCOUNTRIESWITHHIGHINVESTORPROTECTIONRIGHTSLEUZETAL,2003HENCE,TOASSESSWHETHERFIRMSTHATREPORTUNDERIFRSCANBEASSOCIATEDWITHHIGHEREARNINGSQUALITYWEFOCUSONGERMANY,WHICHISACODELAWCOUNTRYWITHRELATIVELYLOWINVESTORPROTECTIONRIGHTSLAPORTALETAL,2000MOREOVER,ARELATIVELYLARGEN
9、UMBEROFGERMANCOMPANIESHAVEALREADYVOLUNTARILYCHOSENTOADOPTIFRSPRIORTO2005THISALLOWSACOMPARISONBETWEENCOMPANIESTHATHAVEADOPTEDIFRSVERSUSCOMPANIESTHATREPORTUNDERDOMESTICGENERALLYACCEPTEDACCOUNTINGPRINCIPLESGAAPTHERESULTSOFOURRESEARCHSHOWTHATIFRSDONOTIMPOSEASIGNIFICANTCONSTRAINTONEARNINGSMANAGEMENT,ASME
10、ASUREDBYDISCRETIONARYACCRUALSONTHECONTRARY,ADOPTINGIFRSSEEMSTOINCREASETHEMAGNITUDEOFDISCRETIONARYACCRUALSOURRESULTSFURTHERSUGGESTTHATCOMPANIESTHATHAVEADOPTEDIFRSENGAGEMOREINEARNINGSSMOOTHING,ALTHOUGHTHISEFFECTISSIGNIFICANTLYREDUCEDWHENTHECOMPANYHASABIG4AUDITORHOWEVER,HIDDENRESERVES,WHICHAREALLOWEDUN
11、DERGERMANGAAPTOMANAGEEARNINGS,ARENOTENTIRELYPICKEDUPBYTHETRADITIONALACCRUALSMEASURESWHENHIDDENRESERVESARETAKENINTOCONSIDERATION,OURRESULTSSHOWTHATIFRSADOPTERSDONOTPRESENTDIFFERENTEARNINGSMANAGEMENTBEHAVIORCOMPAREDTOCOMPANIESREPORTINGUNDERGERMANGAAPHENCE,OURRESULTSINDICATETHATADOPTERSOFIFRSCANNOTBEAS
12、SOCIATEDWITHLOWEREARNINGSMANAGEMENTTHISFINDINGSUGGESTSTHATTHEADOPTIONOFHIGHQUALITYSTANDARDSISNOTASUFFICIENTCONDITIONFORPROVIDINGHIGHQUALITYINFORMATIONINCODELAWCOUNTRIESWITHLOWINVESTORPROTECTIONRIGHTSTHEREMAINDEROFTHISPAPERISORGANIZEDASFOLLOWSINSECTION2,WEREVIEWTHERELEVANTLITERATUREANDPROVIDETHETHEOR
13、ETICALBACKGROUNDOFTHEPAPERSECTION3PROVIDESANOVERVIEWOFTHEGERMANACCOUNTINGSYSTEMINSECTION4,WEFORMULATETHERESEARCHHYPOTHESESSECTION5DESCRIBESTHERESEARCHDESIGNTHERESULTSOFTHE3STUDYAREPRESENTEDINSECTION6FINALLY,INSECTION7,WESUMMARIZEOURRESULTS,DISCUSSTHEIMPLICATIONSANDLIMITATIONSOFOURANALYSISANDGIVESUGG
14、ESTIONSFORFURTHERRESEARCH2PREVIOUSLITERATURE21ADOPTIONOFINTERNATIONALACCOUNTINGSTANDARDSTHEINTERNATIONALACCOUNTINGSTANDARDSCOMMITTEEIASC,WHICHWASESTABLISHEDIN1973ANDNOWRENAMEDASTHEINTERNATIONALACCOUNTINGSTANDARDSBOARDIASB,AIMSTOACHIEVEUNIFORMITYINTHEACCOUNTINGSTANDARDSUSEDBYBUSINESSESANDOTHERORGANIZ
15、ATIONSFORFINANCIALREPORTINGAROUNDTHEWORLDIASBWEBSITETHEBENEFITSOFTHEADOPTIONOFINTERNATIONALACCOUNTINGSTANDARDSARECONSIDEREDTOBETHEFOLLOWINGFIRST,ITSHOULDIMPROVETHEABILITYOFINVESTORSTOMAKEINFORMEDFINANCIALDECISIONSANDELIMINATECONFUSIONARISINGFROMDIFFERENTMEASURESOFFINANCIALPOSITIONANDPERFORMANCEACROS
16、SCOUNTRIES,THEREBYLEADINGTOAREDUCEDRISKFORINVESTORSANDALOWERCOSTOFCAPITALFORCOMPANIESSECOND,ITSHOULDLOWERCOSTSARISINGFROMMULTIPLEREPORTINGTHIRD,ITSHOULDENCOURAGEINTERNATIONALINVESTMENTFINALLY,ITSHOULDLEADTOAMOREEFFICIENTALLOCATIONOFSAVINGSWORLDWIDESTREETETAL,1999THEORIGINALINTERNATIONALACCOUNTINGSTA
17、NDARDSWEREMOSTLYDESCRIPTIVEINNATUREANDCONTAINEDMANYALTERNATIVETREATMENTSBECAUSEOFTHISFLEXIBILITYANDACONTINUINGLACKOFCOMPARABILITYACROSSCOUNTRIES,THESTANDARDSCAMEUNDERHEAVYCRITICISMINTHELATE1980SINRESPONSETOTHISCRITICISM,THEIASCSTARTEDTHECOMPARABILITYPROJECTIN1987THEREVISEDSTANDARDS,WHICHBECAMEEFFECT
18、IVEIN1995,SUBSTANTIALLYREDUCEDTHEALTERNATIVETREATMENTSANDINCREASEDTHEDISCLOSUREREQUIREMENTSNOBES,2002INJULY1995,THEIASCANDTHEINTERNATIONALORGANIZATIONOFSECURITIESCOMMISSIONIOSCOAGREEDTOALISTOFACCOUNTINGISSUESTHATNEEDEDTOBEADDRESSEDFOROBTAININGIOSCOSENDORSEMENTOFTHESTANDARDSTHESUBSEQUENTCORESTANDARDS
19、PROJECTLEDAGAINTOSUBSTANTIALREVISIONSOFIASINMAY2000,THEIASCRECEIVEDIOSCOSENDORSEMENTSUBJECTTORECONCILIATIONWHERENECESSARYTOADDRESSSUBSTANTIVEOUTSTANDINGISSUESATANATIONALORREGIONALLEVELIOSCOPRESSRELEASE,17MAY2000THECORESTANDARDSPROJECTHASBROUGHTAWIDERRECOGNITIONTOIASAROUNDTHEWORLDFOREXAMPLE,THEEUROPE
20、ANPARLIAMENTHASISSUEDAREGULATION1606/2002/ECREQUIRINGALLEULISTEDCOMPANIESTOPREPARECONSOLIDATEDFINANCIALSTATEMENTSBASEDONINTERNATIONALACCOUNTINGSTANDARDSBY2005INANUMBEROFCOUNTRIES,INCLUDINGAUSTRIA,BELGIUM,FRANCE,GERMANY,ITALY4ANDSWITZERLAND,COMPANIESWEREALREADYPERMITTEDTOPREPARECONSOLIDATEDFINANCIALS
21、TATEMENTSUNDERIFRSORUSGAAPPRIORTO2005SINCEGERMANACCOUNTINGSTANDARDSANDDISCLOSUREPRACTICESHAVEBEENCRITICIZEDINTHEINVESTORCOMMUNITYLEUZANDVERRECHIA,2000,ARELATIVELYLARGENUMBEROFGERMANFIRMSHAVEADOPTEDINTERNATIONALACCOUNTINGSTANDARDSSUCHASIFRSORUSGAAPTHISSWITCHISTHOUGHTTOREPRESENTASUBSTANTIALCOMMITMENTT
22、OTRANSPARENTFINANCIALREPORTINGFORTHEFOLLOWINGTWOREASONSFIRST,IFRSADOPTIONITSELFMIGHTEFFECTIVELYENHANCEFINANCIALREPORTINGQUALITYSECOND,FIRMSWHICHADOPTIFRSORUSGAAPMIGHTDOSOBECAUSETHEYHAVEHIGHERINCENTIVESTOREPORTTRANSPARENTLY,SUCHASHIGHFINANCINGNEEDSINTHISCASE,IFRSSERVESASAPROXYFORACREDIBLECOMMITMENTTO
23、HIGHERQUALITYACCOUNTINGASTUDYCONDUCTEDBYDUMONTIERANDRAFFOURNIER1998WITHSWISSDATAREVEALSTHATEARLYADOPTERSOFIFRSARELARGER,MOREINTERNATIONALLYDIVERSIFIED,LESSCAPITALINTENSIVEANDHAVEAMOREDIFFUSEOWNERSHIPTHEYARGUETHATTHEDECISIONTOAPPLYIFRSISPRIMARILYINFLUENCEDBYPOLITICALCOSTSANDPRESSURESFROMOUTSIDEMARKET
24、SMURPHY1999ALSOUSEDSWISSDATATOSTUDYTHEDETERMINANTSOFTHEADOPTIONOFIFRSSHEFOUNDTHATCOMPANIESTHATADOPTIFRSHAVEAHIGHERPERCENTAGEOFFOREIGNSALESANDAHIGHERNUMBEROFFOREIGNEXCHANGELISTINGSELGAZZARETAL1999FOUNDTHESAMERELATIONSHIPSUSINGDATAFROMVARIOUSCOUNTRIESINADDITION,THEYCONCLUDEDTHATBEINGDOMICILEDINANEUCOU
25、NTRYANDHAVINGALOWERDEBTTOEQUITYRATIOISPOSITIVELYASSOCIATEDWITHTHEADOPTIONOFIFRSOTHERDETERMINANTSOFTHEADOPTIONOFINTERNATIONALSTANDARDSMENTIONEDINTHELITERATUREINCLUDEAHIGHPROFITABILITY,THEISSUANCEOFEQUITYDURINGTHEYEAROFADOPTION,DOMESTICGAAPDIFFERINGSIGNIFICANTLYFROMIFRSORUSGAAPAND,RELATEDTOTHELATTER,B
26、EINGDOMICILEDINACOUNTRYWITHABANKORIENTEDFINANCIALSYSTEMASHBAUGH,2001CUIJPERSANDBUIJINK,2003NOTALLCOMPANIESTHATSEEKTHEINTERNATIONALINVESTMENTSTATUSTHATCOMESWITHTHEADOPTIONOFIFRSARE,HOWEVER,WILLINGTOFULFILLALLOFTHEREQUIREMENTSANDOBLIGATIONSINVOLVEDACCORDINGTOASTUDYBYSTREETANDGRAY2002THEREISASIGNIFICAN
27、TNONCOMPLIANCEWITHIFRSIN1998COMPANYREPORTS,ESPECIALLYINTHECASEOFIFRSDISCLOSUREREQUIREMENTSWITHTHEREVISIONOFIAS1,EFFECTIVEFORFINANCIALSTATEMENTSCOVERINGPERIODSBEGINNINGONORAFTER1JULY1998,FINANCIALSTATEMENTSAREPROHIBITEDFROMNOTINGCOMPLIANCEWITHINTERNATIONALACCOUNTINGSTANDARDSUNLESSTHEYCOMPLYWITHALLTHE
28、REQUIREMENTSOFEACHAPPLICABLESTANDARDANDEACHAPPLICABLEINTERPRETATIONOFTHESTANDINGINTERPRETATIONSCOMMITTEE5ALLCOMPANIESINCLUDEDINOURIFRSSAMPLEMENTIONIFRSCOMPLIANCEINTHEIRFINANCIALSTATEMENTSAFTERTHEREVISEDIAS1BECAMEEFFECTIVENEVERTHELESS,ADOPTERSOFIFRSTHATAPPEARTOBEFULLYCOMPLIANTMIGHTASWELLBEFALSELYSIGN
29、ALINGTOBEOFHIGHQUALITYBALLETAL2000ARGUETHATFIRMSINCENTIVESTOCOMPLYWITHACCOUNTINGSTANDARDSDEPENDONTHEPENALTIESASSESSEDFORNONCOMPLIANCEWHENCOSTSOFCOMPLYINGTOIFRSAREVIEWEDTOEXCEEDTHECOSTSOFNONCOMPLIANCE,SUBSTANTIALNONCOMPLIANCEWILLCONTINUETOBEAPROBLEMWHILETHEMAINOBJECTIVEOFADOPTINGIFRSISCONSIDEREDTOBEE
30、NHANCINGTHEQUALITYOFTHEINFORMATIONPROVIDEDINTHEFINANCIALSTATEMENTS,BALLETAL2003FURTHERSUGGESTTHATADOPTINGHIGHQUALITYSTANDARDSMIGHTBEANECESSARYCONDITIONFORHIGHQUALITYINFORMATIONBUTNOTASUFFICIENTCONDITIONIFTHEADOPTIONOFIFRSCANNOTBEASSOCIATEDWITHSIGNIFICANTLYHIGHERFINANCIALREPORTINGQUALITY,IFRSADOPTION
31、CANNOTSERVEASASIGNALINGINSTRUMENTFORACREDIBLECOMMITMENTTOHIGHERQUALITYACCOUNTINGTHISSTUDYADDRESSESTHISISSUEEMPIRICALLY22EARNINGSMANAGEMENTINCENTIVESANDCONSTRAINTSONEWAYOFASSESSINGTHEQUALITYOFREPORTEDEARNINGSISEXAMININGTOWHATEXTENTEARNINGSAREMANAGED,WITHTHEINTENTIONTOEITHERMISLEADSOMESTAKEHOLDERSABOU
32、TTHEUNDERLYINGECONOMICPERFORMANCEOFTHECOMPANYORTOINFLUENCECONTRACTUALOUTCOMESTHATDEPENDONREPORTEDACCOUNTINGNUMBERSHEALYANDWAHLEN,1999INCENTIVESFOREARNINGSMANAGEMENT,EITHERTHROUGHACCOUNTINGDECISIONSORSTRUCTURINGTRANSACTIONS,AREAMPLEMANAGERSMAYBEINCLINEDTOMANAGEEARNINGSDUETOTHEEXISTENCEOFEXPLICITANDIM
33、PLICITCONTRACTS,THEFIRMSRELATIONWITHCAPITALMARKETS,THENEEDFOREXTERNALFINANCING,THEPOLITICALANDREGULATORYENVIRONMENTORSEVERALOTHERSPECIFICCIRCUMSTANCESVANDERBAUWHEDE,2001ANUMBEROFSTUDIESSUGGESTTHATTHEQUALITYOFREPORTEDFINANCIALSTATEMENTINFORMATIONISINLARGEPARTDETERMINEDBYTHEUNDERLYINGECONOMICANDINSTIT
34、UTIONALFACTORSINFLUENCINGMANAGERSANDAUDITORSINCENTIVESACCORDINGTOBALLETAL2000THEDEMANDFORACCOUNTINGINCOMEDIFFERSSYSTEMATICALLYBETWEENCOMMONLAWANDCODELAWCOUNTRIESINCOMMONLAWCOUNTRIES,WHICHARECHARACTERIZEDBYARMSLENGTHDEBTANDEQUITYMARKETS,ADIVERSEBASEOFINVESTORS,HIGHRISKOFLITIGATIONANDSTRONGINVESTORPRO
35、TECTION,ACCOUNTINGINFORMATIONISDESIGNEDTOMEETTHENEEDSOFINVESTORSINCODELAWCOUNTRIES,CAPITALMARKETSARELESSACTIVEINVESTORPROTECTIONISWEAK,LITIGATIONRATESARELOWERANDCOMPANIESAREMOREFINANCEDBYBANKS,OTHERFINANCIALINSTITUTIONSANDTHEGOVERNMENT,WHICHRESULTSINLESSNEEDFORPUBLIC6DISCLOSUREACCOUNTINGINFORMATIONI
36、STHEREFOREDESIGNEDMORETOMEETOTHERDEMANDS,INCLUDINGREDUCTIONINPOLITICALCOSTSANDDETERMINATIONOFINCOMETAXANDDIVIDENDPAYMENTSBALLETAL,2000LAPORTAETAL,2000LEUZETAL2003SHOWTHATEARNINGSMANAGEMENTISMOREPREVALENTINCODELAWCOUNTRIESCOMPAREDTOCOMMONLAWCOUNTRIESTHEBENEFITSEGENHANCEDLIQUIDITYOFENGAGINGINEARNINGSM
37、ANAGEMENTAPPEARTOOUTWEIGHTHECOSTSEGLITIGATIONMOREINCOUNTRIESWITHWEAKINVESTORPROTECTIONRIGHTSFIRMSWHICHADOPTIFRS,HOWEVER,CANBEEXPECTEDTOHAVEINCENTIVESTOREPORTINVESTORORIENTEDINFORMATIONANDTHUSENGAGESIGNIFICANTLYLESSINEARNINGSMANAGEMENTTHANNONADOPTERSONTHEOTHERHAND,LOWENFORCEMENTANDLOWLITIGATIONRISKMI
38、GHTENCOURAGELOWQUALITYFIRMSTOFALSELYSIGNALTOBEOFHIGHQUALITYBYADOPTINGIFRSTHISSTUDYADDRESSESTHEQUESTIONWHETHERADOPTIONOFIFRSISASSOCIATEDWITHLOWEREARNINGSMANAGEMENTINGERMANY,WHICHLAPORTAETAL2000CLASSIFYASACOUNTRYWITHLOWINVESTORPROTECTIONRIGHTSACCOUNTINGRULESCANLIMITAMANAGERSABILITYTODISTORTREPORTEDEAR
39、NINGSBUTTHEEXTENTTOWHICHACCOUNTINGRULESINFLUENCEREPORTEDEARNINGSANDCURBEARNINGSMANAGEMENTDEPENDSONHOWWELLTHESERULESAREENFORCEDLEUZETAL,2003APARTFROMCLEARACCOUNTINGSTANDARDS,STRONGINVESTORANDCREDITORPROTECTIONREQUIRESASTATUTORYAUDIT,MONITORINGBYSUPERVISORSANDEFFECTIVESANCTIONSANUMBEROFSTUDIESHAVESHOW
40、NTHATBIG4AUDITORSCONSTITUTEACONSTRAINTONEARNINGSMANAGEMENTDEFONDANDJIAMBALVO,1991,1994BECKERETAL,1998FRANCISETAL,1999GOREETAL,2001HOWEVER,THERESULTSOFMAIJOORANDVANSTRAELEN2002ANDFRANCISANDWANG2003DOCUMENTTHATTHECONSTRAINTCONSTITUTEDBYABIG4AUDITORONEARNINGSMANAGEMENTISNOTUNIFORMACROSSCOUNTRIESSTREETA
41、NDGRAY2002FINDSUPPORTFORTHEFACTTHATBEINGAUDITEDBYALARGEAUDITFIRMISALSOPOSITIVELYASSOCIATEDWITHIFRSCOMPLIANCE,BOTHINTHECASEOFDISCLOSUREREQUIREMENTSASINTHECASEOFMEASUREMENTANDPRESENTATIONREQUIREMENTSINTHISRESPECT,WEQUESTIONWHETHERADOPTIONOFIFRSBYACOMPANYHASASTRONGEREFFECTONTHEQUALITYOFEARNINGSOFTHATCO
42、MPANYWHENAUDITEDBYABIG4AUDITFIRMSOURCETENDELOO,BVANDVANSTRAELEN,AEARNINGSMANAGEMENTUNDERGERMANGAAPVERSUSIFRSJEUROPEANACCOUNTINGREVIEW,2005,1411551807译文德国公认会计准则与国际财务报告准则下的盈余管理摘要这篇论文阐述的问题是盈余管理的降低是否与国际财务报告准则（IFRS）的自愿采用有关。丘在会计和经济学杂志（月刊，36（13），第235270页，2003）中认为采用高质量标准对于高质量的信息可能是一个必要条件，但未必是一个充分条件。2005年，在德
43、国一个具有对投资者权利保护较低的法制国家，已经有相当多的公司自愿选择采用国际财务报告准则。我们所要研究是，在德国公司依照德国一般公认会计原则编制报表从而控制其盈余管理的情况下，随着德国公司相继采用国际财务报告准则，其盈余管理与之前相比是否显著减少。我们将从1999年到2001年的636个德国上市公司的一个会计年度的数据作为样本进行观察。我们的结论表明,与采用一般公认会计原则的德国企业相比，国际财务报告准则的采用者均未呈现出不相同的盈余管理行为。这些发现有助于解释高质量标准是否充分有效的保护了国家投资者微弱的权利。这也表明在德国国际财务报告准则的自愿采用并不能降低盈余管理。1介绍国际会计标准（I
44、AS）现更名为国际财务报告准则（IFRS），其已得到了进一步发展，不仅可以协调企业会计核算，还解决了世界上主要的资本市场对采用高质量标准的需求。丘孙俐2003认为采用高质量标准对于高质量的信息可能是一个必要条件，但未必是一个充分条件。本文的主要贡献在于检测了财务报告质量的高低是否与国际财务报告准则的采用有关。特别是，我们解释了国际财务报告准则是否能满足高级管理层对盈余管理控制的期望，进一步影响报表利润的质量。以前的研究提供了数量上的证据，以比较一个具有对投资者权利保护较低而法律健全的国家的盈余管理和一个具有对投资者权利保护较高而法律普遍的国家的盈余管理（苏达权等，2003）。因此，为了验证公司
45、的盈余的质量高低是否与按照国际财务报告准则来编制的财务报告相关联，我们将焦点专注于德国，这是一个具有对投资者权利保护较低而法律健全的国家（蓝甘苏达权等，2000年）。此外，在2005年，大量的德国公司已经自愿选择采用国际财务报告准则。这样8就可以将采用国际财务报告准则的公司财务报告与采用国内一般公认会计原则编制的报告进行比较。研究结果表明，通过测量可支配的应计利润，国际财务报告准则并没有加强对盈余管理的抑制。相反的，采用国际财务报告准则似乎会增加可支配的应计利润的大小。我们的研究结果进一步显示，公司相继采用国际财务报告准则进行平滑能获得更多的盈利，尽管这种效果经过四大会计事务所的审计会显著降低
46、。然而，隐藏的储量，可以依照德国公认会计原则来进行盈余的管理，而并不完全依照传统的盈余的测量。当在考虑隐藏的储量时，我们的结果表明，国际财务报告准则采用者的盈余管理行为与依照德国一般公认会计原则的企业的盈余管理没有任何联系。因此，我们的研究结果表明,采用国际财务报告准则的企业并不能降低盈余管理。这个发现显示，采用高质量标准，对于一个具有对投资者权利保护较低而法律健全的国家的盈余管理不是一个充分条件。接下来的是本文的组织结构。在第二部分，我们回顾了相关文献，并提供了一定的理论背景。在第三部分，对整个德国的会计体系进行了阐述。在第四部分，我们制定出了研究假设。在第五部分，描述了研究设计。在第六部分
47、，提出了此项调查研究的结果。最后，在第七部分，我们总结了结果，为进一步研究探讨了影响、局限性和建议。2过去的文献21采用国际会计标准国际会计标准委员会（IASC）成立于1973年，现更名为国际会计准则委员会（IASB），目的是为了让世界各地的企业和其他组织编制财务报告所使用的会计准则达到内部统一（IASB网站）。采用国际会计准则的好处如下。首先,他可以使投资者作出明智的判断并提高减少财务混乱的能力，同时可以消除不同国家之间财务状况和表现不同所引起的疑惑，从而对于企业来说，使投资者的风险资本成本将低。其次，它可以通过多个报告来降低成本。第三，应该鼓励更多的外国投资。最后，他可以促使全世界资源的优
48、化配置（斯其特，苏维权等1999）。原来的国际会计标准主要是性质的描述，其中含有许多的可以选择的实施方案。由于各国长期以来的这种灵活性和相似性，20世纪80年代末对标准进行了严厉的批评。针对这一批评，IASC开始在1987年开展了相似性项目。修订后的标准从1995年开始生效，从而大大降低了可以选择的实施方案，进一步提高了9对财务报告披露的需求（诺贝斯，2002年）。在1995年7月，IASC和国际证券委员会对以背书方式获得国际标准达成了一致意见。随后，领导核心标准项目面临修改受到了欢迎。在2000年5月，IASC受到了国际社会的认可，“在国家或地区范围内，将突出的实质性问题进行解决”（国际新闻
49、发布会，2000年5月17日）。这个核心标准的项目在世界各地受到了广泛的承认。例如，在2005年，欧洲议会颁布的法规（EC/1606/2002）要求欧盟所有的上市公司准备在国际会计标准的基础上合并财务报表。在2005年，许多国家，包括奥地利、比利时、法国、德国、意大利和瑞士，公司已经允许准备按照国际财务报告准则编制合并财务报表（或美国会计准则）。自从德国会计准则和信息披露行为受到投资委员会的批判之后（勒兹和凡睿侈拉，2000），大量的德国企业采用了国际会计准则，如国际财务报告准则或美国会计准则。这种行为被认为是对大量财务报告的透明度进行了提升，原因主要有两个。首先，可能是国际财务报告准则自身的采用可以有效地提高财务报告的质量。第二，公司采用国际财务报告准则或美国会计准则，可能是因为他们有较高的提高报告透明度的作用，如高资金需求。在这种情况下，国际财务报告准则作为一个可靠的承诺，具有高质量的会计的代表性。多门特和拉法尼尔（1998）开展的一项调查，结合瑞士的数据显示“国际财务报告准则更强大、更国际多元化、更少的资本密集并且有更多可扩散的所有权”。他们认为申请国际财务报告准则这个决定主要是受政治成本和外来市场的压力。墨菲1999也使用了瑞士数据，对管理层采用国际财务报告的主要决定因素进行了研究。她发现，公司采用国际财务报告准则有更高的外国
