Impact of the Mediating Effects of Accounting Conservatism on the Relationship among Board Characteristics, Ownership Structure and Real Earnings Management of Thai Listed Companies

Abstract

This research aimed to investigate the mediating effects of accounting conservatism on the relationship among board characteristics, ownership structures and real earnings management of Thai listed companies. Furthermore, the research studied the impacts of board characteristics and ownership structures on accounting conservatism and real earnings management. The secondary data were collected from listed companies on the Stock Exchange of Thailand, excluding financial groups and the companies with unavailable data, during 2016-2018. The sample group consisted of 234 Thai listed companies. Explanatory variables included 1) the board characteristics consisting of board size, board independence, the frequency of board meeting and board leadership; and 2) the ownership structures consisting of the highest percentage of shareholders and the percentage of institutional investors. Whereas, dependent variable was the real earnings management consisting of abnormal operating cash flows, abnormal production costs, abnormal discretionary expenses and total real earnings management. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis were used in this research. The results revealed that board size, board leadership, and the highest percentage of shareholders had statistically significant positive impact on accounting conservatism. In addition, accounting conservatism had statistically significant positive impact on abnormal operating cash flows and total real earnings management. This pointed out that accounting conservatism was a major factor affecting real earnings management under managerial discretion. Furthermore, the accounting conservatism was the full mediation affecting the relationship between the board leadership, the highest percentage of shareholders and abnormal operating cash flows. While the accounting conservatism was the partial mediation on the relationship between the percentage of majority shareholders and total real earnings management.