Relationship between Earnings Management and Earnings quality in the Globalized Business Environment

Abstract

Research background: Earnings management is a versatile phenomenon in firms’ financial reporting and It´s purpose is to demonstrate reasonable earnings quality. Thus, earnings management has much in common with earnings quality. Purpose of the article: This paper reviews earnings management and earnings quality in an information economics framework. We focus on earnings quality determinants, impact of earnings quality and the outcomes of earnings quality for companies. Methods: Basic scientific methods of analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction and abstraction were used to meet the stated goal. Findings & Value added: In general, earnings of high quality are those that have a high level of persistence, are more predictable, more timely, less volatile and have lower level of earnings management. Earnings management has a negative impact on the quality of earnings if it distorts the information in a way that is less useful for forecasting future cash flows.