회계담당자의 윤리관 및 전문분야몰입이 이익조정 인식에 미치는 영향

Abstract

Managers routinely make accounting choices that affect earnings within the guidelines of GAAP. But accounting choices made in compliance with the GAAP are not necessarily ethical decisions at all the times. Nevertheless, it is unethical if the accounting choices are intended to mislead or defraud investors. This study is motivated by potential losses from which investors could suffer because of the questionable accounting practice by the invested company. It is further motivated by the literature, ""The Effect of Ethical Orientation and Professional Commitment on Earnings Management Behavior" (A. C. Greenfield Jr. 2005). The study aims to identify and analyze the relationships among professional commitment, ethical orientation, and earnings management. The preceding literature is mostly focused on managers, in order to study their behavior of earnings management. In contrast, this research focuses on accountants and their perception of earnings management behavior. As a study aiming to understand how the perception of earnings management is formed, the study first examines whether the ethical perspective of an accountant influences the perception of earnings management. Secondly, the study examines whether professional commitment influences the perception of earnings management. A sample population of 285 accountants was selected from DART (Data Analysis, Retrieval and Transfer System, http://dart.fss.or.kr/). To accomplish the purpose, the study adopts an empirical survey method for research. The concepts of earnings management, ethical perspective is established by reviewing literature through textbooks, dissertations, and periodicals. The survey questions are developed based on literature reviews and circulated for response by sending the questionnaires via postal service or facsimile, mainly to the listed companies (subject to external auditing). Statistical analysis is conducted using SPSS 16.0 for frequency analysis, factor analysis, regression analysis, and t-test. The results of the research are consistent with the preceding studies by Shaub, Finn and Munter(1993), Douglas and Wier(2000), Elias(2000), Greenfield Jr.(2005), which indicates that there is a significant relationship between an individual's ethical orientation and ethical decisions. First, it reveals that when the idealistic ethical orientation is higher, the perception of earnings management becomes lower and less likely to manipulate earnings. But when the relativistic ethical orientation is higher, the perception of earnings management is higher and more likely to manipulate earnings. Secondly, it shows that when the professional commitment is higher, the perception of earnings management is lower; and when the professional commitment is lower, the perception of earnings management is higher. This indicates that an individual with a higher level of professional commitment is less likely to engage in earnings management practices while a lower level of professional commitment is more likely to engage in earnings management practices. The results of the study should provide a better understanding of the importance of ethical attitude in the perception of earnings management. The results should also contribute to heightening the need of and providing insight for ethical education in accounting.