A Research on the Relationship between Accrual-based Earnings Management and Real Earnings Management in the Retail Industry

This study had conducted an empirical research for the retail corporations as focusing on the relationship between accrual-based earnings management and real earnings management. In addition, this study examined primarily the impact of the largest shareholder who could use the earning management for himself and foreign investors who would monitor the largest shareholders’s activities. The study also checked the relationship between accrual-based earnings management and earnings management additionally in consideration with corporate growth. The largest shareholder’ ratio (M) and affiliate persons were known to have a significant correlation with accrual-based earnings management and real earnings management. When controlling the growth, the largest shareholder’ ratio (M) and affiliate persons were known to have a significant correlation with real earnings management but not with accrual-based earnings management. Second, foreign ownership (FT) was found to have a significant positive correlation with accrual-based earnings management and real earnings management when not including the growth dummy. When controlling the growth, foreign ownership (FT) was found to have a significant negative correlation with accrual-based earnings management and real earnings management. Results imply that the largest shareholder is closely related to real-earnings management through real activities regardless of the corporate growth.