Xiaojun Lin, Xunzhuo Xi, Yu Hu and Feng Tang
This study aims to explore the relationship between social capital and real earnings management (REM).
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore the relationship between social capital and real earnings management (REM).
Design/methodology/approach
Using the social capital index from 1990 to 2014, this study investigates whether managers are less likely to carry out real earnings management when firms headquartered in a county with greater social capital and whether this impact will differ according to firm characteristics and the external environment.
Findings
Social capital is negatively linked to a firm’s REM, as a manager’s mindset toward misconduct might be more constrained by a better social environment and a lower tendency to undertake real earnings manipulation. Furthermore, we find that the effect of social capital on real earnings management is stronger for firms with geographically concentrated structures, weaker external monitoring, Sarbanes-Oxley Act adoption and greater pressure to meet earnings targets.
Originality/value
This study sheds light on the relation between social capital and accounting decisions by exploring whether social capital can influence real earnings management and provides evidence that social capital has a beneficial impact on reducing certain misbehaviors in financial reporting and that the effect is stronger when a firm has a geographically concentrated structure, weaker external monitoring, SOX adoption and less pressure to meet earnings targets.
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Xiaojun Lin, Ming Liu, Simon So and Desmond Yuen
The purpose of this study is to investigate whether corporate social responsibility (CSR) can lower tax risk. Previous studies have demonstrated a negative link between CSR and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate whether corporate social responsibility (CSR) can lower tax risk. Previous studies have demonstrated a negative link between CSR and tax aggressiveness. Generally, corporations engaging in social irresponsibility tend to undertake aggressive tax planning; whereas socially responsible firms enjoy tax savings. Because several recent studies have suggested that lower tax payments do not necessarily create higher tax risk, an exploration of the relationship between CSR and tax risk was not only interesting but also important.
Design/methodology/approach
Using an ethical perspective of CSR, this paper argues that executives who are nourished by an ethical climate tend to make responsible and reliable operating decisions. Therefore, their corporations would have better control of tax administration, and the corresponding tax risk would be constrained. Such corporations would enjoy greater tax savings while keeping their tax risk at relatively low levels. However, this reasoning ignores the fact that limited economic resources would constrain a firm from practicing CSR in the form of donations. This situation would also influence its attitude toward tax strategies. Specifically, when a firm’s performance is unsatisfactory, the cultural effect of CSR may diminish or even disappear.
Findings
Firms donating additional resources to CSR activities can construct a more ethical work climate that encourages executives to control tax risk while lowering tax expenses. For firms with unsatisfactory performance, the ethical benefits of CSR could disappear, thus suggesting a relationship with firm performance. This finding contributes to the knowledge on the ethical implications of CSR and proposes that the culture argument is conditional on satisfactory firm performance.
Originality/value
This study explores the association between corporate culture (CSR) and tax risk. The empirical results help shareholders, analysts and other investors to make their business decision better because CSR or corporate culture is less likely to change suddenly or dramatically in an abbreviated time. The finding of this study shed light on the importance of corporate culture on making an investment evaluation or decision. In addition, this study extends the research on CSR by demonstrating that the effects of CSR are conditioned on firm performance. The beneficial effect of CSR on tax risk would disappear when firms have unfavorable financial performance.
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Rong Huang, Xiaojun Lin, Xunzhuo Xi and Desmond Chun Yip Yuen
This paper aims to explore how external creditors assess firms’ financial aggressiveness in China.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore how external creditors assess firms’ financial aggressiveness in China.
Design/methodology/approach
Using bank loan-specific data, the authors investigate whether firms exhibit greater costs of bank loans when they engage in earnings manipulation and whether this association changes when restrictions on lenders’ compensation are promulgated.
Findings
The authors find compelling evidence that bank executives charge higher premiums on firms with accrual earnings management to compensate for additional financial risk but do not charge extra loan prices for firms conducting real earnings management (REM). The authors also find that the enactment of Robust Bank Executive Compensation (REBC) enhances the vigilance of bank executives on the overall client firms’ earnings manipulation, with the exception of REM conducted by state-owned firms.
Originality/value
The authors extend the current literature on the cost of external loans by focusing on bank loans and the influence of REBC. This study offers implications for policymakers in China and other emerging economics to control loan default and financial risk.
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Yaqi Wang, Lin Li and Xiaojun Zhao
The purpose of this paper is to combine the Jiles-Atherton (J-A) hysteresis model with the field separation approach to realize the accurate simulation of dynamic magnetostrictive…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to combine the Jiles-Atherton (J-A) hysteresis model with the field separation approach to realize the accurate simulation of dynamic magnetostrictive characteristics of silicon steel sheet.
Design/methodology/approach
First, the energy loss of silicon steel sheet is divided into hysteresis loss Why, classical eddy current loss Wed and anomalous loss Wan according to the statistical theory of losses. The Why is calculated by static J-A hysteresis model, Wed and Wan are calculated by the analytical formulae. Then, based on the field separation approach, the dynamic magnetic field is derived. Finally, a new dynamic magnetostrictive model is proposed by means of the quadratic domain rotation model.
Findings
Comparison of simulation and experimental results verifies that the proposed model has high accuracy and strong universality.
Originality/value
The proposed method improves the existing method’s problem of relying on too much experimental data, and the method ensures the calculation accuracy, parameter identification accuracy and engineering practicability. Consequently, the presented work greatly facilitates further explorations and studies on simulation of dynamic magnetostrictive characteristics of silicon steel sheet.
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Peng-hui Wu, Xiaojun Zhou, Chenlong Yang, Haoliang Lv, Tianhao Lin and Xuelei Wu
The purpose of this paper is to reduce the drag loss and study the effects of operating conditions and groove parameters such as flow rate and temperature of automatic…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to reduce the drag loss and study the effects of operating conditions and groove parameters such as flow rate and temperature of automatic transmission fluid, clearance between plates, groove depth and groove ratio on the drag torque of a wet clutch for vehicles, parametric analysis of the drag torque model of wet multi-plate friction clutch with groove consideration.
Design/methodology/approach
Both experimental and numerical research was carried out in this work. Parametric groove models, full film lubrication flow model and pressure distribution model are established to investigate the effects of the grooves on drag torque of a wet clutch. Multigrid method is used to simplify the solution.
Findings
In this paper, a drag torque model of a wet multi-plate friction clutch based on the basic theory of viscous fluid dynamics is examined through experimental and numerical methods that take grooves into account, and the change trend of drag torque with operating conditions and groove parameters is analyzed.
Originality/value
Multigrid method is used to solve the governing equations, which simplifies the solution process because of the restrictions and interpolation operations between the adjacent layers of coarser and fine grids. These works provide insight into the effect regularity of operating conditions and groove parameters on drag torque of a wet multi-plate friction clutch. Furthermore, variable test conditions and sufficient experimental data are the main functions in the experimental research.
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Youzhi Zhang, Zhengkang Lin, Xiaojun You, Xingping Huang, Jinhua Ye and Haibin Wu
This paper aims to report a flexible position-sensitive sensor that can be applied as large-area electronic skin over the stiff media.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to report a flexible position-sensitive sensor that can be applied as large-area electronic skin over the stiff media.
Design/methodology/approach
The sensor uses a whole piezoresistive film as a touch sensing area. By alternately constructing two uniform electric fields with orthogonal directions in the piezoresistive film, the local changes in conductivity caused by touch can be projected to the boundary along the equipotential line under the constraint of electric field. Based on the change of boundary potential in the two uniform electric fields, it can be easy to determine the position of the contact area in the piezoresistive film.
Findings
Experiment results show the proposed tactile sensor is capable of detecting the contact position and classifying the contact force in real-time based on the changes of the potential differences on the boundary of the sensor.
Practical implications
The application example of using the sensor sample as a controller in shooting game is presented in this paper. It shows that the sensor has excellent touch sensing performance.
Originality/value
In this paper, a position-sensitive electronic skin is proposed. The experiment results show that the sensor has great application prospects in the field of interactive tactile sensing.
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Xiaojun Fan, Xinyu Jiang, Nianqi Deng, Xuebing Dong and Yangxi Lin
Using WeChat moments as an example, this article explores the impact of user role conflict on privacy concerns, social media fatigue and the three dimensions of discontinuous…
Abstract
Purpose
Using WeChat moments as an example, this article explores the impact of user role conflict on privacy concerns, social media fatigue and the three dimensions of discontinuous usage intention: control activities, short breaks and suspend usage intentions. Moreover, the moderating function of self-esteem in this process is examined.
Design/methodology/approach
The conceptual model includes role conflict, privacy concerns, social media fatigue, discontinuous usage intention and self-esteem. Three hundred and thirty-one questionnaires were collected using an online survey, and the data were analyzed with structural equation and hierarchical regression modeling.
Findings
The results show that (1) role conflict positively affects privacy concerns and social media fatigue; (2) privacy concerns also positively affect social media fatigue; (3) privacy concerns positively affect control activities intentions, although their impact on short breaks and suspend usage intentions is not significant, whereas social media fatigue significantly influences control activities, short breaks and suspend usage intentions; and (4) self-esteem negatively moderates the influence of role conflict on privacy concerns.
Research limitations/implications
A key limitation of this research is that it is designed for WeChat. Therefore, the question of whether other social media platforms face role conflict or discontinuous usage problems should be explored in the future.
Originality/value
The article is interesting in that it focuses on the discontinuous usage of social media and identifies factors that contribute to the discontinuous usage of social media. The findings make some theoretical contributions to, and have practical implications for, research into social media usage.
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Xiaojun Fan, Huiyao Li and Xinyu Jiang
Interactivity is the key to developing digital branding. However, existing research on brand interactivity outcomes is inconsistent and fragmented, lacking a systematic empirical…
Abstract
Purpose
Interactivity is the key to developing digital branding. However, existing research on brand interactivity outcomes is inconsistent and fragmented, lacking a systematic empirical exploration of its effects on consumer responses in the digital context.
Design/methodology/approach
Drawing upon the cognition-affection-conation (CAC) framework as our theoretical compass, a meta-analysis was conducted to synthesize and analyze empirical evidence from 144 samples involving 57,952 participants to assess how and when digital brand interactivity influences consumers’ multilevel responses.
Findings
Our narrative unfolds with digital brand interactivity as the catalyst, fostering positive consumer behaviors – brand loyalty and purchase intention – through a sequential dance of cognitive mindset shifts (brand experience, engagement and attitude) and affective resonance (trust and emotional attachment). A moderation analysis adds depth, revealing stronger effects in B2C settings for lesser-known brands with hedonic interaction content and among individuals with a collectivist orientation.
Practical implications
Our findings serve as a roadmap for targeted digital marketing strategies, guiding brands, consumers and contextual aspects to optimize the performance of digital branding by harnessing the full potential of digital interactivity.
Originality/value
This study introduces a framework combining CAC and brand-consumer psychology to understand how interactivity affects consumer responses in digital contexts. It delves into dynamic shifts moderated by brand characteristics, consumer traits and contextual factors, offering a holistic view of digital branding’s impact on interactive marketing.
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Xiaojun Duan and Yi Lin
Model description, observations, and prior knowledge are the three main sources of information that are used for the evaluation and estimation of complex systems. Here, model…
Abstract
Purpose
Model description, observations, and prior knowledge are the three main sources of information that are used for the evaluation and estimation of complex systems. Here, model description is given based on the physical mechanism and dynamics of the system. Observational data represent a very important method of verification and can be applied to validate the model. Prior knowledge can help to provide additional information when observation data are not sufficient. On the basis of clearly carding the relationship between a system's observational quantities and the ultimate indices of the observation, the purpose of this paper is to establish the systemic yoyo model for systems evaluation.
Design/methodology/approach
Recent advances in systems science in general and the systemic yoyo model in particular are employed in this research as the fundamental logic of reasoning and thread of thinking.
Findings
After analyzing the characteristics and connections between the three main sources of information – model description, prior knowledge, and observational data – used in system evaluation and estimation, the authors derive the conservation law of information for system evaluation and estimation and analyze the transitional direction of the process of system evaluation and estimation.
Practical implications
This work lays down the theoretical basis for why certain procedures widely applied in system evaluations and estimations are correct and sound, on which reliable scientific conclusions can be drawn.
Originality/value
This work is the first of its kind that investigates the systemic foundation underlying the commonly applied procedures of system evaluations and estimations.
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Tong Xiaojun, Yi Lin and Tao Hongjiu
To provide a simplified proof for Liu's results concerning the relationship between σ‐entropy and σ‐similarity measure.
Abstract
Purpose
To provide a simplified proof for Liu's results concerning the relationship between σ‐entropy and σ‐similarity measure.
Design/methodology/approach
First obtains Liu's clear and simple functional expression of σ‐similarity measures based on the structure of σ‐entropy by using expressions of equivalent functions of σ‐entropy. Then, by employing the general expression of equivalent functions of σ‐similarity measure of fuzzy sets, provides a different proof of Liu's results.
Findings
Here, the proof is much simpler than the original one provided by Liu. And, on the basis of Shannon's probability entropy as introduced by De Luca and Termini, a σ‐similarity measure is constructed, on which a No answer to an open question as proposed by Liu is provided.
Originality/value
Constructs a new approach to some known results and provides a definite answer to an open question.