Bio
Dr. Kamel Fekiri is a scholar in management sciences with a PhD from Université de Tunis, where his research focuses on earnings management, accounting analysis, and financial variables. He has authored three notable studies, including works on specific accruals and disclosure of accounting results in financially distressed companies, as well as econometric-accounting analyses of earnings management in Tunisia. His contributions reflect a deep expertise in accounting and financial management, and he is affiliated with the University of Tunis, where he continues to advance knowledge in his field.
Educational Journey
Université de Tunis
Docteur en Sciences de Gestion • PhD en Sciences de Gestion
Experience
Research
How to Understand Earnings Management across Identification of Discretionary Accounting and Financial Variables: The Case of Tunisian Companies
This research work is part of the investigation of the determinants that taint the quality of accounting information disclosed on the Tunisian financial center and the incentives that enact Accounting policies conducted by managers and which are related to financial failure. To better understand this dilemma (manipulation of accounting data - financial failure) we have adopted an econometric approach allowing us to distinguish the discretionary accruals characterizing companies with high financial profitability from those specific to companies with low financial profitability and this, based on the postulate of the positive theory of accounting which considers that managers of companies experiencing difficulties make accounting choices to artificially embellish the published net result.
The Perception of Earnings Management According to an Econometric-Accounting Analysis: The Case of Tunisia
Accounting information provides support for decisions made by the company's management and its partners. Potential investors, financial backers as well as authorities (financial and judicial) make their decisions based on this information, which itself is supposed to be drawn up in accordance with generally accepted accounting standards and principles. However, the existence of accounting choices and accounting policies that are diversified and standardized by the accounting system create the freedom for managers to manipulate the quality of the information. In other words, a situation of information asymmetry may tempt the managers of failing companies to adopt choices in order to influence the perception of risk by its partners.
Relationship between Specific Accruals and Disclosed Accounting results of companies in financial failure
The display of net counter-performance (explained by the existence and persistence of negative accruals) can help leaders to convince partners of the need to renegotiate contracts. The importance of the measurement of the earnings management lies, for the most part, in the suspicion of undervaluation of debts and losses. This suspicion is so persistent that this risk of undervaluation must be taken into account in the valuation of any business. Nevertheless, we have tried through this article to test the approach of the models of specific accruals in order to identify them and to measure their impacts on the modification of the published result. Indeed, three models were tested, that is, that of receivables, inventories and amortization and provisions, which allowed us to validate the hypothesis according to which the managers of financially failing companies tend to exploit the Discretionary Accruals in an upward management goal to circumvent the costs of financial distress and change the perception of risk by its partners, especially donors. Based on this approach by the specific accruals, we have developed the model (4) which incorporates the specific discretionary accruals as explanatory variables of the formation of the published net result.
