Tonny Stenheim

Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation 59 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intaccaudtax.2025.100718

International Journal of Accounting and Information Management Doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJAIM-01-2023-0013

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect on earnings quality in private firms caused by a negative shock to fundamental performance, while simultaneously addressing methodological challenges measuring fundamental performance present in prior accrual-based earnings management literature. Design/methodology/approach Fundamental performance is unobservable and, therefore, difficult to measure. Existing research has used proxies that are subject to estimation errors and endogeneity concerns (e.g. DeFond and Park, 1997, Balsam et al., 1995). This study attempts to overcome these issues by taking advantage of the exogenous shock in oil price which occurred in 2014 and by using a difference-in-differences approach to investigate the effect on earnings management caused by a negative shift in fundamental performance. Findings The results suggest that a negative shock in fundamental performance, indicated by the oil price shock in 2014, reduces earnings quality. This result holds for various robustness tests such as the use of propensity score matching, and the inclusion of firm fixed effects. Additional analysis suggests that the reduction in earnings quality is driven by an increase in positive discretionary accruals, suggesting that managers of private firms experiencing poor performance manage earnings upwards to conceal true performance. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature by examining the effect of a negative shock to performance in a setting of private firms and by addressing methodological challenges in prior literature. Private firms are fundamentally different from public firms, with the consequence that results from public firms may not be generalizable to private firms (e.g. Hope et al., 2012, Burghstahler et al., 2006, Ball and Shivakumar, 2005).

Magma forskning og viten

International Journal of Management Concepts and Philosophy 15(4) s. 334-348 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1504/IJMCP.2022.10047342

The paper discusses the theory of socioemotional wealth (SEW) and explains how and why this theory complements the principal-agent theory in the understanding of the financial reporting in family firms. The SEW theory argues that family owners often emphasise other objectives than the traditional economic objective of maximising their return on invested capital. These other objectives might be referred to as socioemotional objectives and may for example be the need to retain control of the firm or to preserve the family’s financial wealth over time. Findings from the literature on financial reporting in family firms are discussed in light of Berrone et al.’s (2012) FIBER model. Based on this discussion, we also identify gaps in the literature and future research opportunities.

Journal of Applied Accounting Research Doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/JAAR-02-2022-0040

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the role family identity and reputational concerns plays when private family firms engage in earnings management. Design/methodology/approach The paper is conducted as an archival study using data from private limited liability firms in Norway over the period from 2002 to 2015. The dataset includes financial accounting data and data on family relationships between shareholders, board members and CEOs, where family relationships are determined through bloodlines, adoption and marriage, tracing back four generations and extending out to third cousins. To investigate the incidence of earnings management, the authors employ a measure of accrual-based earnings management (AEM) (Dechow and Dichev, 2002; McNichols, 2002) and a measure of real earnings management (REM) (Roychowdhury, 2006). They use whether or not the family name is included in the firm name (i.e. family name congruence) as a proxy for family members' identification with the family firm and their sensitivity to reputational concerns. Findings The authors’ results show that AEM is lower for family-named family firms. Moreover, their findings also indicate that family-named family firms are more likely to select REM over AEM, compared to nonfamily named family firms. This is even more pronounced when detection risk is high (high quality audit proxied by Big 4). Research limitations/implications The quality of the authors’ findings is limited to the validity of their proxy for family firm identification and reputational concerns (the family name included in the firm name). Even though findings from prior research suggest that family name congruence is a valid proxy for identity and reputational concerns (e.g. Kashmiri and Mahajan, 2010, 2014; Rousseau et al., 2018; Zellweger et al., 2013), future research should investigate the validity of these results using alternative proxies for family firm identification. Future research should also investigate whether the authors’ findings are generalizable to public family firms. Practical implications The authors’ results suggest that the risk of AEM is lower for family-named family firms, whereas the risk of REM is somewhat higher, compared to nonfamily named family firms. These results might be relevant for financial accounting users, auditors and supervisory and monitoring bodies when assessing the risk of earnings management. Originality/value The paper is, as far as the authors are aware of, the first to investigate the role of family name congruence and detection risk when private family firms select between AEM and REM.

Magma forskning og viten 24(7) s. 113-120

Artikkelen presenterer en innholdsanalyse av miljøinformasjonen til de 34 foretakene som ifølge Noregs vassdrags- og energidirektorat (NVE) har konsesjon for vindkraft på land. Miljøkonsekvenser med store naturinngrep av vindkraftproduksjon har fått stor oppmerksomheten i offentligheten, og ut fra legitimitetsteorien kunne man forvente at foretakene ville rapportert ut over lovpålagt informasjon. Foretakene opplyser overraskende lite og med lav kvalitet på informasjonen. Blant annet benytter mange av foretakene regnskapslovens forenklinger for små foretak og avlegger ikke årsberetning. Konsekvensen er mindre informasjon med dårligere kvalitet, og dette reduserer beslutningsnytten. De eksterne interessentene får ikke hensiktsmessig informasjon om miljøvirkningene av de ulike anleggene, for ressursallokerings- og kontrollformål. Konsesjonshavere har plikt til å fjerne anlegg og tilbakeføre naturinngrep så langt som mulig. Regnskapsmessig avsetning for fjernings- og oppryddingsforpliktelsen løses regnskapsmessig på ulike måter, og årsregnskapene blir dermed ikke sammenlignbare. Det er indikasjoner på at små foretak unnlater å avsette for denne forpliktelsen. Konsesjonspålagt garantistillelse gis det heller ingen opplysninger om. De samlede funnene bør være en vekker for foretakene, deres revisorer og myndighetene.

Journal of Applied Accounting Research 23(2) Doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/JAAR-04-2021-0095

Purpose: This study examines the reporting of impairment losses in family and non-family private firms. The socioemotional wealth (SEW) theory suggests that the reporting practices in family firms may differ from non-family firms and may vary among family firms. Design/methodology/approach: The research question is examined using a large-scale archival study. The authors use unique register data on family relationships for Norwegian private firms provided by the CCGR database at BI Norwegian Business School. Findings: Drawing on the socioemotional wealth theory, the authors predict and find that private family firms are more reluctant to report impairment losses compared to private non-family firms. The results also suggest that both the likelihood to report impairment losses and the impairment amounts increase with board independence in private family firms. The authors also find some evidence suggesting that private family firms with a family CEO report lower impairment losses than private family firms without a family CEO, but this result is less robust and should be interpreted with caution. Research limitations/implications: The true economic impairment is unobservable. The authors use proxies based on prior research to control for whether impairment losses are faithfully reported or not. Practical implications: The results suggest a higher risk of impairment losses being managed in private family firms than in private non-family firms and that independent board members mitigate this tendency somewhat in private family firms. Awareness of this risk should have practical value for stakeholders such as non-family owners and creditors, external auditors, supervisory and monitoring bodies, and regulators. Originality/value: This study contributes to the accounting literature by examining the reporting of a specific accrual (impairment losses) in the setting of private family firms. Prior research in this area is scarce.

Revisiting new public management and its effects : experiences from a Norwegian context s. 147-176

Education Sciences 11(5) s. 1-13 Doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11050232

This paper aims to elucidate some didactical and pedagogical issues related to the design of a course module on cost allocation, a pivotal topic in management accounting education at the undergraduate level around the globe. The module in question is specifically tailored to third-year undergraduates in business pursuing a major in accounting-related topics. As a theoretical back-drop, the paper draws on the didactical relationship model developed by Norwegian education researchers Hiim and Hippe. While it has proved to be of considerable value in planning education and teaching in Norwegian primary and upper secondary schools, this model, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, has not previously been applied in the context of accounting education at the university level. Without seeking to wholly generalize our thoughts and views to all higher educational institutions, we refer, in this paper, primarily to our own personal experiences of teaching management accounting gained at the three Norwegian universities, namely, Nord University, University of South-Eastern Norway, and The Arctic University of Norway. It is argued in this paper that the didactical relationship model may be of great help to accounting educators by providing an illustrative account of key conditioning factors (didactic elements) to consider while planning the learning process. Additionally, the paper strives to delve deeper into the use of technology in light of the current COVID-19 situation that we are all locked in.

Cappelen Damm Akademisk

Corporate Ownership and Control 17(4) s. 117-128 Doi: https://doi.org/10.22495/cocv17i4art10

Sustainability is one of the biggest buzzwords and catchphrases of the 21st century, dominating not only management discourse but also the public debate in general. Today, many large organizations have bought into the idea that sustainability is essential and have already taken steps towards implementing more sustainable business practices. While past research indicates that SMEs are typically lagging behind their larger counterparts, our knowledge about the sustainability attitudes and actions of the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is limited. This is also the case in Norway, where there is minimal research on what impact sustainability ideas have had on business practices. More knowledge about sustainability in SMEs is crucial since these firms comprise a large and crucial part of the Norwegian economy. Therefore, this paper aims to examine sustainability attitudes and actions among managers of Norwegian SMEs employing an electronic survey. Drawing on existing research, we propose a typology of managerial responses to sustainability, distinguishing between four groups of managers, which are labeled: 1) skeptics; 2) adaptors; 3) posers and 4) enthusiasts. The findings of the survey suggest that most managers can be characterized as skeptics and that adaptors are the smallest group. While there has been a general increase in sustainability commitment, sustainability initiatives tend to be lagging behind. These findings have several practical and policy related implications.

International Journal of Management Concepts and Philosophy 13(1) s. 51-79 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1504/IJMCP.2020.108809

This paper examines the history and trajectory of economic value added (EVA), an accounting concept and calculative technique introduced and popularised by the US-based consulting firm Stern Stewart in the early 1990s. The paper applies the lens of management fashion, a theoretical perspective in management and organisation studies focusing on the macro-level evolution of management concepts and ideas as they rise and fall in popularity and salience. The historical popularity trajectory which emerges in the case of EVA is a typical 'rise and fall' story often seen in the cases of popular management concepts and ideas. During the upswing phase of the 1990s, supporters and boosters of EVA hyped the concept and created a fashion wave. Since the mid-2000s, there has been a perfect storm of events, which has led the EVA concept to lose out in the marketplace for management concepts and ideas.

Aktuelle temaer i regnskap og revisjon s. 121-141

Aktuelle temaer i regnskap og revisjon s. 9-53 Doi: https://doi.org/10.23865/noasp.112.chap1

Journal of Applied Business and Economics (JABE) 22(4) s. 74-88 Doi: https://doi.org/10.33423/jabe.v22i4.2909

This paper examines the association between broadcasting revenues and sporting success in Europe’s Big Five football leagues (England, Italy, Spain, Germany, and France), and in particular how the distribution and allocation of broadcasting revenues in Europe’s elite leagues are associated with the clubs’ domestic and international sporting success. The study makes use of a large hand-collected dataset comprising 8244 observations from 160 different clubs playing in one of these five leagues during the seven seasons from 2010 to 2017. The results indicate that the use of a uniform broadcasting revenue distribution model, which gives all clubs a relatively similar share of the pie, may increase domestic league competition, which in turn makes it tougher for one or two teams to dominate the rest. At the same time, there are some indications that a uniform broadcasting model is negatively associated with the clubs’ international sporting success. The use of a more top-heavy revenue distribution model, which leaves a smaller share for the worst-performing clubs, seems to enable the top clubs to retain both domestic and international sporting success.

Aktuelle temaer i regnskap og revisjon s. 83-120 Doi: https://doi.org/10.23865/noasp.112.ch3

Gyldendal Norsk Forlag A/S

Finansiell og ikke-finansiell rapportering Festskrift til Hans Robert Schwencke s. 357-400

The requirement of including Key Audit Matters (KAM) is the most significant change made to the auditor’s report in many years. The purpose of KAM is to meet the request from the users of accounting information to include more information in the auditor’s report on matters that are most significant and critical to the audit and, by that, enhancing the transparency and communicative value of the auditor’s report. Still, the KAM disclosure requirement may have both intended and unintended consequences for auditors, clients, users and regulators. Subsequent to the introduction of KAM, a significant number of research papers has explored the impact of KAM or similar reporting initiatives (CAM/RMM/EQM/JOA).2 Our literature review includes research published through May 2020. The review is structured into auditor consequences, user consequences, and client consequences. We carefully distinguish between various extended auditor reporting initiatives, such as KAM/CAM/RMM when discussing the research findings. Based on the archival research, the impact of KAM disclosure appears to be non-existent or at best very small. The experimental research papers focusing on KAM/CAM provide some indications of a behavioral impact. Still, these findings should be interpreted with caution since most of the participants in these experiments are less sophisticated than in a “real life setting”. The research activity in this area is high, and future research could help to further indicate and eventually confirm the various potential implications of the new reporting regime. Based on the available evidence at this point, the overall impact of the KAM/CAM disclosure requirement appears to be limited and, to some extent, mixed.

Aktuelle temaer i regnskap og revisjon s. 379-414 Doi: https://doi.org/10.23865/noasp.112.ch13

Tidligere forskning har vist at norske foretak benytter ulike typer styringsverktøy. I dette kapitlet fokuserer vi på et spesifikt styringsverktøy, balansert målstyring (BMS). og ser nærmere på utviklingstendenser knyttet til spredningen, bruken og effektene av BMS i praksis i perioden 2015–2018. Studien bruker data fra to elektroniske spørreundersøkelser av bruken av BMS i norske foretak gjennomført i 2015 og 2018. Undersøkelsen fra 2015 omfattet bare store foretak, mens den fra 2018 omfattet både store og mellomstore foretak. Resultatene viser at BMS er et utbredt styringsverktøy blant store og mellomstore norske foretak. Selv om flertallet bruker BMS som et relativt enkelt prestasjonsmålingssystem, er det en tendens at bruken blir mer avansert. Disse funnene blir diskutert i lys av den internasjonale forskningslitteraturen om BMS spesielt og økonomistyringsverktøy generelt.

Cogent Business & Management 6(1) Doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2019.1642982

The benefits that users gain from financial statements depend on clear and concise presentation of the underlying economics. The current IFRS regulation on presentation of primary financial statements suffers from several flaws. This paper identifies and analyzes these flaws using illustrative examples from large accounting firms. Based on this discussion we present a set of alternative financial statements. The paper concludes with proposed modifications of the current financial statements under IFRS.

Magma forskning og viten s. 24-25

Social Sciences 8(5) s. 1-31 Doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci8050152

The Balanced Scorecard (BSC) has over the last two and a half decades received much attention as a management model for both private and public sector organizations. However, the BSC concept’s use and application in local governments and municipalities remains relatively understudied. This is particularly the case for the Norwegian context. Therefore, the aim of this article is to conduct a descriptive analysis of the diffusion and implementation of the BSC in the Norwegian municipality sector. The article draws on two sources of data: (1) an electronic survey sent to all 428 municipalities in Norway, yielding a response rate of 26%, and (2) follow-up interviews with representatives from 15 municipalities. In the empirical analysis, the article first provides an overall overview of patterns related to the diffusion and implementation of the BSC in the Norwegian municipality sector. With respect to BSC diffusion and implementation, the data show that the BSC is still widely used among Norwegian municipalities and has not yet entered a clear downturn phase. With respect to adoption and implementation, a more fine-grained analysis of five categories of respondents (non-adopters, planners, implementers, current users, ex-users) is also carried out, focusing on the motives, perceptions and applications of the concept. The analysis reveals considerable variation when it comes to perceptions and experiences associated with BSC adoption and implementation.

Sustainability 11(11) Doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/su11113120

Even though Lean is a management concept with roots stretching back several decades, it did not take off on a large scale in Norway until around 2010. Since then, Lean has received frequent attention in the Norwegian media, and recent surveys indicate that the diffusion and popularity of Lean can be considered relatively high in both the private and public sectors. This article focuses on the sustainability of Lean as a management practice in Norway. The Google dictionary defines the term “sustainability” as “the ability to be maintained at a certain rate or level.” The article therefore seeks to examine the evolution in the diffusion and use of the Lean concept in Norway in the period 2015–2017. For this purpose, we draw on data from two surveys administered in 2015 and 2017, as well as a small number of follow-up interviews carried out in 2017. The results generally show that the diffusion rate in Norway appears to be relatively stable, and Lean users appear to have a very positive perception of the concept, which indicates that the Lean concept currently has an institutionalised position as a management practice in Norway. Therefore, the evolution pattern of Lean in Norway differs from what has been observed in other countries where the concept appears to be on a downward trajectory in terms of its popularity. Moreover, the results reveal considerable variation in terms of how Lean is interpreted, understood and used in practice, for instance, when it comes to abstraction levels and the use of different Lean-related principles and tools. Overall, the results have several theoretical and methodological implications for future studies on the diffusion, use and long-term sustainability of popular management concepts such as Lean.

Beta – Scandinavian Journal of Business Research 32(2) s. 165-180 Doi: https://doi.org/10.18261/issn.1504-3134-2018-02-03

Formålet med artikkelen er å undersøke hvordan endringene i regnskapsførerbransjen har påvirket kravene som regnskapskontorene setter til nye ansattes kunnskaper, ferdigheter og holdninger, og hvilke HR-tiltak kontorene iverksetter for å støtte sine ansatte. Artikkelens datagrunnlag er en kvantitativ innholdsanalyse av totalt 986 stillingsannonser fra henholdsvis 2005 og 2015 publisert på FINN.no. Resultatene tyder på at det har skjedd en utvikling i retning av at regnskapskontorer søker etter en annen type regnskapsførere med mer variert kompetanse, ferdigheter og karaktertrekk enn før.

Cogent Social Sciences 4:1457423 s. 1-14 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2018.1457423

This study examines the relationship between wage expenditures and sporting success in Norwegian and Swedish football. While previous studies have shown a strong correlation between wage expenditures and sporting success, some question whether there is a correlation between what football players earn and their performance on the football pitch. In this study, we use data from 44 Norwegian and Swedish football clubs over a four-year-period from 2010 to 2013. We find a significant correlation between wage expenditures and sporting success measured in terms of final league standing and results in cup competitions. We also find a significant correlation between wage expenditures and spectator attendance. There are also some differences across the countries. For example, wage expenditures have stronger explanatory power in Sweden than in Norway. We discuss possible explanations for these differences.

Journal of Governance and Regulation 7(4) s. 27-41 Doi: https://doi.org/10.22495/jgr_v7_i4_p4

Companies disclose alternative performance measures (APMs), either to provide useful information to the market, or strategically in order to mislead the market. Using traditional price and return regressions, this study examines the value relevance of APMs and whether such measures are more value relevant than financial statement measures. The sample consists of the 100 largest companies listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange with quarterly data from 2012 to 2016. We find APMs to be value relevant for investors on the Oslo Stock Exchange. Furthermore, we conclude that APMs are more value relevant than financial statement measures. However, this finding should be interpreted with caution since the results are of limited statistical significance. Overall, the findings of this study suggest that companies disclose APMs to inform rather than mislead the market

Magma forskning og viten 21(1) s. 25-34

Denne artikkelen forsøker å illustrere effekten på resultat, balanse og sentrale forholdstall ved implementering av ny regnskapsstandard for leieavtaler IFRS 16. Denne standarden skiller ikke lenger mellom finansielle leieavtaler som skal innregnes på balansen, og operasjonelle leieavtaler som ikke skal innregnes på balansen, slik tilfellet var under IAS 17 Leieavtaler. Den nye standarden krever at alle leieavtaler skal innregnes på balansen. Studien er gjennomført som en kvantitativ studie av børsnoterte foretak i Norge basert på informasjon i årsrapportene fra 2015. Regnskapstallene for 2015 er omarbeidet slik at de i størst mulig grad følger reguleringen i IFRS 16. Selve metoden som er benyttet for omarbeidelsen av regnskapstallene, kalles balanseføringsmetoden og er utviklet av Imhoff mfl. (1991). Som følge av omarbeidelsen øker balanseførte eiendeler med 2,8 prosent (ekskludert finans- og forsikringsnæringen: 6,8 prosent). De balanseførte forpliktelsene øker tilsvarende med 2,9 prosent (9,4 prosent). Vi finner derimot en marginal endring i egenkapitalen. EBIT øker derimot med 35,7 prosent (58,8 prosent). Den regnskapsmessige effekten har medført endring i samtlige nøkkeltall som ble undersøkt. Rentabilitetstallene blir bedre etter omarbeidelsen, samtidig som gjeldsgraden økes og egenkapitalandelen reduseres. Resultatene viser at implementeringen av IFRS 16 vil medføre en endring av regnskapstallene, men vil dette påvirke regnskapsbrukerne? De nye reglene burde isolert sett ikke påvirke atferden til regnskapsbrukerne. Et foretak vil ha de samme økonomiske eiendelene og forpliktelsene før og etter implementeringen av IFRS 16. Det er kun presentasjonen av disse i regnskapet som endres. Om atferden til regnskapsbrukerne endres eller ikke, vil i stor grad være avhengig av brukernes evne til å avdekke de faktiske økonomiske realitetene i foretaket. Ny standard er forventet å øke regnskapskvaliteten ved at de økonomiske realitetene bedre gjenspeiles i regnskapet. Balanseføring av alle leieavtaler reduserer behovet for justeringer av regnskapstallene, og sammenlignbarheten på tvers av foretak økes. Gjennom dette vil regnskapsbrukerne kunne få et bedre beslutningsgrunnlag.

Beta – Scandinavian Journal of Business Research 32(1) s. 100-126 Doi: https://doi.org/10.18261/issn.1504-3134-2018-01-06

I de senere årene har prestasjonsmåling kommet i fokus, og særlig ikke-finansielle nøkkeltall og såkalt balansert målstyring har blitt stadig viktigere. I denne studien ser vi nærmere på bruk av ikke-finansiell prestasjonsmåling i norske produksjonsbedrifter. Resultatene viser at bedriftene måler både finansiell og ikke-finansiell informasjon. Ansattrelaterte og finansielle mål er de to mest brukte kategoriene prestasjonsmål. Selv om det er ulik grad av viktighet blant prestasjonsmålene, er alle perspektivene i balansert målstyring representert blant de mest brukte prestasjonsmålene. Studien viser også at bedrifter som bruker balansert målstyring, ikke er de bedriftene som har fokus på de ikke-finansielle prestasjonsmålene, noe som indikerer at utstrakt bruk av prestasjonsmål er uavhengig av om bedriften bruker balansert målstyring. Resultatene tyder på at bedrifter som opplever usikkerhet i omgivelsene eller bruker elementer av Just-in-Time, bruker et bredt spekter av prestasjonsmål. Under de andre betingelsene er man mer selektiv i valg av prestasjonsmål. For eksempel vil valg av prestasjonsmål i forbindelse med strategi avhenge av hvordan bedriften forsøker å differensiere seg. Resultatene tyder også på at norske produksjonsbedrifter har en tendens til å ha en sentralisert beslutningsstruktur, men at dette avhenger noe av de andre betingelsene.

Magma forskning og viten 20(1) s. 12-13

Corporate Ownership and Control 14(4-1) s. 289-300 Doi: https://doi.org/10.22495/cocv14i4c1art11

This paper investigates the change in accounting quality w hen firms shift from a revenue - oriented historical cost accounting regime as Norwegian GAAP (NGAAP) to a balance - oriented fair value accounting regime as International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). Previous studies have demonstrated mixed effects o n the accounting quality upon IFRS adoption. One possible reason is that the investigated domestic GAAP to a large extent has been adjusted to IFRS prior to IFRS adoption. This is not the case in NGAAP where IFRS adoption led to significant changes in the recognition and measurement rules. To investigate the change in accounting quality, the paper makes use of a panel design with 640 firm - year obserations from 2001 up to the financial crisis year 2008, including four years of pre - IFRS NGAAP observations and four years of IFRS - observations. The paper employs four commonly used approaches to investigate accounting quality: test of value relevance of net earnings and book values, accrual quality of net earnings, incidence of small positive net earnings and test of timely loss recognition. The paper demonstrates that the adoption of IFRS increases the relevance accounting information has for valuation purposes. IFRS requires recognition of intangible assets and off - balance sheet liabilities not allowed under NGAA P. Moreover, IFRS allows the use of fair value to a larger extent than NGAAP. The paper also demonstrates that NGAAP leads to timelier recognition of losses than IFRS. This supports the notion that historical cost accounting, which is the basic accounting principle under NGAAP, provides more conservative accounting numbers. Overall, this suggests that IFRS provides information more useful for valuation purposes, but to a lesser extent stewardship purposes which generally favours conservatism. NGAAP on the o ther hand, provides information less relevant for valuation purposes, but more relevant for stewardship purposes.

Økonomistyring & informatik 32(4) s. 309-330

Siden 2010 har det vært en sterk oppmerksomhet rundt ledelseskonseptet Lean i Norge. Det har blitt etablert regionale Lean-forum over store deler av landet. En rekke konsulentselskaper har tilbudt kurs og opplæring knyttet til Lean. I media har også Lean fått en omfattende dekning. Det har blitt arrangert en årlig nasjonal Lean-konferanse med flere hundre deltagere. Gitt denne interessen er det forståelig at enkelte har beskrevet Lean som en pandemi i norsk næringsliv. Kunnskap om i hvilken grad Lean benyttes og om erfaringer med dette ledelseskonseptet er derimot begrenset. I denne artikkelen belyser vi den faktiske bruken av Lean. Vår spørreundersøkelse viser at kun et begrenset antall norske bedrifter har tatt i bruk Lean. De fleste brukerne har kun tatt i bruk enkelte elementer fra Lean, det vi si at Lean ikke erstatter, men snarere kombineres med eksisterende praksis. Brukerne opplever positive effekter, men de fleste erfarer samtidig utfordringer med å ta Lean-ideene i bruk. De fleste har nylig tatt i bruk Lean, noe som viser at Lean på relativt kort tid blitt populært i Norge. Når det gjelder ikkebrukere av Lean, er det få som planlegger fremtidig bruk. Våre undersøkelser viser at det også i media er en tendens til avtagende interesse for Lean. Det kan derfor virke som om Lean er et ledelseskonsept som i denne omgang er i ferd med å miste noe av sin nåværende popularitet og reformeffekt på norske organisasjoner.

Cogent Business & Management 4(1) Doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2017.1411067

The use and application of Lean in the public sector has attracted considerable interest in recent years. In Norway, the concept of Lean has lately been hugely popular, not only among private sector firms, such as manufacturers, but increasingly also in the public sector where Lean has been proposed as a management tool that can improve the productivity and performance of, for example, municipalities. There have been several initiatives suggesting and recommending Lean adoption and implementation in the municipality sector. However, little is known about how and to what extent Lean is currently used by Norwegian municipalities. Therefore, this paper examines the diffusion of Lean among Norway’s 426 municipalities, by means of an exploratory survey that yielded a response rate of about 25 percent. The survey results generally show that the awareness and adoption of Lean has increased quite sharply in recent years. Most municipalities have recently adopted and started using the Lean concept, and the concept appears to be in a relatively early stage of its lifecycle in the Norwegian municipality sector. When it comes to implementation of the Lean concept, the municipalities vary in terms of how they apply and utilize Lean. For example, the survey data indicate that municipalities use a broad spectrum of Lean-related tools and techniques. Finally, while the perceived effects of Lean are generally positive, there are also a range of issues and challenges associated with the implementation of Lean in municipalities.

Journal of Accounting and Finance 16(2) s. 11-30

This paper investigates the association between goodwill impairment losses and proxies of economic impairment, earnings management incentives and corporate governance mechanisms. The results demonstrate significant associations between proxies of economic impairment and goodwill impairment losses, suggesting that impairment losses in goodwill to some extent reflect economic impairment. Some evidence, however, suggests that impairment losses are associated with earnings management incentives. Corporate governance mechanisms are not found to play a significant role in accounting for impairment losses in goodwill. The empirical results are based on observations from the 288 largest firms listed at the London Stock Exchange over the fiscal years 2005 to 2009.

Moderne Forretningsjus III s. 335-353

Cogent Business & Management 3 s. 1-19 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2016.1165072

Big Data (BD) is currently one of the most talked about management ideas in the business community. Many call it the “buzzword of the day.” In books and media articles, BD has been referred to as a “revolution” and “new era.” There is lots of optimistic and upbeat rhetoric surrounding BD. This has led some to question whether BD is a hyped-up management fashion. In this paper, the BD phenomenon is viewed through the lens of management fashion theory. Management fashion provides an analytical lens which can be used to analyze the supply and demand side forces shaping the emergence and evolution of BD. The analysis shows that BD emerged in the late 1990s, gained momentum during the mid-2000s and legitimacy in the late 2000s, and enjoyed an almost meteoric rise in popularity in 2011 and 2012. Moreover, the analysis shows that BD currently is a very popular and highly contagious management idea exhibiting several hallmarks of a management fashion. At the same time, evidence suggests that it may be of a longer duration and not just another transient management fashion or fad. The findings have several implications for the study of the BD phenomenon and more generally, management and IT fashions.

Magma forskning og viten 19(1) s. 39-43

Det arbeides nå med ny regnskapslov i Norge. Første av to delutredninger ble overlevert Finansdepartementet i juni 2015 og presenterer forslag til ny regnskapslov. Et sentralt forslag er at den rettslige standarden god regnskapsskikk blir erstattet med regnskapsstandarder med forskrifts status. Dette innebærer en rettsliggjøring av regnskapsstandardene. Det gjør samtidig at detaljreguleringen går fra å være prinsippbasert til å bli mer regelbasert. Samtidig vil den gode skikk fortsatt ha relevans ved tolkning og implementering av regnskapsmessige løsninger som følger av regnskapsstandard og ikke minst når en skal finne regnskapsmessige løsninger som ikke følger av regnskapsstandard. Denne artikkelen diskuterer overgangen fra god regnskapsskikk til rettslig bindende regnskapsstandarder.

Praktisk Økonomi & Finans 32 [i.e. 33](4) s. 333-344 Doi: https://doi.org/10.18261/issn.1504-2871-2016-04-03

Cogent Business & Management 3(1) Doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2016.1258132

Although commentators have noted that Lean currently is receiving a great deal of attention in Norway, little is known about how and to what extent Lean is used by Norwegian organizations. The overall purpose of this paper is to present the results of an explorative survey that attempts to map the diffusion and popularity of Lean in Norway. The results indicate that the adoption rate is still quite low, but that Lean is relatively more widely used in industries such as manufacturing and accounting, auditing and finance. Furthermore, the results indicate that Norwegian organizations are relatively recent adopters of Lean. Among users there is a general consensus that Lean has positive effects on organizational performance. At the same time, a wide range of implementation challenges are reported. These findings are discussed in relation to the extant literature on Lean.

Praktisk Økonomi & Finans 31 [i.e. 32](1) s. 80-94

Høringsutkastet til ny Norsk Regnskapsstandard aktualiserer spørsmålet om prinsippbasert eller regelbasert regnskapsregulering. Standarden er mer prinsippbasert enn dagens regulering. Prinsippbasert regulering kjennetegnes ved at regnskapsprodusenten i stor grad må bruke skjønn for å utlede den korrekte regnskapsmessige løsningen. Regelbasert regulering kjennetegnes gjerne ved sjablongregler og terskelverdier som foreskriver en bestemt regnskapsmessig løsning. Ny norsk regnskapsstandard er basert på IFRS for SMEs innenfor de rammer som følger av regnskapsloven. Denne standarden inneholder mindre veiledning enn de nåværende standardene. Dette gjør at regnskapsprodusenten bruker mer av eget skjønn når det gjelder å fastsette en regnskapsmessig løsning som er i samsvar med regnskapsstandarden og god regnskapsskikk.

Nordisk Tidsskrift for Selskabsret s. 26-32

American Journal of Management 15(2) s. 24-41

The Balanced Scorecard (BSC) is one of the most influential concepts in accounting and management. The BSC recently celebrated its 20-year anniversary. Since its introduction, the BSC has been the subject of much debate among academics and practitioners. The research literature on the BSC has evolved considerably over the last 20 years. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of five important areas of BSC research: (1) conceptual evolution (2) adoption and diffusion, (3) implementation and use, (4) performance effects, and (5) critical perspectives. The article discusses current trends and emerging issues in the BSC literature and suggests fruitful areas for further research.

Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 187 s. 113-117 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.03.022

This article compares the use of experiments as a research method in economics and psychology. We outline the most important differences between the two fields in terms of their use of experimental methods. The purpose of the article is two-fold. First, to provide an overview of areas where economic experiments differ from traditional psychological experiments. Second, to debate experimental economics in relation to experiments in other social sciences.

Problems and Perspectives in Management 12(3) s. 81-90

Since its introduction more than 20 years ago the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) has garnered the interest of both academics and practitioners. In the ‘official’ practitioner-oriented literature the BSC’s main proponents Kaplan and Norton have touted the concept’s potential performance enhancing effects. Academics have been more skeptical, and have not found a clear-cut relationship between the use of the BSC and organizational performance. It appears that some uses of the BSC may increase performance, while other types of BSC use might decrease it. Still, research has shown that the concept is widely used in practice, more than 20 years after its introduction. The longevity of the BSC indicates that organizations are satisfied with the concept and find at least aspects of it useful and beneficial. The extant literature, however, gives limited insight into the aspects of the BSC that managers appreciate. This leads to the following research question: What aspects of the BSC are perceived as beneficial by consultants and managers? Using data from qualitative interviews with BSC consultants and users, this paper explores the perceived benefits associated with the implementation of the BSC. The data show the perceived benefits are related to the concept’s fit with the local institutional context in Scandinavia, e.g. in terms of balancing shareholder and stakeholder deman

Praktisk Økonomi & Finans 30(2) s. 168-184

European Journal of Management 14(3) s. 125-133 Doi: https://doi.org/10.18374/ejm-14-3.13

Problems and Perspectives in Management 12(4) s. 103-108

Over the course of the last decades numerous management concepts have risen and fallen in popularity. Research has shown that some management concepts are short-lived and have limited impact, while others spread widely and have an enduring and longer-lasting impact. What may explain these differences? This paper outlines a typology for assessing the impact of management concept in a given social context. It is argued that the impact of a management concept varies along two dimensions: the degree of institutionalization denotes the impact across time, while the degree of diffusion denotes impact across space.

European Journal of Business Research 14(1) s. 87-98 Doi: https://doi.org/10.18374/ejbr-14-1.7

In recent years Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has been the subject of much attention. Commentators have referred to CSR as a ‘global movement’ and ‘mega-trend’. Some have also suggested that the popularity of the CSR idea resembles that of a typical ‘management fashion’. In this article we conduct a preliminary analysis of the evolution and life-cycle of CSR in the Norwegian context. Focusing on the supply-side of CSR, we examine the public discourse around the idea using so-called ‘print-media indicators’. The discourse data show a rapid growth in the intensity of discourse in the years from 2005 to 2013. Interestingly, the life-cycle curve lags behind that seen in other countries, where CSR-related discourse started several years earlier. This indicates that the take-up of the CSR idea has not been uniform across countries. Based on the findings and a discussion of the limitations of our analysis, we map out a research agenda for studying the take-up and evolution of CSR as a fashionable management idea in different contexts.

Magma forskning og viten 17(4) s. 22-33

The Balanced Scorecard, kjent som balansert målstyring på norsk, er et av de mest innflytelsesrike konseptene innen fagfeltet økonomisk styring. Siden begrepet balansert målstyring ble introdusert for litt over 20 år siden, har konseptet vært gjenstand for stor interesse i akademia og i praksis. Forskningslitteraturen på balansert målstyring har utviklet seg mye siden konseptet ble introdusert. Balansert målstyring er også forstått, implementert og brukt på ulike måter i praksis. Denne artikkelen har som mål å gi en oversikt over forskningslitteraturen på balansert målstyring. Artikkelen ser på følgende forskningstemaer: (1) konseptets utvikling, (2) adopsjon og spredning, (3) implementering og bruksmønstre, (4) effekter av bruk og (5) ulike kritiske perspektiver på konseptet. Artikkelen avsluttes med en oppsummering og noen forslag til videre forskning.

Problems and Perspectives in Management 12(1) s. 121-131

The balanced scorecard (BSC) is one of the most widely used and discussed management concepts in the world. Although many BSC success stories have been cited in the practitioner-oriented literature and in the business media, researchers have shown that the implementation of BSC can be a complicated process. There are many pitfalls and dysfunctional consequences associated with the implementation and use of the BSC. Still, little research is conducted on BSC implementation issues. This paper reports on a qualitative study of Scandinavian BSC users. Based on interview data, the paper identifies four main problem areas associated with the implementation of the BSC concept: conceptual, technical, social and political issues. These problematic issues are discussed with reference to the existing BSC literature, and more generally, the literature on the implementation of management concepts in organizations.

Praktisk Økonomi & Finans 30(4) s. 356-366

Forsiktig regnskapsrapportering har lenge vært et bærende element i all regnskapsproduksjon. Slik rapportering resulterer i gjennomgående lav verdsetting av egenkapital. Det er særlig tre regnskapsmessige løsninger som gir lav egenkapital: 1) Strengere krav til innregning av urealiserte inntekter enn urealiserte tap, 2) ingen eller begrenset mulighet for innregning av betingede eiendeler (eksempelvis rettslig, omtvistede erstatningskrav) og egenutviklede immaterielle eiendeler (eksempelvis egenutviklet merkevare) og 3) krav om lav (høy) verdsetting av eiendeler (forpliktelser) ved måleusikkerhet. Forsiktig regnskapsrapportering kan derfor anta ulike former. Denne artikkelen forsøker å klargjøre hva som kjennetegner forsiktig regnskapsrapportering og hvilket rasjonale som kan ligge bak slik rapportering.

Tidsskrift for forretningsjus s. 38-63

Problems and Perspectives in Management 11(4) s. 68-76

Management fashion theory is a growing research area in management studies. The focus of this management fashion literature is to understand why some management concepts spread quickly and widely, while others do not. However, doing research on fashionable management concepts is a difficult task, and many commentators have pointed out the limitations of the research methods used in extant research. A consequence of these difficulties is that the theory has many understudied areas and ‘blind spots’. This paper aims at providing a review of the research methods typically used in management fashion research, and assessing the strengths and weaknesses of various approaches. Based on this review, the paper suggests research strategies that can be used to illuminate the blind spots of the management fashion theory. The paper distinguishes between research strategies at four analytical levels: the managerial level, the intra-organizational level, the field-level and the cross-national level.

Praktisk Økonomi & Finans [29](2) s. 57-69

Regnskapsmanipulering bør oppta enhver som ønsker å bruke regnskapsinformasjon som grunnlag for sine beslutninger. Den siste tids regnskapsskandale i datterselskapet til Troms Kraft AS, Kraft & Kultur AB, har på nytt aktualisert dette temaet. Salgsinntektene kan være overrapportert med hele 1.8 milliarder svenske kroner.1 Dette gir klare paralleller til andre hjemlige skandaler som Finance Credit og Sponsor- Service og internasjonale skandaler som Enron i USA og Parmalat i Italia. Stadige regnskapsskandaler tærer på tilliten til regnskapet. Uten tillit er det umulig for regnskapet å oppfylle sitt formål som kilde til beslutningsnyttig informasjon. I lys av dette diskuterer denne artikkelen hva som forstås som regnskapsmanipulering og hvilke forutsetninger og incentiver som ligger bak slik manipulering.

Magma forskning og viten 14(8) s. 29-38

Magma forskning og viten 13(1) s. 71-79

Artikkelen utgjør siste artikkel i en serie av to artikler med tema regnskapsmessig behandling av goodwill. Denne artikkelen har fokus på de nye reglene for goodwill som er implementert gjennom IFRS 3 (fase 1, 2004) og revidert IFRS 3 (fase 2, 2008). Artikkelen vil særlig ha fokus på overgangen fra krav om avskrivning av goodwill til krav om årlig nedskrivningstest for goodwill. Artikkelen begynner med en problematisering av hvorvidt goodwill er en avskrivbar eiendel. I artikkelens andre del gis det en kort presentasjon av nedskrivningsreglene for goodwill under IFRS og til slutt presenteres muligheten for innregning av full goodwill under revidert IFRS 3 (2008).

Praktisk Økonomi & Finans 25(1) s. 3-10

I norsk regnskapsrett har det vært lite tradisjon for å dekomponere varige driftsmidler. I hovedsak har dekomponering kun blitt foretatt i de tilfeller hvor det har vært strengt nødvendig på grunn av betydelig forskjell i avskrivningstid. Et klassisk eksempel er anskaffelse av fast eiendom bestående av en bygning og en tomt. Bygningen og tomten har da blitt tilordnet med sin del av den totale anskaffelseskosten. Ut over dette er dekomponering en sjelden eksersis i norsk regnskapspraksis, til tross for at manglende dekkomponering kan føre til betydelige utfordringer ved fastsetting av avskrivningsplan og ved vurdering av skillet mellom påkostning og vedlikehold. I denne artikkelen forklarer vi hva dekomponering er og hvorfor dekomponering kan gjøre det enklere både å fastsette fornuftige avskrivningsplaner og vurdere skillet mellom påkostning og vedlikehold. Når den regnskapsmessige behandlingen på disse områdene blir bedre, vil regnskapene i større grad reflektere økonomisk substans.

Magma forskning og viten 12(10) s. 22-31

Goodwill er en av de mest kontroversielle størrelsene i regnskapet. I flere tiår har det vært en diskusjon rundt hvordan goodwill skal defineres og måles, hvorvidt goodwill skal klassifiseres som en eiendel, og hvordan goodwill skal behandles ved første gangs innregning og senere verdivurdering. Årsaken til denne evigvarende diskusjonen er de særtrekkene som goodwill har: mangel på fysisk substans, mangel på identifiserbarhet og kontroll og goodwillens usikre økonomiske verdi. Gjennom historien har goodwill blitt behandlet på alle tenkelige måter, fra å bli kostnadsført umiddelbart over resultat til å bli behandlet som en permanent eiendel. Som en mellomløsning finner vi balanseføring av goodwill med krav om avskrivning. Parallelt med diskusjonen rundt den regnskapsmessige løsningen har det vært en diskusjon rundt hvorvidt goodwill skal klassifiseres som en eiendel. Konklusjonen på eiendelsspørsmålet har som regel hatt direkte implikasjoner for hvilke regnskapsmessige løsninger som har blitt foretrukket. I den senere tid har imidlertid balanseføring og avskrivning blitt betraktet av de fleste standardsettere for å være den mest troverdige representasjonen av goodwill, og på mange måter så det ut til at denne løsningen skulle bli den endelige. Introduksjon av nye regnskapsmessige løsninger for oppkjøp av selskaper under US GAAP og IFRS førte imidlertid til ny debatt rundt den regnskapsmessig behandlingen. Goodwill skal ikke lenger avskrives, men i stedet behandles som en eiendel med ubestemt økonomisk levetid som testes for verdifall årlig eller oftere hvis forhold tilsier det.

Magma forskning og viten 11(2) s. 101-108

I internasjonal regnskapsrett er virkelig verdi innført i et omfang som er uten sidestykke i regnskapsfagets historie. Virkelig verdi kan nå brukes som måleattributt på mange områder hvor tradisjonen har vært historisk kost. Dette skjer uten at IASB løfter diskusjonen rundt bruk av virkelig verdi opp på et prinsipielt nivå. Hvordan er relasjonen mellom relevant og pålitelig informasjon, og er det slik at virkelig verdi operasjonalisert som markedsverdi alltid vil bidra med relevant informasjon til regnskapsbrukerne? Dette er noen av spørsmålene som blir drøftet i artikkelen.

Magma forskning og viten 11(6) s. 45-52

Magma forskning og viten s. 65-72