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Latest Stories in Accounting

Idea Stories Opensearch
October 30, 2024
Written

Mapping the Maze Where the IRS Could Find Billions in Unpaid Taxes

Researchers are untangling the incredibly complex corporate structures some taxpayers use to reduce their tax bills.
Accounting
October 18, 2024
Written

American Innovation Got Slammed by the “Temporary” End of a Key Tax Incentive

A tax rule that was never supposed to go into effect has led U.S. companies to slash their R&D spending.
Government & Politics
September 06, 2024
Written

Your Company Is on a High-Growth List! It May Not Be There Next Year.

Why only a fraction of the firms that get onto high-growth rankings stay there.
Entrepreneurship
July 01, 2024
Written

New Data on the Quality of ESG Audits Catches Regulators’ Attention

A closer look at ESG verification is influencing the debate over requiring corporations to report their carbon emissions.
Climate & Sustainability
June 12, 2024
Written

When Companies Announce Earnings Surprises, Locals Reach for Their Pocketbooks

Unexpected news about a company’s profits can have a big impact on people who live near its HQ.
Accounting
May 29, 2024
Audio

Money Talks: Understanding the Language of Business

If we want to make more empowered decisions, then we need to care about accounting.
Accounting
April 23, 2024
Video

Explainer: What is Carbon Reporting?

Accurate measurement is the first step toward reducing emissions.
Climate & Sustainability
April 15, 2024
Written

Nine Stories to Get You Through Tax Season

Sorry, our professors can’t help you do your taxes. But they can help you understand taxation better.
Government & Politics
February 22, 2024
Written

Tax Cuts in the UK Gave an Unexpected Boost to African Economies

Domestic tax policies can have unintended effects around the world.
Accounting
Illustration of the UK with a Union Jack flag overlay and hand holding out a British Pound extending out to Africa with a chart overlay illustrating economic growth.
February 02, 2024
Written

The Hidden Costs of Clicking the “Buy Now, Pay Later” Button

The market for instant online credit has exploded. But it comes with big downsides for some borrowers.
Finance & Investing
January 16, 2024
Written

Why Some Countries Want Companies to Think Inside the “Innovation Box”

IP-related tax breaks are meant to spur local investment and job creation. Do they?
Accounting
October 31, 2023
Written

What Happens When Pro Coaches Get Cut from the Team?

Lessons from a deep dive into 30 years of NFL and NBA management turnover.
Leadership & Management
August 29, 2023
Written

Retail Investors Are Making Simple — Yet Costly — Mistakes When Trading Corporate Bonds

Not all AAA-rated debt is the same. And credit ratings are not comprehensive indicators of risk.
Accounting
Illustration of a businessman riding a crashing stock line.
July 13, 2023
Written

Does It Pay to Link Executive Compensation to ESG Goals?

More CEOs are getting “ESG pay.” Does it improve their companies’ sustainability and financial performance?
Climate & Sustainability
llustration of a handshake with money coming from the left hand and a lightbulb with a tree inside and leaves coming from the right hand.
July 06, 2023
Written

Another Price of Sloppy Bookkeeping: Employees Want a Wage Premium.

Employees may not understand complex financial reports. But they know when their jobs could be at risk.
Accounting
Two people sitting at a conference table in a backlit room, one of them is holding up a piece of paper in front of the other.
June 06, 2023
Written

Investigating the Unsolved Mysteries of Boardrooms and C-Suites

More than a decade and 100 papers later, Closer Look finds that there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to questions about corporate governance.
Corporate Governance
A blurry photo of a boardroom with figures standing and sitting illuminated by a bright window.
March 23, 2023
Written

Why Do Companies Cook the Books? Look to the Bean Counters.

Paying corporate accountants more removes incentives for financial misreporting.
Accounting
Close up of someone's desk as they are doing bills/accounting. iStock/AndreyPopov
March 15, 2023
Written

When It Comes to Half-Truths, No News Is Bad News

Does prohibiting managers from issuing incomplete disclosures lead them to reveal more information?
Accounting
An out of focus image of two business people shaking hands in a corporate office. iStock/PeopleImages
December 15, 2022
Written

By Revealing More, Private Firms May Lure Investors Away From Public Equity

Investments in publicly traded companies shift when their private competitors share information, a new study finds.
Accounting
llustration of an outstretched arm holding a magnifying glass, and a man walking up the arm toward it. iStock/SvetaZi
December 12, 2022
Written

A Dozen of Our Favorite Research Stories of 2022

A sampling of the big ideas and timely research produced by Stanford GSB faculty this year.
Leadership & Management
Illustration of young woman balancing on a tightrope with a coin in one hand and a globe in the other hand. Credit: iStock/treety
December 08, 2022
Written

Tax Avoidance Has Become a Key Part of IPO Planning

Many soon-to-be public companies are already one step ahead of the tax collector.
Accounting
A person made of money wearing a hat and sunglasses holding a tropical drink.
November 10, 2022
Written

The ESG Generation Gap: Millennials and Boomers Split on Their Investing Goals

Younger investors are more willing to put money behind environmental and social goals — even if it’s costlier.
Climate & Sustainability
Illustration of a dollar bill showing half of George Washington's face and half of an illustration of a cartoon version of George Washington wearing a green hat and brown tee shirt.
October 27, 2022
Written

Digital Assets and Climate Change Pose New Challenges for Accountants

Mary Barth explains why investors need better information on new and hard-to-quantify risks.
Accounting
Two men standing on either side of a wide open gap on white platforms in front of a blue sky, looking down in puzzlement. iStock/Martin Barraud
September 21, 2022
Written

China’s Steep Barriers for IPOs Come with Serious Economic Costs

By making it harder for companies to go public, Beijing is stifling innovation and growth, Charles Lee finds.
Markets & Trade
Illustration of the Beijing stock exchange logo next to a declining graph. Reuters/Florence Lo