@phdthesis{Hoerner2020,
  author    = {H{\"o}rner, Sven},
  title     = {Empirical Studies on Accounting - Shareholders' Perceptions of Earnings Quality},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-18847},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-188473},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2020},
  abstract  = {Accounting plays an essential role in solving the principal-agent problem between managers and shareholders of capital market-oriented companies through the provision of information by the manager. However, this can succeed only if the accounting information is of high quality. In this context, the perceptions of shareholders regarding earnings quality are of particular importance. The present dissertation intends to contribute to a deeper understanding regarding earnings quality from the perspective of shareholders of capital market-oriented companies. In particular, the thesis deals with indicators of shareholders' perceptions of earnings quality, the influence of the auditor's independence on these perceptions, and the shareholders' assessment of the importance of earnings quality in general. Therefore, this dissertation examines market reactions to earnings announcements, measures of earnings quality and the auditor's independence, as well as shareholders' voting behavior at annual general meetings. Following the introduction and a theoretical part consisting of two chapters, which deal with the purposes of accounting and auditing as well as the relevance of shareholder voting at the annual general meeting in the context of the principal-agent theory, the dissertation presents three empirical studies. The empirical study presented in chapter 4 investigates auditor ratification votes in a U.S. setting. The study addresses the question of whether the results of auditor ratification votes are informative regarding shareholders' perceptions of earnings quality. Using a returns-earnings design, the study demonstrates that the results of auditor ratification votes are associated with market reactions to unexpected earnings at the earnings announcement date. Furthermore, there are indications that this association seems to be positively related to higher levels of information asymmetry between managers and shareholders. Thus, there is empirical support for the notion that the results of auditor ratification votes are earnings-related information that might help shareholders to make informed investment decisions. Chapter 5 investigates the relation between the economic importance of the client and perceived earnings quality. In particular, it is examined whether and when shareholders have a negative perception of an auditor's economic dependence on the client. The results from a Big 4 client sample in the U.S. (fiscal years 2010 through 2014) indicate a negative association between the economic importance of the client and shareholders' perceptions of earnings quality. The results are interpreted to mean that shareholders are still concerned about auditor independence even ten years after the implementation of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Furthermore, the association between the economic importance of the client and shareholders' perceptions of earnings quality applies predominantly to the subsample of clients that are more likely to be financially distressed. Therefore, the empirical results reveal that shareholders' perceptions of auditor independence are conditional on the client's circumstances. The study presented in chapter 6 sheds light on the question of whether earnings quality influences shareholders' satisfaction with the members of the company's board. Using data from 1,237 annual general meetings of German listed companies from 2010 through 2015, the study provides evidence that earnings quality - measured by the absolute value of discretionary accruals - is related to shareholders' satisfaction with the company's board. Moreover, the findings imply that shareholders predominantly blame the management board for inferior earnings quality. Overall, the evidence that earnings quality positively influences shareholders' satisfaction emphasizes the relevance of earnings quality.},
  subject      = {Qualit{\"a}t},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Tiede2020,
  author    = {Tiede, Jennifer},
  title     = {Media-related Educational Competencies of German and US Preservice Teachers. A Comparative Analysis of Competency Models, Measurements and Practices of Advancement},
  series = {Zeitschrift f{\"u}r Medienp{\"a}dagogik},
  volume    = {Media-related Educational Competencies},
  journal   = {Zeitschrift f{\"u}r Medienp{\"a}dagogik},
  issn      = {1424-3636},
  doi       = {10.21240/mpaed/diss.jt.X},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-207093},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  pages     = {1-235},
  year      = {2020},
  abstract  = {Media have become omnipresent in children's and youths' everyday lives, and they also offer rich chances and challenges for educational contexts. On the one hand, media can, for example, support students' learning effectively, enhance lessons with innovative tools and methods and help individualize teaching and learning processes. On the other hand, students need to learn, e.g., how to use these media, how to select and evaluate them and how to act responsibly in a digitalized and mediatized world. Teachers are a core stakeholder in this context. To take advantage of the benefits media offer for teaching and learning processes, to support students in the acquisition of respective competencies and to fulfill numerous other media-related tasks and challenges, teachers need to acquire respective competencies in their initial teacher education, which can be summarized as media-related educational competencies. The relevance of these competencies is evident on different levels. In related research, respective competency models are developed, and in practices of teacher education, competencies are measured and efforts are taken to advance the competencies of preservice teachers. Against this background, this semi-cumulative dissertation presents a theory-based and empirical analysis of the competencies in question from a comprehensive and multidimensional perspective. In accordance with the central aspects outlined, the three systematic main fields focused on are models of media-related educational competencies, their measurement and practices of advancement in teacher education, as well as the interplay of these three fields. The dissertation takes on an international comparative perspective and focuses on the examples of initial teacher education in Germany and the USA. The article-based dissertation comprises three main parts, framed by introduction and conclusion. The introduction provides a basis for the following work with regards to terminology, scope of research and overall methodology. The first main part is concerned with models of media-related educational competencies and includes a theory-based systematic comparison of three relevant models. This part explicates the varieties between competency models, and it discusses central aspects of selection and application. In Part II, methods and varieties of competency measurement are focused on, and an article is presented which shares results of an exploratory quantitative measurement of the respective competencies of German and US preservice teachers. Overall, this part reveals the potential and limitations of competency measurement and transfers these conclusions to the competency models introduced in Part I. Part III is concerned with an analysis of current practices of advancing media-related educational competencies in Germany and the USA. In this context, stakeholders influencing these practices will be systemized and analyzed in their role and impact. The article included in Part III introduces interviews which were conducted to achieve insights into the perspectives of selected experts, regarding relevant models, practices and outcomes of media-related teacher education in Germany and the USA. Finally, the Conclusion of the dissertation will draw together the different strands, clarify the close connection between the domains of modeling, measuring and advancing the competencies in question and discuss the interdependencies of these three dimensions. These perspectives help both to contextualize and bring together important facets which have often been treated separately in related research and will add new facets to ultimately achieve a comprehensive and multifaceted viewpoint. Against the background of the intercultural comparative perspective, the results and findings will ultimately achieve an enhanced and deep analysis and reflection on the complex field of media-related educational competencies in Germany and the USA and beyond.},
  subject      = {Medienp{\"a}dagogik},
  language  = {en}
}