Internal Connectedness and Accrual Quality: Evidence from Employee LinkedIn Connections
利用领英数据衡量员工内部关联程度，发现员工间信息共享能提升公司应计质量，且在外部或内部正式监督较弱时效果更强。
SYNOPSIS We investigate the impact of employee connectedness on a firm’s accrual quality. Using data from the largest professional network, LinkedIn, we measure the degree to which employees are connected—which we label “internal connectedness”—and are therefore likely to interact and share information. We hypothesize and find that a firm’s internal connectedness increases its accrual quality and that the positive effect is stronger when external monitoring or internal formal monitoring is weaker or when accrual estimation is more difficult. That is, the effects of internal connectedness are stronger when greater benefits can be expected from enhanced informal internal information sharing. Our results provide insights for academics and practitioners in understanding the determinants of financial reporting quality and the crucial yet often neglected role of the internal information environment. Data Availability: Data are available from the sources cited in the text.