This paper studies whether and how mandatory nonfinancial disclosure affects firms’ real decisions. I exploit a disclosure regulation enacted in California, which mandates that firms disclose how they conduct due diligence to address their suppliers’ human rights abuses. I find that treated firms increase their supply chain due diligence, and their suppliers’ human rights performance improves following the regulation. The effects are stronger when firms face greater pressure from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and socially conscious shareholders, when customers have greater incentives to use the newly disclosed information, and when the regulation leads to a larger increase in information comparability. Collectively, the results suggest that mandatory nonfinancial disclosure can affect firms’ real decisions through market mechanisms and that stakeholder responses play a key role.
Academic & Professional Qualification
- PhD in Accounting, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology 2020
- MPhil in Accounting, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology 2017
- B.A, Sun Yat-Sen University 2013
Biography
Dr. Guoman She joined HKU in 2020 as an Assistant Professor of Accounting. He received his Ph.D. in Accounting from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. His research focuses on the use of financial and non-financial information in inter-firm contracts and supply chain management. His work has been published in Journal of Accounting Research, Journal of Accounting and Economics, and The Accounting Review.
Teaching
- Introductory Financial Accounting
Research Interest
- Disclosure
- Inter-firm Contracts
- Supply Chain
Selected Publications
- “Contract Contingencies and Uncertainty: Evidence from Product Market Contracts”, Journal of Accounting and Economics, forthcoming (with Kai Wai Hui, Jun Oh and P. Eric Yeung)
- “Firm Boundaries and Voluntary Disclosure”, The Accounting Review, 2024, 99 (4), 111–141 (with Thomas Bourveau, John D. Kepler and Lynn Linghuan Wang)
- “Learning from peers: Evidence from disclosure of consumer complaints”, Journal of Accounting and Economics, forthcoming (with Yiwei Dou, Mingyi Hung and Lynn Linghuan Wang)
- “The Real Effects of Mandatory Nonfinancial Disclosure: Evidence from Supply Chain Transparency”, The Accounting Review, 2022, 97(5), 399-425
- “Corporate Disclosure as a Tacit Coordination Mechanism: Evidence from Cartel Enforcement Regulations”, Journal of Accounting Research, 2020, 58(2), 295-332 (with Thomas Bourveau and Alminas Zaldokas)
- “Judging a Book by Its Cover: The Influence of Physical Attractiveness on the Promotion of Regional Leaders”, Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 2019, 158, 1-14 (Lead Article) (with Leng Ling and Danglun Luo)
Awards and Honours
- Best Paper Award in Corporate Social Responsibility, AFAANZ Conference 2024
- Best Paper Award, The Chinese Accounting Professors’ Association of North America (CAPANA) Annual Conference 2023
- Best Paper Award (First Place), MIT Asia Conference in Accounting 2021
- Dean’s PhD Fellowship for Research Excellence (HKUST) 2018; 2019
- Best Paper Award, Asian Finance Association 2018
- Guangdong Distinguished Finance Research Award (First Prize) 2018
- Guangdong Distinguished Social Science Research Award (Second Prize) 2017
Recent Publications
1Sep
1 Sep 2022
The Accounting Review