Purpose Changing workplace demographics reflect a rising number of women in the traditionally male-dominated field of business. The purpose of this study is to investigate how upwardly mobile women may impact the commission and type of white-collar crime, contributing to the scarce literature on gender distinctions in criminal behavior while comparing criminal trends globally. Women’s increased representation in positions of power in business provides them with increased fraud opportunities prompting the authors to ask: in their areas of opportunity, do women and men commit the same types of white-collar crime and at the same rates, and how does this phenomena vary globally? Design/methodology/approach Using a database from the Institute for Fraud Prevention, 5,441 fraud cases are examined from 93 nations for the annual periods from 2002 until 2011. Ordinal logistic regression methods are used to test for differences in gendered criminal behavior by fraud offense type controlling for age, position, education, compensation level and country context. Findings Internationally, results from the study indicate that female fraudsters are three times more likely than male fraudsters to commission crimes of asset misappropriation in the workplace. Upon further investigation, stratifying the data by geographical region, findings from the study demonstrate that female fraudsters are more likely than male fraudsters to commit asset misappropriation in the following geographical regions: Africa (three times as likely), Asia (twice as likely), Canada (three times as likely), China (five times as likely), Europe (twice as likely), the Middle East (four times as likely), Oceania (four times as likely), the United Kingdom (eight times as likely) and the United States of America (twice as likely). Originality/value Evidence from this study should be of importance to multinational enterprises, auditors and fraud examiners, as asset misappropriation constitutes 87 per cent of all fraud cases globally. Further, these findings prompt the need for researchers to develop this area of research.

Purpose This study examines how International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) are applied, disaggregates the cumulative effect of the IFRS transition into magnitude measurements of the standard-to-standard differences (by standard) and management discretionary choices (by choice) and tests which transitory effects at every level of disaggregation alter investor behavior. Design/methodology/approach Using hand-collected data from the IFRS 1 disclosures, the research design consists of eight regression models which test fluctuations in investment behavior as a function of varying measures of IFRS adjustments at aggregated and disaggregated levels including magnitude measurements of pronouncements and management choices. Findings Findings from the study identify specific standards and management discretionary choices associated with market reaction. Evidence from this study demonstrates the value of disaggregated measures to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of market reaction and associations with transitory effects of IFRS. Findings from the study suggest that the market favors management discretionary choices that decrease retained earnings and potentially increase future net income. Overall, model results suggest that a more comprehensive understanding of the specific standards is obtained that alters market behavior and how the market responds to positive and negative equity adjustments. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature examining the capital market effects of IFRS by decomposing the generally accepted accounting principle (GAAP) transition into magnitude measurements of specific standard-to-standard differences (by standard) and management discretionary choices (by choice) to understand how the market responds to the transitory effects of a GAAP change. This is important because it puts regulators, standard setters, investors and researchers on notice that the way in which the authors analyze and measure equity components could be consequential to the authors ability to assess a GAAP change. This study informs all jurisdictions which have adopted or are deliberating the adoption of IFRS how IFRS is being implemented and which areas of application are relevant to investors. Further, market reactions to accounting information pertaining to a GAAP change may only be revealed at the disaggregated and decomposed levels of the retrospective application of the GAAP implementation.

The Canadian transition to IFRS provides a valuable IFRS learning opportunity. The Canadian transition and implementation of IFRS provides a unique opportunity to examine the conversion of financial reporting from a similar set of financial reporting rules as U.S. GAAP in a similar economic and business environment. The implementation and adoption of IFRS is not a monolithic event. Our ability to comprehensively understand and assess IFRS requires transparent disclosures such as those mandated by IFRS 1 and disaggregation of the equity components to observe and measure the impact of IFRS as it pertains to discretionary management implementation choices, material reclassifications, and GAAP-to-GAAP differences. Comprehensive knowledge of IFRS 1, First Time Adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards is crucial to our ability to assess the transitory and future impact of IFRS. IFRS 1 sets the precedent for financial reporting under IFRS, overrides transitional provisions included in other IFRS, and prescribes detailed disclosures. This detailed “rules-based” standard permits discretionary management policy choices which have material impact on transitory reporting as well as future financial results.