More from the Author

• Article | Journal of Accounting Research | September 2012

  Can Wages Buy Honesty?: The Relationship Between Relative Wages and Employee Theft

  C. X. Chen and Tatiana Sandino

  In this study we examine whether, for a sample of retail chains, high levels of employee compensation can deter employee theft, an increasingly common type of fraudulent behavior. Specifically, we examine the extent to which relative wages (i.e., employee wages relative to the wages paid to comparable employees in competing stores) affect employee theft as measured by inventory shrinkage and cash shortage. Using two store-level datasets from the convenience store industry, we find that relative wages are negatively associated with employee theft after we control for each store's employee characteristics, monitoring environment, and socio-economic environment. Moreover, we find that relatively higher wages also promote social norms such that coworkers are less (more) likely to collude to steal inventory from their company when relative wages are higher (lower). Our research contributes to an emerging literature in management control that explores the effect of efficiency wages on employee behavior and social norms.

  Citation:

  Chen, C. X., and Tatiana Sandino. "Can Wages Buy Honesty? The Relationship Between Relative Wages and Employee Theft." Journal of Accounting Research 50, no. 4 (September 2012): 967–1000.

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• Article | Accounting Review | September 2011

  On Testing Business Models

  D. Huelsbeck, K. Merchant and Tatiana Sandino

  This study explored management decisions regarding formal empirical testing of business models. It documented a test of one company's business model under seemingly favorable conditions for such a test – a successful single product firm following a consistent strategy over a long period of time with stable management and publicly traded stock. Although the findings provided only weak support for the hypothesized business model, the confidence of the company's top managers in their business model remained high. Further analysis revealed that the managers' response to the test results was consistent with that expected of Bayesian-rational agents. Our analyses provided the basis for development of a framework for understanding the expected value of testing business models in various circumstances. This framework may explain apparent contradictions between previous studies containing normative statements regarding the value of testing business models.

  Keywords: performance measurement; non-financial performance measures; business models; management control;

  Citation:

  Huelsbeck, D., K. Merchant, and Tatiana Sandino. "On Testing Business Models." Accounting Review 86, no. 5 (September 2011): 1631–1654. (Awarded a Research Grant from the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.)

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• Article | Financial Management (CIMA) | July–August 2011

  Putting Business Models Under the Microscope

  K. Merchant, Tatiana Sandino and D. Huelsbeck

  The article provides advice for financial managers on evaluating business models for corporate performance measurement. Emphasis is given to a study sponsored by the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) that examined the business model of a medical diagnostic test equipment manufacturer. Those engaged in the study conducted statistical tests which demonstrated that only research and development expenditures and instrument placement affected financial performance. They also found that the business model did not offer information on stock returns.

  Citation:

  Merchant, K., Tatiana Sandino, and D. Huelsbeck. "Putting Business Models Under the Microscope." Financial Management (CIMA) (July–August 2011), 54–55.

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