Conservative traits and managerial forecasting style

Year: 2020
Type: Journal Publication
Journal: Journal of Business Economics
Open Science:

Abstract

We investigate whether conservatism as a personality trait, measured by managers’ signatures, influences managers’ forecasting style. Building on upper echelons theory and psychology literature, we predict that conservative personality traits such as the resistance to change and the ensuing cautiousness in updating beliefs influence managers’ forecasts. Our findings suggest that conservative CFOs more likely select earnings as compared to revenues as the main KPI of the forecast, keep the same KPI across years, and issue specific forecasts. Finally, we provide some evidence that conservative CFOs issue more accurate forecasts.

Participating Institutions

TRR 266‘s main locations are Paderborn University (Coordinating University), HU Berlin, and University of Mannheim. All three locations have been centers for accounting and tax research for many years. They are joined by researchers from LMU Munich, Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, Goethe University Frankfurt, University of Cologne and Leibniz University Hannover who share the same research agenda.

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