On the other hand, agency theory (Jensen and Meckling, 1976) predicts that
managers with lower firm ownership have greater incentives to manipulate accounting
numbers in order to relieve the constraints imposed on accounting based compensation
contracts. In addition, Jensen (1989) argues that outside directors with little equity
stake in the firm cannot effectively monitor and discipline the managers. Indeed, many
firms require their directors to increase shareholding in their firms (Hambrick and
Jackson, 2000). Consistent with this theory, Warfield et al. (1995) find a negative
relation between managerial stockholdings and the absolute value of abnormal
accruals. They interpret their results as being consistent with the belief that
managerial shareholdings act as a disciplining mechanism. Under this alignment of
interest hypothesis, mandatory shareholding of board and management can effectively
motivate managers’ performance, and create incentives for independent directors to
more closely monitor management, a scenario under which a positive association
between mandatory shareholding and the quality of accounting earnings is expected.
This discussion leads to the following hypothesis: