To investigate the earnings management around a covenant violation, I use a multivariate
regression framework in which the dependent variable is the discretionary accruals calculated
by using the modified Jones (1991) model,1 which is the most common in the earnings
management literature. I use the signed value of the discretionary accruals.2 The
key research variables are the dummy that captures the quarters before a violation, the
dummy for the quarter with a new violation, and the dummy that captures the series of
quarters with violations.