This study has several limitations. First, like many empirical studies that rely on
disclosed proxy data, proxy disclosures may not represent all aspects of corporate
governance practices. It is possible that some companies may have strong practices in
some areas, but received lower scores because the details are not disclosed in their
proxies. In addition, the sampling process may suffer from survivorship bias[14].
Third, the tests in this study are association tests, and thus do not directly distinguish
whether the structural change in the association between the proxies for earnings
quality and governance characteristics is due to the enhancement of governance or the
associated pressure for increased managerial accountability. Future research may need
to adopt qualitative research approaches to provide collaborative evidence on the link
between quality of financial reporting and governance effectiveness.