Although we predict that higher quality accounting results in a less negative correlation between accruals and cash flows, the opposite could be true. In particular, Dechow [1994] suggests that the proper role of accruals in income measurement is to smooth variability in cash flows and, because accruals reverse over time, accruals and cash flows are expected to be negatively correlated. Thus, firms applying domestic standards could manage earnings to exhibit a less negative correlation between accruals and cash flows. Also, a less negative correlation between accruals and cash flows could be indicative of lower accounting quality because of error in estimating accruals. Titus, higher quality accounting can result in a more negative correlation between accruals and cash flows.