3.4 Disclosure of corporate governance practice and quality of earnings
Prior research indicates that corporate disclosure reduces information asymmetry
between investors and managers (e.g. Lang and Lundholm, 1996; Welker, 1995). For
instance, Lang and Lundholm (1996) provide evidence that firms with more informative disclosure policies have a larger analyst following, more accurate analyst
earnings forecasts, less dispersion among individual analyst forecasts, and less
volatility in forecast revisions. Similarly, Welker (1995) finds that information
asymmetry, measured as the bid-ask spread, is reduced and market liquidity increased
as the level of disclosure is increased. Prior research also demonstrates a relationship
between information asymmetry and earnings quality (e.g. Dye, 1988; Trueman and
Titman, 1988). For example, Dye (1988) and Trueman and Titman (1988) show
analytically that the existence of information asymmetry between management and
shareholders is a necessary condition for earnings management