The limited role of inheritance in wealth inequality
While inheritances matter for some, particularly those with very wealthy parents, they do not play a significant role in overall wealth inequality.
Tax disclosure requirements: Appeared transparent, little changed
A new UK regulation was intended to make large companies more transparent about their tax practices. The result? More reporting and polished language, but not more real insight.
A Greenwashing Mandate?
The study Tax Strategy Disclosure: A Greenwashing Mandate? is authored by Elisa Casi-Eberhard (NHH), Katarzyna Bilicka (Utah State University), Carol Seregni (Wharton Business school), and Barbara Stage (WHU). It is published in the Journal of Accounting Research, which is listed on NHH’s Bonus list, the Financial Times Research Rank List, and holds a 4✱ ranking in the ABS Academic Journal Guide.
Firms used the new disclosure rule to present themselves as responsible taxpayers — but their actual behavior remained unchanged.
`There is a risk of greenwashing, ´ say the researchers behind the new study.
The article is published in the Journal of Accounting Research, a prestigious academic journals in accounting and finance.
`We find that many companies disclose more information about tax but use generic and standardized language that offers little real insight. It looks transparent on the surface, but is difficult to verify, ´ says Elisa Casi, Assistant Professor at the Department of Business and Management Science.
Increased boilerplate in the narrative
The study uses the 2016 UK tax reform as a natural experiment. The law required large firms to publicly disclose their tax strategy.
Although the volume of tax reporting increased, the researchers found no evidence of meaningful change in companies’ actual tax planning.
What increased was boilerplates — generic, standardized and non-substantive language.
Are qualitative requirements enough?
`This raises questions about how effective qualitative disclosure mandates really are. When the content cannot be verified, there’s a risk that it serves as greenwashing rather than real transparency, ´ Casi says.
Even among companies with the most to lose from reputational damage, the response was the same: more reporting, no behavioral change.
Accounting for Futures: Exploring how the Future is Made Actionable Today
Top scholars gathered in Bergen to rethink how imagined futures shape today’s decisions.
The study is among the first to empirically evaluate the effects of mandatory tax strategy disclosures, a policy tool currently under consideration in several countries.
The findings raise doubts about whether qualitative requirements alone are sufficient, or whether they primarily serve as a way for companies to appear responsible without actually changing their practices.
When Norway’s Sovereign Wealth Fund Speaks Up, the Market Listens
A new study shows that share prices rise when NBIM announces its intention to vote against corporate management. `The market sees it as a sign that someone is watching, ´ says NHH researcher Tzu-Ting Chiu.