Accounting

One of Europe’s leading research groups in accounting.

We have an outstanding track record of research and thought-leadership in areas including:

• Accountability and governance
• Audit
• Corporate communication
• Financial intermediation
• Financial reporting
• Security valuation.

We have the unique advantage sitting within the City of London. Our London location keeps us at close to industry leaders and regulators allowing our research to be informed by practice and in collaboration with accounting professionals. These ties keep our research rooted in the real world, up to date with innovation, and applicable to practice.

Always curious – our research in accounting

Our research is topical and with a strong international outlook, helping practitioners to understand and inform current trends, issues and debates. This includes research relating to the recent controversial debate about eliminating quarterly reporting for US corporations, where Bayes research revealed that increased reporting frequency is associated with a large decline in investments.

Surname Favourability

Recently, our research has revealed surname favourability in the market reaction to analyst forecasts. It showed that following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and France and Germany’s opposition to the Iraq War, revisions by analysts with Middle Eastern and French or German surnames, respectively, generated weaker market reactions.

Our research revealed that accounting firms, such as Big 4 corporate finance departments, can leverage the industry expertise acquired from the audits of the targets’ industries to produce fairer target valuations on mergers and acquisitions. The accounting expertise competitive advantage explains why bidders choose accounting firms, rather than investment banks, to advise on transactions where the likelihood of overpaying for a target is high.

Journals

We are proud of our exceptional track record of research papers published in top accounting journals including:

• Accounting Review
• Journal of Accounting and Economics
• Journal of Accounting Research
• Review of Accounting Studies
• Contemporary Accounting Research.

Recent peer-reviewed research includes

• Schröder, D. and Yim, A. (2018). Industry Effects in Firm and Segment Profitability Forecasting. Contemporary Accounting Research, 35(4), pp. 2106–2130. doi:10.1111/1911-3846.12361.
• Bilinski, P. and Bradshaw, M.T. (2021). Analyst Dividend Forecasts and Their Usefulness to Investors. The Accounting Review. doi:10.2308/tar-2018-0518.
• Tian, H., Yim, A. and Newton, D.P. (2021). Tail-Heaviness, Asymmetry, and Profitability Forecasting by Quantile Regression. Management Science, 67(8), pp. 5209–5233. doi:10.1287/mnsc.2020.3694.
• Golubov, A. and Konstantinidi, T. (2019). Where Is the Risk in Value? Evidence From a Market-to-Book Decomposition. The Journal of Finance, 74(6), pp. 3135–3186. doi:10.1111/jofi.12836.
• Jung, J.H., Kumar, A., Lim, S.S. and Yoo, C.-.Y. (2019). An Analyst by Any Other Surname: Surname Favorability and Market Reaction to Analyst Forecasts. Journal of Accounting and Economics. doi:10.1016/j.jacceco.2019.02.002.
• Kraft, A.G., Vashishtha, R. and Venkatachalam, M. (2018). Frequent Financial Reporting and Managerial Myopia. The Accounting Review, 93(2), pp. 249–275. doi:10.2308/accr-51838.

Media appearances

Our research also regularly makes the headlines in leading media outlets such as the Financial Times and The Economist. Our experts give commentary to the media to engage the public and offer insight on key issues affecting the sector.

Read the latest news and research outcomes from across the Faculty of Finance, including from the Accounting Group.

Events and outreach

Our academics showcase their research at top accounting and finance conferences, both at home and abroad. We also organise seminars which see leading scholars from around the world share their current research with the Bayes community.

The Centre for Financial Analysis and Reporting Research (CeFARR) brings together academics and industry practitioners to disseminate new knowledge and share best practices. The accounting group and CeFARR run several events throughout the year including the annual Analyst Research conference, the accounting PhD conference and the Young Accounting Scholars conference. CeFARR also works in collaboration with practitioners to develop specialised training in areas such as financial reporting, corporate disclosure and audit.

Always learning – teaching in accounting

We are committed to excellence in teaching with our staff consistently rated as ‘excellent’ by students at undergraduate, postgraduate and executive education level. We strive to encourage innovative teaching, which challenges not just what we think, but how we think.

Bayes Business School runs degrees in accounting at undergraduate and postgraduate level, as well as a PhD in Accounting.

• BSc Accounting and Finance
• MSc International Accounting and Finance
• MSc International Accounting and Finance with Management

The BSc Accounting and Finance, which runs in strategic partnership with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), was ranked 2nd in the UK in the Times Good University Guide 2022.

Graduates from our degrees go on to enjoy highly successful careers with top accounting and finance firms worldwide.

Our internationally recognised PhD in Accounting programme, is supported by leading experts in areas of financial accounting and capital market research. Our PhD students develop high-level skills of analysis and appraisal, learn to use a range of research methodologies, and participate in leading international research conferences.

Our students have access to leading-edge resources, equipment and research infrastructure. This includes a wide range of databases, including

• Bloomberg
• Thomson Reuters EIKON
• WRDS
• DataStream
• Thomson One.

Bayes Business School's most recent graduates have been hired by Penn State, London School of Economics, University of Paris and the Bank of England.

More information about our PhD programme, fees and funding, and the application process.