Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine whether compliance with corporate governance (CG) requirements has constrained earnings management (EM) for companies listed in Kenya and Tanzania. Design/methodology/approach The sample comprises of 48 companies listed on the Nairobi Stock Exchange and the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange. The data are collected from annual reports over the period 2005-2014, a total of 480 firm-year observations. Panel data models are used in the analyses. Findings The results show that discretionary accruals (DAs) average about 11.3 per cent, whereas audit quality is negatively and significantly related to DAs. However, board independence, board gender diversity and director share ownership were positively and significantly related to DAs suggesting that CG may not have constrained EM in eastern Africa. Research limitations/implications The findings should be understood within the context that only annual reports and audited financial statements that were filed with Capital Markets Authority (Kenya) and Capital Markets and Securities Authority (Tanzania) are used as source of information. Originality/value The study potentially contributes in three main ways. First, this is the first cross-country analysis that has examined the effect of CG structures on EM in an African context. Second, literature on CG and EM has been extended. Finally, the authors have extended research by observing the limitations of CG in reducing EM in an environment that is experiencing weaknesses in CG structures.

The purpose of this study is to find out the effect of working capital management on company profitability. The study aims at examining the statistical significance between company's working capital management and profitability. In light of this objective the study adopts quantitative approaches to test a series of research hypotheses. A sample of three (3) manufacturing companies listed on the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange (DSE) is used for a period of ten years (2002-2012) with the total of 30 observations. Data is analyzed on quantitative basis using Pearson's correlation and Regression analysis (Ordinary Least Square). The key findings from the study are; Firstly, there exists a positive relationship between cash conversion cycle and profitability of the firm. This means that as the cash conversion cycle increases it will lead to an increase in profitability of the firm, and managers can create a positive value for the shareholders by increasing the cash conversion cycle to a reasonable level; Secondly, there is a negative relationship between liquidity and profitability showing that as liquidity decreases, the profitability also increases; Thirdly, there exists a highly significant negative relationship between average collection period and profitability indicating that a decrease in the number of days a firm receives payment from sales affects the profitability of the firm positively; Fourthly, there is a highly significant positive relationship between average payment period and profitability. This implies that the longer a firm takes to pay its creditors, the more profitable it is.; and Fifthly, there exists a highly significant negative relationship between inventory turnover in days and profitability hinting that firms which maintain sufficiently low inventory levels reduce the cost of storing the inventory which results to higher profitability.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the factors that determine the choice of multiple accounting methods in Tanzania. The study investigates managers' decisions to choose accounting methods in a positive accounting theory perspective using panel data covering 60 years from 15 companies listed on the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange.Design/methodology/approachData were extracted from the companies' annual reports. Possible determinants of the choice of accounting methods are identified based on the positive accounting theory, including firm size, leverage, internal financing, proportion of non‐executive directors, ownership dilution, and labour force intensity. The study then utilises multiple regression analysis to determine the significant factors influencing the manager's choice of accounting methods.FindingsThe results show that the significant factors are company size, internal financing, proportion of non‐executive directors, and labour force. Contrary to the outcome of prior studies, the authors found that company size and internal financing are positively related with income strategy. The study proves statistically that there is a strong association between choice of accounting methods and income strategy.Originality/valueThe paper makes several contributions to the body of knowledge. First, in the Tanzanian context, it determines the factors which affect choice of accounting methods. Second, the study identifies the proportion of non‐executive directors as a new factor impinging on the choice of accounting policies. Finally, this study shows for the first time that the use of ratio of income‐increasing accounting policies to total number of accounting policies can be used as a dependent variable.

This paper attempts to explain how an accounting equation evolves overtime. The paper looks at the accounting equation by using trade off theory and positive accounting theory lenses. The accounting equation is viewed as living or dynamic and changes according to human behavior or managers of company's behavior. Regression model and descriptive statistics are used to show the relationship between total assets, liabilities and owners' equity. The model is then used to show new form of accounting equation, rates of change of liabilities and owners' equity. In this paper the writer finds new approaches or looks at accounting equation, the rates of change of liabilities and capital in relation to assets and shows the proportion of the two components of assets i.e. liability 64% and capital 36% to the asset. Finally the researcher explains the constant term which is not explained by authors of accounting field. This paper shows for the first time new form of accounting equation, different rates of change for the two components of assets and finally proportions of the owners' equity/ capital and liabilities components on assets.

The!study!aims!to!examine!the!relationship!between!dividend!policy!and!share! price! for! companies! listed! on! Dar! Es! Salaam! Stock! Exchange! (DSE).! The! investigation!is!based!on!the!listed!companies!for!the!period!of!five!years!from! 13!companies!where!the!data!is!extracted!from!the!company's!annual!reports.