“Auditor Skill Demands and Audit Quality: Evidence from Job Postings,” forthcoming in Management Science

In the paper, we exploit a novel dataset of online job postings to examine the skills that accounting firms are demanding from their auditors, and whether these skills relate to audit quality. We document substantial variation in the demand for auditors’ cognitive and social skills both across and within accounting firms, suggesting that audit offices are not homogeneous in their demand for such skills. We find that the demand for auditors’ cognitive and social skills increased over our sample period of 2010-2019 and is positively associated with audit quality.

The Accountant Shortage Highlights How Critical Accounting Is to Capital Markets

NPR's Marketplace spotlighted an accountant shortage, leading Professor Rebecca Hann to study its impact. The study highlights how prolonged vacancies increase financial reporting errors, stressing the critical role of accountants in maintaining robust internal controls.

AI Research Briefs

Finance professor Agustin Hurtado’s AI research highlights racial disparities in mortgage lending, while Information Systems researchers study AI chatbots' impact on mental health counseling. Marketing professor Michel Wedel explores predicting decisions via eye-tracking, and accounting professor Rebecca Hann examines AI’s evolving role in the accounting industry.

Smith Launching Doctor of Business Administration Program

Applications are open for the new Doctor of Business Administration Program at the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business. The program is designed for working professionals to elevate their careers as leaders in business organizations and government agencies that utilize cutting-edge technologies and business analytics to drive growth and innovation.

Smith School Awards 14 Faculty Grants for Innovative Research

Fourteen faculty teams at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business have been awarded three-year grants from the school for research projects that address the world’s grand challenges and reimagine learning in support of the University of Maryland’s vision and the Smith School’s strategic plan.

Hann Recognized as a University of Maryland Distinguished Scholar-Teacher

Since arriving at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business in 2008, Rebecca Hann has remained steadfast in her mission to positively impact her students and the world with her research. Those efforts recently earned her the University of Maryland Distinguished Scholar-Teacher award.

Labor Market Competition Plays A Huge Role in Remote Work

With pandemic restrictions in the rearview mirror, in a few years working from home may follow suit. ZDNET reports it could soon be time to pack up your home office. 65 percent of CEOs at multinational companies say they want workers back in cubicles 9-to-5 by 2025.

Will Robots Replace Accounting Jobs?

With advances in technology and the rise of artificial intelligence, there’s the looming question of what jobs will be replaced by robots. Rest assured, the accounting profession isn’t going away, says Maryland Smith’s Rebecca Hann. But her new research finds that jobs are changing as firms’ needs shift.

Maryland Smith Joins Big Ten B-Schools to Increase Pipeline of Diverse Faculty

Business schools from the Big Ten universities are teaming up to increase diversity in their PhD programs. Rebecca Hann, assistant dean of doctoral programs and accounting professor, is leading the charge at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business. The effort aligns with a long-term goal for Smith faculty and for the university, one that has taken on new emphasis since President Darryll Pines took the helm in July 2020 and declared a commitment to creating an inclusive, diverse campus environment a top priority.

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