Accounting and Ethics Conference

Each year, the John T. Steed School of Accounting at OU awards the Glen McLaughlin Prize for the best unpublished research paper in accounting ethics. Since the award’s inception in 1997 with an endowment from McLaughlin, it has grown considerably in national stature, attracting the works of some of the best scholars in accounting and ethics.

This year, the four papers selected for presentation were chosen out of 48 papers submitted. The Glen McLaughlin Prize, a $20,000 award, went to Robert Bowen and Shiva Rajgopal with the University of Washington and Andrew Call with the University of Georgia for their paper titled, “Whistleblowing: Target Firm Characteristics and Economic Consequences.” This paper and three others were presented in the morning during the conference, while three internationally-known accounting professionals spoke in the afternoon.

The speaker series began with Marc Siegal, the global head of accounting and legal research for RiskMetrics Group’s financial research and analysis unit, who was credited with bringing attention to the options backdating scandal. Tim Griffy, Ernst & Young’s Americas vice chair of quality and risk management, presented next as the co-chairperson of the ethics oversight board. Cynthia Cooper concluded the conference speaking about her experience as Time’s 2002 Persons of the Year and vice president of internal audit for WorldCom and subsequently MCI.

“The conference was a huge success,” said Dipankar Ghosh, chair of the Glen McLaughlin Research Prize Committee and John T. Steed professor of accounting. “We brought well-established academics, practitioners, prominent business leaders and students face-to-face with each other, and provided opportunities for real interaction and dialogue for all.”