Internal Earnings Targets Represent an Important Tool in Motivating Managers

question 45

Essay

Internal earnings targets represent an important tool in motivating managers to increase sales efforts,control costs,and use resources more efficiently.Such internal targets also can cause managers to resort to extreme measures in order to meet goals established by upper management.Earnings management often appears in a variety of forms as a means of reaching these internal goals.
Earnings management also is associated with earnings-based internal bonus plans which are also a form of internal target.
Explain how earnings management is related to earnings-based internal bonus plans and how managers behave in response to such plans.

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Definitions:

Surge of Excitement

An intense, sudden feeling of exhilaration or euphoria, often experienced in response to a stimulating event or anticipation of one.

Unconditioned Stimulus

In classical conditioning, an unconditioned stimulus is something that naturally and automatically triggers a response without any learning needed.

Conditioned Stimulus

A formerly neutral signal that, once linked with the unconditioned stimulus, ultimately induces a conditioned reaction.

Unlearned Reaction

An innate response or reflex that is not acquired or learned through experience but is naturally present from birth.