This study focuses on whether new management uses impression management to influence the presentation of performance in the firm’s annual reports surrounding a changeover in CEO. The study considers the use or non-use of graphs for presenting information as well as distortions in the graphs.
Overall there is some evidence for impression management, but it is not strong. Thus impression management as implemented through graphs does not appear to be used as widely in New Zealand as in other jurisdictions where it has been studied.
