Institutional Ties and Publications in Top Accounting Journals

Academic journals are perhaps the most important institutions in certification and dissemination of scientific knowledge. As such, it is paramount that journals are structured to advance the scientific mission of the field, free from conflicts of interest. However, institutional ties between journals and specific universities can lead to conflicts of interest that jeopardize this mission. In this study, I consider publication patterns in the “Top 3” accounting journals in light of the journals’ institutional ties. The Accounting Review (TAR) is an “association” journal governed by the American Accounting Association (AAA) with no university affiliations. Journal of Accounting and Economics (JAE) and Journal of Accounting Research (JAR) are “private” journals with longstanding editorial ties to specific universities: University of Rochester, University of Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology for JAE and University of Chicago for JAR. Using a sample of publications from 2000-2022, I find that affiliated authors (current faculty and recent PhDs from journal-affiliated universities) publish disproportionately in their affiliated journal. These patterns are most pronounced when affiliations are recent and wane over the author’s career. I find little evidence that the increased frequency of publication in affiliated journals is associated with higher citations (i.e., impact). In fact, articles in JAR by JAR affiliates generally receive fewer citations than articles in JAR by authors from top institutions unaffiliated with JAR. This finding is particularly pronounced for recent Chicago PhDs. The results are consistent with the idea that institutional ties may influence the publication process in accounting journals.