Silva, Cristina Belmira Gaio Martins daSantos, Elisandro Anderson Gaspar dos2025-07-182025-07-182025-03Santos, Elisandro Anderson Gaspar dos (2025). “An Empirical Study of Earnings Management in European Firms During Two Major Crises: The Global Financial Crisis and the COVID-19 Pandemicl”. Dissertação de Mestrado. Universidade de Lisboa. Instituto Superior de Economia e Gestãohttp://hdl.handle.net/10400.5/102251This study investigates the impact of the two main economic crises of the last two decades – the Global Financial Crisis and the COVID-19 Pandemic – on the practice of earnings management, focusing on a sample made up of 1165 European companies listed between 2006 and 2022. The results suggest that the crises, although of different natures, influence the practice of earnings management similarly. The results reveal that the Global Financial Crisis and the COVID-19 Pandemic are associated with significant increases in earnings management as firms sought to mitigate the financial stress induced by these crises. Additionally, it was found that firms tend to conduct upward earnings management during the Global Financial Crisis. Regression analyses indicate that economic crises, whether financial or health-related, lead companies to earnings management. Based on the results of this study, better monitoring and regulation are recommended during periods of economic uncertainty to ensure the integrity of financial reports.Este estudo investiga o impacto das duas principais crises económicas das últimas duas décadas – a Crise Financeira Global e a Pandemia da COVID-19 – na prática de gestão de resultados, com foco numa amostra composta por 1165 empresas europeias cotadas entre 2006 e 2022. Os resultados sugerem que as crises, embora de naturezas diferentes, influenciam de forma semelhante a prática de gestão de resultados. Os resultados revelam que a Crise Financeira Global e a Pandemia de COVID-19 estão associadas a aumentos significativos na gestão de resultados, à medida que as empresas procuram mitigar o “stress” financeiro induzido por estas crises. Adicionalmente, foi encontrado resultado que indicam que durante a Crise Financeira Global as empresas tendem a gerir a gestão de resultados de forma ascendente. As análises de regressão indicam que as crises económicas, sejam financeiras ou de saúde, levam as empresas a gerir os resultados. Com base nos resultados deste estudo, recomenda-se uma melhor monitorização e regulação durante períodos de incerteza económica para garantir a integridade dos relatórios financeiros.engCOVID-19 PandemicDiscretionary AccrualsEarnings ManagementEconomic UncertaintyGlobal Financial CrisisListed European firmsAccruals DiscricionáriosCrise Financeira GlobalEmpresas Europeias CotadasGestão de ResultadosIncerteza EconómicaPandemia de COVID19An Empirical Study of Earnings Management in European Firms During Two Major Crises: The Global Financial Crisis and the COVID-19 Pandemicmaster thesis