Dissertation defence (Accounting and Finance): MSc Javad Rajabalizadeh
Time
9.5.2025 at 10.15 - 14.15
MSc Javad Rajabalizadeh defends the dissertation in Accounting and Finance titled “Chief Executive Officers' Communication Strategies in 10-K Reports via Repetition from Notes to MD&A: The Impact of Managerial Ability, Overconfidence, and Narcissism” at the University of Turku on 9 May 2025 at 10.15 (University of Turku, Turku School of Economics, Lähitapiola lecture room, Rehtorinpellonkatu 3, Turku).
Opponent: Associate Professor Sean Cao (Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland, USA)
Custos: Professor Hannu Schadewitz (University of Turku)
Doctoral Dissertation at UTUPub: https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-02-0151-7
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Summary of the Doctoral Dissertation:
In today's complex business environment, clear and effective communication from company leaders is more important than ever. CEOs play a key role in shaping how a company tells its story to stakeholders—like investors, employees, and regulators—through official reports. My doctoral research explores how different CEO personality traits affect the way financial information is communicated, especially in U.S. companies annual 10-K reports.
Specifically, I focus on how CEOs might repeat information from the technical notes section into the more narrative and flexible Management Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) part. Repeating key points can help highlight important facts—but it can also be used to distract, exaggerate, or hide weaknesses. So, is this repetition helpful or harmful? And does it depend on the CEO’s personality?
I studied three CEO traits: managerial ability, overconfidence, and narcissism. Heres what I found:
CEOs with strong managerial skills tend to avoid unnecessary repetition. They focus on clear and direct communication, helping readers understand the company’s situation better.
Surprisingly, even overconfident CEOs often reduce repetition, perhaps because they believe their message is already strong enough without extra emphasis.
However, narcissistic CEOs are more likely to repeat information excessively. This might be a strategy to shape how they are perceived, possibly hiding negative facts behind a smokescreen of repeated content.
Why does this matter? Because company reports are a key source of information for investors, regulators, and the public. If the content is unclear or misleading, it can affect investment decisions and trust in the company. By showing how CEO personality affects communication strategy, my research helps improve understanding of financial transparency and can inform better rules and practices for corporate reporting and efficient allocation of capital.
Opponent: Associate Professor Sean Cao (Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland, USA)
Custos: Professor Hannu Schadewitz (University of Turku)
Doctoral Dissertation at UTUPub: https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-02-0151-7
***
Summary of the Doctoral Dissertation:
In today's complex business environment, clear and effective communication from company leaders is more important than ever. CEOs play a key role in shaping how a company tells its story to stakeholders—like investors, employees, and regulators—through official reports. My doctoral research explores how different CEO personality traits affect the way financial information is communicated, especially in U.S. companies annual 10-K reports.
Specifically, I focus on how CEOs might repeat information from the technical notes section into the more narrative and flexible Management Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) part. Repeating key points can help highlight important facts—but it can also be used to distract, exaggerate, or hide weaknesses. So, is this repetition helpful or harmful? And does it depend on the CEO’s personality?
I studied three CEO traits: managerial ability, overconfidence, and narcissism. Heres what I found:
CEOs with strong managerial skills tend to avoid unnecessary repetition. They focus on clear and direct communication, helping readers understand the company’s situation better.
Surprisingly, even overconfident CEOs often reduce repetition, perhaps because they believe their message is already strong enough without extra emphasis.
However, narcissistic CEOs are more likely to repeat information excessively. This might be a strategy to shape how they are perceived, possibly hiding negative facts behind a smokescreen of repeated content.
Why does this matter? Because company reports are a key source of information for investors, regulators, and the public. If the content is unclear or misleading, it can affect investment decisions and trust in the company. By showing how CEO personality affects communication strategy, my research helps improve understanding of financial transparency and can inform better rules and practices for corporate reporting and efficient allocation of capital.
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