Scott Whisenant

Scott Whisenant
  • Associate Professor
  • Accounting academic area

Contact Info

785-864-7577
Capitol Federal Hall, Room 4101
Lawrence

Personal Links

Biography —

Professor Whisenant is an associate professor at the University of Kansas School of Business. He has a doctorate in accounting from the University of Oklahoma and has previously been a member of the faculty at Georgetown University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Houston.

His research investigates factors related to both earnings quality and audit quality, and has been published in The Accounting Review, Journal of Accounting Research, Review of Accounting Studies, Journal of Accounting Auditing & Finance, Accounting Horizons, and Auditing: A Journal of Practice and Theory.

Education —

Certified Management Accountant (# 9111990)
CPA, State of Texas (inactive)
Ph.D., University of Oklahoma
MAcc, University of Oklahoma
MBA, University of Texas, Tyler
B.B.A., Texas A&M University, Commerce

Research —

Two related concepts that are critical to well-functioning and efficient capital markets tend to be the setting around which I design my studies: what factors cause variations in (1) the quality of earnings and (2) the quality of audit markets. My approach to research is to engage in scholarly pursuits that have a high expected impact to my academy as well as to practitioners and regulators. I enjoy the challenge of undertaking relatively more risky projects with the potential of high expected payoffs.

Research interests:

  • audit
  • audit quality
  • financial reporting
  • earnings quality
  • earnings management
  • auditor-client conflicts
  • regulation of auditing profession
  • event studies of accounting announcements
  • impact of regulatory changes to the accounting industry

Teaching —

Accounting and auditing are rigorous subjects to undertake as courses of study. Additionally, I recognize and appreciate the tremendous expectations placed on future accounting professionals. Thus, my teaching style is to expect the students to invest heavily in the subject matter. However, understanding the practical implications of the subject matter are also important. My goal is to enrich the subject with my knowledge and experiences from my past experiences as well as the knowledge from my own scholarly contributions and the body of knowledge generated by other accounting scholars.

Teaching interests:

  • audit
  • audit quality
  • financial reporting
  • earnings quality
  • earnings management
  • auditor-client conflicts
  • regulation of auditing profession

Selected Publications —

Hassabelnaby, H., Mosebach, J., Mosebach, M., & Whisenant, S. (2014). The Effect of Technical Default on Discretionary Accounting Decisions [Journal Articles]. International Research Journal of Applied Finance, Vol. V(Issue 8), 1075–1097.
Whisenant, S. (2006). An Analysis of the Information Content of Auditor Change Announcements: Grant Thornton LLP Engagements [Book Chapters]. In R. H. Colson (Ed.), Investor Perceptions of Audit Firm Parity (Vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 5–61). Grant Thornton.
Whisenant, S., Sankaraguruswamy, S., & Raghunandan, K. (2003). Evidence on the Joint Determination of Audit and Non-Audit Services [Journal Articles]. Journal of Accounting Research, 41(4), 721–744.
Raghunandan, K., Read, W., & Whisenant, S. (2003). Initial Evidence on the Association Between Non-Audit Fees and Restated Financial Statements [Journal Articles]. Accounting Horizons, 17(3), 223–234.
Fairfield, P., Whisenant, S., & Yohn, T. (2003). The Differential Persistence of Accruals and Cash Flows for Future Operating Income versus Future Profitability [Journal Articles]. Review of Accounting Studies, 8(2/3), 221–243.
Whisenant, S., Sankaraguruswamy, S., & Raghunandan, K. (2003). Market Reactions to Disclosure of Reportable Events [Journal Articles]. Auditing: A Journal of Practice and Theory, 22(1), 181–194.
Fairfield, P., & Whisenant, S. (2001). Using Fundamental Analysis to Assess Earnings Quality: Evidence from the Center for Financial Research and Analysis [Journal Articles]. Journal of Accounting, Auditing & Finance, 16(4), 273–295.
Edelson, R., & Whisenant, S. (accepted/in press). A method for unlocking potential information in big data [Journal Articles]. The Journal of Forensic Accounting Research, forthcoming.

Memberships —

  • American Accounting Association (member: FARS, audit, and forensic sections)
  • Institute of Management Accountants (member)
  • Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (member, #574558)
  • American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (#5605020)