What is the scope of this problem in the US? What other items on the income statement or balance sheet have
been manipulated by companies? Were there any major incidents of this in the recent past?
What are the main reasons companies engage in these "earnings management" practices?
How does this manipulation ultimately impact investors and consumers? How might it affect other
corporations’ cost of capital?
How does this particular problem affect the company you are studying for the stock valuation project, or its
industry more broadly?