An Examination of the Impact and Efficacy of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX); One Decade Later

• In Event: Government and Nonprofit

Abstract

The passage of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX) catalyzed a significant change in the accounting profession. SOX has been both praised and criticized on several fronts, with wide-ranging arguments that run the spectrum suggesting the Act has done too little or too much. We examine several studies published over the past decade and add our own instruments to measure both the impact and efficacy of SOX. Our findings include both pundits and promoters finding mixed results from both sides. We believe more work needs to be done to fully understand and measure the substantial changes driven by SOX.

Authors

• Curtis M Nicholls, Bucknell University

• Stephen D Willits, Bucknell University