The Relationship Between the Quality of Financial Information in Industrial Companies and Discretionary Inventory Management

Inventories are the base element for the manufacturing (industrial) companies. The inclusion of discretionary in the inventory management processes of production leads to changes in the value of the companies. The accounting system produces information used in predictions and for management decision. The usefulness and opportunity of information are considered indispensable. If managers use their discretionarily, in the accounting system and in real activities, to achieve the firm value and earnings forecast, they will influence and modify the financial information quality. Ferrer and Ferrer said that a simple decision can enrich one company from one moment to another, and a small accounting change allows a great loss of results. The question arises: Do managers use their discretionarily and modify the financial information quality? Using adjusted models to capture discretionary accounting management and real activity management, it is possible to conclude that there is a strong evidence of discretionary management of the inventory in manufacturing Portuguese SME.