Conference Calls Research Articles

Dealing with digital paralysis: Surviving a cyberattack in a National Cancer center

IntroductionCyberattacks represent a growing threat for healthcare delivery globally. We assess the impact and implications of a cyberattack on a cancer center in Ireland. MethodsOn May 14th 2021 (day 0) Cork University Hospital (CUH) Cancer Center was involved in the first national healthcare ransomware attack in Ireland. Contingency plans were only present in laboratory services who had previously experienced information technology (IT) failures. No hospital cyberattack emergency plan was in place. Departmental logs of activity for 120 days after the attack were reviewed and compared with historical activity records. Daily sample deficits (routine daily number of samples analyzed – number of samples analyzed during cyberattack) were calculated. Categorical variables are reported as median and range. Qualitative data were collected via reflective essays and interviews with key stakeholders from affected departments in CUH. ResultsOn day 0, all IT systems were shut down. Radiotherapy (RT) treatment and cancer surgeries stopped, outpatient activity fell by 50%. hematology, biochemistry and radiology capacity fell by 90% (daily sample deficit (DSD) 2700 samples), 75% (DSD 2250 samples), and 90% (100% mammography/PET scan) respectively. Histopathology reporting times doubled (7 to 15 days). Radiotherapy (RT) was interrupted for 113 patients in CUH. The median treatment gap duration was six days for category 1 patients and 10 for the remaining patients. Partner organizations paused all IT links with CUH. Outsourcing of radiology and radiotherapy commenced, alternative communication networks and national conference calls in RT and Clinical Trials were established. By day 28 Email communication was restored. By day 210 reporting and data storage backlogs were cleared and over 2000 computers were checked/replaced. ConclusionCyberattacks have rapid, profound and protracted impacts. While laboratory and diagnostic deficits were readily quantified, the impact of disrupted/delayed care on patient outcomes is less readily quantifiable. Cyberawareness and cyberattack plans need to be embedded in healthcare. Policy SummaryCyberattacks pose significant challenges for healthcare systems, impacting patient care, clinical outcomes, and staff wellbeing. This study provides a comprehensive review of the impact of the Conti ransomware attack on cancer services in Cork University Hospital (CUH), the first cyberattack on a national health service. Our study highlights the widespread disruption caused by a cyberattack including shutdown of information technology (IT) services, marked reduction in outpatient activity, temporary cessation of essential services such as radiation therapy. We provide a framework for other institutions for mitigating the impact of a cyberattack, underscoring the need for a cyberpreparedness plan similar to those made for natural disasters and the profound legacy of a cyberattack on patient care.

The impact of disclosure characteristics of conference calls on bankruptcy risk: From perspectives of redundancy and boilerplate

In recent years, the volatility of global financial markets has attracted widespread attention, particularly due to numerous bank bankruptcies it has triggered. This gradual realization underscores the critical importance of adequate information disclosure for a company’s stable operation. Conference call represent a significant form of voluntary information disclosure by businesses. This paper aims to study the impact of redundancy and boilerplate in conference call on a company’s bankruptcy risk. By quantifying redundancy and boilerplate indicators in conference call textual data as explanatory variables and employing Altman’s Z-score model to measure a company’s bankruptcy risk as the explained variable, the study utilizes a fixed-effects model for regression analysis and conducts robustness tests on the model. The final research findings indicate that lower redundancy and higher boilerplate in conference call documents are conducive to reducing a company’s bankruptcy risk, thereby aiding companies in achieving long-term, stable operational status. These research results hold significant reference value for investors and corporate managers in the financial market, providing insights into enhancing corporate stability and market trust through improved methods of telephone conference information disclosure.

CEO Speech Rate and Personal Responsibility Acceptance during Conference Calls

CEO Speech Rate and Personal Responsibility Acceptance during Conference Calls

Corporate Responses to Generative AI: Early Evidence from Conference Calls

Corporate Responses to Generative AI: Early Evidence from Conference Calls

The Sound of Uncertainty: Examining Managerial Acoustic Uncertainty in Conference Calls

The Sound of Uncertainty: Examining Managerial Acoustic Uncertainty in Conference Calls

CEOs Showing Humanity: Human Care Statements in Conference Calls and Stock Market Performance During Crisis

CEOs Showing Humanity: Human Care Statements in Conference Calls and Stock Market Performance During Crisis

Unconferencing methodology as a cultural disrupter in higher education: Enabling reflections on promoting inclusivity, diversity, and equitable spaces

In applying the collective mind to challenges in higher education, there is hope for innovative solutions. HELTASA’s approach to adapting the unconference methodology during the annual learning and teaching (un)conference in 2021 demonstrated its vision to reflect on a re-imagined inclusive higher education using the questions: Sivela phi? (where do we come from?), Si phi? (where we are?), and Siya phi? (where are we going?). This paper reflects on how the unconferencing methodology was used as a cultural disrupter during the HELTASA’s (un)conference. We identify with ‘culture’ as emphasising active meaning-making instead of unchanging, static ideas by homogenous groups. ‘Culture’ is dynamic, and it changes over time. In the context of unconferencing methodology, cultural disruption refers to a deliberate effort to challenge and disrupt traditional cultural norms and values to promote greater inclusivity, diversity, creativity and problem-solving. The unconference is intended to disrupt current thinking and practices in conferences and open higher education spaces for creative, critical dialogue and innovation. Cultural disruption plays a transformative role in deconstructing established norms of knowledge, identity, and practices within higher education. The unconference seeks to challenge the prevailing power dynamics inherent in higher education and mirrored in traditional conferences by adopting a participant-driven and focused approach. The unconference supports the notion of collective thinking or collaboration, which re-frames knowledge boundaries as dynamic inter-relationships with due weight given to reflective ways of knowing (Brown, 2015). This paper uses the Reflection and Critical Thinking Model by Mugumbate, et al. (2021) as a framework to explore and understand how cultural disruptions were implemented and experienced during the planning and execution of the (un)conference itself. This paper critically reflects on the HELTASA (un)conference Call, cultural representations, presentation types, and structure of the unconference to share possible cultural disruptions. This paper's reflections delve into the effectiveness of unconferencing in higher education as a potent tool for cultural disruption in relation to power dynamics, participation, individual and collective thinking, and the imperative of amplifying diverse voices. Unconferencing, through its disruption of cultural norms and values, can promote greater innovation and creativity by enabling the incorporation of a wider range of perspectives and ideas. Additionally, unconferencing can create more inclusive and equitable spaces where traditionally marginalised voices are provided a platform to be heard and represented.

Users’ Solicitation of Disclosure When Accounting Standards Restrict Managers’ Discretion Over Financial Reporting: Evidence from Conference Calls

Users’ Solicitation of Disclosure When Accounting Standards Restrict Managers’ Discretion Over Financial Reporting: Evidence from Conference Calls

2024 IEE-Japan Industry Applications Society Conference —Conference Information and Call for Papers—

2024 IEE-Japan Industry Applications Society Conference —Conference Information and Call for Papers—

Managers’ Staging of Earnings Conference Calls around Actual Share Repurchases

Managers’ Staging of Earnings Conference Calls around Actual Share Repurchases

US Political Corruption and Quarterly Conference Calls

US Political Corruption and Quarterly Conference Calls

Do Buy-Side Analysts in Earnings Conference Calls Manipulate Stock Prices?

Do Buy-Side Analysts in Earnings Conference Calls Manipulate Stock Prices?

Simultaneous Interpreting Output Assessment of Earnings Conference Call: Case Analysis of Tencent 2022 Q3 Result Announcement

Simultaneous Interpreting Output Assessment of Earnings Conference Call: Case Analysis of Tencent 2022 Q3 Result Announcement

IMPROVING AGING IN PLACE FOR OLDER VETERANS LIVING IN PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING

Abstract The average age of formerly-homeless Veterans living in HUD-VASH (Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supported Housing) aged 50 and older is increasing. Homeless-experienced people experience accelerated aging, with premature onset of geriatric conditions and mortality. However, current supportive services at HUD-VASH do not address these conditions and enhance “aging in place,” i.e., the ability to live comfortably and safely in one’s own home and community. We conducted qualitative interviews and focus groups to determine barriers, facilitators, and adaptations needed to successfully implement interventions in HUD-VASH. We then used a modified Delphi process to reduce a list of 66 intervention elements based on perceived feasibility and importance. In total, 9 Veteran Affairs HUD-VASH staff members and 1 Veteran participated in 3 conference calls and surveys. The top-rated intervention elements were organized by: who should be involved in delivering the intervention (social workers, physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses), what types of goals/needs they will focus on (geriatrics, mental health needs, general health goals, dementia care, medication management), where and how should the intervention be delivered (in the home, at the VA), how long should the intervention be (when veterans are experiencing functional impairment, memory impairment, mental health problems, trouble caring for themselves, and when they are new to HUD-VASH) and when should the intervention be delivered (regularly scheduled and ongoing as needed). With feedback from expert stakeholders, our findings will be used to develop and implement interventions to improve aging in place for older Veterans living in HUD-VASH.

Parental perception of motor, language, and literacy skills development in school-aged autistic children

Emerging evidence suggests that motor and language delays are prevalent developmental concerns in young autistic children. Nonetheless, it is not well understood how these co-occurring conditions of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) relate to each other during the later childhood of autistic children. This study aimed to elucidate influential factors of motor and language/literacy development in school-aged autistic children from parental perceptions using in-depth semi-structured interviews. Ten mothers (Mage 37.5 ± 5.9) of autistic children (Mage 9.6 ± 1.6) participated in the individual interviews via video conference or phone calls with a particular focus on individual characteristics, parental involvement, and learning environment for motor and language/literacy development in their child. Open and axial coding was conducted, and salient themes were discussed until consensus was reached. The identified themes were categorized into two focal points, including 1) general parental attitudes toward their child’s learning and development and 2) parental self-efficacy manifesting in response to individual variations (e.g. difficulty with fine motor and coordinated skills and unique autistic traits) and environmental constraints (e.g. lack of resources and limited systematic support for sustainable care) that affect their child’s fundamental skills development. Concept maps were sequentially generated to visualize the connections among influential factors for both typical and delayed motor and language/literacy development in autistic children. Further studies with objective skills assessments and triangulated multi-informant data from other key stakeholders of ASD are warranted to delineate the association between motor, language, and literacy development in school-aged autistic children.

Corporate Political Activism and Information Transfers

ABSTRACT Prior research suggests that (1) politically active firms have an information advantage over firms that do not engage in the political process but also that (2) politically active firms are more likely to disclose policy-related information. We examine whether there are externalities associated with the processing of political information by politically active firms. We study this question in the setting of intraindustry information transfers around earnings announcements. Measuring firms’ political activism using campaign contributions, we find stronger intraindustry information transfers from politically active firms to their industry peers. These information transfers are stronger when there is more discussion during conference calls of political topics that have industry- or market-wide implications. Similarly, these information transfers are also stronger when there is greater political uncertainty. Our paper highlights an important information externality related to politically active firms’ disclosures and improves our understanding of how politically active firms affect their industries’ information environment. Data Availability: The data used in this study are publicly available from the sources cited in the text. JEL Classifications: D72; M41; M48.

Tone complexity and analyst forecast behaviors: evidence from earnings conference calls

PurposeBoth the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) and the popular press have routinely criticized firms for the complexity of their financial disclosures. This study aims to investigate how financial analysts respond to the tone complexity of firm disclosures.Design/methodology/approachUsing approximately 20,000 earnings conference call transcripts of S&P 1,500 firms between 2005 and 2015, the authors first calculate the abnormal negative tone, the measure of tone complexity; then use such tone measure in econometric models to examine analyst forecast behavior. The authors also test the robustness of the results under different model specifications, tone word lists and alternative tone measure calculations.FindingsConsistent with the notion that analysts respond to the information demand from investors and incur more costs and effort to analyze firm disclosure when the tone is more complex, the authors find that higher tone complexity is positively and significantly associated with more analyst following, longer report duration, more forecast revisions, larger forecast error and larger forecast dispersion. In addition, the authors find that tone complexity has a long-term impact on analyst following but has a limited long-term impact on analyst report duration, analyst revision, forecast error and dispersion.Originality/valueThis study complements existing literature by highlighting the information role of financial analysts and by providing evidence that analysts incorporate the management tone disclosed during conference calls to adjust their forecasting behaviors. The results can be used by policymakers as evidence and support for further improving firm communication from a new dimension of disclosure tone.

Price Rigidities and the Value of Public Information

ABSTRACTFirms' inflexibility in adjusting output prices to economic shocks exacerbates information asymmetry with respect to firms' profits, but public information on firms' cost structure mitigates this problem. We construct a novel form of public information from economic statistics disclosed by the government and find that such public information significantly reduces inflexible‐price firms' bid–ask spreads, the probability of informed trading, and analyst forecast dispersions, but these results do not hold for flexible‐price firms. Security analysts seek more cost‐related information during conference calls about inflexible‐price firms, but such a phenomenon is observed less frequently if a firm's input cost is more publicly observable. In addition, stock markets react more strongly to earning news announced by inflexible‐price firms, consistent with our intuition.

Text-Based Measure of Supply Chain Risk Exposure

Using textual analysis techniques, including seeded word embedding and bag-of-words-based content analysis, I develop a firm-level measure of supply chain risk exposure from a novel source of unstructured data—the discussion between managers and equity analysts on supply chain-related topics during firms’ quarterly earnings conference calls. I validate the measure by showing that (1) the measure exhibits intuitive variations over time and across firms, successfully capturing both routine and systematic supply chain risk events; and (2) the measure is about risk exposure, as it significantly correlates with realized and options-implied stock return volatility, even after controlling for well-known aggregate risk measures. I then demonstrate that the measure is specifically indicative of the supply chain component of risk exposure. (3) Consistent with theoretical predictions, firms facing higher supply chain risks have higher inventory buffers, particularly in raw materials and intermediate inputs, increased cash holdings in lieu of investments, and significantly lower trade credit received from suppliers. Moreover, (4) during unexpected risk episodes, such as the Tohoku earthquake, firms with higher ex ante risk exposure have worse operating and financial performance. These results indicate that the text-based measure provides a credible quantification of firm-level exposure to supply chain risks and can thus be reliably utilized as outcome or explanatory variables in empirical supply chain research. This paper was accepted by Jeannette Song, operations management. Supplemental Material: The data files and online appendix are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2023.4927 .

Managerial ability and climate change exposure

PurposeThis study aims to investigate how a firm's management team's capacity to efficiently use its resources affects the firm's exposure to climate change. Specifically, the authors investigate the intriguing question – does managerial ability affect a firm's climate change exposure?Design/methodology/approachThe authors use an unbalanced panel dataset of 4,230 US based firms listed on Compustat from 2002–2019 and test the hypothesis by panel regression analysis. To mitigate endogeneity concerns, difference-in-differences and instrumental variable approaches are used.FindingsThe baseline analysis shows a negative, statistically significant impact of managerial ability on climate change exposure. The findings hold after controlling for endogeneity using two-stage least squares regression and difference-in-differences tests. The authors find the negative effect is stronger for managers engaged in socially responsible activities, and after climate change issues receiving greater public awareness following the 2006 release of the Stern Review and the 2016 signing of the Paris Accord.Research limitations/implicationsMotivated by the resource-based theory and the natural resource-based view of the firm model, the empirical results support the view that greater managerial ability protects the firm against environmental challenges through efficient use of firm resources. Compared with traditional climate change measures that are plagued by disclosure issues, the use of the Sautner, Van Lent, Vilkov and Zhang's machine learning based dataset utilizing earning conference calls provides stronger, robust findings that will be useful to management and investors in environmental performance assessments.Originality/valueMotivated by the resource-based theory and the natural resource-based view of the firm model, the empirical results support the view that greater managerial ability protects the firm against environmental challenges through efficient use of firm resources. Compared with traditional climate change measures that are plagued by disclosure issues, the use of the machine learning based dataset utilizing earning conference calls provides stronger, robust findings that will be useful to management and investors in environmental performance assessments.