Bio

Douglas J. Skinner is a financial economist with expertise in corporate disclosure, corporate financial accounting and financial reporting, corporate finance, valuation, as well as managerial accounting and cost systems.  His research addresses (1) the causes and capital market effects of managers’ corporate disclosure choices, including guidance; (2) the stock price effects of earning announcements and related disclosures, especially as they pertain to the efficiency of securities markets; (3) earnings management, accounting irregularities and accounting fraud; (4) corporate payout policy (dividends and share repurchases); (5) shareholder activism; and (6) the economics of the audit market.  Professor Skinner has a line of research that addresses Japanese accounting, auditing, and corporate governance practices in particular.

Professor Skinner’s research is published in top-tier academic journals in accounting and finance. He previously served as a senior editor of the Journal of Accounting Research and, before that, as a co-editor of the Journal of Accounting and Economics.  His research has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, The Economist, The New York Times, and Bloomberg Businessweek.  

Professor Skinner has taught in all of Booth’s degree and executive education programs, including in classes that cover financial accounting and corporate financial reporting, cost (managerial) accounting, corporate finance and valuation, and corporate disclosure.

Professor Skinner serves as an independent trustee and chair of the audit committee of Harbor Funds, Harbor Funds II, and Harbor ETF Trust, a mutual fund and ETF complex based in Chicago.  From time to time Prof. Skinner provides litigation-related consulting services as a financial economist with expertise in accounting in complex securities, tax, and valuation-related matters.

Professor Skinner has a Bachelor of Economics (first class honors) from Macquarie University in Australia, and a M.Sc. and Ph.D. from the University of Rochester in applied economics (accounting and finance).  He started his career as an audit professional with Coopers & Lybrand in Sydney.

Teaching

Skinner currently teaches Managerial Accounting in Booth's Executive MBA program.  He also teaches a PhD class that covers empirical research in corporate financial reporting and disclosure.  Skinner has previously taught undergraduate and MBA classes in Financial Accounting, and Financial Statement Analysis, as well as Corporate Finance for Executives in Booth's EMBA program (Asia and London campuses).  Skinner also teaches a variety of topics including financial accounting, financial statement analysis, valuation, investments, and corporate finance in Booth's Executive Education programs in Chicago and throughout the world.  Skinner has won two teaching prizes while at Booth.  Skinner previously taught (from 1989 to 2005) at the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan.