Ron Kasznik

Ron Kasznik
Professor, Accounting
Contact Info
RonKasznik
Academic Area: 
Accounting

Additional Administrative Titles

  • Director, Mergers and Acquisitions

Research Statement

Ron Kasznik’s research focuses on examining the strategic use of accounting and financial information by market participants, particularly firm managers. Within this broad area, he focuses primarily on issues related to the provision of financial and non-financial information, corporate disclosure strategy, earnings management, disclosure and reporting effects of employee stock options, and mergers and acquisitions.

Bio

Ron Kasznik is Professor of Accounting at the Graduate School of Business, Stanford University. Ron joined the GSB in 1995 after receiving his PhD in Accounting from the University of California at Berkeley. Professor Kasznik specializes in financial accounting and its interactions with the capital markets. Specifically, his research looks at the determinants and outcomes of corporate voluntary disclosures, with particular emphasis on incentives to manage expectations of future firm performance. His research contributes to many contemporary financial reporting issues, such as the accounting treatment of employee stock options and the effect of executive compensation plans on financial accounting and disclosure.

Professor Kasznik teaches the accelerated version of Financial Accounting, a core course focusing on the measurement of economic activity for decision making. He also teaches “Mergers and Acquisitions: Accounting, Regulatory, and Governance Issues”, an elective course on mergers and acquisitions. Professor Kasznik has received several teaching awards, including the Sloan Teaching Excellence Award in 2001, 2003, and 2005, and a number of faculty awards, including, most recently, the MBA Class of 1969 Faculty Scholarship and the Robert and Marilyn Jaedicke Faculty Fellow for 2013-2014.

Academic Degrees

  • PhD, UC Berkeley, 1995
  • MS, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 1994
  • BA, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 1989

Academic Appointments

  • At Stanford University since 1995

Awards and Honors

  • Graduate School of Business Trust Faculty Fellow for 2015-2016
  • Robert & Marilyn Jaedicke Faculty Fellow, Stanford GSB, 2013-2014
  • Sloan Teaching Excellence, Stanford GSB, 2005
  • Sloan Teaching Excellence, Stanford GSB, 2003
  • Sloan Teaching Excellence, Stanford GSB, 2001

Publications

Journal Articles

Mary E. Barth, Javier Gomez-Biscarri, Ron Kasznik, Germán López-Espinosa. Review of Accounting Studies. December 2017, Vol. 22, Issue 4, Pages 1761-1792.
David Aboody, Nicole Bastian Johnson, Ron Kasznik. Journal of Accounting and Economics. 2010, Vol. 50, Issue 1, Pages 74-92.
Ron Kasznik, David Aboody. Foundations and Trends R  in Accounting. 2010, Vol. 4, Issue 2, Pages 113-98.
David Aboody, Ron Kasznik. Review of Accounting Studies. 2008, Vol. 13, Issue 2-3, Pages 216-251.
David Aboody, Mary E. Barth, Ron Kasznik. Review of Accounting Studies. December 2006, Vol. 11, Issue 4, Pages 429-461.
David Aboody, Mary E. Barth, Ron Kasznik. Journal of Accounting Research. May 2004, Vol. 42, Issue 2, Pages 123–150.
David Aboody, Mary E. Barth, Ron Kasznik. The Accounting Review. April 2004, Vol. 79, Issue 2, Pages 251-275.
Ron Kasznik. Review of Accounting Studies. 2004, Vol. 9, Issue 2-3, Pages 357-367.
Ron Kasznik. Journal of Accounting and Economics. 2003, Vol. 34, Issue 1–3, Pages 33–41.
Ron Kasznik, Maureen McNichols. Journal of Accounting Research. June 2002, Vol. 40, Issue 3, Pages 727–759.
Mary E. Barth, Ron Kasznik, Maureen McNichols. Journal of Accounting Research. June 2001, Vol. 39, Issue 1, Pages 1–34.
David Aboody, Mary E. Barth, Ron Kasznik. Journal of Accounting and Economics. January 1999, Vol. 26, Issue 1-3, Pages 149–178.
Mary E. Barth, Michael B. Clement, George Foster, Ron Kasznik. Review of Accounting Studies. 1998, Vol. 3, Issue 1-2, Pages 41-68.

Teaching

Degree Courses

2019-20

This course develops students' ability to read, understand and critically evaluate corporate financial statements. The course is oriented toward the user of financial accounting data (rather than the preparer) and it emphasizes the...

This course provides a comprehensive overview of strategic, economic, and financial issues related to mergers and acquisitions. Specifically, we review the market for corporate control, discuss strategic issues related to firms' decision to...

This course examines selected topics in accounting research. The course features three faculty who will each give a focused look at a given area, introduce students to important questions in that area, key papers in the related literature, and...

2018-19

This course develops students' ability to read, understand and critically evaluate corporate financial statements. The course is oriented toward the user of financial accounting data (rather than the preparer) and it emphasizes the...

This course provides a comprehensive overview of strategic, economic, accounting and financial issues related to mergers and acquisitions. Specifically, we review the market for corporate control, discuss strategic and governance issues related...

This course examines selected topics in accounting research. The course features three faculty who will each give a focused look at a given area, introduce students to important questions in that area, key papers in the related literature, and...

2017-18

This course develops students' ability to read, understand, and use corporate financial statements. The course is oriented toward the user of financial accounting data (rather than the preparer) and emphasizes the reconstruction and...

Executive Education & Other Non-Degree Programs

Other Teaching

Stanford Case Studies

Havilah Merchants Nigeria Ltd: Generating Cash from a Company's Value Chain | A235
Ron Kasznik, Joseph Piotroski, Kweku Fleming, Corinne Augustine2018
AOL Time Warner (A): Accounting for Goodwill | A196A
Ron Kasznik, Brian Tayan2007
AOL Time Warner (B): Recognition of Goodwill Impairment | A196B
Ron Kasznik, Brian Tayan2007

Service to the Profession

  • Member, American Accounting Association

In the Media

Hidden Costs of Stock Options May Soon Come Back to Haunt
New York Times, July 2000
Divide and Rule
The Economist, June 2000
CEOs Might Time News Releases. Announcements Can Have Impact on Stock Options
USA Today, December 1999
BusinessWeek, August 18, 1999

Insights by Stanford Business

June 1, 1999
Researchers examine how compensation incentives affect executives' decisions to disclose information.