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Contemporary Accounting Research Vol. 35 No. 1 2018

Conflicting Transfer Pricing Incentives and the Role of Coordination

Jennifer Blouin1; Leslie A. Robinson2; Jeri K. Seidman3

1 University of Pennsylvania · 2 Dartmouth College · 3 University of Virginia

Abstract

Our study evaluates the role of coordination, at both the government and the firm level, on the transfer prices set by U.S. multinational corporations ( MNC s) when income taxes and duties cannot be jointly minimized with a single transfer price. We find that either the presence of a coordinated income tax and customs enforcement regime or coordination between the income tax and customs functions alters transfer prices for these firms. Our analyses have implications for both firms and taxing authorities. Specifically, our findings suggest that MNC s might decrease their aggregate tax burdens by increasing coordination within the firm or that governments might increase their aggregate revenues by improving coordinating enforcement across taxing authorities. Our study is novel in that we document, in a specific setting, how coordination influences MNC s’ tax reporting behavior.

DOI
10.1111/1911-3846.12375
Volume
35
Issue
1
Pages
87-116
Language
en
Sources
bibtex:phds-export.bib openalex crossref

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