Mihir Mehta

Coopers & Lybrand, Norman E. Auerbach Assistant Professor of Accounting

Education
PhD Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2010
GradDip (Math) University of Technology 2004
B Bus (Hons I) University of Technology 2003
Biography

I received my doctorate from the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Bachelors in Business (with First Class Honors) from the University of Technology, Sydney.

My research spans two broad areas. The first is at the intersection of accounting and political economics. I investigate how organizations are affected by, and respond to, frictions in the U.S. political system that arise because of limitations in political governance and monitoring systems.

I focus on the idea that the governance and monitoring systems that politicians use to oversee and discipline regulators are a double-edged sword. In particular, the systems also allow politicians to opportunistically influence regulator actions for self-serving reasons. In a series of papers, I provide evidence to this effect. In a follow-up study, I investigate regulator design characteristics that can limit opportunistic political influence. In another study, I consider governance and monitoring systems in government more broadly by examining whether these systems prevent the misuse of government funds. My recently, my research focuses on the breadth of ways in which firms attempt to influence the political process.

The second stream of my research examines the usefulness and consequences of information spillovers. My research considers a diverse range of contexts, including: (1) the completeness of regulations against insider trading; (2) the role of humans in lending decisions, given the extensive use of artificial intelligence in lending markets; and (3) the benefits of different specialization structures in organizations.

My research has been presented at leading universities and academic conferences across accounting, finance, and political economics and has been nominated for and won multiple competitive awards. My papers have been published in Journal of Accounting and Economics, the Journal of Accounting ResearchThe Accounting Review, and Contemporary Accounting Research, and my research has been cited by the WSJ, NYTimes, SF Gate, ThompsonReuters, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Dow Jones Market Watch, Congressional Research Service, Law360, Yahoo! Finance, and L’Echo. I am also a business news contributor on WILS 1320 News Radio.

I have won awards for both my undergraduate and graduate teaching. I currently teach Financial Accounting (ACC 300), a core class for Michigan Ross undergraduate students. Before my doctoral studies, I worked at Ernst & Young LLP in Sydney, Australia. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my wife and daughter, drinking coffee, and playing golf (poorly).

 

Latest Faculty News & Research
Machine + Man: A field experiment on the role of discretion in augmenting AI-based lending models
Authors
Costello, A., Down, A., Mehta, M
Published Date
2020
Authors
Costello, A., Down, A., Mehta, M
Source
Journal of Accounting and Economics
Volume
70
Issue
2-3
Pages
101360
Politically Connected Governments
Authors
Cuny, C., Kim, J., Mehta, M.
Published Date
2020
Authors
Cuny, C., Kim, J., Mehta, M.
Source
Journal of Accounting Research
Volume
58
Issue
4
Pages
915-952
Audit Office Reputation Shocks from Gains and Losses of Major Industry Clients
Authors
Francis, J.; Mehta; M.; Zhao, W.
Published Date
2017
Authors
Francis, J.; Mehta; M.; Zhao, W.
Source
Contemporary Accounting Research
Volume
34
Issue
4
Pages
1922-1974
Pay Gap and Performance in China
Authors
Banker, R.; Bu, D.; Mehta, M.
Published Date
2016
Authors
Banker, R.; Bu, D.; Mehta, M.
Source
ABACUS
Volume
52
Issue
3
Pages
501-531