Research
Aggressive tax planning and risk governance
Aggressive tax strategies represent a considerable risk for companies. This field of research therefore examines in detail the relationship between different corporate governance structures and aggressive tax planning.
Tax planning of small and medium-sized enterprises
Another focus is on the tax planning of small and medium-sized enterprises. In various research projects, special features of the tax planning of non-listed companies are examined. In this context, the characteristics of family businesses are also taken into account.
Tax planning of multinational companies
The tax planning of multinational companies represents a further strand of research. Motivated by the BEPS action plan, possible explanations are provided as to why European groups sometimes have lower group tax rates than US groups - contrary to public perception.
Interface research
Another focus is on interdisciplinary research. This involves linking tax aspects with related disciplines (e.g. accounting or finance).
Normative research
Empirical research is enriched by normative research projects. For the most part, national tax law issues are addressed in these contributions. The findings of these publications are integrated and discussed in lectures at appropriate points (linking research and practice).
Model-theoretical research
Projects in the field of model-theoretical research round off the Chair's research profile. The focus here is on the economic tax effects of dividend taxation for corporations.
2025
Görmar, J., Thomsen, M., & Watrin, C. (2025). The Reporting of Alternative Performance Measures in Germany and the Introduction of the ESMA Guidelines. Schmalenbach Journal of Business Research, 77(4), 885-914 (open access).
2022
Kieback, S., Thomsen, M., & Watrin, C. (2022). Market reactions to the appointment of audit committee directors with financial and industry expertise in Germany. International Journal of Auditing, 26(4), 446-466 (open access).
2021
Gleason, C., Kieback, S., Thomsen, M., & Watrin, C. (2021). Monitoring or Payroll Maximization? What Happens When Workers Enter the Boardroom? Review of Accounting Studies, 26(3), 1046-1087 (open access).
Brune, A., Thomsen, M., & Watrin, C. (2021). Family firms in business research - A literature review on financing, tax and accounting policy. Business Research and Practice, 73(2), 134-160.
2020
Eberhardt, D., & Thomsen, M. (2020). Tell me quando, tell me when - Relevant cut-off date for the trade tax nesting privilege in the case of a different financial year. FinanzRundschau, 102(8), 338-341.
Eberhardt, D., & Thomsen, M. (2020). Can large real estate holdings become a problem for listed companies? - On the planned introduction of Section 1 (2b) GrEStG. WPg, 73(10), 596-604.
Watrin, C., & Thomsen, M. (2020). The contribution of empiricism to business research - thoughts on the 100th anniversary of the subject. Tax and Economics, 97(3), 276-288.
2019
Brune, A., Thomsen, M., & Watrin, C. (2019). Tax avoidance in different firm types and the role of nonfamily involvement in private family firms. Managerial and Decision Economics, 40(8), 950-970. (open access)
Brune, A., Thomsen, M., & Watrin, C. (2019). Family firm heterogeneity and tax avoidance: The role of the founder. Family Business Review, 32(3), 296-317 (open access).
Eberhardt, D., Linnemann, N., & Thomsen, M. (2019). The introduction of Section 8b (4) KStG - An economic analysis of potential evasion reactions. Schmalenbachs Zeitschrift für betriebswirtschaftliche Forschung, 71(3-4), 271-311.
Eberhardt, D., & Thomsen, M. (2019). Economic analysis of the tax effects of dividend taxation by corporate tax shareholders in Germany. Betriebswirtschaftliche Forschung und Praxis, 71(6), 651-664.
Eberhardt, D., & Thomsen, M. (2019). International taxation of share sales in real estate companies: Practical problems caused by the land ownership clause in German treaties. German Tax Journal, 107(17), 622-628.
2018
Thomsen, M., & Watrin, C. (2018). Tax avoidance over time: A comparison of European and U.S. firms. Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, 33, 40-63 (open access).
2017
Thomsen, M. (2017). Granting of other consideration in the context of contributions - Does the legal tightening actually restrict German companies? FinanzRundschau, 2017, 671-676.
Thomsen, M. (2017). What accounting implications does the Brexit decision have for German groups? WPg, 2017, 1191-1198.
Thomsen, M. (2017). Accounting and Brexit consequences. Audit Committee Quarterly, 15(4), 58-59.
Watrin, C., Thomsen, M., & Brune, A. (2017). The link between tax planning and institutional investors: state of research and evidence on German corporations. FinanzRundschau, 99(22), 1029-1035.
2016
Watrin, C., & Thomsen, M. (2016). Tax strategies of German corporations - the OECD as savior? Steuer und Wirtschaft, 1, 3-14.
Watrin, C., Thomsen, M., & Weiß, F. (2016). On the need for measures against international profit shifting in Germany. International Tax Law, 25(10), 397-401.
Watrin, C., Thomsen, M., & Weiß, F. (2016). The BEPS action reports and their current implementation. German Tax Journal, 104(11), 400-410.
2015
Ebert, N., & Thomsen, M. (2015). Remaining questions of doubt in practice regarding the changes to the reverse charge procedure from 1.10.2014. Deutsches Steuerrecht, 4/2015, 145-150.
2014
Ebert, N., & Thomsen, M. (2014). Innovations in the reverse charge procedure - implications for practice. Die Unternehmensbesteuerung, 10/2014, 653-659.
Watrin, C., Ebert, N., & Thomsen, M. (2014). Book-Tax Conformity and Earnings Management: Insights from European One- and Two-Book Systems. Journal of the American Taxation Association, 38(2), 55-89.
"New Work Models in the Light of International Tax Law - The Establishment of Permanent Establishments and Permanent Representatives in Cross-Border Corporate Groups"
Contents (excerpt):
- Identification of new work models against the background of business management personnel and organizational theory (e.g. home office, agile cooperation)
- Definition of the current permanent establishment as well as the permanent representative according to national and treaty law (see § 12 AO and Art. 5 (1) OECD-MA; § 13 AO and Art, 5 (5) OECD-MA)
- Elaboration of the tax challenges arising in the context of New Work models with regard to permanent establishments and permanent representatives and identification of legal uncertainties that arise
- Formulation of reform proposals
Practice partner: PwC GmbH auditing company
Approval period: December 2024 - December 2028
"Need for reform of the substance test for passive income from conversions in German add-back taxation"
Contents (excerpt):
- The German add-back tax requirements for active and passive income from foreign conversions,
- the European origins of the German add-back tax substance test,
- the compatibility of the German additional tax substance test with European law,
- possible pitfalls of the German additional tax substance test for passive income from conversions and
- possible solutions to eliminate these pitfalls.
Practice partner: PwC GmbH Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft
Approval period: April 2025 - March 2029
2025
The impact of mandatory disclosure on SEC financial statement review outcomes. 47th Annual Congress of the European Accounting Association 2025, Rome (Italy), authors: C. Gleason and M. Thomsen.
Corporate Social Responsibility and Tax Avoidance-Evidence from the German CSR Directive. 47th Annual Congress of the European Accounting Association 2025, Rome (Italy), Authors: M. Hockmann, C. Gleason and M. Thomsen.
2024
Navigating Corporate Risks Through Sustainability Reporting in German Firms. 12th Annual Conference on Risk Governance 2024, Siegen (Germany), Authors: M. Hockmann and M. Thomsen.
2021
The information environment of firms with worker representation on corporate boards. BYU Accounting Research Symposium 2021, Provo (USA), Authors: C. Gleason, S. Kieback, M. Thomsen and C. Watrin.
The information environment of firms with worker representation on corporate boards. George Mason University workshop 2021, Washington (USA), Authors: C. Gleason, S. Kieback, M. Thomsen and C. Watrin.
2020
Monitoring or payroll maximization? What happens when workers enter the boardroom? Review of Accounting Studies Conference 2020, Stanford (USA, online), authors: C. Gleason, S. Kieback, M. Thomsen and C. Watrin.
Monitoring or payroll maximization? What happens when workers enter the boardroom? American Accounting Association Annual Meeting 2020, Virtual Meeting, Authors: C. Gleason, S. Kieback, M. Thomsen and C. Watrin.
Monitoring or payroll maximization? What happens when workers enter the boardroom? American Accounting Association Joint Midyear Meeting of the AIS, SET and International Sections 2020, Orlando (USA), Authors: C. Gleason, S. Kieback, M. Thomsen and C. Watrin.
2019
Monitoring or payroll maximization? What happens when workers enter the boardroom? American Taxation Association Midyear Meeting 2019, Washington D.C. (USA), Authors: C. Gleason, S. Kieback, M. Thomsen and C. Watrin.
Monitoring or payroll maximization? What happens when workers enter the boardroom? Canadian Academic Accounting Association Annual Meeting 2019, Ottawa D.C. (Canada), Authors: C. Gleason, S. Kieback, M. Thomsen and C. Watrin.
Monitoring or payroll maximization? What happens when workers enter the boardroom? BYU Accounting Research Symposium 2019, Provo (USA), Authors: C. Gleason, S. Kieback, M. Thomsen and C. Watrin.
2018
Monitoring or payroll maximization? What happens when workers enter the boardroom? National Tax Association Annual Conference on Taxation 2018, New Orleans (USA), Authors: C. Gleason, S. Kieback, M. Thomsen and C. Watrin.
The association between tax avoidance and corporate social responsibility in family and non-family firms. European Academy of Management Conference 2018, Reykjavík (Iceland), Authors: A. Brune, M. Thomsen and C. Watrin.
The association between tax avoidance and corporate social responsibility in family and non-family firms. Canadian Academic Accounting Association Annual Meeting 2018, Calgary (Canada), Authors: A. Brune, M. Thomsen and C. Watrin.
The association between tax avoidance and corporate social responsibility in family and non-family firms. 14th EIASM Workshop on Family Firm Management 2018, Larnaka (Cyprus), Authors: A. Brune, M. Thomsen and C. Watrin.
IFRS enforcement, firm reputation and tax avoidance. European Accounting Association Annual Congress 2018, Milan (Italy), Authors: N. Linnemann, M. Thomsen and C. Watrin.
Tax avoidance in different firm types and the role of nonfamily involvement in private family firms. Workshop of post-doctoral students and junior professors at the spring conference of the Commission on Business Taxation 2018, Magdeburg (Germany), Authors: A. Brune, M. Thomsen and C. Watrin.
2017
Special tax zones: Tax avoidance within the European Union. European Accounting Association Annual Congress 2017, Valencia (Spain), Authors: K. Schulte Sasse, M. Thomsen and C. Watrin.
2016
The information content of excessive audit lag. Annual Meeting of the German Academic Association for Business Research 2016, Munich (Germany), Authors: D. Givoly, M. Meinhövel, M. Nienhaus and M. Thomsen.
The information content of excessive audit lag. American Accounting Association Annual Meeting 2016, New York (USA), Authors: D. Givoly, M. Meinhövel, M. Nienhaus and M. Thomsen.
The information content of excessive audit lag. European Accounting Association Annual Congress 2016, Maastricht (Netherlands), Authors: D. Givoly, M. Meinhövel, M. Nienhaus, M. Thomsen.
Tax avoidance in different firm types and the role of nonfamily involvement in private family firms. Annual Meeting of the German Academic Association for Business Research 2016, Munich (Germany), Authors: A. Brune, M. Thomsen and C. Watrin.
Tax avoidance in different firm types and the role of nonfamily involvement in private family firms. Canadian Academic Accounting Association Annual Meeting 2016, St. John's (Canada), Authors: A. Brune, M. Thomsen and C. Watrin.
Tax avoidance in different firm types and the role of nonfamily involvement in private family firms. American Accounting Association Annual Meeting 2016, New York (USA), Authors: A. Brune, M. Thomsen and C. Watrin.
Tax avoidance in different firm types and the role of nonfamily involvement in private family firms. European Accounting Association Annual Congress 2016, Maastricht (Netherlands), Authors: A. Brune, M. Thomsen and C. Watrin.
Tax affairs - There is no place like home. MaTax Conference 2016, Mannheim (Germany), Authors: M. Thomsen and C. Watrin.
Tax affairs - There is no place like home. European Accounting Association Annual Congress 2016, Maastricht (Netherlands), Authors: M. Thomsen and C. Watrin.
2015
Tax avoidance over time: A comparison of European and U.S. firms. Illinois Symposium on Tax Research XIV 2015, Chicago (USA), Authors: M. Thomsen and C. Watrin.
Tax avoidance over time: A comparison of European and U.S. firms. European Accounting Association Annual Congress 2015, Glasgow (Scotland), Authors: M. Thomsen and C. Watrin.
2014
Tax sells - How do jurisdictions attract firms and how do firms react to mispricings? National Tax Association Annual Conference on Taxation 2014, Santa Fe (USA), Author: M. Thomsen.
Tax sells - How do jurisdictions attract firms and how do firms react to mispricings? European Accounting Association Annual Congress 2014, Tallinn (Estonia), Author: M. Thomsen.
What happens when tax havens are shut down? An analysis of accounting decisions and location decisions. European Accounting Association Annual Congress 2014, Tallinn (Estonia), Authors: M. Thomsen, R. Ullmann and C. Watrin.
Tax sells - How do jurisdictions attract firms and how do firms react to mispricings? Ph.D. Seminar on Tax Research with the University of Düsseldorf, Freiburg, and Münster 2014, Freiburg (Germany), Author: M. Thomsen.
2013
What happens when tax havens are shut down? An analysis of accounting decisions and location decisions. Conference on Taxing Multinational Firms 2013, Mannheim (Germany), authors: M. Thomsen, R. Ullmann and C. Watrin.
The impact of taxes on location decisions. Illinois Symposium on Tax Research XIII 2013, Chicago (USA), Authors: M. Thomsen, R. Ullmann and C. Watrin.
Tax sells - How do jurisdictions attract firms and how do firms react to mispricings? Ph.D. Seminar on Tax Research with the University of Cologne, Düsseldorf, Freiburg, and Münster 2013, Düsseldorf (Germany), Author: M. Thomsen.
The impact of taxes on location decisions. European Accounting Association Annual Congress 2013, Paris (France), Authors: M. Thomsen, R. Ullmann and C. Watrin.
2012
Book-tax conformity and earnings management: Insights from European one- and two-book systems. Annual Meeting of the German Academic Association for Business Research 2012, Bolzano (Italy), Authors: N. Ebert, M. Thomsen and C. Watrin.
Book-tax conformity and earnings management: Insights from European one- and two-book systems. Canadian Academic Accounting Association Annual Meeting 2012, Charlottetown (Canada), Authors: N. Ebert, M. Thomsen and C. Watrin.
Book-tax conformity and earnings management: Insights from European one- and two-book systems. American Accounting Association Annual Meeting 2012, Washington D.C. (USA), Authors: N. Ebert, M. Thomsen and C. Watrin.
Book-tax conformity and earnings management: Insights from European one- and two-book systems. American Taxation Association Midyear Meeting 2012, New Orleans (USA), Authors: N. Ebert, M. Thomsen and C. Watrin.
2011
Book-tax conformity and earnings management: Insights from European one- and two-book systems. EIASM Workshop on current Research in Taxation 2011, Münster (Germany), Authors: N. Ebert, M. Thomsen and C. Watrin.
Book-tax differences and earnings persistence: An empirical analysis of European firms. European Accounting Association Annual Congress 2011, Rome (Italy), Authors: M. Thomsen and C. Watrin.
2023
Transformations in SMEs: Hidden challenges for the hidden champions? IHK Siegen & Siegen Forum for Accounting, Auditing and Taxation e.V., 2023, Siegen
2018
EU, UK or knockout? Auditing and management consulting in times of geopolitical change. ZEIT-Verlag & KPMG, 2018, Frankfurt
2017
The tax burdens of European corporations: Empirical results on BEPS. Federation of German Industries, 2017, Berlin
The Tax Burdens of European Corporations: Empirical Results on BEPS. German Chemical Industry Association, 2017, Hamburg