scholarly journals Audit committee diversity and corporate scandals: evidence from the UK

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig McLaughlin ◽  
Stephen Armstrong ◽  
Maha W. Moustafa ◽  
Ahmed A. Elamer
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Audit Committee ◽  
Corporate Fraud ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Corporate Scandals ◽  
Corporate Scandal ◽  
Binary Regression Analysis ◽  
And Gender ◽  
The Uk

Purpose This paper aims to empirically analyse specific characteristics of an audit committee that could be associated with the likelihood of corporate fraud/scandal/sanctions. Design/methodology/approach The sample includes all firms that were investigated by the Financial Reporting Council through the audit enforcement procedure from 2014 to 2019, and two matched no-scandal firms. It uses logistic binary regression analysis to examine the hypotheses. Findings Results based on the logit regression suggest that audit member tenure and audit committee meeting frequency both have positive associations to the likelihood of corporate scandal. Complementing this result, the authors find negative but insignificant relationships amongst audit committee female chair, audit committee female members percentage, audit committee qualified accountants members, audit committee attendance, number of shares held by audit committee members, audit committee remuneration, board tenure and the likelihood of corporate scandal across the sample. Research limitations/implications The results should help regulatory policymakers make decisions, which could be crucial to future corporate governance. Additionally, these results should be useful to investors who use corporate governance as criteria for investment decisions. Originality/value The authors extend, as well as contribute to the growing literature on the audit committee, and therefore, wider corporate governance literature and provide originality in that it is the first, to the knowledge, to consider two characteristics (i.e. remuneration and gender) in a UK context of corporate scandal. Also, the results imply that the structure and diversity of the audit committee affect corporate fraud/scandal/sanctions.

The association between corporate governance mechanisms and compliance with IFRS mandatory disclosure requirements: evidence from 12 African countries

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (7) ◽  
pp. 1371-1392
Author(s):  
Yosra Mnif ◽  
Hela Borgi
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Audit Committee ◽  
Mandatory Disclosure ◽  
African Region ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Disclosure Requirements ◽  
The Board Of Directors ◽  
Expected Benefits

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the association between two corporate governance (CG) mechanisms, namely, the board of directors and the audit committee (AC) and the compliance level with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) mandatory disclosure requirements across 12 African countries. Design/methodology/approach This paper uses a self-constructed checklist of 140 items to measure the compliance with IFRS mandatory disclosure requirements (here after, COMP) of 202 non-financial listed firms during the 2012–2016 period. This paper applies panel regressions. Findings The findings reveal that CG mechanisms play an important role in enhancing compliance with IFRS in the African context. The results show that board independence, AC independence and the number of meetings held by the AC are positively associated with COMP. Regarding expertize, this paper find that AC industry expertise along with accounting financial expertise is associated with a higher level of COMP than accounting financial expertize alone. These results show the importance of the CG mechanisms to enforce African companies to fully comply with IFRS required disclosures. Practical implications The findings should give a signal to supervisory authorities that more effort is necessary to enforce IFRS across African countries if the introduction of IFRS is to bring the expected benefits to investors and other users. Hence, the lack of full compliance should remain a concern for regulators, professional accounting bodies and policymakers. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature by providing further insights that, within the African region an understudied context, extend current understanding of the association between CG mechanisms and COMP.

scholarly journals Factors affecting the voluntary use of internal audit: evidence from the UK

2018 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 288-317 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hazem Ramadan Ismael ◽  
Clare Roberts
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Agency Theory ◽  
Internal Control ◽  
Audit Committee ◽  
Internal Audit ◽  
Theoretical Framework ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
The Uk

Purpose This study aims to identify the factors that lead non-financial companies listed in the UK to use an internal audit function (IAF) as a monitoring mechanism. Although the use of an IAF in the UK is voluntary, no prior research has examined the drivers for using one. Design/methodology/approach Financial and non-financial data were collected from the annual reports of 332 UK non-financial companies listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) Main Market. Univariate tests and multivariate logistic regression tests were used to test the research hypotheses. A theoretical framework based on both agency theory and transaction cost economics (TCE) theory was used to explain the economic factors affecting the use of an IAF. Findings The study provides evidence that firm size, level of internal risks, agency problem between owners and managers and existence of an effective audit committee are associated with the existence of an IAF. Thus, the need to have strong internal control and risk management systems and to reduce both internal and external agency costs drives companies to have an IAF. These results suggest the importance of IAF as an internal corporate governance tool and the effectiveness of UK governance regulations in monitoring the effectiveness of internal control systems. Practical implications Given the importance of the IAF’s corporate governance role, the study provides some policy implications. Regulators should pay more attention to the issue of maintaining an IAF, especially by large companies, the relationship between the IAF and other governance parties, especially the audit committee, and the disclosure of more relevant information about the IAF’s characteristics and practices. Originality/value This is the first study to examine the factors affecting the existence of the IAF within the UK’s distinctive regulatory approach of “comply or disclose reasons”. Furthermore, it provides a theoretical framework that explains how both the agency theory and TCE theory can interpret the adoption of internal audit.

scholarly journals The extent of compliance with FRS 101 standard: Malaysian evidence

2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Azhar Abdul Rahman ◽  
Mohd Diah Hamdan
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Audit Committee ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Corporate Compliance ◽  
Financial Reporting Standards ◽  
Compliance Level ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Analysis Models ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate Malaysian companies’ compliance with mandatory accounting standards. Specifically, this study examines the efficacy of agency-related mechanisms on the degree of compliance with Financial Reporting Standards (FRS) 101, Presentation of Financial Statements. It so proceeds by focussing on corporate governance parameters (board characteristics and ownership structure) and other firm characteristics. Design/methodology/approach Using data drawn from a sample of 105 Malaysian companies listed on the ACE market in 2009, the authors employ multiple regression analysis models to establish whether selected corporate governance and company-specific characteristics (proxying for agency-related mechanisms) are related to the degree of disclosure compliance. Findings The results indicate that the overall disclosure compliance is high (92.5 per cent). Furthermore, only firm size is positively associated with the degree of compliance. The other variables, those consisting of board independence, audit committee independence, CEO duality, the extent of outside blockholders’ ownership and leverage, do not show any significant relationship with the degree of compliance. Research limitations/implications This study focusses on only one accounting standard (FRS 101) that is mandatory in Malaysia. FRS 101 is both structured and rigid, leaving no room for companies to conceal any particular information. The sample of Malaysian companies selected is restricted to those listed only on the ACE market. As such, the results cannot be generalised to every company in Malaysia. Practical implications These results have important implications for policy makers because they suggest that whilst agency-related mechanisms may motivate compliance with mandatory standards, full compliance may be unattainable without regulations. Originality/value This is the only study in Malaysia to investigate the impact of regulatory requirements on corporate compliance level by companies listed on the new ACE market, which was introduced by the Bursa Malaysia in August 2009. This study contributes to the literature by examining the effects of both company-specific characteristics (such as company size, company age, liquidity, etc.) and corporate governance parameters on the degree of corporate compliance with mandatory disclosure, simultaneously, in contrast with prior studies which have examined them in isolation.

IFRS adoption, corporate governance and management earnings forecasts

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 325-342 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khawla Hlel ◽  
Ines Kahloul ◽  
Houssam Bouzgarrou
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Initial Public Offerings ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Audit Committee ◽  
Earnings Forecasts ◽  
Forecast Errors ◽  
Management Forecasts ◽  
Management Earnings Forecasts ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Ifrs Adoption

Purpose This paper aims to examine whether International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) adoption and corporate governance attributes increase the management earnings forecasts’ accuracy disclosed in prospectuses for French Initial Public Offerings (IPOs). Design/methodology/approach The analysis is based on cross-sectional regression explaining the absolute forecast errors by using 45 French firms that made IPOs between 2005 and 2016 in two French financial markets: Euronext and Alternext. Findings In agreement with the agency theory and the signaling theory, the authors find that the IFRS adoption and the effective corporate governance, proxied by the board characteristics, increase the accuracy of management forecasts. As a result, this latter gives a credible signal in constructing and sustaining shareholders’ trust on the transparency and the reliability of such financial information. Research limitations/implications It is plausible that the limited size of the sample represents a limitation of this study. Another limitation is that no other corporate governance attributes such as board meeting frequency, audit committee measures and ownership structure are used. Practical implications Shareholders can take benefit from management forecasts accuracy to structure their investment portfolios efficiently to allocate their funds more effectively and mitigate the costs of adverse selection that they have to face. Furthermore, the authors expect the findings to be interesting to IPO firms, as this study highlights the efficiency of larger and independent boards in decreasing managerial discretion, increasing disclosure quality and supervising management. The results could encourage GAAP-adopters countries to move toward IFRS, as this research reinforces the role of IFRS in enhancing the quality of financial disclosure by offering the required information for shareholders. Originality/value This study is important because the potential investors should assess management earnings forecasts accuracy before they consider it when evaluating IPO firms. Also, this paper has some implications for the financial market. It is recommended that future investors pay more attention, when assessing the accuracy of management earnings forecasts, to the accounting regulations of the financial reporting along with the corporate governance mechanisms. Moreover, this study could incite French regulators to revise the AFEP-MEDEF code. Under this code, it could insist that larger and independent boards are more effective in performing their governing roles than smaller boards.

Corporate governance and compliance with IFRS 7

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 448-474 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yosra Mnif ◽  
Oumaima Znazen
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Audit Committee ◽  
Stock Exchange ◽  
Reporting Standard ◽  
International Financial Reporting Standard ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Ifrs 7 ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Mean Compliance

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the impact of the characteristics of two corporate governance mechanisms, namely, board of directors and audit committee (hereafter AC), on the level of compliance with International Financial Reporting Standard [hereafter International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS)] 7 “Financial instruments: Disclosures” (hereafter FID). Design/methodology/approach Using a self-constructed checklist of 128 items, this research measures the compliance with IFRS 7 of 63 Canadian financial institutions listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange during a period of three years (2014-2016). Fixed effect panel regressions have been used to capture the individual effect present in authors’ data. Findings Empirical results show that the mean compliance level with IFRS 7 requirements is about 77 per cent and identify various areas of non-compliance. This level of compliance has a positive linkage with the board size and independence. Similarly, the AC independence and financial accounting expertise are shown to positively affect authors’ dependent variable. Nevertheless, CEO/chairman duality, AC size and meeting frequency are not significantly correlated with the level of compliance with IFRS 7. Originality/value This study expands prior compliance literature in the Canadian setting by examining the determinants of compliance with IFRS mandatory disclosures. Also, and to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is among the first studies that have investigated the effect of corporate governance characteristics (hereafter CGC) on compliance with all IFRS 7 requirements in general.

scholarly journals Audit committees and financial reporting quality

2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Habiba Al-Shaer ◽  
Aly Salama ◽  
Steven Toms
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Reporting Quality ◽  
Audit Committees ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Corporate Governance Mechanisms ◽  
International Comparative Research ◽  
Environmental Disclosures ◽  
International Comparative ◽  
The Uk

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the determinants of the volume of environmental disclosures and their quality, with particular focus on the role of audit committees (ACs) and the effects of the Smith report recommendations for the UK Corporate Governance Code. Design/methodology/approach Quantitative large sample analysis of UK FTSE350 companies for the period 2007-2011. Findings Firms with higher quality ACs make higher quality disclosures. Larger firms with block shareholders have greater volume of disclosures, whilst AC quality does not increase disclosure volume. Research limitations/implications Findings are based on evidence from single country and imply further international comparative research. Practical implications ACs mitigate the requirement for prescriptive legislation on narrative accounting disclosures relating to environmental issues. Originality/value The paper contributes to research that has examined the relationship between corporate governance mechanisms, specifically ACs, and the quality of financial reporting by considering voluntary narrative disclosures on environmental matters.

Board and audit committee effectiveness in the post-ASX Corporate Governance Principles and Recommendations era

2017 ◽  
Vol 43 (10) ◽  
pp. 1137-1151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maryam Safari
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Earnings Management ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Boards Of Directors ◽  
Audit Committee ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Reporting Quality ◽  
Audit Committees ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Aggregate Effect

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the corporate governance literature by examining the aggregate effect of board and audit committee characteristics on earnings management practices, particularly in the period following the introduction of the second edition of the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) Corporate Governance Principles and Recommendations. Design/methodology/approach This paper begins by embarking on an extensive review of extant empirical research on boards of directors and audit committees. Then, the paper reports on the use of a quantitative analysis approach to specify the relationship between board and audit committee characteristics (introduced by the ASX Corporate Governance Council) and the level of absolute discretionary accruals as a proxy for earnings management. Findings The findings suggest that greater compliance with board and audit committee principles is linked to lower earnings management, indicating that deliberate structuring of boards and audit committees is an effective approach for enhancing a firm’s financial reporting quality and providing support for the efficacy of the second edition of principles and recommendations related to boards and audit committees suggested by the ASX Corporate Governance Council. Practical implications This study significantly extends the literature and has notable implications for financial reporting regulators, as the findings regarding the monitoring role of boards and audit committees should be beneficial for future revisions of corporate governance principles and recommendations. Originality/value This study focuses on the aggregate effect of board characteristics recommended by the Australian Corporate Governance Council on earnings management practices, and the results support the effectiveness of the board and audit committee characteristics recommended by the ASX Corporate Governance Council. New directions for future improvements to the principles and recommendations are identified.

Corporate governance failures and the road to crime

2015 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 216-230 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Yeoh
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Savings And Loans ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Financial Crimes ◽  
Governance Practices ◽  
The Usa ◽  
The Uk

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide enhanced insights on corporate governance failures which contributed to various financial crimes in major banking institutions and whether those involved have been held sufficiently accountable in the USA and the UK. Design/methodology/approach – This interdisciplinary doctrinal research relies on primary and secondary data and is complemented by the case study approach. Findings – Case insights demonstrate that a few major banks and isolated numbers of bankers at the lower echelons were held accountable in the USA but to a lesser degree in the UK. This contrasts sharply with the earlier Enron-type corporate financial reporting scandals or the much earlier Savings and Loans Crisis; but recent criminal charge practices against mega banks suggest a policy shift. Research limitations/implications – The paper findings suggest the need for further research in this under-researched area, while the banking communities in the USA and the UK may be prompted to review their corporate governance practices. Originality/value – This interdisciplinary research uses corporate law and criminological research to provide enhanced insights on financial crimes perpetuated in major banks in the USA and the UK.

Related-party transactions: a review of the regulation, governance and auditing literature

2018 ◽  
Vol 33 (8/9) ◽  
pp. 779-806 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moataz El-Helaly
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Audit Risk ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Related Party Transactions ◽  
Corporate Scandals ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Starting Point

PurposeSeveral studies, especially in Asian economies, have investigated the antecedents, implications and consequences of related-party transactions (RPTs). This paper aims to review this literature to collate, gauge and critically discuss understandings of the relationship between RPTs and risk, with a particular focus on audit risk.Design/methodology/approachThe paper discusses RPTs and how they have been associated with corporate scandals and the expropriation of shareholders’ wealth. RPTs are defined as per accounting standards and the main types of RPTs are described based on the extant literature. Two key research design issues are discussed: measures used to operationalize RPTs and observable variations in sample size across RPT studies. Evidence is presented on the negative effects of RPTs and the role of regulation, corporate governance and auditing in reducing risks.FindingsPrior studies have associated RPTs with the expropriation of shareholders’ wealth, declining firm valuations, lower-quality financial reporting, increased risk of material misstatements and decreases in long-term firm performance. Further, the evidence suggests that regulation, corporate governance and auditing can mitigate the negative effects of RPTs.Practical implicationsThis paper provides insights for regulators on the effects of enforcement, corporate governance and external audits on reducing the negative effects of RPTs, and highlights the increased risk of material misstatements in financial statements when RPTs are conducted. Moreover, it reveals how RPTs affect risk assessments for auditors.Originality/valueThis paper represents the first comprehensive review of the empirical RPT literature. It provides a starting point for future investigations of RPTs, not least because it reveals important limitations with the extant body of research in this domain. It also offers salient insights and implications for practitioners and policy makers.

scholarly journals The Need for Audit Trinity Report to Reinforce Financial Reporting Integrity

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 184
Author(s):  
Mohammad K. Shbeilat
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Audit Committee ◽  
Reporting System ◽  
Financial Statements ◽  
International Standards ◽  
Corporate Accountability ◽  
Internal Auditor ◽  
Corporate Scandals ◽  
Joint Report

Investors’ reliability on financial statements decreases due to continuing corporate scandals. Many of these rogue listed companies have had dominant shareholders who have circumvented internal controls for personal gain or have hidden poor management using misleading reporting. This has led to calls for restructuring the annual financial report and to fill the gap of corporate governance constituents. This study aims to highlight the importance of combining the efforts of the audit trinity (those are: the audit committee, the external auditor and the internal auditor) in securing the financial reporting system and corporate governance. This literature-based study suggests coordinating and integrating the efforts of the audit trinity and the issue a joint report addressing all matters related to (1) safeguarding company’s assets and accounts (2) ensuring that financial statements and the annual report are fair, balanced and reliable, and (3) ensure the entity’s compliance with applicable laws, corporate governance code, and accounting and auditing standards. The proposed joint report is to be signed by the audit trinity and certified by the chairperson of the board. The development of this report went through two stages, the first one, reviewing related literature, internationally recognized frameworks and corporate governance best practices, and related international standards on auditing; the second stage was sending the draft of the proposed report to 20 expert referees requesting their comments on the structure and the appropriateness of the proposed report. The proposed report helps by clarifying the communication mechanism, responsibilities and powers of the audit trinity that enable them to adequately discharge their duty of maintaining corporate accountability and securing the financial reporting system. It also addressed the need to have informed and stringent control over the quality of financial ‎reporting and avoidance of conflicts of interest‎.

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