Factors associated with the voluntary disclosure of the integrated report in Brazil

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruhama Bezerra Fernandes ◽  
Alexandro Barbosa

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the factors associated with the voluntary disclosure of integrated reporting (IR) in Brazil of the companies listed on the stock exchange – Brasil, Bolsa, Balcão. The cultural dimensions of a nation reflect different priorities in accounting practices. The Brazilian case, therefore, becomes significant, as Brazil is increasingly important in world markets. Design/methodology/approach As an explanatory econometric model, multinomial logistic regression was used (Y = 2 to describe the probability of the IR disclosure; Y = 1 to describe the occurrence of reports with practices similar to the IR and Y = 0 to describe the occurrence of non-disclosure of non-financial reports). Applied to panel data with random effects (chosen for best performance) in the period from 2016 to 2019. Findings Reveals the positive association of the company’s profitability and market-to-book with the probability of the IR disclosure. Regarding the board composition, it is suggested that size does not make a difference, with the greater participation of women and independence of directors associated with better probabilities of adopting the IR in Brazil. Originality/value This work is the first to characterize the Brazilian reality of voluntary disclosure, specifying the implementation of IR, compared to publishing reports similar to the IR and not reporting structured non-financial statements. It can also be considered the first study on the relevance of the board structure in the disclosure of IR by Brazilian companies. Finally, it contributes to the literature on IR adoption, bringing practical results in understanding the most favorable conditions in which the IR framework will be fully implemented.

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 517-534 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Badrul Muttakin ◽  
Dessalegn Mihret ◽  
Tesfaye Taddese Lemma ◽  
Arifur Khan

Purpose Although proponents of integrated reporting (IR) advocate that this emerging practice has the potential to transform corporate reporting, the eventuation of this expectation would depend on the incentive IR provides to firms. This study aims to examine whether IR is associated with cost of debt and whether IR moderates the relationship between financial reporting quality and cost of debt. Design/methodology/approach Based on insights drawn from information asymmetry and agency theories, the authors develop models that link IR and financial reporting quality with a firm’s cost of debt. The authors analyze 847 firm-year observations drawn from non-financial firms traded on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, for the period between 2009 and 2015. Findings The authors find that firms that provide integrated reports tend to have a lower cost of debt than those do not provide IR. The authors also find an inverse association between financial reporting quality and cost of debt, and that integrated reports accentuate this association. The findings suggest that the debt market perceives value in the information presented in integrated reports beyond what is furnished in financial reports. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to document evidence suggesting that the debt market perceives value in the information presented in integrated reports, beyond what is furnished in financial reports.


2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (10) ◽  
pp. 73
Author(s):  
Mohammad Hariri

The present study aims towards three research purposes. Firstly, it intends to reveal the pattern that associates the elements of the Integrated Reporting (IR) of companies listed on the Saudi Arabian Stock Exchange (Tadawul). Secondly, it verifies the existence of a relationship between IR practices and some firm-specific characteristics. Third, it examines the similarities between the IR practices of these companies. IR communicates how an organization's strategy, governance, performance, and prospects lead to value creation. The dataset used for the IR elements is retrieved from Tadawul and consists of data regarding integrated reports for 126 companies listed in 2019; while the data for the firm-specific characteristics, as the size of the company, the auditor type and the type of company are extracted from Marketscreener.com and Argaam.com portals. The methodology used consists of the empirical-analytical approach with the use of Optimal Scaling techniques. Main findings consist of a positive association found between the elements of the IR, as well as that the specific characteristics of the firms are not related to the elements of the IR. In our results a dissimilarity is found in the corporate information disclosure practices. These findings reveal a need for a deep investigation of the IR elements and firm characteristics in Saudi Arabian companies. One of the future research direction is a multilinear data for various years such that can reveal a more comprehensive understanding of IR elements and firm characteristics. This study becomes relevant in the context of IR elements and firm characteristics relations, that are not yet studies at their research potential.


2014 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 233-256 ◽  
Author(s):  
Prapaporn Kiattikulwattana

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between voluntary disclosure of a statement of management's responsibility for the financial reports (MRF) and earnings management, both accrual and real earnings management, in firms listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET). Design/methodology/approach – The samples in this study are selected from listed companies on the SET in the year 2009. The multiple regression are used to test hypotheses. Findings – The results show that the inclusion of a MRF has no association with both discretionary accrual and real earnings management activities (i.e. sales manipulation, a decrease in discretionary expenditures, and overproduction). The findings from the study reveal that firms with or without the MRF manipulate their earnings in a similar manner. Research limitations/implications – The sample for the study includes Thai listed firms in the year 2009 only. The small sample size may limit the validity of generalizations from these conclusions. Practical implications – Based on the results, the regulators will know that the voluntary disclosure of management responsibilities on the financial reports is an ineffective tool to control earnings management. Social implications – Like Sarbanes-Oxley Act 2002, a disclosure of management responsibilities on the financial reports should be required by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Thailand. Originality/value – Investors will know that firms with or without the MRF manipulate their earnings in a similar manner. The voluntary disclosure of an MRF in Thailand does not guarantee earnings quality.


2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 239-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krishna Prasad ◽  
K. Sankaran ◽  
Nandan Prabhu

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the empirical relationship between gray directors (non-executive non-independent directors) and executive compensation among companies listed in India’s National Stock Exchange (NSE). The paper also examines the possible interplay of relationships between controlling shareholder duality (controlling shareholder being the CEO), ownership category and executive compensation. Design/methodology/approach A sample of 438 firms listed in the NSE of India was studied using data spanning five financial years, 2012–2013 to 2016–2017. Findings Empirical evidence suggests that there is a positive association between the proportion of gray directors on the board and executive compensation. The sensitivity of executive compensation to gray directors is found to be higher among family controlled firms. This research has also found that CEOs who belong to controlling shareholder groups received higher pay than professional CEOs. The authors conjecture that these results suggest cronyism and may contribute to lower levels of corporate governance practices in the country. Research limitations/implications The hybrid board structure, which India has adopted with the desire to bring the best of Anglo Saxon and Japanese board philosophies, has paradoxically led to self-serving boards. Exploration of alternative thinking to bring about changes in the regulatory framework is, therefore, necessary. Originality/value Serious problems are identified with the philosophy behind board composition mandated by Listing Requirements for Indian firms with empirical evidence showing how the existing rules generate cronyism and unfairness to minority shareholders.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Girella ◽  
Stefano Zambon ◽  
Paola Rossi

Purpose The role that the board can have in influencing the adoption of non-financial reporting (NFR) by companies is a topic that has raised interest in the recent literature. However, very few have so far been said on the logic that underpins the selection by corporate boards of a particular model (sustainability and/or integrated). This study aims to examine if and to what extent board characteristics may influence the choice of companies to voluntarily publish a sustainability report, an integrated report or both of them, and if moderating variables, relating to incentives towards corporate transparency, may have an influence. Both of these types of reporting tools are in fact aimed at improving company disclosure towards sustainable development. Design/methodology/approach Through a multi-nomial regression analysis, this study tests the assumptions in a sample of companies listed on the Eurostoxx600 that adopt integrated or sustainability reporting or both of them for the period 2015–2018 for a total of 2,103 firm-years observations. Findings The results reveal that sustainability reporting is associated with board independence only, whilst the adoption of integrated reporting is influenced by board size and board independence. The same two variables influence also those companies that jointly adopt both sustainability and an integrated report. This confirms that integrated reporting requires more competencies and monitoring to be adopted. Furthermore, the results provide evidence that information asymmetry and financial constraints influence the decision of companies to publish the integrated report, sustainability report or both, whilst growth opportunities do not. Hence, moderating variables can have a role in explaining this association, and especially those that are related to the firm’s incentives related to the provision of financial capital by investors. Research limitations/implications This study contributes to the literature in three ways. First, it proposes an incremental analysis of the relationship between board characteristics and voluntary disclosure of integrated reporting, considering the effects of moderating variables on this association. Second, the above relationship is examined in a comparative way vis-à-vis the adoption of sustainability reporting. Third, it demonstrates that the analysis of these reporting tools can benefit from an understanding that relies on both agency and stakeholder theories, that have to be conceived somehow complementary. In terms of limitations, this study is exclusively focussed on larger European listed firms, and therefore, the findings may not be valid for small and medium firms and for companies operating outside Europe. Practical implications This study provides useful insights for managers and policymakers to better understand which are the characteristics of the board composition that can best encourage a company to pursue a reporting strategy based on sustainable development. This results to be particularly relevant and timely in the European context if the authors take into consideration the developments of the European Parliament and Commission towards the launch of a new legislative proposal on sustainable corporate governance in 2021. Originality/value The study contributes to the existing literature in two ways. First, it offers a unique perspective on the direct and indirect effects of board characteristics on the adoption of integrated and/or sustainability reports by examining it in a comparative perspective. Second, it further demonstrates that the analysis of NFR and especially integrated reporting might benefit from the adoption of multiple conceptual lenses, in this case, agency and stakeholder theories.


2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 130-141
Author(s):  
Mofijul Hoq Masum ◽  
Ahmed Razman Abdul Latiff ◽  
Mohammad Noor Hisham Osman

Corporate voluntary disclosure becomes a burning issue in the literature of accounting throughout the last two decades. The study aims to explore the most crucial determinants that influence corporate voluntary disclosure in a transition economy. A cross-sectional study based on the pharmaceutical and chemical companies listed in the Dhaka Stock Exchange is conducted to reconnoiter the crucial determinants affecting the voluntary disclosure. Based on the agency theory, stakeholder theory, and previous literature, the determinants are selected. An unweighted disclosure index is used to measure the extent of voluntary disclosure; after that, a multivariate analysis is steered to reconnoiter the key determinants of voluntary disclosure. It is found that firm leverage and firm liquidity are the key determinants that significantly influence the corporate voluntary disclosure in a transition economy. In contrast, no significant positive association is found between voluntary disclosure and board size. In additon, it is also found that market category significantly influences voluntary disclosure with an inverse direction. This study has important implications for both the corporate people and the regulatory bodies of the transition economy. The study also helps various stakeholders of the transition economy – Bangladesh, in designing their strategies regarding the most significant determinants of voluntary disclosure. Acknowledgment We are very thankful to the Institute of Advanced Research (IAR), United International University, Bangladesh, to grant us the fund by mobilizing which we generate our required data for the study and complete this empirical study.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 255
Author(s):  
Mohammad Abedalrahman Alhmood ◽  
Hasnah Shaari ◽  
Redhwan Al-dhamari

The Chief Executive Officer (CEOs) tends to be the most influential member of a corporation as they exert control over corporate decisions such as financial disclosure, board structure, and company performance in ensuring enhanced corporate performance and earnings. The issue of earnings management (EM) that has captured the attention of researchers may be among the most critical factors that are linked to financial statement manipulation. Therefore, the current study explored the effects of the personal characteristics of CEOs on real earnings management (REM) practices in Jordan. Data of 58 companies listed on the Amman Stock Exchange for six years from 2013 to 2018 were utilised to achieve this study’s objectives. The results of this study revealed that CEOs’ experience had a significantly positive association with REM. Meanwhile, CEOs’ tenure had no impact on REM among Jordanian firms. Also, the results exposed the presence of a significantly negative association between CEO duality and REM. Finally, CEOs’ political connection was found to have a significantly positive association with REM. This study offers empirical evidence on the effect of CEO characteristics on REM and how such characteristics can lead to exploitation, which brings an impact on the financial reporting quality.


2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 463-480
Author(s):  
Mahdi Salehi ◽  
Mahmoud Lari Dasht Bayaz ◽  
Shaban Mohammadi ◽  
Mohammad Seddigh Adibian ◽  
Seyed Hamed Fahimifard

PurposeThe main objective of the present study is to assess the potential impact of readability of financial statement notes on the auditor's report lag, audit fees and going concern opinion (GCO).Design/methodology/approachThe statistical population of this study includes all listed firms on the Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE) for the period of 2012–2017. The systematic elimination method is used for sampling and multiple regression and EViews software are used for testing the hypothesis models.FindingsThe obtained results show that there is a significant and positive relationship between audit report lags and readability of financial statements. Moreover, it is also revealed that readability of financial statements is positively associated with audit fees. Furthermore, the findings suggest a negative correlation between readability indexes and issuing GCOs, denoting hard-to-read statements is considered as a risk factor by auditors. Finally, the observations of our robustness tests suggest that the association between audit report lag and readability of financial statements is robust.Originality/valueThis is the first conducted investigation concerning auditor's response to the readability of financial statement notes in TSE. The outcome of current paper may pave the way for revising and developing Iranian accounting standards in order to give a fairer and clearer picture of financial reports.


2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 822-843 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine Le Roux ◽  
Marius Pretorius

Purpose This paper aims to explore the nexus between integrated reporting and sustainability embeddedness. It seeks to contribute to a better understanding of the nexus by obtaining in-depth insight from the sensemaking of those in practice. Design/methodology/approach A single exploratory case study design strategy was applied to a leading stock exchange listed company in the property industry in South Africa. Rich qualitative data were gathered by applying multiple data gathering techniques to a diverse group of employees within the case company. Findings This empirical study contributes a metaphor of a cog and chain and nine themes that elucidate employee sensemaking at the nexus. Integrated reporting was found to drive sustainability embeddedness and foster changes within the organisation. The themes offer in-depth insight into how employees made sense of integrated reporting as a driver for sustainability embeddedness. Research limitations/implications The findings emerged from a single case study that operated in a mandatory disclosure context and are therefore not generalisable. The findings reflect the intended outcomes of integrated reporting and further research to explore the unintended outcomes and challenges associated with integrated reporting is suggested. Practical implications The study contributes to a growing practice based agenda by offering a better understanding of how integrated reporting and sustainability are conceptualised and adopted in practice. Social implications The findings offer organisations’ guidance on integrated reporting and sustainability embeddedness adoption which can have vast implications for society and the environment. Originality/value The study responds to gaps in the literature and calls for studies to explore the intersection between integrated reporting and sustainability embeddedness by engaging those in practice.


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 341-352
Author(s):  
Protap Kumar Ghosh ◽  
Ranajit Kumar Bairagi ◽  
Abinash Mondal

PurposeThe study aims to investigate whether the adoption of IFRS could ensure ultimate intercompany comparability of operating performance in terms of uniformity in the application of accounting methods and reporting style.Design/methodology/approachUsing content analysis on 125 annual financial statements of 25 companies from five industries listed on the Dhaka Stock Exchange in Bangladesh, this study reports that only the sole adoption and application of principle based IFRS cannot ensure ultimate intercompany comparability of financial reports.FindingsThe findings document that the adoption of IFRS cannot ensure the application of same accounting methods as well as way of presentations which is a precondition of greater comparability of operating performance of competitive firms. The methodological and reporting direction through local regulatory agencies alongside maximum compliance with principle based IFRS can enhance intercompany comparability of financial reports in the same industry.Originality/valueThis study tries to manifest that sole adoption cum implementation of IFRS could not ensure ultimate intercompany comparability of operating performance within the same industry and urges to conduct further research to find out the ways to do so.


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