Corporate social responsibility disclosures and earnings quality

2015 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 277-298 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Badrul Muttakin ◽  
Arifur Khan ◽  
Mohammad I Azim

Purpose – This paper aims to explore the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosures and earnings quality proxied by earnings accruals. Specifically, we examine whether CSR disclosures are context-specific, that is, whether companies dominated by powerful stakeholders are obliged to behave in a responsible manner to constrain earnings management, thereby reporting higher-quality earnings to investors. Design/methodology/approach – This paper explores the relationship between CSR disclosures and earnings quality proxied by earnings accruals. Specifically, we examine whether CSR disclosures are context-specific, that is, whether companies dominated by powerful stakeholders are obliged to behave in a responsible manner to constrain earnings management, thereby reporting higher-quality earnings to investors. Findings – Results show that managers in an emerging economy manage earnings when they provide more CSR disclosures. Such earnings management is achieved through income increasing discretionary accruals. Furthermore, companies from export-oriented industries dominated by powerful stakeholders (international buyers) disclosing more CSR activities, provide transparent financial reports through constraining earnings management. Originality/value – The findings of this study are significant for both investors and policymakers. Investors should not take for granted that firms engage in CSR activities, behave ethically and provide transparent financial reports. As we document that firms might manipulate earnings through discretionary accruals and provide less transparent financial reports to shareholders, the credibility of firms’ CSR policies should be assessed with caution. Policies directing at promoting socially responsible practices instead of motivating the desired behaviour, may provide managers with additional incentives to utilise CSR for opportunistic behaviour. Thus, policymakers need to be cautious about this opportunistic behaviour and enhance monitoring to enforce social compliance. Possibly, some guidelines can be introduced to confirm that CSR disclosures are based on actual practice and not just a “green wash” statement to deceive stakeholders.

2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 112-121 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tito Tomas Siueia ◽  
Jianling Wang

Building on the ethical theory to solve the research questions, we examine the relationship between Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosure (CSRD) and Earnings Quality (EQ). Using 368 firm-year observations covering the 2010-2017 period. In so doing, we applied content analysis to assess the CSRD dimensions, and we applied discretionary accruals as a proxy of EQ activity. Based on panel data regression, we find a significant and negative relationship between CSRD and EQ in Mozambican extractive industry. Empirical evidence also shows that the influence of positive CSRD indicator (CSRD strengths scores) is much stronger than that negative CSRD indicator (CSRD concerns scores) in reducing earnings quality. These findings are consistent with the idea that the opportunistic managers use CSRD to reach their particular interest, suggesting that the managers are using CSRD as a strategic device to engage in earnings management (poorer earnings quality). The results are robust to alternative proxy measures of CSRD and earnings quality. Con base en la teoría ética para resolver las cuestiones de investigación, examinamos la relación entre Divulgación de Responsabilidad Social Corporativa (CSRD) y la Calidad de los Ingresos (EQ). Usando 368 observaciones de año base cubriendo el período 2010-2017. Al hacer esto, aplicamos el análisis de contenido para evaluar las dimensiones de la CSRD y aplicamos acrecimientos discrecionales como proxy de la actividad de EQ. Con base en la regresión de datos en panel, encontramos una relación significativa y negativa entre el CSRD y el EQ en la industria extractiva de Mozambique. La evidencia empírica también muestra que la influencia del indicador positivo de CSRD (puntuaciones de fuerza CSRD) es mucho más fuerte que el indicador negativo de CSRD (CSRD se refiere a las puntuaciones) en la reducción de la calidad de ingresos. Estas constataciones son consistentes con la idea de que los gerentes oportunistas utilizan la actividad de RSCD para alcanzar su interés particular, sugiriendo que los gerentes están usando el CSRD como un dispositivo estratégico para involucrarse en la gestión de resultados (peor EQ). Los resultados son robustos a medidas alternativas de proxy del CSRD y la EQ. Industria extractiva.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Priscillia Puspita Lestari ◽  
Yie Ke Feliana

Abstract Earnings is one of some important things that company stakeholders pay attention to in making decisions related to the company. Therefore, the quality of earnings reported by companies need to be ensured that it accurately reflects tha real conditions of the company. Besides earnings, stakeholders also pay attention to corporate social responsibility activities that has been done by company as the implementation of triple bottom line concept. This study aims to investigate the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and earnings quality reported by firms. CSR is measured by using the CSRD Index based on 91 GRI criteria, while earnings quality is proxied by accrual earnings management and measured by calculating the discretionary accruals. The research object in this study is all entities listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) in the period of 2016-2019. After selecting companies based on predetermined sample criteria, the totals of sample numbers in this study is 191 companies in 2016-2019. The result of this study prove that there is no significant relationship between CSR and earnings quality. Keywords: corporate social responsibility, earnings quality, earnings management


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maher Jeriji ◽  
Waël Louhichi

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between hard, negative corporate social responsibility (CSR) information disclosure and corporate social performance. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a generalised least squares panel data analysis based on a sample of firms ranked in the Fortune Global 500 for the period 2013–2016. Robustness check tests were conducted to limit endogeneity concerns. Findings The results show that in line with strategic legitimacy theory, agency theory and organisational stigma theory, poor sustainability performers disclose a low quality of hard, negative CSR information. Practical implications This paper provides guidance for stakeholders to identify good and poor CSR performers by better understanding whether corporate CSR reports are more likely to be symbolic or substantive when considering the amount of hard, negative content in their CSR stand-alone reports. Social implications The research highlights the opportunistic behaviour of CSR reporting, which is used more as a legitimation device than as an accountability mechanism. Thi Originality/value Although numerous studies have investigated the association between the level of corporate social disclosure (CSD) and corporate social performance, no research has focussed on hard, negative CSD. Also, an index that captures the disclosure quality rather than the quantity of negative CSR information was constructed.


2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-22
Author(s):  
Mahdi Moardi ◽  
Mahdi Salehi ◽  
Simin Poursasan ◽  
Homa Molavi

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between earnings management and chief executive officers’ (CEOs) compensation. Owing to the fact that earnings management does not have only opportunistic effects, but signaling effects, this study focuses on accruals quality to examine earnings management incentives. Thus, accruals quality is described against future cash flow. The empirical evidences suggest that a positive relationship between discretionary accruals and future cash flow provides predictive elements for earnings management, whereas a negative relationship between discretionary accruals and future cash implies to opportunistic elements for earnings management. Should there is no significant relationship between discretionary accruals and future cash flow, there will be no earnings management, and such a result suggests that incentives and managers’ performance in these firms differ. Design/methodology/approach The statistical population of this research consists of all listed companies on the Tehran Stock Exchange during 2009–2016. Panel data method is applied in order to estimate the research model. Findings Findings of the study show that there is no significant relationship between discretionary accruals and future cash flow in pharmaceutical and food industries, thus they have neither predictive nor opportunist earnings management, while the results evidence a negative significant relationship between discretionary accruals and future cash flow in machineries, automobile, mineral and chemical industries. Furthermore, it can be alleged that there is no significant difference between CEOs’ compensation in firms with opportunistic earnings management (OEM) and other types of earnings management. It shows that firms do not have appropriate plans for CEOs’ compensation. Moreover, the relationship between earnings management and stock return has been investigated in this study. We document that stock return is influenced by accruals quality and its components. In other words, stock return significantly differs in firms with OEM and firms without any kind of earnings management. Research limitations/implications The authors’ findings provide contributions; for managers, it is noticeable that stock markets have sufficient comprehension about financial statements and the undertaken procedures on them, resulting in a higher return base on fair information. For investors and regulators, using the findings, may have deeper understanding to distinguish between industries that are recognized as opportunistic and non-opportunistic, which, in turn, results in better decision and regulation. Originality/value Previous studies have been mostly investigated OEM, while the current study examines both signaling and opportunistic aspects of earnings management.


2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (2/3) ◽  
pp. 184-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Safdar Sial ◽  
Zheng Chunmei ◽  
Tehmina Khan ◽  
Vinh Khuong Nguyen

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and firm performance and the moderating role of earnings management on the relationship between CSR and firm performance. Design/methodology/approach The empirical study used the updated data set (3,481 unbalanced observations for period 2009–2015) from Chinese listed companies on Shenzhen and Shanghai stock exchanges. The generalized method of moments (GMM) statistical approach has been used for the analysis. The authors utilized STATA to test GMM on a sample of Chinese listed firms data over the period 2009–2015. The unbalanced sample obtained 3,481 observations from China stock market and accounting research database and CSR ratings provided by Rankins (RKS). Findings The results demonstrated that CSR has a positive and significant relationship with firm’s performance; also, earnings management has a negatively moderate relationship between CSR and firm performance. These results imply that a high value of earnings management, which results in high level of symbolic CSR, converts to low firm performance of the Chinese firms. CSR actions (only as symbolic measures) promoted by managers as a means to cover their profit management incite an adverse effect on the company’s performance. This study has highlighted the impact of two different corporate social responsibilities: substantive and symbolic (genuine CSR vs greenwashing) on firm performance. Research limitations/implications The results of this investigation will be of distinct interest to company owners who wish to ascertain the effectiveness of the sustainability decisions of directors and managers, and also to investors and public authorities to estimate the positive relationship between CSR and company’s reputation and image, and thus, the positive influence on firm performance. Originality/value Previous studies have generally focused on the relationship between CSR and firm performance. This study provides the impact of earnings management (measurement of both aspects of accrual-based earnings management and real earnings management) on this relationship. Furthermore, this study examines the state of CSR in the Chinese market and provides empirical evidence of this relationship in emerging markets.


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (6) ◽  
pp. 1274-1288 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Azam ◽  
Muhammed Usman Khalid ◽  
Syeda Zinnaira Zia

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of board diversity on corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices and the interaction effect of Shariah compliance of firms with religious and ethical principles. Design/methodology/approach A total of 65 firms listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) were selected. The data were collected from the companies’ financial reports from 2012 to 2018 (n = 455). The data were analyzed using fixed and random effects regression models to test the effect of board diversity on firms’ CSR activities, while hierarchical moderated regression analysis was used to determine the moderating effects of Shariah compliance. Findings The study found evidence for a moderating effect of Shariah compliance on the relationship between board diversity and CSR activities. The findings suggest that a high level of Shariah compliance together with diverse educational backgrounds and presence of both genders among corporate members significantly promoted CSR activities. Research limitations/implications The present study included the demographic variables, gender, ethnicity and education; but excluded language and culture. The results suggest that the Security and Exchange Commission of Pakistan should attach more importance to Shariah compliance by firms in developing their CSR policies to improve social development and human well-being. Policy-makers should encourage more women to become directors on company boards and to increase philanthropic and charitable activities. These findings possess important implications for many Islamic countries irrespective of whether they are developed or developing. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study provides the first empirical analysis of the relationship between CSR and board diversity from the perspective of Islamic Shariah law. The findings will contribute both theoretically and empirically to the existing body of knowledge.


2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dhouha Bouaziz ◽  
Bassem Salhi ◽  
Anis Jarboui

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of chief executive officer (CEO) characteristics on the earnings management examined by the discretionary accruals. Design/methodology/approach The sample includes 151 French firms listed on the CAC ALL shares index from 2006 to 2015. The paper uses the feasible generalized least square regression technique to test the relationship between CEO characteristics and earnings management. Findings Using discretionary accruals as a proxy for earnings management, the results obtained from the three models (Jones modified 1995; Kothari et al., 2005; Raman and Shahrur, 2008) indicated that there is a positive and significant relationship between CEO duality, CEO nationality and the quality of financial communication. However, no significant relationship was found between CEO board member, CEO turnover and earnings management. Originality/value A literature review finds that fewer studies have investigated the relationship between earnings management practices and personal CEO characteristics in the French context. Furthermore, no study yet has examined the influence of CEO nationality and CEO age on earnings management practices. This study provides empirical data about the impact of CEO’s characteristics on earnings management and how these different characteristics can facilitate the transition to manipulate and influence the quality of financial communication.


2017 ◽  
Vol 32 (4/5) ◽  
pp. 427-444 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Badrul Muttakin ◽  
Arifur Khan ◽  
Dessalegn Getie Mihret

Purpose This study aims to investigate the moderating role of audit quality on the association between business group affiliation of firms and earnings management in the South Asian emerging economy of Bangladesh. Design/methodology/approach A usable sample of 917 firm-year observations was drawn from companies listed on the Dhaka Stock Exchange from 2005 to 2013. Data were collected from the annual reports of sample companies. Earnings management was measured using the absolute value of discretionary accruals, and two proxies were used to measure audit quality: auditor size and industry specialisation. Findings Results showed that the level of discretionary accruals is positively associated with business group affiliation status, and higher audit quality reduces this association. This suggests that in environments without strong investor protection, complex ownership structures create opportunities for controlling shareholders to expropriate minority shareholders. The controlling shareholders could then mask this practice through earnings management. The findings also show that in environments lacking strong investor protection, audit quality can help improve earnings quality for group-affiliated firms. Practical implications The results suggest that financial statement users need to consider audit quality for a reasonable evaluation of the earnings quality of business groups. The study also informs regulators by illuminating audit quality as a key area of focus in any effort directed at enhancing stock market efficiency through improved earnings quality in environments where business group affiliation is prevalent. Originality/value This study documents empirical evidence on the moderating effect of audit quality on the positive association between business group affiliation and earnings management.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yvonne Joseph Ason ◽  
Imbarine Bujang ◽  
Agnes Paulus Jidwin ◽  
Jamaliah Said

Purpose Prior studies had documented that CEOs with accounting backgrounds are more conservative as compared to their non-accounting backgrounds counterparts. However, prior studies also suggested that CEOs with accounting backgrounds tend to engage in earnings management activities because they have the knowledge to do so. Motivated by these findings, this study aims to examine empirically the possibility of executive compensation to play a moderating role in influencing the behaviour of CEO with accounting backgrounds towards earnings management. Design/methodology/approach This study uses the data from 2013 to 2017 from Malaysian FTSE Top 30 companies. The data on the education backgrounds of the CEOs were collected manually from the companies’ annual reports. CEOs with accounting qualification was coded 1, and 0, otherwise. The earnings management were the discretionary accruals estimated using the modified Jones (1991) model. Meanwhile, the data on executive compensation was also collected manually from the companies’ annual reports. All other governance data were also collected manually from the annual reports, and financial data was collected using the Thompson Reuters DataStream application. Findings This study found that compensation suffered multicollinearity with the CEO accounting background, thus ineligible to act as a moderating variable between the latter and earnings management. The result further documented a negative but insignificant relationship between compensation with earnings management. Originality/value This study discusses the possibility of executive compensation as a moderating variable in the relationship between CEOs with accounting backgrounds and earnings management, whereby, to the authors’ best knowledge, such a discussion is limited in the existing literature.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aydın Karapınar ◽  
Figen Zaif

Purpose The purpose of this study is to reveal the effect on earnings quality of switching to International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) from Turkish generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) by comparing two sets of financial statements based on Turkish GAAP and IFRS. Design/methodology/approach This study is based on mathematical modeling. The variables (total assets, net income, total accruals, cash receivables, return on assets and size) in the models are core to the quantitative research that examines the relationship between them. In this study, the total accruals are computed based on the indirect approach, and the prediction error of the model represents discretionary accruals that reflect earnings management. The data set includes financial data prepared under IFRS and Turkish GAAP. The univariate and multivariate analyses are conducted by SPSS. Findings The results of this study indicate that IFRS does not cause any significant differences in total assets, but the net income under IFRS is larger compared to that under the Turkish GAAP. It is also found that while there is no significant difference in total accruals, there is a difference in discretionary accruals. In other words, Turkish firms use income-reducing discretionary accruals when adopting IFRS. Originality/value This study provides more insights into the effect of IFRS on earnings quality. It also provides evidence of the effect of accounting culture on IFRS adoption. As a code-law country in Turkey, publicly traded firms have to prepare financial statements based on both Turkish GAAP, which is rule-based and restricts management decisions with strict rules, and the principle-based IFRS which leaves more room to manipulate. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that reveals the effect of accounting standards on earnings management by comparing two sets of financials of the same period prepared under different standards.


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