Internal control and financial reporting quality of small firms

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 221-246
Author(s):  
Jagan Krishnan ◽  
Jayanthi Krishnan ◽  
Sophie Liang
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Internal Control ◽  
Small Firms ◽  
Reporting Quality ◽  
Financial Reporting Quality ◽  
Policy Debate ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Material Weaknesses ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The Dodd–Frank Act of 2010 exempts small, non-accelerated filers from compliance with Sarbanes–Oxley Act (SOX) Section 404b internal control audits. However, these firms are required to comply with other internal control regulations, namely, SOX Sections 302 and 404a, starting in 2002 and 2007, respectively. A small number of these firms also voluntarily adopted (and sometimes dropped) Section 404b during 2004-2010. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of a series of internal control regulations introduced by SOX on the financial reporting quality of small firms. Design/methodology/approach The research design for this study is empirical. Using unsigned and signed discretionary accruals as measures of financial reporting quality, the authors compare the financial reporting quality for adopters and non-adopters across four regulation regimes over the period 2000-2010: PRESOX, SOX 302, SOX 404a and SOX 404b. Findings The results indicate that most of the adopters and non-adopters benefited from SOX 302 and 404a compared with the PRESOX period. However, only the non-adopters gained incrementally when moving from SOX 302 to SOX 404a. Also, Section 404b benefited firms with material weaknesses, as well as firms without material weaknesses that had the lowest reporting quality, in the PRESOX period. Research limitations/implications This study helps inform the important policy debate on whether to increase the threshold that is used for the SOX 404b exemption. It shows incremental benefits for firms that adopted Section 404b audits, even when they were complying with Section 302 and Section 404a. Consequently, extending the exemption to more companies would result in a loss of the reporting quality benefit of 404b. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature by focusing exclusively on non-accelerated filers and by examining differences across four regulation regimes over a long window compared to prior studies. It provides evidence that the financial reporting benefit of SOX 404b is not transitional, but rather extends for a few years even after some firms discontinued the 404b audits.

Effects of leadership and accounting capacity on accountability through the quality of financial reporting by public organisations in Vietnam

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yen Thi Tran ◽  
Nguyen Phong Nguyen ◽  
Trang Cam Hoang
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Reporting Quality ◽  
Financial Reporting Quality ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Results ◽  
Public Organisations ◽  
The Impact

Purpose By drawing on the institutional theory and contingency theory, this study aims to examine the effects of leadership and accounting capacity on the quality of financial reporting and accountability of public organisations in Vietnam. Furthermore, this paper is to determine the impact of financial reporting quality on accountability. Design/methodology/approach The research model and hypotheses have been tested by partial least squares structural equation modeling, with 177 survey samples obtained from accountants and managers working in the public sector in Vietnam. Findings The research results indicate that leadership and accounting capacity have a positive effect on financial reporting quality; leadership and accounting capacity positively influence accountability; and the quality of financial reporting has a positive impact on accountability. Research limitations/implications The research results provide empirical evidence of the direct impact of leadership and accounting capacity on financial reporting quality and accountability of public organisations in a developing country. Moreover, the current work also provides important evidence for the impact of financial reporting quality on accountability. Practical implications Public sector organisations must realise that leadership and accounting capacity play a vital role in the accounting reform process. Public institutions likewise need to pay attention to develop accounting capacity and promote leadership. Moreover, the results respond to the continuing call for increased citizen trust in public organisations. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to examine the chain from leadership, accounting capacity, financial reporting quality and accountability in the context of public sector organisations in an Asian transition market.

scholarly journals Assessment of Government Internal Control Systems on Financial Reporting Quality in Ghana: A Case Study of Ghana Revenue Authority

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 40
Author(s):  
Wonder Agbenyo ◽  
Yuansheng Jiang ◽  
Prince Komla Cobblah
Keyword(s):  
Control Systems ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Internal Control ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Reporting Quality ◽  
Financial Reporting Quality ◽  
Quality Reporting ◽  
The Impact

Internal control systems cannot be underestimated as it serves as the lifeblood of most institutions in terms of its imperative roles that it plays in both tangible and intangible assets of an organization. Internal control actions on quality financial report state positive goals more especially when all parties involved adhere to their duties; thus, making the quality of financial reporting comparable, understandable, relevant, and reliable. In this regard, this study investigated the impact of government internal control systems on financial reporting quality in Ghana using Ghana Revenue Authority as the case study. Specifically, the study examined the nature and quality of financial reporting and the impact of government internal control systems on financial reporting quality. Both quota and simple random sampling techniques were used to select fifty (50) persons as the sample size of the study. Questionnaires were used to obtain data. The correlation matrix was used to examine the relationship between government internal control systems and financial reporting quality. The study finds out that contrary to apriori expectation sign monitoring as an element of internal control system has a negative impact on the financial quality reporting but was however statistically significant. The study also revealed that with a unit increase in the collection performance, the financial reporting quality of GRA will improve. The study recommended that the government should ensure that the internal control systems are well monitored and regulated. 

scholarly journals A literature review on the impact of IAS/IFRS and regulations on quality of financial reporting

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 102-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Newman Wadesango ◽  
Edmore Tasa ◽  
Khazamula Milondzo ◽  
Ongayi Vongai Wadesango
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Accounting Standards ◽  
Reporting Quality ◽  
Financial Statements ◽  
Conclusive Evidence ◽  
Financial Reporting Quality ◽  
International Accounting Standards ◽  
Ifrs Adoption ◽  
The Impact

The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) in its objectives and preamble, presume that IFRS adoption and perceived compliance to regulatory framework is associated with increased financial reporting quality. Based on these assumptions, this desktop study reviewed several documents to determine whether the IFRS adoption has led to increased financial reporting quality in Zimbabwe. The researchers reviewed literature on how the IAS/IFRS and regulations affect the financial reporting quality of listed companies. The factors around IFRS adoption were identified (mandatory, voluntary and convergence) and discussed in relation to the financial reporting quality. Evidence from previous studies conducted in line with this same issue shows that there is no conclusive evidence on how IFRS and regulations affect the financial reporting quality. Issues to be addressed in further studies include the importance of financial statements prepared under IFRS framework and the importance of compliance with accounting and auditing requirements.

scholarly journals An Investigation on the Audit Committees Effectiveness: The Case for GLCs in Malaysia

2011 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 287 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nurul Nazlia Jamil ◽  
Sherliza Puat Nelson
Keyword(s):  
Earnings Management ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Audit Committee ◽  
Reporting Quality ◽  
Audit Committees ◽  
Financial Reporting Quality ◽  
Financial Expertise ◽  
Monitoring Mechanism ◽  
The Impact

Financial reporting quality has been under scrutiny especially after the collapse of major companies. The main objective of this study is to investigate the audit committee’s effectiveness on the financial reporting quality among the Malaysian GLCs following the transformation program. In particular, the study examined the impact of audit committee characteristics (independence, size, frequency of meeting and financial expertise) on earnings management in periods prior to and following the transformation program (2003-2009). As of 31 December 2010, there were 33 public-listed companies categorized as Government-Linked Companies (GLC Transformation Policy, 2010) and there were 20 firms that have complete data that resulted in the total number of firm-year observations to 120 for six years (years 2003-2009).  Results show that the magnitude of earnings management as proxy of financial reporting quality is influenced by the audit committee independence. Agency theory was applied to explain audit committee, as a monitoring mechanism as well as reducing agency costs via gaining competitive advantage in knowledge, skills, and expertise towards financial reporting quality. The study is important as it provides additional knowledge about the impact of audit committees effectiveness on reducing the earnings management, and assist practitioners, policymakers and regulators such as Malaysian Institute of Accountants, Securities Commission and government to determine ways to enhance audit committees effectiveness and improve the financial reporting of GLCs, as well as improving the quality of the accounting profession.     

scholarly journals Firm Structural Characteristics and Financial Reporting Quality of Listed Deposit Money Banks in Nigeria

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olumide A. Olowokure ◽  
Muhammad Tanko ◽  
Terzungwe Nyor
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Structural Characteristics ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Reporting Quality ◽  
Financial Reporting Quality ◽  
Loan Loss ◽  
Loan Loss Provisions ◽  
The Impact

<p>The quality of financial report is very crucial as published financial reports remains, for the most part, the only means by which outside shareholders and investors keep themselves informed about the performance of the firm. In the present economic scenario, this concern for financial reporting quality becomes more acute as emerging market economies and more importantly mono economies like Nigeria face greater uncertainties as they combat the challenges of unprecedented fall in oil prices. In addition to this, the suspension of the CEO, Chairman and two other directors of Stambic IBTC bank by the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria for filling a misleading financial statement for 2013 and 2014 has also shown that the issue of financial reporting quality cannot be overemphasized. Using secondary data from the published reports of thirteen listed deposit money banks in Nigeria for over a period of ten years between 2005 and 2014, this paper seeks to find the determinants of financial reporting quality and reports the findings of the impact of structural characteristics like age, size and level of leverage on financial reporting quality. Using prio studies as a guide, we developed a model for loan loss provisions and generated the residuals, using these residuals know as abnormal loan loss provisions as the dependent variable for the multiple regression analysis, the study did not find any evidence of significant relationship between firm age, size, leverage and financial reporting quality.</p>

Family ownership and financial reporting quality: Iranian evidence

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 339-356 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mahmoud Mousavi Shiri ◽  
Mahdi Salehi ◽  
Fatemeh Abbasi ◽  
Shayan Farhangdoust
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Family Firms ◽  
Stock Exchange ◽  
Accounting Information ◽  
Reporting Quality ◽  
Audit Fees ◽  
Financial Reporting Quality ◽  
Family Ownership ◽  
Content Type

PurposeIn the process of reporting accounting information, the auditor’s objective is to detect possible misstatements and errors in accounting information. Audit evidence aids auditors in providing reasonable assurance about the quality of financial reporting. Studying the quality of family firms’ financial reporting is of higher importance relative to non-family firms due to lower risk of accounting manipulation. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between family ownership structure and financial reporting quality from an auditing perspective.Design/methodology/approachTo analyze the research hypotheses, the authors use a sample data consisted of 221 companies listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange (including 52 family and 169 non-family firms) over a five-year span from 2011 to 2015.FindingsUsing multivariate regression analysis of panel data, our results indicate that audit risk in family firms is lower than their counterparts. Likewise, the findings are indicative of lower audit fees paid by family firms as compared to non-family ones. The authors also find that auditors put more effort in family firms and thus audit effort is more significant for these kinds of firms.Originality/valueThe study focuses on family ownership and financial reporting quality in a developing country like Iran and the results of the study may be beneficial to other developing nations, as Iran stock market possesses some unique features which are not normally prevailing in other equity markets, even in the Middle East.

Financial reporting quality, family ownership, and investment efficiency

2019 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 513-535 ◽  
Author(s):  
Faisal Shahzad ◽  
Ijaz Ur Rehman ◽  
Sisira Colombage ◽  
Faisal Nawaz
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Family Firms ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Reporting Quality ◽  
Least Square ◽  
Financial Reporting Quality ◽  
Family Ownership ◽  
Investment Efficiency ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate the impact of two monitoring mechanisms: family ownership (FO) and financial reporting quality (FRQ) on investment efficiency (IE) over the period of 2007–2014 for listed firms on the Pakistan Stock Exchange. Design/methodology/approach The authors employ two-dimensional pooled OLS cluster at the firm and year level, two-stage least square regression and feasible generalized lease square regression regression methods. Findings The findings suggest that higher FRQ and FO are associated with higher IE. Further, the authors report that higher FRQ and FO mitigate over- and under-investment. The impact of FRQ on IE is stronger (weaker) for family-controlled businesses. The results for these particular estimates are robust for alternative estimation techniques and measures of FRQ and FO. Originality/value The study draws on both agency and behavioral agency theories and therefore contributes to the literature in the following ways. First, the authors examine a relationship between FRQ and IE. Second, the authors test the impact of FO on IE. Third, the authors test the moderating impact of FO on the relationship between FRQ and the IE of family and non-family firms in relatively less regulated emerging market.

IFRS adoption, financial reporting quality and cost of capital: a life cycle perspective

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 497-522 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahsan Habib ◽  
Md. Borhan Uddin Bhuiyan ◽  
Mostafa Monzur Hasan
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Cost Of Capital ◽  
Reporting Quality ◽  
Financial Reporting Quality ◽  
Cost Of Equity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Ifrs Adoption ◽  
Life Cycle Stages ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the impact of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) adoption on financial reporting quality and cost of equity. The paper further investigates whether such association varies at different life cycle stages. Design/methodology/approach This paper follows the methodologies of DeAngelo et al. (2006) and Dickinson (2011) to develop proxies for the firms’ stages in the life cycle. Findings Using both pre- and post-IFRS adoption period for Australian listed companies, the paper finds that financial reporting quality reduced and cost of equity increased because of the adoption of IFRS. The paper further evidences that financial reporting quality in the post-IFRS period increased cost of equity. Finally, the paper finds that mature firms produce a better quality of earnings, which result in lower cost of capital. The results indicate that a mature firm was benefited because of the adoption of IFRS. Originality/value The finding of this research is useful to the regulators and practitioners to understand the widespread benefit of IFRS adoption.

Comparing the financial reporting quality of Chinese and US public firms

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 399-424
Author(s):  
Kareen Brown ◽  
Fayez A. Elayan ◽  
Jingyu Li ◽  
Zhefeng Liu
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Spillover Effect ◽  
Abnormal Returns ◽  
Reporting Quality ◽  
Spillover Effects ◽  
Financial Reporting Quality ◽  
Chinese Firms ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Regulatory Actions

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether US regulatory actions around reverse mergers (RM) have exerted any spillover effects on the Chinese firms listed in China and whether Chinese firms have exhibited lower financial reporting quality than their US counterparts. Design/methodology/approach To test the possible spillover effect, this paper calculates three-day cumulative average abnormal returns (CAAR) and the aggregate CAAR for a series of US regulatory actions in 2010 and 2011. The study then compares the accrual quality, conditional conservatism, and information content of accruals of Chinese firms and US firms. Findings The paper documents a spillover effect of US actions around RM on Chinese stocks listed in China. Overall results do not support the perception that Chinese firms have lower financial reporting quality than their US counterparts. Research limitations/implications While this study provides evidence consistent with investors perceiving poor financial reporting quality among Chinese firms, that perception is not justified by empirical evidence. Practical implications Investors need not be overly concerned about the financial reporting quality among the Chinese firms when they make asset allocation decisions. Social implications A reality check is important given that perceptions may be outdated, biased, misleading, and costly. Originality/value This study puts the financial reporting quality of Chinese firms into perspective helping global investors assess information risk for optimal resource allocation.

Better with age: financial reporting quality in family firms

2019 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberto Tommasetti ◽  
Marcelo Á. da Silva Macedo ◽  
Frederico A. Azevedo de Carvalho ◽  
Sergio Barile
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Family Firms ◽  
Reporting Quality ◽  
Management Control ◽  
Financial Reporting Quality ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Family Control ◽  
A Value ◽  
The Family ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the literature on financial reporting quality (FRQ) within family firms (FFs), assessing whether longevity can determine a different propensity to earning management (EM) behaviors. Design/methodology/approach The sample, composed by Italian and Brazilian listed family (and non-family) firms, is segregated into old and young. For each subsample, unsigned discretionary accruals are calculated, using two different EM models. A linear regression model is then proposed, together with some robustness tests, to confirm the research hypothesis. Findings The outcome is that, within FFs, the entrenchment effect seems to be diminishing with the company’s age, up to become lower than the alignment effect. With some caveat, research also demonstrates that old FFs are more propense to supply higher FRQ than any other subsample group. Research limitations/implications The authors demonstrated that, in terms of EM decision process, FFs become virtuous just with time. More research is needed to evaluate the impact of the share and management control separately and to analyze different generation segmentation. Practical implications This paper could help non-family stakeholders, as it shows that different company types (family vs non-family), at a different stage of the life-cycle (young vs old) have a different attitude toward FRQ. On the other hand, family owners could exploit the longevity as a value driver. Originality/value This paper suggests that agency theory and socio-emotional theory are complementary in explaining the family control role in earnings management decisions. The study also contributes to the debate of FF homogeneity and on risk behavior in FFs, often portrayed as having a patient capital.

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