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Exploring integrated thinking in integrated reporting – an exploratory study in Australia

Tianyuan Feng (Department of Accounting and Corporate Governance, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia)
Lorne Cummings (Department of Accounting and Corporate Governance, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia)
Dale Tweedie (Department of Accounting and Corporate Governance, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia)

Journal of Intellectual Capital

ISSN: 1469-1930

Article publication date: 10 April 2017

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Abstract

Purpose

Integrated thinking is central to the International Integrated Reporting Council’s (IIRC’s) integrated reporting (IR) framework, which is in turn is related to a potential resurgence of intellectual capital (IC) reporting. However, it remains unclear how key IR stakeholders understand this concept in theory or practice. The purpose of this paper is to explore how key stakeholders interpret integrated thinking; and how pilot organizations are applying integrated thinking in practice.

Design/methodology/approach

The study involved in-depth semi-structured interviews with key IR stakeholders in Australia, including two IR pilot organizations, one professional association, an accounting professional body, an accounting firm and two IIRC officials.

Findings

First, the IIRC has not fully defined and articulated the concept of integrated thinking, and there is no shared consensus among practitioners. Second, there is evidence of an evolving understanding of integrated thinking within practice. What remains unclear is how this understanding will develop over time.

Research limitations/implications

Since interviews were conducted with a relatively small sample of participants in Australia, the results may not be generalizable across different contexts. The study emphasizes the need to interpret carefully IR’s potential contribution to organizational practice through either reporting in general, or IC reporting in particular.

Originality/value

Despite the centrality of integrated thinking to IR, there has been limited research to date on the concept. Clarifying what integrated thinking means in practice can improve our understanding of a key IR concept, and can advance our understanding of IR’s potential to improve IC reporting and research.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the anonymous reviewers for their detailed commentary, which substantially improved the manuscript. The authors are also especially grateful to Associate Professor John Dumay and Assistant Professor Rosa Lombardi for their constructive feedback and expertise in helping to finalize this paper. Their excellent and patient editorial assistance was invaluable across the review process.

Citation

Feng, T., Cummings, L. and Tweedie, D. (2017), "Exploring integrated thinking in integrated reporting – an exploratory study in Australia", Journal of Intellectual Capital, Vol. 18 No. 2, pp. 330-353. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIC-06-2016-0068

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited

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