Search results
1 – 10 of over 179000Lovinska Liudmyla and Kucheriava Maria
Introduction: In the context of globalisation processes, the necessity to create appropriate information support for management decisions at various levels becomes increasingly…
Abstract
Introduction: In the context of globalisation processes, the necessity to create appropriate information support for management decisions at various levels becomes increasingly important: at the international, national and enterprise levels. The source of such data is financial reporting. The last leads to increase attention from key users (investors, lenders, other users) to the reliability and quality of financial reporting data. The study of scientific literature and best foreign practices made it possible to identify problems of the theoretical, organisational and methodological background of preparing high-quality financial statements and their assessment, particularly the lack of a unified interpretation of the financial reporting quality concept. The necessity to identify a theoretical basis for assessing financial reporting quality has led to the relevance of this study.
Aim: Scientific substantiation and improvement of theoretical provisions of methodology development for financial reporting quality assessment.
Methods used within the study are the following: Analysis, synthesis, operational approach, bibliographic analysis, generalisation.
Findings: The application of an operational approach to the formulation of the definition of financial reporting quality has made it possible to create the basis for its assessment. This approach involves descriptions of the principles of clarity and uniformity. The authors define the concept of ‘financial reporting quality’, formulating the theoretical principles for financial reporting assessment as the process of establishing compliance of financial statements with a specific list of qualitative characteristics.
Details
Keywords
The accounting profession’s strong focus on internal control and fraudulent financial reporting has led to new standards relating to internal control and fraudulent financial…
Abstract
The accounting profession’s strong focus on internal control and fraudulent financial reporting has led to new standards relating to internal control and fraudulent financial reporting. The control environment and specifically, management integrity, is an important component. The purpose of this article is to determine if the control environment forces ‐ the tone at the top, codes of conduct, and short‐term targets ‐ are related to financial reporting decisions. The results are based on a survey mailed to 400 CPAs who prepare financial reports. The findings indicate there is some reason for concern about fraudulent financial reporting. In addition, a tone at the top in an organization that fosters ethical decisions is of overriding importance to reliable financial reporting. Codes of conduct and pressure for short‐term performance, alone, had no significant effect on financial reporting decisions. The findings emphasize the importance of learning about an organization’s tone at the top during an audit.
Details
Keywords
Lela D. Pumphrey and Gil Crain
In 2004, City of Gardena was unable to meet its obligations on $26 million in debt. The authors examined City of Gardena financial reporting as of June 30, 2004 and 2003 to…
Abstract
In 2004, City of Gardena was unable to meet its obligations on $26 million in debt. The authors examined City of Gardena financial reporting as of June 30, 2004 and 2003 to determine if the publicly available financial reports adequately disclosed the situation. Information about the long-term debt was properly displayed in the financial statements and disclosed in notes. There was no mention of the situation in the MD&A either year. The auditors’ did not include an explanatory paragraph highlighting the debt, nor did they issue a ‘substantial doubt about the ability to continue to exist as a going concern’ report. This paper examines existing accounting and auditing standards to determine their adequacy to protect the public interest.
This study investigates the influence of corporate culture on financial reporting transparency within Iranian firms.
Abstract
Purpose
This study investigates the influence of corporate culture on financial reporting transparency within Iranian firms.
Design/methodology/approach
Leveraging a dataset of 1,480 firm-year observations from the Tehran Stock Exchange spanning from 2013 to 2022, the study employs text mining to quantify linguistic features of corporate culture and transparency, specifically readability and tone, within annual financial statements and Management Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) reports.
Findings
Our results confirm a positive and significant relationship between corporate culture and financial reporting transparency. The distinct dimensions of corporate culture — Creativity, Competition, Control, and Collaboration — each uniquely enhance financial transparency. Robustness tests including firm fixed-effects, entropy balancing, Generalized Method of Moments (GMM), and Propensity Score Matching (PSM) validate the profound influence of corporate culture on transparency. Additionally, our analysis shows that corporate culture significantly affects the disclosure of business, operational, and financial risks, with varying impacts across risk categories. Cross-sectional analysis further reveals how the impact of corporate culture on transparency varies significantly across different industries and firm sizes.
Research limitations/implications
The study’s scope, while focused on Iran, opens avenues for comparative research in different cultural and regulatory environments. Its reliance on text mining could be complemented by qualitative methods to capture more nuanced linguistic subtleties.
Practical implications
Findings underscore the strategic importance of cultivating a transparent corporate culture for enhancing financial reporting practices and stakeholder trust, particularly in emerging economies with similar dynamics to Iran.
Originality/value
This research is pioneering in its quantitative analysis of the textual features of corporate culture and its impact on transparency within Iranian corporate reports, integrating foundational theoretical perspectives with empirical evidence.
Details
Keywords
Wan Adibah Wan Ismail, Marziana Madah Marzuki and Nor Asma Lode
This study examines the relationship between financial reporting quality, Industrial Revolution 4.0 and social well-being of stakeholders among public companies in Malaysia.
Abstract
Purpose
This study examines the relationship between financial reporting quality, Industrial Revolution 4.0 and social well-being of stakeholders among public companies in Malaysia.
Design/methodology/approach
The sample of the study includes 232 firm-year observations of Malaysian publicly listed companies from 2013 to 2017. Social well-being is measured using social pillar scores from the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) data provided by Refinitiv. The study identified companies as an adopter of IR 4.0 based on their disclosure on the use of autonomous robots, simulation, cloud, horizontal and vertical system integration, cybersecurity, additive manufacturing, augmented reality and big data analytics in their financial reports. Financial reporting quality is measured using discretionary accruals.
Findings
This study found that financial reporting quality and IR 4.0 are related to social well-being, particularly the workforce. These results imply that companies with higher adoption of IR 4.0 are more likely to provide more information concerning job satisfaction, a healthy and safe workplace, maintaining diversity, equal and development opportunities for its workforce. Furthermore, the results show that firms with lower discretionary accruals (i.e. higher quality of financial reporting) are more likely to provide more information about social well-being. The results are robust even after addressing endogeneity issues.
Research limitations/implications
This research contributes new insights into the role of financial reporting quality and IR 4.0 in enhancing social well-being in Malaysia. These findings offer valuable input for regulators striving to advance the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Practical implications
This study carries substantial practical implications for policymakers and businesses alike. It underscores the importance of embracing IR 4.0 technologies and integrating them into strategic planning to foster social well-being. These insights can guide policymakers in shaping economic strategies and assist businesses in prioritizing financial reporting quality while engaging stakeholders to promote social well-being.
Originality/value
This is the first study to investigate the combined relationship of financial reporting quality and IR4.0 on social well-being, which provides valuable evidence in this novel domain. While previous studies have primarily explored the relationship of IR4.0 on sustainability from an environmental and human resource perspective, this study sheds light on the specific dimension of social well-being, hence promoting sustainable development goals by the United Nations in 2030.
Details
Keywords
This study aims to assess how prepared and flexible accounting professionals are to produce financial accounts that adhere to Shariah regulations in the metaverse. The study also…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to assess how prepared and flexible accounting professionals are to produce financial accounts that adhere to Shariah regulations in the metaverse. The study also highlights the potential positive and negative effects of metaverse utilization on the financial reporting quality of Islamic financial institutions (IFIs).
Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire was distributed to a random sample of 102 accounting professionals employed in IFIs in Bahrain.
Findings
The capacity to provide real-time reporting within the metaverse would enhance the quality and reliability of Islamic financial reporting. Furthermore, the fluctuating values of digital assets in the metaverse pose a significant challenge to ensuring accurate financial reporting. IFIs fail to create an environment suitable for transitioning to the metaverse. Moreover, the participants expressed concerns about how the rapid expansion of the metaverse may challenge the adherence to Shariah governance principles in virtual financial transactions. They further recommended that the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI) establish explicit directives on Shariah governance in the metaverse.
Practical implications
Various IFIs’ stakeholders, including practitioners, shareholders and employees interested in adopting the metaverse technology, can benefit from the findings of the studies. In addition, the study could help Islamic banks in Bahrain better grasp the readiness and adaptability of accounting professionals. This understanding would aid in establishing robust financial reporting standards that align with Shariah principles in the metaverse.
Originality/value
This research examines the metaverse through the lens of Islamic financial reporting, offering recent evidence on technological developments and financial reporting practices within an Islamic context. The research findings would contribute to advancing the knowledge among academics, professionals and all interested parties concerning the effects of metaverse implementation on Shariah governance principles and the quality of financial reporting. The study findings would offer policymakers and regulators in the Islamic finance sector essential insights.
Details
Keywords
Samuel Koufie, Lexis Alexander Tetteh, Amoako Kwarteng and Richard Amankwa Fosu
This study aims to investigate the impact of ethical accounting practices on financial reporting quality by using the extended theory of planned behaviour (ETPB) and integrating…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the impact of ethical accounting practices on financial reporting quality by using the extended theory of planned behaviour (ETPB) and integrating religiosity as a moderating variable.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a survey method, data was obtained from 371 chartered accountants who were in good standing as of April 2023. The collected data were then analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling.
Findings
The results revealed that there is a significant positive relationship between ethical accounting practices (attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioural control and ethical judgement) and financial reporting quality of accounting practitioners. Furthermore, a moderation test was conducted, which demonstrated that religiosity enhances the positive correlation between ethical accounting constructs (attitude, subjective norm and ethical judgement) and financial reporting.
Practical implications
Leading by example, top-level management should actively promote a culture of religiosity that prioritises integrity and adherence to financial reporting requirements.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the very few ethics studies in accounting that demonstrates that the application of the ETPB improves financial reporting quality in a context fraught with allegations of moral breaches by accountants.
Details
Keywords
Lennart Nørreklit, Hanne Nørreklit, Lino Cinquini and Falconer Mitchell
The aim of this paper is to propose a basis upon which accounting reporting can be developed to reflect real values and the real economy. It aims to address the environmental…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this paper is to propose a basis upon which accounting reporting can be developed to reflect real values and the real economy. It aims to address the environmental considerations discussed in the UN debate (Bebbington and Unerman, 2020) and the concern for a “better life-world”, which is the theme of this special issue.
Design/methodology/approach
Addressing the task involves the application of the philosophy of pragmatic constructivism (which explains how people can relate to their reality in ways that lead to successful action) and the philosophical concept of the “good life” (which establishes the values to be pursued through action and so defines action success). Also, it outlines the necessary characteristics of measurement frameworks if they are to be effective in the development and control of human practices to achieve desired values.
Findings
This paper proposes a conceptual framework for guiding the measurement of how a sustainable good life has improved and/or deteriorated as a result of organisational activities. It outlines a system of concepts on basic and instrumental values for analysing the condition of maintaining a sustainable good life in real terms. This is related to the financial results and societal regulations to analyse and adjust controls according to the real economic goals. Also, it provides a system of value measurands to produce valid information about the development of a sustainable good life. The measurand makes accounting reporting reflect the conditions of the good life that constitute the real economy instead of merely the financial economy driven by shareholder capitalism. Providing tools to analyse whether the existing practices of business and social regulations promote or counteract the real economic goals of producing a sustainable good life means the measurement system proposed makes the invisible hand of the market visible.
Originality/value
The mechanism proposed to enable accounting reporting to reflect real values and the real economy is a new conceptual framework that will allow accounting to more fully realise its potential to contribute to a “better world”. In aiming to serve a sustainable good life, accounting reporting will inherently foster ethical social practices.
Details
Keywords
C. Richard Baker and Martin E. Persson
At a congress of the European Accounting Association, held more than 20 years ago, the President of the Belgian Institute of Registered Auditors, Paul Behets (1998), delivered a…
Abstract
At a congress of the European Accounting Association, held more than 20 years ago, the President of the Belgian Institute of Registered Auditors, Paul Behets (1998), delivered a plenary speech with the title: Are Financial Statements an Obsolete Product? Behets’ answer was “no,” that financial statements are an essential component of the financial reporting system that is necessary for the proper functioning of capital markets. In this chapter, we reach a similar conclusion, but for somewhat different reasons. A central argument of this chapter is that an effective system of corporate governance requires an effective financial reporting system, and that an effective financial reporting system requires a well-ordered system of financial accounting. Behet’s speech provides evidence that financial reporting, and the role of traditional audited financial statements within financial reporting, have undergone a period of change. The future of financial reporting is difficult to predict with any degree of certainty, but it is likely to be a future marked by change. One possible path for change was suggested by Elliot (1994), who indicated that the accepted model of financial reporting might be replaced by electronic information systems providing financial and other forms of information about companies, not necessarily in the form of audited financial statements, which would be widely available via the Internet. Under this scenario, a decision-maker could decide on the types of information that were important to them, and then arrange the information in the ways they see fit. Financial reports in their present form (i.e., audited financial statements) might become obsolete as users decide individually on the types of information that are important to them. If this scenario came to pass, the question arises whether there would be a continuing need for financial reports as presently constituted. It is the argument of this chapter that, even if it is technologically feasible for financial reports to be changed from their present form, there would still be a need for financial reports as an important component of corporate governance.
Abhishek N., M.S. Divyashree, Habeeb Ur Rahiman, Abhinandan Kulal and Meghashree Kulal
This study aims to examine the impact of extensible business reporting language (XBRL) technology and its functionality on various aspects of financial reporting and its overall…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the impact of extensible business reporting language (XBRL) technology and its functionality on various aspects of financial reporting and its overall quality.
Design/methodology/approach
To conduct this study, data was collected from a variety of professionals, including accountants, auditors, tax advisors and others. A structured research instrument was developed, and the collected data were analysed using structural equation modelling and mediation analysis techniques.
Findings
The study’s results showed that XBRL technology and its functionality have a noteworthy impact on different aspects of financial reporting. Moreover, the various aspects of financial reporting positively affect the overall quality of financial reporting.
Research limitations/implications
This study solely relied on the opinions of various professionals regarding the current issue under investigation and did not empirically assess the reporting practices of companies by examining their XBRL-based reports. Additionally, it concentrated solely on financial reporting aspects and did not account for non-financial aspects. The main theoretical contributions of this paper to technology in financial reporting, XBRL and accounting literature are that it sheds light on the influence of the use of technologies in the business reporting process and their influence on various aspects of business reporting, which has only received confined focus from earlier studies so far.
Practical implications
This study’s findings could provide valuable insights to the managerial teams of organizations seeking to digitize their business reporting practices, specifically in areas such as regulatory compliance, integrated reporting and timely dissemination of reports in a sustainable way. Furthermore, it could help these teams reap the benefits of technology for various regulatory compliance matters.
Originality/value
This study could assist business organizations and regulatory authorities in adopting and implementing technology such as XBRL for accounting and business reporting. Furthermore, the study’s findings can aid in enhancing financial reporting practices by considering emerging aspects such as ESG and sustainability aspects.
Details