Manuscript Type: Empirical Research Question/Issue: In this paper, we examine the determinants of the level of disclosure on corporate governance practices among European listed companies in the time period preceding the adoption of the European Union recommendations and Action Plan. Research Findings/Results: Using ratings on corporate governance disclosure issued by an independent rating agency we find that – ceteris paribus – the level of disclosure: (1) is lower for companies with higher ownership concentration; (2) is higher for companies from common-law countries; and (3) increases with the level of working capital accruals. Theoretical Implications: The results of the study support theoretical arguments that companies disclose corporate governance information in order to reduce information asymmetry and agency costs stemming from the separation between ownership and control, and to improve investor confidence in the reported accounting information. The study suggests various avenues for future research on corporate governance. Practical Implications: To policy makers and practitioners, the results suggest that a mandatory corporate governance disclosure requirement is abundant, and perhaps could even be inefficient. The results also indicate which types of companies can be expected to be least willing to comply with recent corporate governance disclosure requirements, and thus will need extra monitoring.

Disclosure on corporate governance in the European Union: Theory and evidence

Since 2012, the Brazilian Stock Exchange has recommended that listed companies inform them if they have conducted voluntary disclosure. The purpose of this study is to describe the voluntary disclosure by companies listed in the B3 in Brazil and to analyze which characteristics of the board of directors influence this disclosure.,The study involves quantitative research using a sample of 285 companies and 575 reports from 2011 to 2014. A fixed-effects regression model with panel data was used for the analysis.,The results were statistically significant for gender and duality variables, which confirms the theory that the presence of women as members of the board positively influences voluntary disclosure and that chief executive officer and chairman of the board positions have a negative effect. The age and independence of the board variables did not present statistical significance.,As a theoretical contribution, the authors aim to complement sustainability, finance and strategy research by using agency theory and measuring the variable of voluntary disclosure and the board, which is rarely studied in this context.,As social and empirical contributions, a better understanding of this theme in the context of emerging countries, which is the peculiarities of Brazil with little information transparency and well-known corruption scandals, is likely to aid investors. Increased access to company information can help investors better select their investment portfolios and assist in the choice of their board representatives in companies in which they have participation and voting rights.,The fact that Brazil is an emerging country, where the lack of transparency of information and corruption in these environments stand out the importance of studying the subject of voluntary disclosure in this context. All data were collected manually specifically for this research.

The role of the board in voluntary disclosure

The present study aims to review systematically the state of the art of corporate governance in India. The study uses a sample of 161 published research papers extracted from 101 journals and 17 pu...

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/23311975.2020.1803579

Corporate governance in India: A systematic review and synthesis for future research

Corporate Governance has acquired a significant place in the national economies globally. Quality of governance impacts the business confidence index and resource mobilizations in the global marketplace. In various countries there is a conventional dominance of promoters or majority shareholders on the board of companies which implicates various propensities of risks and forms of risk cultures, making the problem of governance typical and critical for the regulators. Our paper examines the risk behaviour of firms in context of CG practices and creates distinct bundles of companies with specific risk cultures. Using a sample of 10 years’ panel data of 84 companies listed on the National Stock Exchange in India (NSE) for selected risk and CG variables, we measure the influence of CG measures on the risk propensity and behaviour and based on combinations of selected CG practices formulated the risk bundles. Based on the derived bundles of risk behaviour, regulators and policymakers can make informed decisions.

/pdf/corporate-governance-and-risk-bundling-evidence-from-indian-4ee68yam66.pdf

Corporate Governance and Risk Bundling: Evidence from Indian Companies

The aim of the paper is to understand the differences between “talking” and “walking” about sustainable development goals (SDGs) in state-owned enterprises (SOEs). Specifically, the authors have conducted an analysis on 202 entities that operate within the Italian National Healthcare System (INHS) to evaluate the overall degree of transparency in term of contribution to the SDG3.,The research evaluates the degree of contribution to SDG3 by INHS through the adoption of the theoretical framework proposed by Beck et al. (2010). Specifically, the authors assess the degree of contribution to this goal using an interpretive content analysis that combines the theoretical framework with the 13 targets that composed the SDG3. For the authors’ purposes, they analyze all INHS’s website to evaluate the presence/absence of social reports produced in the periods 2015-2018.,Although the great contribution to the SDG3, the INHS is characterized by a low degree of accountability. In fact, only 12.21 per cent of INHS’s entities disclosed at least one social report during the observed period. Moreover, the authors’ results denote how the approach of INHS’s entities to social reporting is different both in term of “quality” and “quantity.”,The SOEs play a central role within the Agenda 2030 strategies. However, public managers are less oriented than private managers to adopt non-financial reporting tools. Furthermore, the authors’ results highlight the existence of asymmetric information between SOEs and citizens even if in presence of best practices such as the INHS. In this sense, the adoption of non-financial reports tool to engage in a more effective way with citizens could be a strategic driver for the achievement of highest degree of social legitimacy to operate.,The paper is of use to public managers operating in countries characterized by a high level of contribution to SDGs. Specifically, the authors’ results suggest how the adoption of reporting tools could impact positively in terms of stakeholder’s awareness to SDG themes.,This paper contributes to the understanding of the central role covered by academics, practitioners and public sectors to SDGs through the adoption of social reporting tools.

Accounting to ensure healthy lives: critical perspective from the Italian National Healthcare System

Purpose




The study aims to analyze the level of the disclosure of corporate governance practices by the companies that belong to the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) countries according to normative recommendations and coercive requirements considering the enforcement of laws and norms in the different legal systems and to explain it in the light of the institutional theory approach.




Design/methodology/approach




The practices disclosed by a sample of the 20 largest companies listed on the stock exchanges of each of the BRICS countries were analysed, and the 52 practices recommended by UNCTAD (2009) were used as a parameter. The corporate governance practices of the companies were confronted with the laws, rules and norms that require or recommend their adoption and disclosure.




Findings




China has 49 practices required by own national law in face of 52 recommended by UNCTAD/International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) followed by South Africa with 44, Russia with 33, Brazil with 28 and India with 24. Brazil has 47 practices recommended by own national governance code in face of 52 recommended by UNCTAD/Intergovernmental Working group of Experts on International Standards of Accounting and Reporting (ISAR), followed by Russia with 45, China with 44, South Africa with 41 and India with 22. It was found that Brazil has the higher median of number of companies disclosing corporate governance practices with 17, followed by India with 13, Russia with 11, South Africa and China with 7.




Research limitations/implications




This research shows that more studies are necessary using the institutional theory to investigate how the normative and coercive pressures influence the disclosure of corporate governance information considering the enforcement of laws and norms in the different legal systems.




Practical implications




The differences observed in this study about normative and coercive forces are presented as an opportunity in the legal sphere of some countries to implement mechanisms to increase their level of enforcement.




Originality/value




This research contributes to various audiences such as governmental institutions, professional associations, market institutions to better understand their role in the improvement of the adoption of corporate governance practices and disclosure of information related to it.

Fernando Antonio Filho

Papers

Analysis of corporate governance disclosure: a study through BRICS countries