Showing papers in "Journal of Financial Reporting and Accounting in 2020"

CEO characteristics and earnings management: empirical evidence from France

Abstract: 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.,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.,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.,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.

Related party transactions and earnings management in Jordan: the role of ownership structure

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to examine the relation between related party transactions and both accrual and real earnings management practices in Jordanian industrial public-listed companies, taking into account the uniqueness of the Jordanian company ownership structure.,Data were collected from Jordanian industrial public-listed companies for the period 2011–2017. Accrual earnings management is measured by using the modified Jones model, whereas real earnings management and related party transactions are measured by using relevant proxies. A regression model is developed and used to assess the relation between related party transactions and earnings management, taking into account the effects of ownership concentration, family ownership and institutional ownership levels of the companies involved.,Accrual earnings management is negatively associated with related party transactions. Regarding the role of ownership structure, the presence of institutional investors is positively associated with using both related party transactions and real earnings management, whereas ownership concentration plays an efficient role to mitigate the use of both accrual earnings management and related party transactions. No statistically significant relations between real earnings management and related party transactions exist.,This study has direct practical implications for the Jordanian regulatory authorities to enact regulations to limit the misuse of related party transactions and earnings management transactions and ensure sufficient monitoring of these transactions because of their prevalence. Jordanian companies should also enhance their corporate governance systems to better approve and monitor such transactions, including enhancing the role of independent and non-controlling board members in this process.,Related party transactions are considered as a major concern of financial reporting quality in developed countries, and such transactions are found to be relatively more problematic in developing countries, where corporate governance is generally weak, and there is limited disclosure and transparency in financial reporting. From this perspective, this study is one of the very few studies in developing countries that explore the issue of related party transactions and their association with earnings management practices. Thus, the findings of this study can arguably be to some extent generalized to other developing country contexts, because of relatively similar business environment conditions, and therefore potentially fill a gap represented by the paucity of similar studies in developing countries.

The impact of ownership structure and the board of directors’ composition on tax avoidance strategies: empirical evidence from Jordan

Abstract: Adopting agency theory, the purpose of this study is to explore the impact of ownership structure and board of directors’ composition on the extent of tax avoidance strategies.,The sample included all of the Jordanian first market companies listed on the Amman Stock Exchange from 2012 to 2017, comprising 348 observations.,The main finding of the paper is that tax avoidance is negatively related to managerial and institution ownership structures, which reduces the usage of tax avoidance strategies. Foreign ownership, however, has a positive relation that increases the likelihood of adopting tax avoidance strategies.,This study has policy implications for policymakers in relation to designing future tax systems to reduce the possibility of engaging in tax avoidance practices.,To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first of its kind that investigates the effects of the managerial, foreign and institutional ownership classes and board composition on tax avoidance for Jordanian listed companies.

Do ownership structures affect risk disclosure in Islamic banks? International evidence

Abstract: Previous works assessing the determinants of banks’ risk disclosure in emerging economies focused on one aspect of risk reporting such as market risk disclosure or operational risk disclosure. While banks’ transparency about other major risk types (e.g. capital adequacy, liquidity risk…) is important for both market discipline and for their financial stability, no previous research has tried to discuss their determinants for Islamic banks. This paper aims to fill the gap by assessing the effects of deposits structure and ownership concentration on risk disclosure for Islamic banks.,The authors based on a sample of 71 Islamic banks operating in 12 emerging economies and observed over the period 2009–2014. The authors used a risk disclosure index covering nine dimensions, and the authors used both generalized least squares (GLS) regression and generalized method of moments (GMMs) as econometric tools.,The findings suggests that the level of risk disclosure is lower for Islamic banks with higher ownership concentration, leveraged bank, listed banks and Islamic banks. However, risk disclosure is higher for Islamic banks with higher concentration of profit sharing investment account (PSIA) and higher foreign ownership, large Islamic banks, aged banks, Islamic banks operating in country with higher country transparency index, positively correlated to gross domestic products and Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI) adoption. By disaggregating total risk disclosure into the nine sub-categories, the authors are able to specify, also, the components of risk disclosure impacted by various determinants.,This paper’s findings are subject, also, to a number of limitations. First, there was manual scoring of annual reports (subjectivity). Second, while some items might have higher information content or be more useful than others for users of Islamic banks’ annual reports, no weighting is assigned to items. Third, the research focuses exclusively on the 12 countries and excludes the other Middle East, Southeast Asia and Far East countries where ownership structure and deposits structure might affect risk disclosure differently.,The findings suggest many policy implications. First, regulators have to improve corporate governance mechanisms in Islamic banking system through the optimization of ownership structure (dispersed ownership) to promote transparency and disclosure. Second, regulators and policymakers should revise guidelines in the main purpose to protect PSIAs holders (considered as minor shareholders without voting power) through promoting disclosure and transparency. Third, the findings can be useful for many international supervisory bodies such as the IFSB and AAOIFI to evaluate transparency and disclosure standards.

The determinants of AAOIFI governance disclosure in Islamic banks

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of corporate governance mechanisms on Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institution (AAOIFI) governance disclosure in Islamic Banks.,To test the research hypotheses, the authors created a comprehensive AAOIFI governance disclosure index and used regression analysis for a sample of Islamic banks for the financial years within the period 2013-2015.,The authors found that audit committee size is the main determinant of the AAOIFI governance disclosure.,This study has a number of limitations that could be taken as avenues for a future study such as, the study used the six variables of CG and the four variables of firm characteristics, based on available data. This research is limited to just Islamic banks.,The research contributes to Islamic accounting literature by identifying the driver for the AAOIFI governance disclosure for Islamic banks that mandatorily adopt AAOIFI standards.

Gender diversity and financial performance of Islamic banks

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of gender diversity among the board of directors (BOD) and Shariah supervisory board (SSB) members on the financial performance of Islamic banks in Indonesia and Malaysia.,Data for a sample of 19 Islamic banks for the period 2010–2018 were collected to test the research hypotheses using pooled ordinary least squares estimation method. Generalized least squares estimation method was used to confirm that the results are robust. This study lagged the explanatory variables by one period to control for potential endogeneity.,The findings suggest that Islamic banks with more gender-diverse BOD and SSB are expected to have better financial performance. In addition, this paper finds that an increase in Islamic banks’ size may undermine the positive impact of gender diversity among SSB members on Islamic banks’ financial performance.,This study was conducted only on Islamic banks in Indonesia and Malaysia owing to data constraints; thus, the results may not be generalizable to Islamic banks in other countries.,Improving financial performance is crucial for banks, especially for Islamic banks, to sustain their fast-growing share globally. Therefore, the findings of this study are expected to provide insight and understanding in the selection and appointment of BOD and SSB members at Islamic banks.,By having women represented in the BOD and SSB, Islamic banks will benefit equally from valuable abilities across demographic groups in the society. Furthermore, if the members of the BOD and SSB are properly selected, Islamic banks with more gender-diverse boards can effectively contribute to enhancing social welfare of various segments in the society.,This is the first study, as far as is known to the authors, that provides empirical evidence on the influence of gender diversity among BOD and SSB members on the financial performance of Islamic banks. This paper is expected to be used as a reference by the shareholders and customers of Islamic banks in ensuring that the BOD and SSB have the best optimal composition that maximizes their profits.

Web-based disclosure and the cost of debt: MENA countries evidence

Abstract: The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of web - based disclosure on the cost of debt for the MENA region setting.,The sample of this paper consists of 237 MENA listed non-financial companies for the year 2017. Multiple regression models were used to examine the impact of online disclosure on the cost of debt. Content analysis is used to measure the extent of web-based disclosure.,The results reveal that there is a negative and significant association between the web-based disclosure and the company’s cost of debt. These results support the hypothesis of the economic utility of the information disclosed on the website for creditors in this region.,The results of the study have important implications for managers in the MENA region. It is necessary for managers to improve the company’s transparency through web-based disclosure. The companies must benefit from the different technologies offered by the Internet in order to offer to the creditors unlimited access to up to date information. In fact, web-based disclosure may mitigate the information asymmetry, the uncertainty of creditors and, consequently, reduces the cost of debt. 10; 10;Moreover, the results of the study provide empirical evidence for the advantages of voluntary web-based disclosure. The results highlight the importance to companies and regulators of understanding the benefits of using the website as a means of information disclosure. The regulators in MENA countries can rely on these results to establish suitable policies to improve the quality of web-based disclosure. The regulators need also to put in rules in relation to the online disclosure. In fact, an understanding of web-based disclosure is important for regulators and companies. Given the positive effect of online disclosure (the reduction of the cost of debt), knowledge about the economic consequences of web-based disclosure would enable companies in the MENA region to optimize their online disclosure policies.,This study, added to the existing literature by examining the consequences of online disclosure practices in MENA countries. Most previous studies conducted in this region were limited to analyzing the determinants of the company’s web-based disclosure. This paper would extend the literature on the online disclosure practices by investigating the association between these practices and the cost of debt in a developing economics: the MENA region. Previous studies were limited to testing this association only in developed countries.

IFRS adoption, corporate governance and management earnings forecasts

Abstract: This paper aims to examine whether International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) adoption and corporate governance attributes increase the management earnings forecasts’ accuracy disclosed in prospectuses for French Initial Public Offerings (IPOs).,The analysis is based on cross-sectional regression explaining the absolute forecast errors by using 45 French firms that made IPOs between 2005 and 2016 in two French financial markets: Euronext and Alternext.,In agreement with the agency theory and the signaling theory, the authors find that the IFRS adoption and the effective corporate governance, proxied by the board characteristics, increase the accuracy of management forecasts. As a result, this latter gives a credible signal in constructing and sustaining shareholders’ trust on the transparency and the reliability of such financial information.,It is plausible that the limited size of the sample represents a limitation of this study. Another limitation is that no other corporate governance attributes such as board meeting frequency, audit committee measures and ownership structure are used.,Shareholders can take benefit from management forecasts accuracy to structure their investment portfolios efficiently to allocate their funds more effectively and mitigate the costs of adverse selection that they have to face. Furthermore, the authors expect the findings to be interesting to IPO firms, as this study highlights the efficiency of larger and independent boards in decreasing managerial discretion, increasing disclosure quality and supervising management. The results could encourage GAAP-adopters countries to move toward IFRS, as this research reinforces the role of IFRS in enhancing the quality of financial disclosure by offering the required information for shareholders.,This study is important because the potential investors should assess management earnings forecasts accuracy before they consider it when evaluating IPO firms. Also, this paper has some implications for the financial market. It is recommended that future investors pay more attention, when assessing the accuracy of management earnings forecasts, to the accounting regulations of the financial reporting along with the corporate governance mechanisms. Moreover, this study could incite French regulators to revise the AFEP-MEDEF code. Under this code, it could insist that larger and independent boards are more effective in performing their governing roles than smaller boards.

Cross-country determinants of IFRS for SMEs adoption

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to identify the influence of environmental and institutional factors on the adoption of the International Financial Reporting Standard for small and medium-sized entities (IFRS for SMEs). This study used the neo-institutional theory and the economic theory of networks to explain why countries choose to adopt IFRS for SMEs.,This study is based on logistic regression analysis to investigate 177 countries, including 77 jurisdictions that adopted IFRS for SMEs between 2009 and 2015.,The findings confirm that the adoption of IFRS for SMEs is significantly related to law enforcement quality, culture, trading networks and economic growth. At the institutional level, coercive and normative isomorphism was found to be positively associated with IFRS for SMEs adoption. The results show also that the quality of the audit has no significant effect on the adoption of IFRS for SMEs. However, the joint effect of the quality of audit and quality of law enforcement is significantly related to the adoption of IFRS for SMEs.,The study contributes to a better understanding of the factors influencing the implementation of IFRS for SMEs standard across the globe and could be used to predict a country’s decision to adopt this standard.,This study contributes to the literature on international accounting harmonization by examining both environmental and institutional factors that influence the adoption of IFRS for unlisted private companies.

Financial-tax reporting conformity, tax avoidance and corporate social responsibility

Abstract: This study aims to investigate the effect of financial-tax reporting conformity jurisdictions on the association between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and aggressive tax avoidance,Using a sample comprising firms domiciled in Europe for the period 2008–2016, this study uses regression analysis to test the impact of financial-tax reporting conformity jurisdictions on the association between CSR and aggressive tax avoidance,The empirical results show that there is a positive association between CSR and tax avoidance, and firms headquartered in low financial-tax reporting conformity jurisdictions are more likely to engage in CSR to hedge against the potential negative consequences of aggressive tax-avoidance practices as compared to firms domiciled in countries with high level of financial-tax reporting conformity,This study confirms Sikka’s (2010, 2013) view of “organised hypocrisy” act committed by firms to cover their socially irresponsible activities of aggressive tax avoidance by engaging in CSR Results have implication for various regulatory bodies and investors in that the type of financial-tax conformity does impact the link between CSR and tax avoidance, and based on that, CSR firms may engage in CSR to overcome any negative reactions that could be caused as a result of tax avoidance,To the best of the author’s knowledge, this study is the first to investigate the impact of financial-tax reporting conformity jurisdictions on the association between CSR and aggressive tax avoidance This study also contributes to the literature in that, it uses an alternative data set which offers a more objective assessment of CSR measure and covers multiple countries

Compliance with IFRS 15 mandatory disclosures: an exploratory study in telecom and construction sectors

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to explore the degree of compliance of a sample of European Union (EU) listed groups with the International Financial Reporting Standard 15 (IFRS 15) mandatory disclosures in two specific sectors, namely, telecommunication and construction.,To carry out this research, the authors selected 22 annual reports for the year 2018. The authors created and completed a datasheet based on a close review of the IFRS 15 disclosure requirements. A content analysis of the selected annual reports was then performed.,The results show that the sampled groups do not fully comply with the IFRS 15 mandatory disclosures and the degree of compliance differs between the two investigated sectors.,To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study explores, for the first-time, the degree of compliance with the IFRS 15 mandatory disclosures, by focusing on a cross-country sample of EU listed groups.

Financial reporting quality and share price movement-evidence from listed companies in Bangladesh

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of financial reporting quality (FRQ) on share price movement (SPM) of listed companies in an emerging and developing economy – Bangladesh.,The study analyzed 296 annual reports for the year 2015 and 2016 in examining the effect of FRQ on SPM. Ordinary least squares (OLS) regression model is used to examine the hypothesized relationship among the variables. A modified version of Lang et al. (2003) has been adopted in measuring the SPM. FRQ is measured using the qualitative characteristics approach as defined by the International Financial Reporting Standard Framework and used by Beest et al. (2009) and Braam and Beest (2013).,The study finds a positive association (though not significant statistically) between the FRQ and SPM in the country’s leading stock exchange (Dhaka stock exchange). Furthermore, the effect of enhancing quality on SPM is found to be stronger as compared to fundamental quality. Majority of the FRQ constructs demonstrate an improvement in the quality score in the year 2016 as compared to 2015 except for relevance.,The key limitation of the study is that it focuses only on two years (2015 and 2016) annual reports data in measuring FRQ and its effect on SPM.,The study uses qualitative characteristics approach in measuring the FRQ and to examine its effect on SPM using the context of an emerging and developing economy – the case of Bangladesh.

Zakah compliance in Muslim countries: an economic and socio-psychological perspective

Abstract: Although Zakah is the cornerstone of the social protection system in Muslim societies, providing relief to those in need and collecting funds from those who have access to money and property, many administrative and legal improvements need to be made to ensure that Zakah funds are managed effectively and efficiently in Muslim states. It is therefore important to recognize why some Muslims are not paying their Zakah through Zakah authorities. The purpose of this paper is to propose a viable and comprehensive research model, derived from an economic and socio-psychological perspective, to provide a richer understanding of Zakah payers’ compliance behaviour.,Drawing on extant literature, this study offers a conceptual framework for a better understanding of compliance behaviour by proposing an economic and socio-psychological model based on Fischer’s tax compliance model, which could be applied cautiously in an Islamic setting like Zakah.,The four main categories of the Fischer model are derived from socio-psychological and economic perspectives, namely, attitude and perception (system fairness, ethics and peer influence); Zakah system structure (Zakah law complexity and law enforcement); non-compliance opportunity (education level, wealth source and occupation); and demographic factors (age and gender). Each has much to offer in understanding Zakah payers’ compliance decisions. To suit the nature of Zakah, the influence of Islamic religiosity and the moderating effect of trust in the Zakah institution are incorporated into the model.,Those Muslim communities that strive to have functional Zakah systems to search for solutions to the perennial problem of low Zakah funding and its damning consequences, are offered a compliance model for systematically assessing Muslims’ compliance behaviour with Zakah provisions. This framework is anticipated to offer invaluable input to policymakers in streaming and strategizing the minimization of losses of Zakah revenue to Zakah authorities.,Although behavioural models such as the theory of reasoned action and the theory of planned behaviour have been extensively used in Zakah compliance studies, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is perhaps the first to apply a socio-psychological and economic framework, emerging from tax literature, in the Zakah environment to develop fully understanding of Zakah payers’ compliance decisions.

A review on textual analysis of corporate disclosure according to the evolution of different automated methods

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to give a comprehensive review and synthesis of automated textual analysis of corporate disclosure to show how the accuracy of disclosure tone has been incremented with the evolution of developed automated methods that have been used to calculate tone in prior studies.,This study have conducted the survey on “automated textual analysis of corporate disclosure and its impact” by searching at Google Scholar and Scopus research database after the year 2000 to prepare the list of papers. After classifying the prior literature into a dictionary-based and machine learning-based approach, this study have again sub-classified those papers according to two other dimensions, namely, information sources of disclosure and the impact of tone on the market.,This study found literature on how value relevance of tone is varied with the use of different automated methods and using different information sources. This study also found literature on the impact of such tone on market. These are contributing to help investor’s decision-making and earnings and returns prediction by researchers. The literature survey shows that the research gap lies in the development of methodologies toward the calculation of tone more accurately. This study also mention how different information sources and methodologies can influence the change in disclosure tone for the same firm, which, in turn, may change market performance. The research gap also lies in finding the determinants of disclosure tone with large scale data.,After reviewing some papers based on automated textual analysis of corporate disclosure, this study shows how the accuracy of the result is incrementing according to the evolution of automated methodology. Apart from the methodological research gaps, this study also identify some other research gaps related to determinants (corporate governance, firm-level, macroeconomic factors, etc.) and transparency or credibility of disclosure which could stimulate new research agendas in the areas of automated textual analysis of corporate disclosure.

The impact of AAOIFI governance disclosure on Islamic Banks performance

Abstract: This study aims to investigate the impact of the accounting and auditing organisation for Islamic financial institution (AAOIFI) governance disclosure on the performance of Islamic banks (IBs).,The ordinary least squares regression model was used to test the impact of AAOIFI governance disclosure on the performance of 126 IBs from 8 countries that mandatorily adopt the AAOIFI standards for three years (2013–2015). In this regression model, return on asset (ROA) and return on equity (ROE) are the dependent variables, while AAOIFI governance disclosure is the independent variable. Corporate governance mechanisms, firm characteristics, year dummy and country dummy are used as control variables.,This paper found an insignificant relationship between AAOIFI governance disclosure and IBs performance.,This study highlighted the implication that the current research may help IBs and encourage them to disclose more information in annual reports, especially those related to AAOIFI governance standards because following good corporate governance leads to good financial performance. The major limitation of the paper is that it is only focussed on two measurements of bank performance – ROA and ROE; it would be good to use other firm performance measures, such as profit margin.,This study provides new empirical evidence on the impact of AAOIFI governance disclosure on IBs performance.

Voluntary disclosure of accounting ratios and firm-specific characteristics: the case of GCC

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to investigate the voluntary disclosure of accounting ratios in the corporate annual reports of manufacturing firms in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and determines whether an association exists between voluntary disclosure and firm-specific characteristics namely, size, profitability, leverage, liquidity and efficiency.,A sample of 53 GCC listed manufacturing firms and 263 firm-year observations were observed over the period 2011 to 2015. A count data regression (Poisson) with incident rate ratios was used to identify the relationship between firms’ voluntary disclosures of accounting ratios and other firm-specific characteristics.,During the period under review, the voluntary disclosure of accounting ratios provided in annual reports of GCC firms were found to be exceedingly low. On average, a GCC company discloses at most two accounting ratios in its annual reports. The results also show that the profitability ratios are the most popularly reported ones. Controlling for family board domination, the results also reveal that structure-related variables (firm size and leverage) are positively associated with accounting ratio disclosures. However, performance-related variables (profitability, liquidity and efficiency) have no significant effect on disclosures. The authors conclude that signaling theory as implied in the performance-related variables is not strongly supported in the GCC region.,This is the first known study to investigate the disclosure of accounting ratios and its determinants within the context of GCC. The findings of this study could be beneficial to both agents and principals in assessing the associated risks. The study provides regulators and market participants an understanding of the corporate reporting activities of manufacturing firms in the GCC and who accordingly will be able to consider associated policy implementation.

A review of the influence of political connections on management’s decision in non-US settings

Abstract: Given the interest in better understanding the economic effects of political connections, this paper aims to review empirical studies in the accounting and finance domain investigating the effects of firms’ political connections on management’s decision in non-US settings,Key words used to search for relevant studies include “political connections” linked with “tax avoidance,” “earnings quality” “voluntary disclosure” The authors consult several editorial sources including Elsevier, Electronic Journals Service EBSCO, Emerald, Springer, Palgrave Macmillan, Sage, Taylor & Francis and Wiley-Blackwell The authors’ search yields 46 published studies since 2006,The review reveals a prevalence of studies conducted in Asia A narrative synthesis of empirical findings shows mixed effects of political connections on earnings management, as measured by accrual-based or real earnings management practices Mixed evidence also exists for the association between political connections and reporting policy (eg corporate social responsibility reporting) The review also reveals that firms with political ties adopt an aggressive tax policy aimed at reducing effective tax rates and are more likely to choose a Big 4 auditor,The review discusses the political connections literature focusing on studies outside of the USA and the effect of such connections on decision-making by management It identifies some limitations of this literature and offers guidance for future research avenues The synthesis suggests that political connections can adversely or beneficially impact management’s decisions depending on the legal, institutional and cultural characteristics prevailing in a particular setting

The impact of changes in cash flow statement items on audit fees: evidence from Iran

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to determine whether the incremental difference between the actual level of cash from the optimal amount (excess and insufficient cash) to the abnormal amount of cash (abnormal positive and negative changes in cash) leads to an increase in audit fees.,To investigate the main purpose of this study, first, the authors, respectively, estimate the optimal cash flow and the normal (optimal) changes in cash by Oler and Picconi (2014) and Bates, Kahle and Stulz (2009) models for each period. In this regard, financial information of 116 companies listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange is selected during the period 2011-2016.,The results of this investigation indicate that holding an excessive amount of cash than optimal size and audit fees are negatively associated. Moreover, it is documented that abnormal changes in cash flow and audit fees are not significantly associated.,The outcomes of the current study contribute to providing an accurate estimation to determine audit fees in emerging markets.

Internal control and real earnings management in the French context

Abstract: This study aims to examine whether the internal control system quality in the French context improve the information quality having been reflected by the level of real earnings management (REM) measured by inventory overproduction, discretionary expenses reduction and sales manipulation.,The research uses a multiple regression analysis to examine the association between internal control and REM. The years 2010-2015 are used as analysis period by focusing on the French context. Three panel data are applied to the companies belonging to the Cotation Assistee en Continu (CAC) 40 index for the entire study period.,The results show that high internal control index has a negative impact on the REM and that better internal control indeed makes financial reporting more credible to investors. Further, the results demonstrate that control environment, risk assessment, control activities and monitor are the components that mainly affect REM.,The results contribute to the literature dealing with the relationship between internal control quality and REM by shedding light on the importance of internal control quality in improving information quality in the French context. Moreover, this study is using a quantitative measure of the internal control quality while much of the prior literature uses material weaknesses to estimate the effectiveness of internal control system.

Earnings persistence and predictability within the emerging economy of Georgia

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to provide the first empirical assessment of the persistence and predictability of earnings within the Georgian private sector entities.,The sample comprises of all the Georgian private sector entities who, according to the new Law of Georgia on Accounting, Reporting and Auditing (2016), had to submit their audited financial statements by 1 October 2018. Financial data has been officially withdrawn from the Ministry of Finance of Georgia and the descriptive data has been obtained by the use of Link Klipper and ScrapeStorm tools through the official “Reportal” website. The final sample consists of 450 large Georgian private sector entities. The study uses a simple, one-year-lagged earnings auto-regression to detect the persistence and predictability within the next series of earnings. A weighted least square method has been used as a statistical procedure.,The results reveal that current earnings persist within the next year’s series of earnings at less than 25%, while the reliance on current year’s earnings enables us to predict the next year’s earnings only with a chance of 20%. Further analysis has witnessed that cash flows from operations persist at less than 40% and are able of predicting the next year’s cash flows at below 35%. Overall, the properties of earnings and cash flows within the private sector of Georgia are of relatively poor quality, with the latter demonstrating higher properties compared to earnings.,The general finding on a relatively low property of earnings raises potential investors and creditors’ awareness on the valuation-usefulness of provided financial information within the private sector of Georgia. The fact that earnings are significantly less persistent and predictable compared to cash flows from operations, hints on accruals’ problematic functioning. The results presented in this paper should be of interest to a local regulator (SARAS), charged with the responsibility of successfully running a currently ongoing accounting reform of Georgia.,This is the first study that examines the persistence and predictability of earnings and cash flows from operations among the private sector entities of Georgia.

Ethical decision-making among professional accountants in Nigeria: the influence of ethical ideology, work sector, and types of professional membership

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of ethical ideological orientation (moral idealism and moral relativism), work sector and types of professional membership on the ethical decision-making (EDM) process of professional accountants in Nigeria.,The study obtained primary data from 329 professional accountants with the aid of a structured questionnaire containing four scenarios of ethical dilemmas. The data were analysed using descriptive statistical analysis, independent sample t-test, Pearson correlation analysis and multiple regression techniques.,The results revealed both idealistic and relativistic moral orientation among the accountants surveyed with a higher mean score (>4.0) recorded for moral idealism. Moral idealism was found to have a positive influence, while moral relativism a negative influence on the three stages (ethical recognition, ethical judgement and ethical intention) of EDM examined. Professional accountants with idealistic orientation showed a higher disposition towards making ethical decisions in situations involving ethical dilemmas than those tending towards relativistic orientation. The results also revealed that work sector (private or public) and types of professional membership play significant roles in predicting the EDM process of professional accountants in Nigeria.,The study provides empirical evidence that could be used to support educational and legislative efforts in enhancing the moral ideological orientation of professional accountants, which will, in turn, enhance their EDM processes. The findings could be used to enhance ethics instructions and training of current and prospective professional accountants in educational settings, especially in countries such as Nigeria where there is yet to be a discrete ethics course in the curriculum for accounting undergraduate degree programmes. Professional accounting bodies in Nigeria and other developing countries could use the evidence in this study to strengthen the ethics code for professional accountants.,The study is unique in focussing on professional accountants in developing countries using Nigeria to represent developing countries with high corruption profile and weak institutions and governments and, as such, it contributes to the scarce research output on accounting ethics in developing countries.

Challenges in auditing fair value measurement and accounting estimates: Some evidence from the field

Abstract: Following the issuance of International Financial Reporting Standard 13 on fair value measurement (which became operational from January 2013), this study aims to investigate post-implementation challenges in the audit of fair value measurement and accounting estimates in the Nigerian context.,Data-collection was through a structured-questionnaire administered on 400 auditors from diverse backgrounds in terms of audit firm size, international affiliation and global presence.,Empirical data obtained from 277 auditors were analysed using descriptive statistics, factor analysis, one-way ANOVA, cluster analysis, independent sample t-test and one-way multivariate analysis of co-variance. It was observed that the two highest-ranking and most-prevalent challenges of auditing fair value measurement and accounting estimates are the tendency for managers to manipulate earnings owing to the inability of auditor to effectively test fair value estimates; and the difficulty in testing unobservable inputs due to the application of assumptions and judgement in arriving at estimates by preparers of financial reports.,While there is no significant difference in the perception of auditors on the audit challenges associated with fair value measurement and accounting estimates, there is a significant difference in the magnitude of audit challenges faced in verifying fair value measurements and accounting estimates across industry sectors. Concerned stakeholders (including but not limited to accounting regulators, auditing standard setters, audit firms, researchers) are importuned to come up with robust and pragmatic measures to curtain these challenges, as the inability of auditors to rigorously verify fair value estimates may jeopardize the very essence of fair value measurement which is to elevate financial reporting quality.

Sticky cost behavior and its implication on accounting conservatism: a cross-country study

Abstract: This paper aims to investigate the impact of cost stickiness on conditional conservatism.,The research sample consists of listed companies from 18 countries, using stock market indices of the BRICS, MIST, North Africa, USA and EU over the period ranging from 1997 to 2015. The authors use the firm-fixed effects method in the estimation of the models.,The results provide evidence of the existence of cost stickiness and conditional conservatism in the international context, using the Banker et al. (2016) model. They also argue that the conditional conservatism model (Basu, 1997) is overstated because it does not control for cost stickiness. In additional analyses, the authors conclude that the association between cost stickiness and accounting conservatism changes across country groups and across industries. The authors also document that the employee intensity and free cash-flow, as cost stickiness determinants, remain significant in the model including accounting conservatism. Moreover, the findings show that sticky cost behavior distorts inferences about standard demand drivers of conservatism such as leverage and size.,The findings are interesting and provide a better understanding of cost stickiness and conditional conservatism, and the interaction between these two phenomena in the international context, across country groups and across industries. To the best of the author’s knowledge, the study is the first one including free cash flow as a proxy for agency problem in the full model combining conservatism and cost stickiness models (Banker et al., 2016).

Disclosure readability of firms investigated for books-and-records infractions: An impression management perspective

Abstract: The paper examines the difference in the disclosure readability of SEC investigated firms and the population of firms traded in the USA. This study aims to further refine the obfuscation hypothesis and broader impression management theory.,The paper used quantitative cross-sectional analysis of archival data gathered from the SEC Accounting and Auditing Enforcement Release Archive and the SEC EDGAR database. A one-sample t-test was used to compare mean readability levels.,The paper provides empirical evidence to support the assertion that disclosures of the firms being investigated for “books-and-records” infractions are more difficult to read than the disclosure of the average publicly-traded firm in the USA.,First, the study did not make direct matched-pairs comparisons of the readability level. Second, the unique nature of the sample means that the results may not be generalizable. Further research is necessary to expand on this current work.,The paper includes implications for consideration by accounting standards setters, financial regulators and annual report readers.,This paper addresses an identified need to study the existence and degree of complexity and obfuscation in financial disclosures.

Timeliness and persistence of conservative earnings in an emerging market

Abstract: The asymmetric effect of conservatism on earnings and its other components serves as a contrivance to incorporate transparency and timeliness in financial reporting. This study aims to explore cash flow-return association, which provides insight into the accruals’ contribution that traverses through conservatism-earnings persistence liaison and its associated effects on stock returns.,The study used asymmetric timeliness (AT) model and two firm-year measures, namely, C-Score and conservatism ratio, to capture conservatism. The firm-year measures of conservatism, in addition to the AT measure, facilitate a better understanding of the persistence of reported earnings that branch out the study from the existing literature. Further, the study used panel regression analysis to evaluate the timeliness and persistence of earnings under the conservative approach with a sample of Indian corporate data from 2000 to 2017.,The findings of the study reveal that conservative earnings are less persistent and the accruals recognize bad news timelier than good news. The unfavorable change in earnings shows a lower earnings response coefficient in contrast to favorable earnings variations. However, the appropriate loss recognition nature of conservative reporting has little or no influence on stock returns in an emerging market such as India.,Accounting conservatism is a captivating feature accounting information, especially pertinent to many decision-makers. Thus, the study has implications for the investors while evaluating the adverse and positive changes in accounting earnings; also, the results are helpful for the standard setters in ongoing debate related to accounting conservatism vs fair evaluation. The present study focuses exclusively on ex-post conservatism, while the ex post and ex ante conservatism are having a significant role in accounting practices. Future research on the differential effects of ex post and ex ante conservatism on accounting information in an emerging market, is worth promising.,The study reveals the first Indian evidence on accounting conservatism and earnings persistence relationship, which would bring a different dimension to investors’ perception in evaluating the characteristic variations of reported earnings. The findings add value to the accounting standard setters concerning the asymmetric verification as Indian Accounting standards are on the verge of convergence with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).

Audit certification, earnings management and risk governance: a moderated-mediation analysis

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to document the mediating effect of earnings management on the relation between the components of audit certification. The study is performed under different levels of corporate governance effectiveness in the Tunisian context. The main objective is to empirically examine the ability of discretionary accruals to mediate the relationship between the audit reporting quality and audit risk and to define how the levels of risk governance moderate this relation.,Structural equation modeling (SEM) approach is applied for a panel data set of 28 Tunisian companies listed in the Tunis Stock Exchange (TSE) between 2006 and 2013. Furthermore, a moderated-mediation model is developed to examine the mediating role of earnings management. This model is considered to emphasize the moderating role of corporate governance on the relationship between audit-reporting quality and audit risk.,The results of this study show that earnings management mediates the moderating role of corporate governance on the relationship between timely disclosure and audit risk. Thus, this investigation empirically demonstrates that risk governance moderates both the relationship between the timely disclosure and earnings management, and the relationship between earnings management and audit risk, i.e., the mediating role of earnings management varies depending on the level of risk governance.,Investors and other external users of financial statements need to care about the audit risk by the audit-reporting quality (audit accuracy and timely disclosure). Moreover, all factors that may influence the audit risk should be identified. This identification can help guide the reforms to improve the functioning of the financial market.,This study can enhance knowledge and understanding on how motivational and environment factors influence the audit risk. Using data from the Tunisian market, this work fills a research gap by examining the audit risk and identifies a new governance risk index. The specificity of the country where the study is elaborated refers to its accurate “revolutionary” transitional phase. Tunisia aims to enhance economic growth and to establish general strategic governance of the country, particularly strategic governance of companies.

Financial statement comparability and cash holdings: the mediating role of disclosure quality and financing constraints

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of financial statement comparability as a qualitative feature of financial reporting on cash holdings and the mediating role of disclosure quality and financing constraints in firms listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE).,Using panel data from 110 TSE-listed firms from 2011 to 2017 in Iran, this study uses the regression analysis to examine the research hypotheses. The first hypothesis examines the relationship between financial statements comparability and cash holdings and two other hypotheses examine the mediating role of financing constraints and disclosure quality in this relationship.,Based on pecking-order theory and institutional context of Iranian firms, the results show that financial reporting comparability has a significant negative impact on corporate cash holdings. The results also show that disclosure quality and financing constraints have no mediating role in the relationship between accounting comparability and cash holdings. The robustness tests with alternative measures of accounting comparability and cash holdings support the findings of this study.,The limitations of this study are as follows: limited number of TSE companies that have necessary data to conduct research; and using the disclosure quality scores provided by TSE organization.,The findings suggest that creditors should consider the financial status and also the quality of financial reporting of companies, before granting credit to them. It is also recommended that regulators in the capital market publish the ratings of companies in terms of financial statement comparability alongside the disclosure ratings and a continuous regulatory oversight on companies.,To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first empirical research on the effect of accounting comparability on the level of cash holdings that examines the mediating role of financing constraints in the context of Iran market as an emerging economy. Moreover, this is the first empirical research that studies the effect of disclosure quality on this relationship.

Socio-emotional wealth preservation and KPI voluntary disclosure quality

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of the emotional attachment strength of family members to their business on the quality of the voluntary disclosure of their key performance indicator (KPI). More specifically, the authors focused on the effect of two dimensions of the socio-emotional theory, i.e. “family influence and control” and “firm dynasty succession.”,The authors performed a content analysis of annual reports for a sample of 87 French families listed in CAC All-Tradable to calculate a disclosure quality index of KPI. The authors proxied the “family influence and control” by the proportion of family members appointed in the board. To identify the “firm dynasty succession” concern, the authors classified firms according to the generation they belonged to. The authors estimated a cross-sectional linear regression model to meet the research objective.,This study confirms the role of the family affective attachment in decreasing the quality of KPI disclosure in such a way to preserve its socio-emotional wealth. The family firms’ principals who desire to sustain their control on the firm, to perpetuate the business for future generations and to protect their emotional wealth tend to avoid the disclosure of credible and reliable KPI information.,The findings have meaningful practical implications. First, they provide relevant insights into the regulatory bodies of the financial reporting regarding the increasing appeal for making KPI disclosure mandatory. Second, as the family businesses are the most widespread proprietorship in the French context, the effect of the family agenda on the quality of the KPI should be of interest to various policymakers and financial statements’ users of such firms. Third, the results inform nonfamily shareholders regarding the importance of selecting representatives on the board that should share similar interest with regard to KPI disclosure.,From a societal perspective, this study is relevant in taking into account the critical role the family businesses have in the French economy. This study should help the minority shareholders to protect their interests and maximize their wealth within the family firm because it sheds light on the influence that family members have on hiding key information on the firm’s real performance.,To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no prior study in the family firms literature has examined the quality of voluntary disclosure of KPI. Although most previous studies merely compared family and nonfamily firms in terms of voluntary disclosure, the authors acknowledge and address the heterogeneity between family firms. The authors contribute to the few prior empirical validations of SEW implication on voluntary disclosure decisions by testing the effect of an additional dimension, which is family dynasty.

Is corporate disclosure of environmental performance indicators reliable or biased information? A look at the underlying drivers

Abstract: This study aims to examine the disclosure determinants of environmental performance indicators (EPIs) for a sample of US firms to understand if these disclosures are reliable or whether they are biased towards the reporting of positive information.,The study uses a panel data analysis to examine the association between firms’ EPIs disclosures and their environmental performances, and other economic and legitimacy factors.,The results show that firms’ disclosures are not associated with the level of environmental performance and that firms continue to provide EPI information even if they witness a decline in their environmental performance. The evidence suggests that firms’ environmental disclosures are reliable and indicative of their environmental performance.,The findings suggest that mandating EPI disclosures may increase the level of the information reported and reduce firms’ discretion over the disclosure of such information.,Reporting of EPIs is directly linked to firms’ environmental performances. By examining the association between EPI disclosures and environmental performance, the study contributes to the ongoing debate about firms’ reporting and whether it is informative to its stakeholders or whether firms use this type of information to legitimize their operations and portray it in a positive light.

Analysts’ forecasts between last consensus and earning announcement date

Abstract: Thomson financial database reports a monthly consensus measure of analysts’ forecasts in the third week of every month, and firms’ earnings announcement dates are usually different from the last consensus calculation date. Thus, there is a gap between the last consensus calculation date and the earnings announcement date of firms. This study aims to address the question: “Do analysts issue forecasts that are slightly higher than the consensus number to increase the accuracy of their forecasts?”,This study is based on a sample of 91,172 quarterly earnings forecasts of various firms from 1990 to 2007 made between the last consensus calculation date and quarterly earnings announcement date. Descriptive statistics and statistical tests were used to analyze the data.,The findings propose that contrary to expectation, analysts’ forecasts between the last consensus calculation date and earnings announcement date are smaller than the consensus number. Also, the forecasts made between the last consensus and earnings announcement date is not as informative as forecasts made at other times as they could merely reflect the analysts’ herding behavior resulting from their career concerns.,This study provides a link between the literature that studies firms’ meet or beat analysts’ earnings phenomenon and analysts’ forecast decision-making context. This study also provides useful implications for the literature on the information content of analysts’ forecasts.