The determinants and characteristics of voluntary Internet-based disclosures by listed Chinese companies

Abstract

This paper analyzes the factors behind Chinese listed companies' voluntary adoption of Internet-based financial reporting, as well as their extent of disclosure. Factors identified as being relevant to voluntary disclosure choices in the more advanced market economies are included. In addition, theories on innovation diffusion and voluntary disclosure are used to generate hypotheses about factors specific to the Chinese context, such as type of auditor, foreign listing, different classes of stock ownership, and government regulation. Findings from the largest 300 listed Chinese companies support the proposition that these firms' Internet-based disclosure choices are responsive to specific attributes of their environment. The implications of the findings for policy and research are delineated.