The effect of IFRS 8 on segments disclosure practices in South East Asia

Abstract

Purpose This paper analyzes and compares segments disclosure practices of listed companies of Pakistan and Bangladesh under International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) 8 with companies from India under Accounting Standard 17 over three-year period from 2013 to 2015. Furthermore, the purpose of this paper was to investigate that how the selection of chief operating decision-maker (CODM) by management, industry type, governance and firm characteristics affects segments disclosure practices in South East Asia. Finally, how the relationship among segment disclosure, firm characteristics and corporate governance is moderated through the big 4 audit firm. Design/methodology/approach To achieve these objectives, data were collected from annual reports of the top 100 companies of each country and selected based on market capitalization for three years period 2013–2015. Findings Results state that majority of companies in South East Asia are using business class for defining operating/primary segments. Regarding reporting of operating/primary segments and geographic/secondary segments along with geographic fineness score, Indian companies are continuously on the lower side as compared to companies from Pakistan and Bangladesh. Furthermore, it was found that industry type and selection of CODM have a highly significant effect on segments disclosure practices. Finally, results of regression analysis found that the application of IFRS 8 in Pakistan and Bangladesh has a significant positive effect on disclosure of operating/primary as well as geographic/secondary segments as compared to India. Further, the role of corporate governance mechanism in influencing segments disclosure was found as least in South East Asia. Further appointment of big 4 audit firm as external auditor has only significant positive effect on disclosure of segments items. Finally, based on additional analysis, it was found that big 4 auditor moderates the relationship only in the case of reporting of operating/primary segments. Research limitations/implications Based on these results, the performance of Indian companies regarding disclosure of operating/primary segments, geographic/secondary segments along geographic fineness score is quite low despite the fastest growing economy in the world. This raises concerns about the quality of segment reporting in India, the world’s fastest expanding economy. Originality/value These results imply that there is a need of an effective role by the external auditor to improve the quality of segment reporting in developing countries, which is principle based.