Corporate Reports Research Articles

Mandatory Corporate Reporting and Financial Performance of Listed Manufacturing Companies in Nigeria

Mandatory Corporate Reporting and Financial Performance of Listed Manufacturing Companies in Nigeria

Accounting as a sustainable crafted technology for human exchange activities with nature: A defense of accounting continuity

The literature in the field of accounting establishes that accounting actively changes due to its adaptability to new roles and its fulfilling of functions that members of diverse societies have needed. While accounting is a means that has assisted humans in monitoring resources and holding delegated individuals who administer such resources accountable, it is, however, also being tested to account for human activities with nature. In practice, users of corporate reports need to be informed about the sustainability of the firms in which they invest. Inquiring about sustainability is understudied and experiences low voluntary disclosure. Since reporting on sustainability embraces financial and non-financial disclosure, this study brings to attention the enterprise concept that best fits the conceptualization of accounting at this current time, enabling the accounting profession to meet the urgent ecological, environmental, and social needs of society from reporting entities, primarily those entities whose beneficiaries are part of society. Accounting is the only tool that a business possesses to monitor its internal affairs, administer its external relations, and assess its performance. Adopting the enterprise theory enables accounting to maintain its superiority as a device that meets the emerging needs of business and society. In this regard, accounting is a sustainable profession, because it maintains its existence by assisting corporations in meeting the obligations that they owe toward members of their society and reporting the impact of their actions on members of society at large.

Corporate going-concern report in early pandemic situation: Evidence from Indonesia

A going-concern report (GCr) in the audit opinion adds value and ensures that the firm's sustainability is secured. This study sheds light on this relationship of listed infrastructure, utility, and transportation firms in Indonesia as the most affected firms by Covid-19. Data were collected from published audited annual reports and extracted from 73 firms as a sample. Logistic regression was employed to test the hypotheses. The results show the importance of leverage, audit quality, prior opinions, and dividend policy in ensuring corporate GC. In contrast, audit committee and institutional holder as corporate governance indicators are unrelated to GCr. Beyond its contribution to the literature, this study offers valuable feedback for regulatory bodies to consider the enforcement of corporate governance implementation and assists investors in making better-informed decisions. Furthermore, due to a pandemic crisis, a postponed dividend payment has not caused the firm to accept a GCr.

Corporate Sustainable Growth, Carbon Performance, and Voluntary Carbon Information Disclosure: New Panel Data Evidence for Chinese Listed Companies

At present, to comply with carbon reduction commitments, China has only required energy-intensive enterprises to report their carbon information to regulators, aside from mandatory public disclosures. Although some enterprises have been disclosing their own carbon information voluntarily by means of corporate reports in order to shape their green image, their carbon information disclosures (CID) still need to be improved. This study attempts to systematically investigate links between corporate growth, carbon emission (CEP) or reduction performance (CRP) in two forms (intensity and amount), and CID in industries with different carbon intensities on the basis of stakeholder theory as well as legitimacy theory. This study took Chinese companies listed on the main board market from 2009 to 2021 as samples. The Arellano–Bover/Blundell–Bond dynamic panel data model was used for regression analysis. Results showed that sustainable growth enhanced the promotion effect of CEP (both in terms of intensity and amount) on CID in carbon-intensive industries, while sustainable growth enhanced the inhibition effect of CEP measured in terms of amount, rather than intensity, on CID in low-carbon industries. This revealed that CEP, not CRP, had a significant influence on CID, and uncovered the influence mechanism between carbon performance and CID from the perspective of sustainable enterprise growth. The carbon information disclosure of high-carbon industries is closely and positively related to carbon performance, indicating that the interaction between high-carbon industries and capital markets will be more affected by the mitigation of carbon information asymmetry. Further, circulating A-shares are moderators for better CID in both carbon-intensive industries and low-carbon industries, which fits the expectation of stakeholder theory as well as legitimacy theory. Additionally, measurement habits or preference for carbon emissions performance (in the form of amount or intensity) in different industries should be brought to the forefront to enhance investors’ confidence in CID. This study has certain guiding value for the formulation of CID standards and contributes to the process of mandatory CID.

The Business Model in Energy Sector Reporting—A Case Study from Poland: A Pilot Study

The business model is understood as a way of generating revenue and creating value. This article aimed to define the framework and detailed characteristics of the business model in corporate reporting in the energy sector. The study also addressed the issue of value creation and examined the correlation between reporting information about the business model and the value of the enterprise, calculated using selected accounting measures. The research was conducted in 2021 on all listed companies in the energy sector included in the WIG20 index in 2019–2020. The research methodologies included critical analysis of the literature, analysis of the content of corporate publications, comparative analysis, analysis of phenomena and synthesis of results, Spearman’s rank correlations, and graphical data presentation. The originality of our research concerns directing attention to the disclosure and reporting of information about the business model in corporate reports in the energy sector in Poland. This is the first such study in Poland conducted on companies in the energy sector; therefore, it is treated by the authors as a pilot study. The results show that companies in the energy sector included in the WIG20 index do not disclose information about their business models in reports and the structure of published reports is very diverse, which makes it even more difficult to compare financial and non-financial data. Enterprises in the energy sector disclose financial and non-financial information in financial statements and the reports of the management board on the activities of the company and the capital group. The financial information disclosed by the companies most often included financial and productive capital. Energy companies are reluctant to disclose information about by-products and waste.

Regulations on Non-Financial Disclosure in Corporate Reporting: A Thematic Review

There is a growing call globally for corporations to improve transparency in corporate reporting, along with the surge of enhancing disclosure of non-financial information. Companies are seen as agents for contributing to a better future, and hence could assist in achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs) 2030, via transparent non-financial disclosure. This review paper is premised on the fact that laws on non-financial disclosure may be useful in enhancing the transparency of companies’ conducts. Hence, this systematic review aims to synthesize the literature from 2014 to 2021 on the patterns and trends relating to regulations on non-financial disclosure in corporate reporting by companies. A keyword search followed by filters provided by the Web of Science Core Collection and SCOPUS databases resulted in a total of 369 documents being found. A total of 62 articles were reviewed after manual filtering and exclusion. A thematic review of these 62 articles identified 20 initial codes, which were then grouped into eight clusters: Directive 2014/95/EU, disclosure approaches, fiduciary duties of directors, stakeholder engagement, the effectiveness of disclosure regulations, the impacts of rules, the role of different actors and corporate accountability. The paper finds that the patterns and trends in the review set the path for future research on laws of non-financial disclosure, as they serve as a guideline for researchers for future studies.

Transparent Reporting on Financial Assets as a Determinant of a Company’s Value—A Stakeholder’s Perspective during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic and beyond

Background: Socio-economic changes prompt companies to disclose their sustainable development activities in the reporting, showing that they balance three capitals—economic, environmental, and social. On the other hand, while formulating strategies and goals, they consider the company’s widely understood environment, where its stakeholders are essential. As a result, the transparency and usefulness of the reported information are limited. Methods: The study employed financial statements’ content analysis and a statistical method (rank Spearman correlation, Shapiro–Wilk test). The percentage of change in critical areas for reporting transparency on financial assets was analyzed, before and during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Results: The research indicated that the identified critical reporting areas concerning financial assets showed a greater value change during the pandemic. Correlations between the accounting value of the company and the same critical reporting areas were significant. Conclusion: It has been shown that larger companies can use more accounting policy instruments; therefore, the reporting transparency on financial assets is potentially lower for these companies. The transparency of the surveyed corporate reports during the pandemic was lower.

The decade long story of gender equality and female empowerment: a case study of corporate disclosures in Saudi Arabia

PurposeThis study deviates from the predominantly feminist/critical school of thought associated with existing gender studies to apply an interpretivist approach to investigate gender-reporting practices in Saudi Arabia, an Islamic country in the Gulf region and one of the fast-moving emerging economies both in the Middle East and globally. The purpose of this study is to investigate the extent of reporting on gender and the drivers behind this practice using the content analysis method.Design/methodology/approachThis study contributes to the literature by adopting a rarely used three-lens conceptual framework to expand our understanding of reporting on gender in Saudi Arabia. Eleven companies were chosen based on their voluntary corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosures in Saudi Arabia. The CSR and annual reports of selected companies were analysed using NVIVO Pro 11.FindingsThe results indicate that gender disclosures in the Saudi context are driven by legislation, location and international reporting frameworks. Although the number of disclosures increased over time, they were not adopted consistently and systematically because of their voluntary nature.Research limitations/implicationsThe first limitation is the disadvantage associated with interpretivism related to the subjective nature of the investigation and room for bias, and hence, the results cannot be generalised. The second limitation is the sample size; future investigations may increase the sample size by including other service and manufacturing sector firms to have more comprehensive insights.Practical implicationsThis study contributes to the literature by providing evidence suggesting that in Saudi Arabia, state legislation is the driving force behind reporting on gender issues. Although workplace disclosures dominate, companies are opening dialogues with other stakeholders (especially the community) by disclosing performance data, and thus emphasising their commitment to this social change.Social implicationsThis empirical contribution to the CSR literature will provide rich historical and interpretive data on the emergence of gender transformation in society, and how that is reflected in corporate reports, thus, contributing to the understanding of the purpose of voluntary disclosures.Originality/valueEmployee-related disclosures in corporate reports are very common. However, issues such as diversity and equal opportunities tend to be overlooked. This study explores gender equality and female empowerment disclosures and practices in the emerging market of Saudi Arabia while focusing on whether the social, political and legal changes in Saudi Arabian society have affected these disclosures in corporate reports. There is a lack of qualitative analysis of gender disclosers globally and in emerging economies particularly.

Lithium mining, water resources, and socio-economic issues in northern Argentina: We are not all in the same boat

Lithium mining in Argentina is often associated to social injustices, unequal access to information, and conflicts around issues such as water consumption. Different stakeholders hold different perceptions around the pros and cons of lithium mining. We identify here concerns regarding water resources, technical aspects of lithium mining, and social and economic aspects in four different sources of information: (1) Scientific articles; (2) Government reports; (3) Corporate reports; and (4) Newspaper articles. We found differences between the groups of documents analyzed. Scientific and newspaper articles share a wide spectrum of issues. Corporate and government reports are more focused and relate more heavily to social and economic aspects. Socio-technical issues, frequent in government reports and the media, do not seem relevant in corporate reports. Concerns about water resources and lithium mining are most prominent in scientific and newspaper articles. Government reports were the least concerned about water and the socio-environmental impacts of lithium mining, but focused on global markets, employment and technical development. Analyzing stakeholders’ concerns in the Argentine Puna region can help reveal power structures, connections, and discourses across different sectors and scales.

QUALITY CORPORATE FINANCIAL REPORTING AND STAKEHOLDERS INTERERST

Information, Communication and Globalization has made the preparation of reports very easy because large volume of transactions needs to be processed. Quality corporate reporting is very essential for the growth of an organization and thus development of the economy of any country. Over the years the quality of reporting has received global and heightened concern as a result of the role it plays in allowing users of financial statements make economic decisions which to a very large extent talks about the soundness and healthiness of a business firm or organization. The objective of the study was to critically examine the relationship between Quality of Corporate Reporting and stakeholder’s interest. The study adopted an ex-post facto research design. The population was 35 manufacturing companies while 10 were selected purposively for a period of 10 years making 100 firm year observations. The findings reveal that Quality Corporate reporting had a significant impact on Creditors interest (Adj R2= 0.653, F(2, 97) = 48.60, P < 0.05), it also had a significant relationship on employees interest(Adj R2= 0.0.733, F(2, 97) = 40.81, P < 0.05). The study concluded that there exists a significant relationship between Quality of Corporate Reporting and all the variables of Stakeholders interest. It was recommended that Owners and Management of businesses must ensure that a mechanism and a structure is put in place to ensure that reports prepared are of high quality that will meet the needs of the stakeholders.

Improving the Visibility of Soil Health in Corporate Reporting

Improving the Visibility of Soil Health in Corporate Reporting

Green Consumerism and Sustainability Tourism Marketing: A Systematic Bibliometric Review

Purpose: The growing awareness about climate change and environment has a perceived impact on consumer behaviour. The change is observed in a greater focus on green consumerism in the tourism industry, which in turn has led a large number of researchers to study this area. The purpose of this research is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the present and future state of research in the domain of green consumerism and sustainable marketing of tourism. Design/ Methodology/ Approach: A comprehensive list of journal publications, conference papers, corporate reports and relevant books were analysed using Systematic Literature Review consisting of bibliometric review, citation analysis, co-citation analysis and co-occurrence of keyword analysis. Findings: The findings of this research would assist government departments, policymakers, and senior management at hotels to focus better on niche aspects of green consumer behaviour and strategize their marketing initiatives to be sustainable. Research Limitations: Limitations may exist due to study search strings used, which may not be exhaustive to include all relevant studies in the analysis. Practical Implications: Sustainability in marketing of tourism products may get the desired impetus from government policies through a strong strategic intent. Originality/ Value: This research paper presents an original work in terms of comprehensively analysing the most relevant research studies through systematic literature review.

Corporate Reporting: From Numbers to Narrative

Corporate Reporting: From Numbers to Narrative

THE "REVOLVING DOORS" PRACTICE IN RUSSIA: MOVEMENTS FROM PUBLIC AUTHORITIES TO GR-MANAGEMENT OF COMPANIES (BASED ON THE ANALYSIS OF BIOGRAPHIES)

The article discusses the practice of transitions of public officials to the GR-management of companies and the factors that determine it. The empirical basis of research is a biographical database of 279 GR directors included in the ratings published in the Kommersant newspaper in 2010-2021. For each of them, a biographical questionnaire was filled out containing information about the date of birth, type of education and career path; which was then statistically processed. The sources of information were the websites of companies, authorities and other organizations, corporate reports, media materials, biographical Internet portals. The author makes a number of conclusions. Firstly, although work experience in state apparatus is quite widespread among GR managers, it is not an indispensable prerequisite for holding such positions. Secondly, most common among GR managers are figures with experience in the federal administration (especially in economic departments), while people from representative bodies, as well as from regional and local administrations, are much less common. Thirdly, most often people from public authorities work as GR managers in state-owned companies, and least often in foreign companies. In terms of industry, the most common political and administrative experience is among managers in industries that are highly subject to state regulation, such as the fuel and energy complex and metallurgy. At the same time, there is a tendency for officials to move to work in companies belonging to subordinate industries. The factors of transition of politicians and officials to the positions of GR managers are considered, in particular, such as career interests of statesmen, legislative restrictions on the employment of officials in business after resignation, the interest of firms in hiring people from the state apparatus. It is noted that the mass migration of public figures into business may create a conflict of interest.

Accounts and Accountability: the UK Government's Misguided Plans to Regulate Corporate Reporting and Auditing

Accounts and Accountability: the UK Government's Misguided Plans to Regulate Corporate Reporting and Auditing

Exploring Unregulated Corporate Reporting: Adoption of Sustainability Reporting and Integrated Reporting Practices in Blue Chips Companies of Bangladesh

Exploring Unregulated Corporate Reporting: Adoption of Sustainability Reporting and Integrated Reporting Practices in Blue Chips Companies of Bangladesh

Ethics Culture in the Corporate Reporting Function, Financial Reporting Quality and Investor Reaction: Evidence from Australia

Ethics Culture in the Corporate Reporting Function, Financial Reporting Quality and Investor Reaction: Evidence from Australia

Assessment of the Satisfaction of the Russian Investment Community with the Quality of Financial Statements according to International Standards

The decline in the functionality of corporate reports compiled in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) destabilizes the market information system and has a direct impact on investment decisions by the end users of these reports. One of the main factors contributing to the noted dysfunctionality is the discrepancy between the downward trend in the consumer value of the IFRS reporting for investors and the high assessments of its “formal” quality by the IFRS practitioners. For an effective solution of the identified problem, it is important to study the current qualitative assessments of the reporting by its end users. Therefore, the purpose of the study is to evaluate the degree of satisfaction among the representatives of the national investment community with the consumer characteristics of financial statements under IFRS. The hypothesis assumes that the consumer properties of the financial statements in their current state do not meet the interests of the users, primarily the investors. The applied methodology includes expert review using multivariate analysis tools. The objectivity and scientific novelty of the results obtained are also confirmed by the analysis of primary data from a survey conducted among the representatives of the business environment. The results of the tests performed are statistically significant and strongly indicate against the null hypothesis. The study confirms the low degree of satisfaction with the quality of the reporting among investors with heterogeneity of assessments in functional groups. Consequently, at the current stage of development of the IFRS system, formally high-quality financial statements do not fully meet the expectations and only partially meet the needs of the end users represented by investors and other interested representatives of the business community. The theoretical significance of the obtained results expanding the base of empirical data on the practical usefulness of financial statements, rests in the proposals for criteria and clarification of the level of satisfaction among the investment community of Russia with the quality of financial reporting under IFRS. The practical significance of the results obtained lies in the possibility of their use for adjusting managerial decisions in the practice of organizing international financial accounting and standardizing financial reporting.

The Dilemma of Information Overload: A Review of Literature from Accounting and Finance Related Studies

Purpose: Advancements in information and communication technologies enable the production of a mass amount of data and information. Do more information support quality decision-making? It is a dilemma. The purpose of this study is to address the findings related to information overload and discover potential research gaps. Design/Methodology/Approach: This paper aims to analyze the nature and trends of literature on information overload in the field of accounting and finance from 2017 to 2021 by adopting a systematic literature review approach. As a result of bibliometric analysis from the selected peer-reviewed journals, this paper shed light on 83 research papers for the review process. Findings: The current study finds an increasing trend of studies focusing on information overload issues in corporate reporting. Results portray that since corporate reports are the critical communication bridge between entities and their stakeholders, disseminating unclouded, coherent and transparent information through the reports is very important to facilitate users and decision-makers. Stakeholder perception studies on content, length, and readability of financial and non-financial information disclosures in the annual reports are suggested for future research endeavors. Originality: This study originates the point where the causes of information overload literally become a burden for effective decision-making. Thus, the finding of this study will be useful for both preparers and users of information in managing both financial and noninformation and help future researchers to spot gaps for upcoming research.

IMPACT OF ENVIRONMENTAL DISCLOSURES QUALITY ON THE INFORMED DECISION OF RELEVANT STAKEHOLDERS IN NIGERIA

This study investigates the impact of environmental disclosure quality on the informed decision of users of corporate reports based on the assumptions of the decision usefulness theory. The survey design was adopted in this study using a questionnaire that was administered to preparers and users of corporate reports. A combination of t-test and regression was used to test the hypotheses of the study. The findings confirm the low level of voluntary environmental disclosure mechanisms practiced in Nigeria. Finally, preparers are aware of the information need of users. In conclusion, the study shows that much priority is not given to environmental reports. It is recommended from this study that firms should ensure that the level of their EDQ is continuously improved to aid user decisions and secure a positive impression of stakeholders about the firms. Government and standard setters should gear efforts towards standardization of environmental disclosures of firms in Nigeria through legislation and issuance of standards to improve the quality of disclosures.