Integrated Reporting Quality Research Articles

Role of Analyst Following in the Relationship between Integrated Reporting Quality (IRQ) Disclosure and Cost of Equity Capital in Developed Markets

The study aims to examine the role of analyst following (AF) in the relationship between IR quality (IRQ) disclosures and implied cost of equity capital (ICC) in the developed market in Australia and New Zealand. The study also examined whether companies with higher-quality integrated reporting (IR) benefit from the cost of equity capital reduction. The main objective is to identify the role of AF in explaining the relationship between IRQ disclosure and ICC. Besides, the study highlighted the average effects of IR benefits, which increase when there is more information asymmetry between firms and investors. Furthermore, IR could play a bigger role (with greater information asymmetry) than cross-sectional tests. The study used a common sample of 100 top companies based on Standard and Poor's market capitalisation in Australia and New Zealand (2014-2016), with 870 observations of post-implementation IR. This study showed a significant, negative relationship between IRQ and the ICC with top companies in Australia and New Zealand. Also, the results showed that AF is a partial mediator in explaining the relationship between IRQ and the cost of equity capital. The findings also indicated that AF has a vital role in IRQ disclosures, associated with a subsequent reduction in the cost of equity capital in the developed market.

Integrated report quality and earnings management – Evidence from South Africa

Background: No prescribed standard disclosure requirements for integrated reporting exist. Instead, the International Integrated Reporting Framework is widely adopted, which provides guidelines for integrated reporting to improve the quality of information reported to end-users. These guidelines, however, allow management a degree of freedom in implementing integrated reporting, making the quality of disclosure thereof dependent on management’s approach to reporting. In contrast to the purpose of integrated reporting stands the management of earnings where management can use judgement to manipulate financial reports to mislead end-users. The conflicting theoretical objectives of integrated reporting and earnings management (EM) pose the question of how these two variables relate to one another.Aim: We examine the association between the quality of integrated reports and EM.Setting: Our sample consists of 238 company-years from 2013 to 2017 that were listed as part of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) top 100 companies and were ranked on Ernst and Young (EY’s) annual Excellence in Integrated Reporting Awards. The likely association between integrated report quality (IRQ) and EM was identified based on theoretical frameworks, including the stakeholder and agency theories.Method: We perform a robust, one-way cluster regression on our main empirical model, measuring IRQ on rankings, determined by the annual EY Excellence in Integrated Reporting Awards and EM through discretionary accruals.Results: We find a statistically significant negative association between EM, measured as income increasing accruals, and IRQ.Conclusion: Results suggest that companies with income increasing EM activities are less likely to disclose higher quality integrated reports.

Institutional antecedents of integrated reporting quality: The moderating role of board independence

AbstractThis study aims to examine a set of institutional isomorphic influences toward integrated reporting quality (IRQ) and the role of board independence in moderating such influences. The results from a cross‐sectional sample of 200 international companies indicated that both coercive (regulatory quality) and normative isomorphism (press freedom, CEO with accounting qualification, Dow Jones Sustainability Index listing, and winning an IR award) exert positive effects on IRQ. Moreover, board independence moderates positively for the effects of mimetic isomorphism (environmental sensitive industry) on IRQ. This study contributes to filling the gap in the literature by offering a multi‐theory approach to analyzing the antecedent of IRQ from the lenses of both institutional and agency theory. It also offers a practical contribution for corporate IR adopters, users, and regulatory authorities to improve corporate reporting. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that examines the moderating role of board independence on IRQ.

Refining integrated thinking

PurposeIntegrated thinking involves a holistic, multi-capital approach to decision-making and operations to promote value creation and sustainability. This paper aims to outline a schematic which can be used to gauge the levels of integrated thinking by organisations.Design/methodology/approachThe researchers partnered with an independent consulting firm (“Sustain-X”) which has developed a tool for evaluating integrated thinking. A two-stage mixed-method design is used to evaluate the tool. Firstly, in keeping with the exploratory nature of the paper, the tool’s integrated thinking principles and indicators are contrasted with findings from an extensive review of the integrated thinking research and interviews with experts on how integrated thinking is understood and operationalised. Secondly, the tool was applied to a sample of South African listed firms’ integrated reports and used to generate integrated thinking scores. These scores are evaluated by testing the strength of their association with other generally accepted proxies for integrated thinking.FindingsThe principles of the schematic include integrated awareness and understanding; integrated leadership commitment and capability; integrated structures; integrated organisational performance management; and integrated external communication. Empirical results show that the integrated thinking measures generated using the Sustain-X schematic are aligned with integrated report quality scores and ratings of the sophistication of organisations’ accounting, management and governance structures.Research limitations/implicationsA combination of earlier research findings, detailed interviews (conducted independently of Sustain-X) and a battery of quantitative tests have been used to evaluate the schematic, but more refined testing using additional case studies or ethnographies has been deferred.Practical implicationsThe tool offers a practical means for stakeholders to evaluate integrated thinking. It is flexible enough to be used with data collected during private engagements with companies or only publicly available information.Social implicationsThe schematic is one of the first to outline the dimensions of integrated thinking and should be useful for academics and practitioners concerned with the development and application of integrated thinking.Originality/valueThis paper adds to the literature on integrated thinking and answers the call for further research to evaluate integrated thinking practices.

Diffusion of integrated reporting, insights and potential avenues for future research

AbstractThis study reviews the diffusion of integrated reporting (IR) research. The systematic literature review method is used to review the effects of IR at the organisational level, determinants of IR adoption and integrated report quality (IRQ), assurance on IR, economic consequences of IR/IRQ, and research design issues to set agendas for future research. The review covers 119 peer‐reviewed IR articles published in 36 journals between 2012 and 2021. It finds that the IR literature is dominated by organisational‐level studies, but there is limited research on the economic consequences of IR/IRQ, and the findings are inconclusive to date. Further, the factors that determine IR adoption/IRQ are not conclusive, and there is scarce research on IR assurance. This review contributes to the emerging IR literature and provides valuable insights to the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC) in establishing the IR framework as a global reporting norm in practice.

Does integrated reporting quality matter to capital markets? Empirical evidence from voluntary adopters

AbstractThis study examines the relevance of integrated reporting quality (IRQ) to capital markets. We investigate whether IRQ benefits capital market participants by improving a firm's information environment, using analyst earnings forecast accuracy as a proxy. Our study focuses specifically on companies that publish integrated reports on a voluntary basis. Based on a scoring model, we assess IRQ and its effects with data from 2015 to 2019 of 101 companies. The results indicate no significant relationship between IRQ and analyst earnings forecast accuracy. Thus, IRQ does not appear to improve a firm's information environment, at least not currently in a voluntary setting. Drawing on previous literature in the field, this study further concludes that integrated reporting (IR) in general has not yet reached its full potential in benefitting capital markets. Potential implications of our results are that the standard setters should work to improve the specificity and rigor of their guidelines, and analysts should become more involved in developing IR guidelines to make them more relevant to their information needs. IR seems to unfold its benefits better in mandatory settings, which could call for regulators to make IR mandatory.

The integrated reporting quality, cost of equity and financial performance in Islamic banks

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of integrated reporting quality (IRQ) on the cost of equity and financial performance of Islamic banks (IBs) in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.Design/methodology/approachThis study examines 67 IBs in the MENA region over a period of six years (2015–2020). This paper is motivated by the use of the method of ordinary least on square panel data. A multiple regression model is used to analyze the impact of the quality of integrated reporting, on the one hand, on the cost of equity and, on the other hand, on the financial performance of IBs in the MENA region. Similarly, as an extension of the research, the authors exploited the dynamic effect of the data set through the generalized method of moments and estimated the impact of the one-year lagged value of the cost of equity.FindingsThe empirical results obtained do indicate that the quality of integrated reporting seems to have a significant negative effect on the cost of equity capital. It is also interesting to note that IRQ has a positive and significant impact on the financial performance of IBs.Research limitations/implicationsCurrent research can help and encourage IBs to provide quality information to reduce the cost of equity. Furthermore, this research could be a valuable source of information for policymakers, regulators and stakeholders on IB governance practices and disclosure. Finally, integrated reporting is very important for the progress and development of the Islamic banking sector.Originality/valueThis paper is motivated by the limited research on integrated reporting and financial performance of IBs. It makes an important contribution to the academic literature by adding to the limited body of research on the cost of equity, performance and quality of integrated reporting in the MENA region. This study is also important for the investors seeking to reduce the cost of equity to improve financial performance.

Integrated Reporting Assessment from the User's Perspective Using the Integrated Report Quality Index

The last decades have seen a shift in the corporate reporting model, moving from financial disclosure to the triple bottom line approach, including information about financial, environmental and social capital, also referred to as a sustainability reporting. These changes have been driven by stakeholder pressure on corporate transparency and emerging disclosure regulation. The International Integrated Reporting Council aimed to add value to sustainability reporting by developing integrated reporting (IR), seeking not only to combine financial and non-financial reporting but to show connectivity between them and provide a clear picture of how the company can create and sustain value over the short, medium and long term. This approach has been followed by a great number of corporations since its initiation in 2010. Given that the IR framework is rather principles-based, the quality of such reports differs from company to company. The main objective of this paper is to assess the quality of IR from the user's perspective. We analyse companies listed in IBEX 35 and compare the evolution of the IR quality in 2016 and 2019. To do so, an index was developed measuring the quality of the integrated report based on elements such as visuality, navigability, technological elements and business model description. Our findings show that while, in 2016, companies operating in critical sectors tended to have a generally higher IR quality, there were no significant differences in 2019 between companies operating in critical and non-critical sectors, and the general quality has decreased in favour of the quantity of information.

Integrated reporting quality and corporate tax avoidance practices in South Africa’s listed companies

PurposeThis study aims to examine the relationship between integrated reporting (IR) quality and corporate tax avoidance (CTA). IR is an emerging reporting mechanism, while CTA practices are considered a hindrance to inclusive and sustainable growth. The study also assesses the moderating role of firm complexity on the IR-CTA relationship. Additionally, this study also envisages that CTA practices are not static. Hence, it also analyses the IR-CTA relationship across different intensity levels of CTA practices. The study focusses on listed companies in South Africa, the only country that has mandated IR practice so far.Design/methodology/approachOrdinary least square and quantile regressions are used to analyse archival and content analysis data for firms listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange from 2011 to 2017.FindingsThis study finds that IR quality negatively associates firms CTA practices. It further concludes that although firms’ transparency level increases due to IR quality, firm complexity reduces the significant negative relationship between IR and CTA practices. The findings also indicate that the IR-CTA relationship is not constant but instead differs across the CTA quantiles. At aggressive levels of CTA, no relationship is established between IR quality and firms’ CTA practices.Practical implicationsThe findings provide a useful and more detailed description of the relationship between information quality and CTA practice, focussing on IR, an emerging reporting mechanism that is considered innovative and transparent.Social implicationsConsidering the IR-CTA relationship found in this study, IR quality implementation may indirectly contribute to attaining sustainable development goals by reducing CTA practices.Originality/valueThis study examines the relationship between reporting quality and firms’ CTA practices from the perspectives of an emerging reporting mechanism, with a focus on South Africa, the only country that has mandated IR practice. Furthermore, the distributional mean effects of IR quality on firms’ CTA practices explored in this study extend beyond the usual IR-CTA relationship.

Comparing the Effect of Intangible Assets and Macroeconomic Parameters on the Stock Prices in Firms Listed on the Stock Exchange of Iran, Saudi Arabia and Iraq

Comparing the Effect of Intangible Assets and Macroeconomic Parameters on the Stock Prices in Firms Listed on the Stock Exchange of Iran, Saudi Arabia and Iraq

Impact of Integrated Reporting Quality Disclosure on Cost of Equity Capital in Australia and New Zealand

This study aims to ascertain the relationship between the integrated reporting quality (IRQ) disclosures and the implied cost of equity capital (ICC) in the developed markets of Australia and New Zealand. The study provides empirical results on whether companies producing higher-quality integrated reporting (IR) under a regular process can reduce equity capital costs. This study focuses on the benefits of IR and notes that there is actually more information asymmetry between firms and investors than previously believed. The study concludes that IR plays a salient role in capital costs (when information asymmetry is greater) than cross-sectional tests. The 100 companies studied were chosen based on Standard and Poor market capitalization listed in Australia and New Zealand from 2014 until 2016. The study considered a total of 870 observations of post-implementation IR. Further, data were collected from a validated secondary database. This study showed a significant, negative relationship between IRQ and the ICC in the developed market. The results of this study encourage companies that have not yet adopted IR to do so for accelerating reduction in the ICC. Consequently, this study can help promote IR and attract more countries to implement IR policies to enhance IR research.

MODELING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INTEGRATED REPORTING QUALITY AND SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

The aim of the paper is to provide an overview of the sensitivity in terms of the preference for using the integrated reporting quality (IRQ) based on the reporting companies’ field of activity. The study focusses on designing a sensitivity analysis relying on the most relevant financial and nonfinancial indicators as required by the stakeholders. They were adjusted by the key factors for the IRQ such as the social, natural, human and intellectual capital. The study has been designed based on the upgrade and in compliance with the connectivity principle as required by the IIRC. The data was collected from the IR examples Database between 2015–2017. The results suggest that based on sensitivity function value, those sectors of activity such as transportation and infrastructure, services and trade have a higher sensitivity preference for the IR due to the quantification of the stakeholders’ interest in terms of performance positive trend indexes. Making use of regressive techniques, the authors undertook an econometrical model for the evaluation of the IRQ that may become very useful for those companies that intend to set in place a sustainable business as it provides them the opportunity of measuring the IRQ.

Do board directors and good corporate governance improve integrated reporting quality? The moderating effect of CSR: an empirical analysis

PurposeThis paper targets to shed light on the relationship between board characteristics, good corporate governance and the integrated reporting quality (IRQ) and even if this relationship is moderated by the corporate social responsibility.Design/methodology/approachData from a sample of 185 European firms selected from STOXX 600 Index between 2010 and 2019 are used to test the model using panel data and multiple regression. This paper is motivated by using panel data estimated feasible generalized least squares method. A multiple regression model is used to analyze the moderating effect of the corporate social responsibility on the association between board characteristics, good corporate governance and the IRQ.FindingsConsistent with the expectations, the results showed that there is a positive relationship between board independence, board diversity, good corporate governance and IRQ. Furthermore, the findings suggest that moderating effect positively affects the relationship between the board characteristics, good corporate governance and IRQ.Practical implicationsThe results of this study have an impact on policymakers. The presence of women and independent members of the board should be encouraged. This has a positive effect on the availability of high-quality information, able to drive investment levels and stakeholder participation.Originality/valueThis study supports the existing literature. First, it expands the scientific debate on the topic of integrated reporting (IR). Second, it extends the scope of agency theory, which is rarely used to explain IR-related phenomena. This study is one of the first to examine the moderating effect of corporate social responsibility on the association between a set of governance characteristics (i.e. Board independence and board diversity) and integrated reporting adoption.

Integrated reporting quality and cost of debt financing

PurposeIn recent years, policymakers have increasingly pushed firms to disclose non-financial information. In Europe, integrated reporting (IR) is an increasingly adopted tool to fully comply with the requirements of the Directive 2014/95/EU. This study aims to examine the financial benefits of IR quality and specifically the effect on the cost of debt.Design/methodology/approachA manual content analysis is performed to measure the quality of the information contained in integrated reports. A panel regression model is used to test the effect of the IR quality on the cost of debt on a sample of 399 observations (a balanced panel of 133 European listed firms for the period 2017–2019).FindingsResults demonstrate a negative relationship between IR quality and the cost of debt, showing that firms that provide higher quality integrated reports benefit from access to third party financial resources at better conditions.Research limitations/implicationsThe results of this study offer important implications for managers and policymakers. The capacity of IR quality to allow a cost of debt reduction should push managers to a greater propensity towards transparency and the dissemination of high quality integrated reports. In addition, in light of the benefits connected to the IR quality, policymakers should push towards the adoption of IR as a solution to fulfil the regulatory obligations deriving from Directive 2014/95/EU.Practical implicationsResults show the goodness of IR as an ideal solution to fulfil the obligations imposed by Directive 2014/95/EU. The important financial benefits associated with IR quality make the high quality integrated report an ideal tool capable of fulfilling regulatory obligations and at the same time guaranteeing a reduction in the cost of debt.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first work that analyses the relationship between IR quality and cost of debt.

Integrated Report Quality: Share Price Informativeness and Proprietary Costs

Our study addresses whether integrated report quality, IRQ, is positively associated with greater price informativeness and the extent to which the greater price informativeness is diminished when firms have higher proprietary costs of disclosure. In integrated reports, firms integrate financial and non-financial information to explain how it uses financial, manufactured, intellectual, human, social and relationship, and natural capitals to create value. Financial statements and sustainability information are key to integrated reports. Based on firms in South Africa, which mandates integrated reporting, we find IRQ is significantly negatively related to synchronicity, and, thus, positively related to price informativeness. This finding indicates higher quality integrated reports enable investors to make more informed decisions and, thus, allocate capital more efficiently. All twelve IRQ components are negatively associated with synchronicity, eleven significantly so. Thus, most dimensions of IRQ, and integration of financial and non-financial information, including sustainability information, contribute to greater price informativeness. Synchronicity and IRQ are significantly less negatively related for firms with higher proprietary costs, particularly costs associated with growth opportunities and intangible assets. For firms with these costs, IRQ is insignificantly associated with synchronicity. Our study informs the rapidly changing standard-setting landscape for integrated financial and non-financial information, particularly sustainability information.

The Factors of Integrated Reporting Quality: A Meta-Analysis

The research on integrated reporting (IR) grew exponentially during the last decade. The present meta-analysis was motivated by the need to systematize the results of previously published studies employing quantitative methodologies. Therefore, we fill a research gap by discovering significant meta-analytic relations between IR and various economic, organizational, institutional, and country-level variables. Three major areas of research were identified: IR adoption, IR quality, and integrated thinking. The final sample consisted of 91 articles published in top journals between 2013 and 2021. The meta-analytic procedures were applied on bivariate and partial correlations between the three major areas of IR and other constructs such as company attributes, financial performance, corporate governance, social and environmental responsibility, market performance, industry- and country-level characteristics. The results confirmed that corporate governance variables (i.e., director independence, board gender diversity, the existence of a social responsibility committee, and quality of the audit committee) were the most important predictors of IR quality, especially in a voluntary reporting setting. On the other hand, financial reporting quality, financial performance, and firm leverage are not significantly associated with integrated reporting quality. Several implications and recommendations were derived from these meta-analytic results.

Do audit committee attributes influence integrated reporting quality? An agency theory viewpoint

AbstractThe limits of financial disclosure in meeting the investors' needs have led to the request for reporting frameworks capable of incorporating information of different nature. Integrated reporting (IR), which is the latest novelty in organisational reporting practice, promises to bring together material financial and non‐financial information. IR has received considerable academic attention in recent years. However, little attention has been paid to the role of the audit committee in IR processes, despite the influence that this body has on disclosure, thanks to its supervisory and monitoring functions. This study bridges this gap by analysing the effect of the audit committee attributes on integrated reporting quality (IRQ) from an agency theory perspective. The regression analysis, conducted on a sample of 125 international firms, demonstrated a positive effect of size, independence and meeting frequency of the audit committee on IRQ and a non‐significant effect of financial expertise.

The effect of integrated reporting quality on market liquidity and analyst forecast error

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of integrated reporting (IR) quality on both market liquidity and analyst forecast accuracy in South Africa as the only country in the world having IR as a listing requirement. This study uses the Sustainability Disclosure Transparency Index (SDTI) as a proxy for IR disclosure quality. The analysis of this study is based on the period after the publication of the international framework and its adoption by the International Reporting Committee of South Africa in 2014. Design/methodology/approach The companies sampled in this study are those listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) from 2013 to 2015. The major factor driving the selection of this particular period was to not only analyse the existing IR practice but also investigate IR two years after King III came into force. The SDTI developed by Integrated Reporting and Assurance Services (IRAS) was used to analyse IR quality. Ordinary least squares regressions were analysed. The models include year and industry fixed effects. The variance inflation factor and its tolerance were used to test the severity of multi-collinearity. Also, alternative measures of IR quality and alternate model specifications were analysed to check the robustness of the results. Findings The authors find that quality of IR is associated with lower earnings forecast error. The evidence indicates that earnings forecast error is lower for firms in the materials sector of the South African economy. Consistent with prior research, the results also suggest that forecast errors are higher for companies with volatile returns and lower for larger firms. Additional analysis indicates that IR quality is positively associated with market liquidity. Overall, these findings support the virtues of IR, thus providing useful information to capital markets. Research limitations/implications The results obtained cannot be generalised to other jurisdictions. While the South African economy is the best setting to investigate IRs, new economies are also working actively on IR disclosures, so future research is likely to extend the literature in this field. Secondly, the availability of data constrained the sample size; however, this only mediates against finding any statistically significant result. While the IRAS database offers information about 324 JSE companies, Datastream covers only the 170 largest South African firms. In spite of the sample reduction, robust and consistent results are found in the market liquidity and analyst forecast accuracy proxies. Practical implications The sample period of this study (2013-2015) allows to understand disclosure behaviour after the international IR framework was published and endorsed by the JSE. The release of the IIRF gave clear guidance to firms regarding the nature and purpose of IR. Overall, the results obtained in this paper are consistent with IR expectations, thus providing useful information for investors and financial analysts. It is expected that the results might have practical implications for other nations about the cost and benefits of implementing integrated management reporting. Originality/value This paper contributes incrementally to the existing debate about whether disclosure information through IR has real benefits or is a passing fad. It examines the economic consequences of IR in a mandatory setting using an in-house ranking system, adapted to South Africa, designed by IRAS to determine IR quality. IRAS provides an SDTI that assesses the accuracy, consistency, completeness and reliability of quantitative data for 84 indicators based on IR and global reporting initiative aspects and subdivided into seven categories.

Linking integrated reporting quality with sustainability performance and financial performance in South Africa

Background: Ten years have lapsed since the launch of the International Integrated Reporting Council. Stakeholders increasingly question whether integrated reporting (IR) meets the objectives of decision-usefulness and accountability. Aim: The primary objective of this study was to assess the usefulness of IR by examining the interrelations between the integrated reporting quality (IRQ), sustainability performance and financial performance of listed companies in South Africa. Setting: The study is conducted in the country where integrated reporting is most established. The links between the IRQ of the Top 100 companies listed on Johannesburg Stock Exchange and their environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) scores and multiple financial indicators are investigated over the period 2013 to 2018. Method: The EY Excellence in Integrated Reporting Awards was used as a metric to determine the sample companies’ IRQ. These awards were ranked according to four categories, namely ‘progress to be made’, ‘average’, ‘good’ and ‘excellent’. Sustainability (ESG scores) as well as financial performance data (accounting-based and market-based variables) were sourced from Bloomberg. The panel dataset was analysed by conducting a mixed-model analysis of variance and panel regressions. Results: A high level of IRQ was found to be significantly associated with high levels of environmental, social and corporate governance performance, as well as high earnings per share and high leverage. Conclusion: IR appears to strengthen managerial efficiency and legitimacy in the eyes of debt capital providers in South Africa, while equity capital providers do not provide a clear signal of approval.

The determinants of integrated reporting quality in financial institutions

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the financial and country-level determinants of integrated reporting quality in the financial industry. Specifically, this study analyses the impact of profitability, size, leverage and civil law system on the integrated reporting quality.Design/methodology/approachHypotheses were tested using a regression model on a sample of 87 financial institutions. An integrated reporting (IR)-quality scoreboard was used to measure report quality.FindingsThe results show that IR quality is significantly and positively influenced by profitability, size, financial leverage and the civil law system.Practical implicationsThe results have particularly important implications for large, profitable financial institutions that make greater use of financial leverage and that are localized in non-civil law countries. Managers should increase transparency by expanding the content and quality of the information contained in the integrated reports.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the literature by revealing several financial factors that influence IR quality. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to investigate IR quality in the context of the financial industry.