Quality Of Financial Information Research Articles

Corporate Social Responsibility and Financial Information Quality

Corporate social responsibility has gained increasing popularity among managers and investors. Many firms commit significant resources and consider CSR as a part of their long-term strategic plan. Whether corporate social responsibility affects corporate financial information quality has been an important question. Using a big sample of corporations in the U.S., I study the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate financial information quality. I find a significant and positive relationship between CSR and financial information quality. This relationship is robust to potential endogeneity concerns. These findings have important implications for financial disclosure, CSR, and corporate strategy.

Financial information, spillovers, and innovation performance

We hypothesize that high-quality financial information can, through its spillovers to peer firms’ strategic decision-making, have an adverse effect on the disclosing firm’s innovation performance. Using the degree of disaggregation in financial reports and patent-based measures to proxy for financial information quality and significance of innovative outputs, respectively, we find that the patented inventions of firms with more disaggregated financial reports are less innovative. We also document that the negative association is more pronounced for firms with more intense product market threats, a situation in which the spillover of more detailed information is costlier. We further validate our argument by documenting that disclosures of more and finer information actually help peers increase innovation activities and investments, consistent with the peers’ effective strategic responses to the disclosing firm’s innovation. Overall, the results from the cross-sectional analysis and validation tests confirm the channel through which more disaggregated financial information can lead to a decline in firm innovation performance. This study contributes to the literatures on information spillovers, economic consequences of financial reporting, proprietary costs of disclosures, and innovation.

The Impact of International Accounting and Auditing Standards on the Quality of Financial Reporting

Objective: This study aims to measure the impact of applying international standards for financial reporting and auditing on the quality of financial reports for a sample of Iraqi joint-stock companies. Methodology: The study goal is achieved by developing a special form to examine financial reports in addition to a special form to examine the reports of auditors and the extent of compliance with the adopted international standards. To achieve the research objectives, a content analysis method was used for the financial reports of a sample consisting of 18 companies listed on the Iraq Stock Exchange distributed across 8 different sectors of activity. Results: Our findings reveal that most of these companies do not adopt international accounting standards and financial reporting, except for the banking sector. Additionally, statutory auditors do not follow international auditing standards, except for those auditing companies that apply international financial reporting standards. Conclusion: The non-compliance to International Accounting and Auditing Standardsfor the most of listed companies could affect negatively the quality and reliability of financial information provided by them.

The role of the net purchase of stocks by foreign investors in boosting stock returns: Evidence from the Indonesian stock market

Low reporting quality, as demonstrated by lower earnings informativeness, can exacerbate the information asymmetry gap, particularly in emerging markets. Although recent research shows that aggregate earnings can predict future economic growth, accruals, an important earnings component, are more likely to be manipulated in less sophisticated markets. Using data from Indonesia, we examine the impact of foreign stock investors' activities and accruals on stock returns. Our findings show that foreign stock investors' optimism, as measured by their net purchases of stocks, leads to higher excess returns. Foreign investors improve the quality of financial information. They provide benefits through two channels. First, foreign investors’ trading value significantly impacts stock prices in a thin market. Second, net stock purchases by foreign investors can help reduce information asymmetry. Our results contribute to the investment strategy by examining the relationship between sentiment generated by foreign investors and stock returns.

Analysis Of Determinant Factors Quality Of Financial Reporting Of Regional Financial Management Work Units In Indonesia

This study intends to investigate the effects on the quality and value of financial report information of human resource quality, internal control systems, government accounting standards implementation, use of regional financial accounting information systems, and accounting knowledge. This study examines relationships between causes and effects. Questionnaires are used to collect data. The research's population consists of all employees who have employed information systems to do their jobs. With a sample size of 100, the sampling strategy is non-probability sampling. Multiple linear regression analysis was employed as the analytical technique in this study. The study's result demonstrates that a number of variables have varying effects on the informational usefulness and quality of regional financial reports. First off, there isn't much of an impact from the caliber of human resources. Furthermore, there is no notable impact from the internal control system. Third, the information value and quality of regional financial reports are greatly impacted by the use of government accounting rules. Fourth, there is no discernible impact from using regional financial accounting information systems. Fifth, the informational value of regional financial reports is greatly impacted by one's grasp of accounting. Overall, each of these variables affects regional financial reports' information value and quality at the same time, highlighting the need of effective management in these areas for raising the caliber of regional financial data.

Problems of ensuring transparency of the fiscal sphere of Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan, as a country with a diverse economy and rich natural resources, strives for sustainable economic development and strengthening its position in the world arena. One of the key factors contributing to the achievement of these goals is transparency in the fiscal sphere.
 The purpose of the article is to study the impact of financial transparency on citizens' trust in local authorities and their behavior in relation to income payment. When explaining the relationship between financial transparency, trust and willingness to pay, it relies on management and public choice theories.
 Based on the conducted research, it was found that financial transparency has a positive effect on citizens' trust in local authorities and their willingness to pay taxes and fees. The study also showed that both financial transparency and trust in local authorities in Kazakhstan are not at a high level.
 The practical significance lies in assessing the importance of financial transparency to increase trust and willingness to pay. Thus, local authorities are encouraged to look for innovative ways to improve the quality and accessibility of financial information for citizens.
 The study shows that the heads of local authorities who maximize the budget prefer to increase the mobilization of income in order to be able to provide more public services that meet the expectations of citizens.

Combining theories to investigate the acceptance of accrual accounting

PurposeThis paper develops and tests a theoretical model that draws on the Diffusion Contingency Model and the Theory of Human Behavior to explain the factors influencing users’ acceptance of accrual accounting in terms of two distinct dimensions: behavioral intention and usage behavior.Design/methodology/approachBased on surveyed data from financial departments and directorates of different Greek general government entities, the paper uses factor analysis to build a theoretical model that assesses the factors influencing behavioral intention to adopt and usage behavior of accrual accounting. Then, it tests the relationship between behavioral intention and usage behavior through structural equation modeling.FindingsThe theoretical model suggests that the expected improvement of the quality of financial information and political and financial support are the most important determinants of behavioral intention. Usage behavior is mainly influenced by the compatibility between the existing legal framework and the new accounting system. The structural equation modeling identifies a statistically significant positive influence of behavioral intention on usage behavior.Practical implicationsThe study provides valuable insights regarding the timing and focus of the actions taken by policymakers when designing accounting reforms. Special attention is drawn to the factors influencing behavioral intentions, as these are found to influence usage behavior significantly.Originality/valueThe study extends prior research on the diffusion of accounting innovations by breaking down the diffusion process into intentions-oriented actions aiming to promote accrual accounting and increase acceptance and implementation-oriented actions aiming to facilitate successful implementation.

Assessment of Financial Information Quality: Evidence from Tunisian Context

The present paper aims at assessing the financial information quality within Tunisian firms. We analyzed a sample annual data of 78 financial and non-financial Tunisian listed companies. We use the level of discretionary accruals and if the firm restate its financial statement or not as proxies of financial information quality. Our main results show that the financial information quality is globally low. We note a high level of discretionary accruals within financial firms compared to non-financial pears. We also find that financial firms are less likely to restate their financial statements compared to those of non-financial firms.

Information environment and participation of foreign banks in U.S. syndicated loan market

This study examines how financial information quality affects the participation and lending behavior of foreign banks in the loan syndicate of U.S borrowers. We utilize the implementation of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) in the U.S. as our research setting. We demonstrate a significant increase in foreign banks loan shares to public firms in the post-SOX period. In parallel, we find that this increase in lending by foreign banks is accompanied by more favorable price and non-price contract terms. By contrast, we find no evidence of either more loans or more favorable loan contract terms offered to U.S. privately held borrowers by foreign banks. Further analysis shows that the impact of such an exogenous change on loan contract terms are more pronounced among public listed borrowers with higher ex ante information asymmetry. Overall, our findings imply that the increase in quality and reliability of corporate financial information brought about by SOX reduces the information disadvantage of foreign lenders.

The Influence of Sustainability Reporting on Audit Quality. Empirical Analysis on Companies Listed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange

The entire range of financial and non-financial activities carried out in companies has an impact on the quality of disclosures. The audit, through its specific procedural approach, contributes to enhancing the quality of reporting by balancing the interests of the two parties involved in the reporting process, i.e. the companies and the users of the information. The paper aims to assess the extent to which sustainability reporting influences audit quality, assessed from a dual perspective, namely that of the audited company (through the quality of the information published and insured by the audit) and that of the auditor (through the audit opinion expressed). Using information specific to companies listed on the main market of the Bucharest Stock Exchange, the study analyzes the link between a series of dummy variables associated with carrying out sustainable activities, social and environmental protection and the size of discretionary accruals, i.e. the audit opinion. The results reveal a negative relationship between the two dimensions analyzed. The involvement of companies in sustainable actions is generally interpreted as an effort that diminishes audit quality, measured from both perspectives. The effect of these social and environmental protection activities is correlated with potential manipulation of the results (decreasing the quality of financial information) and with increasing the likelihood of expressing a modified audit opinion, respectively. The results are also robust following the introduction of control variables into the analysis, such as: leverage, company growth, company size or industry.

Features of the Association between Debt and Earnings Quality for Small and Medium-Sized Entities

The main source of financing is bank loans for Portuguese small and medium-sized entities (SMEs), which implies several constraints to obtaining additional funds. Relying on the argument of Positive Accounting Theory (PAT) that accounting choices are not neutral and on Agency Theory that information asymmetry prevails between insiders and outsiders, we analyzed the impacts of debt on earnings quality, focusing on its level, its increases, and its term of payment. We estimated econometric regressions using panel data with fixed effects over 2013–2019, using discretionary accruals as an inverse proxy of earnings quality. We found empirical evidence that the relationship between debt and earnings quality tends to vary in sign, as the quality of financial information deteriorates with debt, but as debt becomes high, firms tend to increase the quality of earnings. Furthermore, we found that short-term debt tends to decrease earnings quality more than long-term debt. This article aimed to contribute to the prior literature by collecting evidence that debt levels tend to be an incentive to increase earnings management and fill the gap by analyzing the influence of different debt features. This evidence is useful because earnings management may compromise both stakeholders’ confidence and the efficient allocation of capital.

The Eco-Friendly Side of Analyst Coverage: The Case of Green Innovation

Green innovation is a key solution to resource depletion and natural environment deterioration. It is advancing the march toward marrying business with sustainability worldwide. Embodying green elements in core innovative activities naturally becomes the critical information for the external assessments of organizations. To identify this information channel effect, the current study is intended for shedding light on the effects of financial analysts, a prominent and professional stakeholder group, on corporate green innovation. Combining the comprehensive incoPat database with the data of Chinese publicly listed manufacturing firms over the period from 2003 to 2017, the empirical results show that analyst coverage could significantly improve firms’ green innovation performance. It is also observed both institutional ownership and stock liquidity significantly enhance the positive relationship between analyst coverage and corporate green innovation. The information-based mechanisms are further identified by the split sample analysis based on the quality of financial information, when either the choice of audit company or the disclosure quality rank is applied. These findings provide beneficial supports for the idea that leaning on the monitoring from the financial analysts, managers could be encouraged to promote green investment with its long-time horizon and correct the myopia that overly focuses on short-term performance.

Effectiveness of International Financial Reporting Standard Enforcement in Nigeria

Background to the Study The general belief in accounting literature is that the adoption and application of IFRS in developing countries will enhance the quality of financial statement information including its reliability and comparability (Ballas, Skoutela and Tzovas, 2010). However, it is also argued that no matter how high the quality of the accounting standards adopted, comparable and high-quality accounting information will not be achieved without strict enforcement of these standards (White house, 2012). IFRS is “a set of accounting rules, principles and procedures that aim to create a common financial reporting platform with the objective of bringing transparency, accountability, efficiency to financial markets, harmonization of accounting practices and enforcement. Even though some countries claimed they have officially adopted IFRS and mandated companies to prepare financial statements accordingly, some companies may selectively implement IFRS recognition and disclosure requirements. Even with increasing IFRS adoption around the world, notable differences in financial reporting systems will remain due to regulatory, political, and institutional differences across countries, leading to variation in IFRS compliance between different jurisdictions (Soder storm and Sun, 2007). Such variation hinders the main goal of developing a global set of accounting standards which is comparability of accounting information across countries. Chen and Zhang (2010) provided empirical corroboration from the Chinese market that mere adoption of IFRS does not necessarily lead to the perceived high-quality and comparable financial accounting information because of enforcement challenges and lack of full compliance.

IMPACT OF THE QUALITY OF FINANCIAL REPORTING INFORMATION ON THE SECURITIES LIQUIDITY OF LISTED COMPANIES ON THE STOCK MARKET IN VIETNAM

Research on the relationship between financial statement information quality and securities liquidity, making recommendations to improve the liquidity of listed companies. The purpose of this paper is to assess the impact of quality of financial reporting on the liquidity of securities of companies on the stock market in Vietnam. Using a mixed method to measure Financial statement information quality, securities liquidity. Using a regression model to evaluate the influence of financial statement information quality on securities liquidity of 149 companies listed on HOSE and HNS in 2022. The information quality characteristics of the financial statements are: Appropriate, Honest, Understandable, Comparative, Timely, Verifiable. To measure the liquidity of securities, the author uses the price and trading volume of securities of listed companies at the beginning of the year, the end of the first quarter, the second quarter, the third quarter, and the fourth quarter of 2022. The analysis results show that six characteristics Financial reporting information quality has a positive impact on the liquidity of securities in companies listed on the Vietnamese stock market. Among them, the most influential characteristic is honesty. The study offers suggestions based on the aforementioned findings to improve the quality of financial report information in order to promote liquidity. At the same time, to make the recommendations feasible in practice, the study also proposes recommendations to create a legal corridor and practical support for relevant factors. The author recommends that businesses need to have independent auditing companies audit annually, and those companies need to be reputable in the professional world.

The Impact of Credit Market Development on Auditor Choice: Evidence from Banking Deregulation

ABSTRACTWe exploit the staggered state‐level adoption of the Riegle‐Neal Interstate Banking and Branching Efficiency Act (IBBEA) to examine how banking deregulation and the resulting increase in bank competition affect firms’ auditor choices. We find that an exogenous increase in the degree of interstate branch banking deregulation leads to a reduction in firms’ propensity to engage a Big N or industry expert auditor. This main result, when combined with our cross‐sectional analyses, offers evidence suggesting that deregulation leads to less demand for higher quality auditors because (1) firms have increased access to credit, which reduces the benefits of higher audit quality; (2) entering banks’ lending expertise substitutes for higher quality financial statements; (3) incumbent banks with less lending expertise seek to protect their rents by preferring that borrowers provide lower quality financial statement information; and (4) external stakeholders delegate their monitoring to banks to a greater degree, resulting in less demand for higher quality financial statements. As such, our study sheds light on how the U.S. credit market's infrastructure shapes firms’ auditor choice decisions.

The relationship between statements of government accounting standards, internal control systems, and human resources on the quality of financial reports: A literature review

The aim of this research is to analyze the management and quality of financial report. The research method we uses is by using systematic review. Through searching for articles in the SINTA journal database, this research identified significant findings related to implementing PSAP, Government Internal Control System, and Human Resources competency on the quality of financial reports in the regional government, cooperative and Public Service Agency sectors. Various existing studies highlight the positive impact of implementing accounting standards and SPIP on the quality of financial reports, with a good understanding of accounting by HR being key. Optimizing Government Internal Control System, implementing SAPD, and effective internal control are the focus to ensure the integrity and quality of financial reports. Increasing understanding of accounting by HR through investment in training is vital, along with consistent implementation of SAPD to ensure compliance with government accounting standards. Focusing on optimizing Government Internal Control System is essential in preventing errors and improving the quality of financial information, ultimately resulting in more reliable and accountable financial management and strengthening stakeholder trust.

How Does Financial Accountability, Information Quality, and Altruism Drive Business Zakat Compliance Through Business Growth Mediation?

This study aims to address knowledge gaps through a holistic approach, considering individual and organizational factors in the context of business zakat compliance. It involves financial accountability, information quality, and altruism as relevant factors, with information quality and altruism being mediated by business growth. Data were collected through questionnaires from 100 Small and Medium Enterprises in Palu City, Donggala Regency, and Sigi Regency, using purposive sampling. The analysis employed SEM PLS methodology. Findings indicate no significant support for the relationship between financial accountability and business growth. Conversely, information quality and altruism exhibit significant relationships. In the context of business zakat compliance, no relationships were found between financial accountability, information quality, and altruism. However, the relationship between business growth and zakat compliance proved to be significant. Mediation analysis revealed that only the relationships between information quality, altruism, and zakat compliance are mediated by business growth, while the relationship between financial accountability and zakat compliance is not mediated. Study limitations include specific context, reliance on cross-sectional data, and a narrow focus on SMEs in a specific industry. Future research recommendations encompass longitudinal studies, sample expansion, and exploration of the cultural and technological impacts on financial practices and compliance

Financial Reporting Quality and Information Asymmetry: A Review of Empirical Literature

This paper reviewed empirical works conducted and published from 2008 to 2013 regarding impact of financial reporting quality on information asymmetry as implied by signaling theory. An integrative/critical review approach was used. Findings of the paper are that despite being mixed and varied, the results obtained by most of the studies carried out are in agreement with signaling argument, that is, sending high quality financial information (FRQ) trims down the level of information asymmetry between corporate firms and financial statements users. Also, in line with the summary of major findings, the paper concluded that signaling theory best explain the relationship between FRQ and IA and thus, engaging in FRQ will substantially reduce asymmetric information in capital markets and other economic dealings involving corporate firms and financial statements users. Based on the conclusions drawn, the paper suggested that corporate firms should be engaging in timely reporting of relevant information to users of their financial statements.

Capital market opening and commercial bank risk: Evidence from “Shanghai–Hong Kong Stock Connect”

Based on the implementation background of the “Shanghai–Hong Kong Stock Connect” policy, this paper explores the impact of capital market opening on the commercial banks risk. The results show that the capital market opening has a positive impact on the commercial banks risk. Financial information quality and external information environment are important transmission mechanisms for the capital market opening to affect the commercial bank risk. The impact of capital market opening on the commercial bank risk is heterogeneous, and it has a stronger effect on the risk reduction of commercial banks with larger asset size and capital flow ratio. This study objectively presents the effect of the implementation of the “Shanghai–Hong Kong Stock Connect” policy, and provides empirical evidence for commercial banks to avoid the capital market risks they may face.

Objectification and verification of financial information

The term “financial information” is being actively introduced into all spheres of the economy as a key resource for supporting managerial decision-making at the micro and macro levels. However, it happens that this definition is treated ambiguously, haphazardly, which makes it difficult to apply new scientific knowledge in the regulatory and legal field and in practice. The purpose of the study is to identify the concept of “financial information” for its relevant use in rulemaking and science, as well as to determine the verification features of this type of information generated by economic entities in order to ensure reasonable user confidence in its quality. On the basis of comparative legal and abstract-logical methods, analysis of Russian and international accounting and auditing standards and recommendations, as well as best practices of their application, the key features of financial information are identified, including the form of presentation, relevance to users, compliance with the chosen concept, responsibility for the formation and release. The main characteristics of financial information prepared on the basis of the concepts of its reliable presentation, compliance and special purpose are formulated; its key feature is identified — a time criterion that makes the quality of financial information dependent on the order of its receipt (education), the dates of approval and access to it by the user. It is established that one of the main reasons for the high risk of irrelevant use of financial information in time are events after the reporting date. To determine the directions of risk management, the author’s classification of these events has been developed depending on the probability of a negative forecast. Recommendations on maintaining proper qualitative characteristics of financial information by means of control are given. The practical significance of the study is to increase the objectivity of decision-making on the quality of financial information for both direct use and during internal and external control.