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Integrated reporting and earnings quality: The moderating effect of agency costs

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  • Obeng, Victoria A.
  • Ahmed, Kamran
  • Miglani, Seema

Abstract

Prior studies have suggested a link between disclosure mechanisms and accounting information quality. They also report better quality information in the presence of higher transparency and clarity in disclosure mechanisms. We contend that voluntary integrated reporting (IR) as a disclosure mechanism has an incremental positive effect on accounting information and particularly the quality of reported earnings. Consistent with this argument, we find a positive relationship between voluntary adoption of IR practice and earnings quality. Furthermore, while voluntary adoption of IR is positively associated with earnings quality for firms experiencing high agency costs, the moderating effect of firm level agency costs have an insignificant effect on the relationship between voluntary IR practice and the level of integration. We find no evidence consistent with the proposition that managerial opportunism is relevant in shaping the effectiveness of IR practice for quality disclosure when a higher level of integration is achieved. Moreover, we find no evidence that firm complexity affects the relationship between IR practice and earnings quality. Overall, our findings are consistent with the view that IR wields an incremental positive effect on the quality of accounting information.

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  • Obeng, Victoria A. & Ahmed, Kamran & Miglani, Seema, 2020. "Integrated reporting and earnings quality: The moderating effect of agency costs," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:pacfin:v:60:y:2020:i:c:s0927538x19305499
    DOI: 10.1016/j.pacfin.2020.101285
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    2. Sumaia Ayesh Qaderi & Belal Ali Abdulraheem Ghaleb & Abdulwahid Ahmed Hashed & Sitraselvi Chandren & Zaimah Abdullah, 2022. "Board Characteristics and Integrated Reporting Strategy: Does Sustainability Committee Matter?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-24, May.
    3. Abdullah Jihad Rabaya & Norman Mohd Saleh, 2022. "The moderating effect of IR framework adoption on the relationship between environmental, social, and governance (ESG) disclosure and a firm's competitive advantage," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(2), pages 2037-2055, February.
    4. Salaheldin Hamad & Muhammad Umar Draz & Fong-Woon Lai, 2020. "The Impact of Corporate Governance and Sustainability Reporting on Integrated Reporting: A Conceptual Framework," SAGE Open, , vol. 10(2), pages 21582440209, June.
    5. Yongming Zhang & Mohsen Imeni & Seyyed Ahmad Edalatpanah, 2023. "Environmental Dimension of Corporate Social Responsibility and Earnings Persistence: An Exploration of the Moderator Roles of Operating Efficiency and Financing Cost," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-18, October.
    6. Patrick Velte, 2022. "Archival research on integrated reporting: a systematic review of main drivers and the impact of integrated reporting on firm value," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 26(3), pages 997-1061, September.
    7. Frederic Läger & Yassin Denis Bouzzine & Rainer Lueg, 2022. "The relationship between firm complexity and corporate social responsibility: International evidence from 2010–2019," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(3), pages 549-560, May.
    8. Suman Devarapalli & Lalita Mohan Mohapatra, 2024. "Impact of Corporate Governance Characteristics on Integrated Reporting Quality: An Empirical Analysis, Evidence from India," Indian Journal of Corporate Governance, , vol. 17(1), pages 9-32, June.
    9. St. Dwiarso Utomo & Zaky Machmuddah & Dian Indriana Hapsari, 2021. "The Role of Manager Compensation and Integrated Reporting in Company Value: Indonesia vs. Singapore," Economies, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-12, October.
    10. Zhihong Mao & Siyang Wang & Yu‐En Lin, 2024. "ESG, ESG rating divergence and earnings management: Evidence from China," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(4), pages 3328-3347, July.

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