IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eme/arjpps/v23y2010i1p20-48.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The split equity reform and corporate financial transparency in China

Author

Listed:
  • Wendy Green
  • Richard D. Morris
  • Haiping Tang

Abstract

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to report the impact of the Chinese capital market split equity (SE) reform in 2005 on the corporate financial transparency of Chinese listed companies. Design/methodology/approach - Using an International Financial Reporting Standards‐based checklist, the paper investigates whether the post‐reform 2005 annual reports of reformed companies improved transparency compared to pre‐reform 2004 reports. The transparency of the reformed companies was also compared to a control group of companies unreformed on December 31, 2005. Findings - Results indicate that the SE reform increased corporate disclosures. Reformed companies had higher mandatory and voluntary disclosures in their post‐reform 2005 annual reports compared to their pre‐reform 2004 annual reports. In addition, the improvement in mandatory and voluntary disclosures for reformed companies is greater than that of the unreformed control group. Research limitations/implications - The SE reform provides a unique natural experimental setting in which to examine the impact of the SE reform, with its associated change in ownership structure and corporate governance, on corporate disclosure. Practical implications - The results of this paper suggest that the SE reform has had a positive effect on corporate financial transparency in China, thereby indicating the positive response to regulation in this emerging market. Further, the results suggest that as the proportion of government ownership falls, management has increased incentive to voluntarily supply additional information to the market. Originality/value - The SE reform is unique to China and this paper is the first to report on financial reporting disclosure implications of this reform.

Suggested Citation

  • Wendy Green & Richard D. Morris & Haiping Tang, 2010. "The split equity reform and corporate financial transparency in China," Accounting Research Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 23(1), pages 20-48, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:eme:arjpps:v:23:y:2010:i:1:p:20-48
    DOI: 10.1108/10309611011060515
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/10309611011060515/full/html?utm_source=repec&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=repec
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers
    File URL: https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/10309611011060515/full/pdf?utm_source=repec&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=repec
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1108/10309611011060515?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bai, Chong-En & Liu, Qiao & Lu, Joe & Song, Frank M. & Zhang, Junxi, 2004. "Corporate governance and market valuation in China," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(4), pages 599-616, December.
    2. Hollis Ashbaugh & Morton Pincus, 2001. "Domestic Accounting Standards, International Accounting Standards, and the Predictability of Earnings," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(3), pages 417-434, December.
    3. Robert M. Bushman & Abbie Smith, 2003. "Transparency, financial accounting information, and corporate governance," Economic Policy Review, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, vol. 9(Apr), pages 65-87.
    4. Chau, Gerald K. & Gray, Sidney J., 2002. "Ownership structure and corporate voluntary disclosure in Hong Kong and Singapore," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 37(2), pages 247-265.
    5. Haw, In-Mu & Qi, Daqing & Wu, Woody, 2001. "The nature of information in accruals and cash flows in an emerging capital market: The case of China," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 36(4), pages 391-406, 012.
    6. Christine A. Botosan & Marlene A. Plumlee, 2002. "A Re‐examination of Disclosure Level and the Expected Cost of Equity Capital," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(1), pages 21-40, March.
    7. Bushman, Robert M. & Smith, Abbie J., 2001. "Financial accounting information and corporate governance," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(1-3), pages 237-333, December.
    8. Robert M. Bushman & Joseph D. Piotroski & Abbie J. Smith, 2004. "What Determines Corporate Transparency?," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(2), pages 207-252, May.
    9. Botosan, CA & Harris, MS, 2000. "Motivations for a change in disclosure frequency and its consequences: An examination of voluntary quarterly segment disclosures," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(2), pages 329-353.
    10. Jason Zezhong Xiao & Pauline Weetman & Manli Sun, 2004. "Political Influence and Coexistence of a Uniform Accounting System and Accounting Standards: Recent Developments in China," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 40(2), pages 193-218, June.
    11. Xiao, Zezhong, 1999. "Corporate disclosures made by Chinese listed companies," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 34(3), pages 349-373, August.
    12. Luca Enriques & Paolo Volpin, 2007. "Corporate Governance Reforms in Continental Europe," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 21(1), pages 117-140, Winter.
    13. Ang, James S. & Ma, Yulong, 1999. "Transparency in Chinese stocks: A study of earnings forecasts by professional analysts," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 7(2), pages 129-155, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Xiaoyan Chen & Xin Ling, 2017. "Determinants of Chinese equity financing behaviours: traditional model and the alternatives," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 57, pages 69-100, April.
    2. Liang, Quanxi & Li, Donghui & Gao, Wenlian, 2020. "Ultimate ownership, crash risk, and split share structure reform in China," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    3. Xiaoyan Chen, 2017. "Improved corporate governance and Chinese seasoned equity offering announcement effects," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 57(2), pages 401-428, June.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Aerts, Walter & Cormier, Denis & Magnan, Michel, 2008. "Corporate environmental disclosure, financial markets and the media: An international perspective," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(3), pages 643-659, January.
    2. David DeBoskey & Peter Gillett, 2013. "The impact of multi-dimensional corporate transparency on us firms’ credit ratings and cost of capital," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 40(1), pages 101-134, January.
    3. Zhong, Rong (Irene), 2018. "Transparency and firm innovation," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 66(1), pages 67-93.
    4. Walter Aerts & Denis Cormier & Michel Magnan, 2007. "The Association Between Web‐Based Corporate Performance Disclosure and Financial Analyst Behaviour Under Different Governance Regimes," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(6), pages 1301-1329, November.
    5. Iatridis, George, 2010. "International Financial Reporting Standards and the quality of financial statement information," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 19(3), pages 193-204, June.
    6. Tang, Vicki Wei, 2011. "Isolating the effect of disclosure on information risk," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 52(1), pages 81-99, June.
    7. Gagalyuk, Taras, 2017. "Strategic role of corporate transparency: the case of Ukrainian agroholdings," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 20(2), pages 257-278.
    8. Jere R. Francis & Shawn Huang & Inder K. Khurana & Raynolde Pereira, 2009. "Does Corporate Transparency Contribute to Efficient Resource Allocation?," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(4), pages 943-989, September.
    9. Ernstberger, Jürgen & Vogler, Oliver, 2008. "Analyzing the German accounting triad -- "Accounting Premium" for IAS/IFRS and U.S. GAAP vis-à-vis German GAAP?," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 43(4), pages 339-386, December.
    10. D. G. DeBoskey & Peter R. Gillett, 2019. "Another Look: The Impact of Multi-Dimensional Corporate Transparency on US Firms’ Market Liquidity and Analyst Forecast Properties," Review of Pacific Basin Financial Markets and Policies (RPBFMP), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 22(02), pages 1-35, June.
    11. De George, Emmanuel T. & Li, Xi & Shivakumar, Lakshmanan, 2016. "A review of the IFRS adoption literature," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 67599, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    12. Akisik, Orhan, 2020. "The impact of financial development, IFRS, and rule of LAW on foreign investments: A cross-country analysis," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 815-838.
    13. Roshayani Arshad & Rohaya Md Nor & Nur Adura Ahmad Noruddin, 2011. "Ownership Structure And Interaction Effects Of Firm Performance On Management Commentary Disclosures," Journal of Global Management, Global Research Agency, vol. 2(2), pages 124-145, July.
    14. Beyer, Anne & Cohen, Daniel A. & Lys, Thomas Z. & Walther, Beverly R., 2010. "The financial reporting environment: Review of the recent literature," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(2-3), pages 296-343, December.
    15. Gagalyuk, Taras, 2016. "Strategic role of corporate transparency: the case of Ukrainian agroholdings," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, vol. 20(2), November.
    16. Robert M. Bushman & Christopher D. Williams, 2015. "Delayed Expected Loss Recognition and the Risk Profile of Banks," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(3), pages 511-553, June.
    17. Emmanuel T. De George & Xi Li & Lakshmanan Shivakumar, 2016. "A review of the IFRS adoption literature," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 21(3), pages 898-1004, September.
    18. Yuntian Xia & Junhao Hou & Hong Huang & Dongping Liu & Hongmei Ding, 2023. "Exploring the Impact of Firm Transparency on Green Innovation Legitimacy: Empirical Evidence from Listed Companies in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-18, June.
    19. Bushman, Robert M., 2014. "Thoughts on financial accounting and the banking industry," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 58(2), pages 384-395.
    20. Cormier, Denis & Martinez, Isabelle, 2006. "The association between management earnings forecasts, earnings management, and stock market valuation: Evidence from French IPOs," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 41(3), pages 209-236.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eme:arjpps:v:23:y:2010:i:1:p:20-48. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Emerald Support (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.