IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/ibn/ijefaa/v11y2019i9p29.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Assessing Financial Reporting Quality of Listed Companies in Developing Countries: Evidence from Ghana

Author

Listed:
  • Joseph Mbawuni

Abstract

The adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in Ghana is expected to improve the quality of financial reporting among companies in Ghana. This paper assesses the extent to which financial reports of companies listed on the Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE) meet financial reporting quality (FRQ) dimensions of IFRS. It was a descriptive study that employed two experienced professional chartered accountants who practice as independent auditors to use FRQ criteria to assess financial reports of 20 purposively selected companies listed on GSE for 2012 and 2013. Given the high inter-rater reliability (r = .96, 95% C.I., p < .0001), the findings indicate that, overall, FRQ of the listed companies meet FRQ standards by 56.48%. Generally, the financial reports were 60.95% faithfully represented, 51.01% relevant, 50.10% understandable, 40.09% comparable and 19.75% timely audited (or 80.25% untimely). Fundamental FRQ characteristics were more prevalent than enhancing FRQ. Poorly rated FRQ areas were in the use of historical cost as measurement basis, no use of graphs and tables to clarify information, no inclusion of comprehensive glossary, ratios and index, no information on adjustment in past accounting figures for future decisions, and no comparison of current and previous accounting periods and with those of other firms. The study concludes that FRQ of the listed companies is moderate but needs considerable improvement. Implications to theory, practitioners, policy makers and industry regulators are discussed. This study fills the dearth of empirical research in FRQ in IFRS-compliance companies in Sub-Saharan Africa in general and Ghana in particular.

Suggested Citation

  • Joseph Mbawuni, 2019. "Assessing Financial Reporting Quality of Listed Companies in Developing Countries: Evidence from Ghana," International Journal of Economics and Finance, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 11(9), pages 1-29, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:ibn:ijefaa:v:11:y:2019:i:9:p:29
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/ijef/article/download/0/0/40412/41593
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: http://www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/ijef/article/view/0/40412
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Christof Beuselinck & Sophie Manigart, 2007. "Financial Reporting Quality in Private Equity Backed Companies: The Impact of Ownership Concentration," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 29(3), pages 261-274, October.
    2. Mary E. Barth & Wayne R. Landsman & Mark H. Lang, 2008. "International Accounting Standards and Accounting Quality," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(3), pages 467-498, June.
    3. Ray Ball, 2006. "International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS): pros and cons for investors," Accounting and Business Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(S1), pages 5-27.
    4. Barth, Mary E. & Beaver, William H. & Landsman, Wayne R., 2001. "The relevance of the value relevance literature for financial accounting standard setting: another view," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 31(1-3), pages 77-104, September.
    5. Akintola Owolabi & Francis O. Iyoha, 2012. "Adopting International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in Africa: benefits, prospects and challenges," African Journal of Accounting, Auditing and Finance, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 1(1), pages 77-86.
    6. Holger Daske & Luzi Hail & Christian Leuz & Rodrigo Verdi, 2008. "Mandatory IFRS Reporting around the World: Early Evidence on the Economic Consequences," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(5), pages 1085-1142, December.
    7. Emma I. Okoye & Ugochukwu J. Nwoye, 2018. "IFRS Compliance Appraisal: Evidence from Nigeria and Ghana," Academic Journal of Economic Studies, Faculty of Finance, Banking and Accountancy Bucharest,"Dimitrie Cantemir" Christian University Bucharest, vol. 4(4), pages 19-27, December.
    8. George J. Benston & Michael Bromwich & Alfred Wagenhofer, 2006. "Principles‐ versus rules‐based accounting standards: the FASB's standard setting strategy," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 42(2), pages 165-188, June.
    9. William Coffie & Ibrahim Bedi & Mohammed Amidu, 2018. "The effects of audit quality on the costs of capital of firms in Ghana," Journal of Financial Reporting and Accounting, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 16(4), pages 639-659, December.
    10. Gopal Krishnan & Linda Parsons, 2008. "Getting to the Bottom Line: An Exploration of Gender and Earnings Quality," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 78(1), pages 65-76, March.
    11. Beretta, Sergio & Bozzolan, Saverio, 2004. "A framework for the analysis of firm risk communication," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 39(3), pages 265-288.
    12. Kingsley Opoku Appiah & Dadson Awunyo-Vitor & Kwame Mireku & Christian Ahiagbah, 2016. "Compliance with international financial reporting standards: the case of listed firms in Ghana," Journal of Financial Reporting and Accounting, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 14(1), pages 131-156, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Eliwa, Yasser & Haslam, Jim & Abraham, Santhosh, 2021. "Earnings quality and analysts’ information environment: Evidence from the EU market," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 42(C).
    2. Karampinis, Nikolaos I. & Hevas, Dimosthenis L., 2011. "Mandating IFRS in an Unfavorable Environment: The Greek Experience," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 46(3), pages 304-332, September.
    3. Maigoshi, Zaharaddeen Salisu & Latif, Rohaida Abdul & Kamardin, Hasnah, 2018. "Change in value-relevance of disclosed RPT across accounting regimes: Evidence from Malaysia," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 422-433.
    4. Keryn Chalmers & Greg Clinch & Jayne M Godfrey, 2011. "Changes in value relevance of accounting information upon IFRS adoption: Evidence from Australia," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 36(2), pages 151-173, August.
    5. Iain Clacher & Alan Duboisée Ricquebourg & Allan Hodgson, 2013. "The Value Relevance of Direct Cash Flows under International Financial Reporting Standards," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 49(3), pages 367-395, September.
    6. Gatluak Gach Chuol Thony & Anthony Duku Peter, 2023. "The Impact of Adoption of International Financial Reporting Standard on Quality of Accounting Information in South Sudan: A Case Study of Kenya Commercial Bank and Cooperative Bank," International Journal of Science and Business, IJSAB International, vol. 19(1), pages 28-48.
    7. Ahmed, Kamran & Chalmers, Keryn & Khlif, Hichem, 2013. "A Meta-analysis of IFRS Adoption Effects," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 48(2), pages 173-217.
    8. Voulgaris, Georgios & Stathopoulos, Konstantinos & Walker, Martin, 2014. "IFRS and the Use of Accounting-Based Performance Measures in Executive Pay," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 49(4), pages 479-514.
    9. Mariarosaria Agostino & Danilo Drago & Damiano Silipo, 2011. "The value relevance of IFRS in the European banking industry," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 36(3), pages 437-457, April.
    10. 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.
    11. Mbawuni, Joseph, 2018. "Perceived Benefits and Challeges of IFRS Adoption in Ghana: Views of Members of Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana (ICAG)," International Journal of Financial Research, International Journal of Financial Research, Sciedu Press, vol. 9(1), pages 99-114, January.
    12. Fahim Javed & Nargis Akhtar & Muhammad Fayyaz Sheikh & Muhammad Shahid Rasheed, 2023. "Social Anxiety, Self-efficacy and Academic Achievement in Matric Students of Lahore Pakistan," Journal of Policy Research (JPR), Research Foundation for Humanity (RFH), vol. 9(1), pages 28-37, March.
    13. 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.
    14. O. A. Sanyaolu & F. O. Iyoha & Stephen A. Ojeka, 2017. "International Financial Reporting Standards Adoption and Earnings of Quoted Banks in Nigeria," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 7(1), pages 279-284.
    15. Kim, Oksana, 2016. "The IFRS Adoption Reform through the Lens of Neoinstitutionalism: The Case of the Russian Federation," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 51(3), pages 345-362.
    16. Rabiu Saminu Jibril, 2019. "The Impact of International Financial Reporting Stanadard (IFRS) Adoption on Accounting Quality in Nigerian Listed Money Deposit Banks," Applied Finance and Accounting, Redfame publishing, vol. 5(1), pages 49-57, February.
    17. Alessandro Mechelli & Riccardo Cimini, 2021. "The effect of corporate governance and investor protection environments on the value relevance of new accounting standards: the case of IFRS 9 and IAS 39," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 25(4), pages 1241-1266, December.
    18. Houqe, Muhammad Nurul & Monem, Reza M., 2016. "IFRS Adoption, Extent of Disclosure, and Perceived Corruption: A Cross-Country Study," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 51(3), pages 363-378.
    19. Christian Gross, 2016. "The Effect of the German Accounting Law Modernization Act on the Comparability of Private Local GAAP and IFRS Firms," Schmalenbach Business Review, Springer;Schmalenbach-Gesellschaft, vol. 17(3), pages 423-460, December.
    20. Georgakopoulos, Georgios & Gounopoulos, Dimitrios & Huang, Chen & Patsika, Victoria, 2022. "The impact of IFRS adoption on IPOs management earnings forecasts in Australia," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 48(C).

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • R00 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General - - - General
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:ibn:ijefaa:v:11:y:2019:i:9:p:29. 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: Canadian Center of Science and Education (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/cepflch.html .

    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.