IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/pal/ijodag/v21y2024i2d10.1057_s41310-023-00193-5.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Navigating governance and accounting reforms in Saudi Arabia's emerging market: impact of audit quality, board characteristics, and IFRS adoption on financial performance

Author

Listed:
  • Ines Kateb

    (Umm Al-Qura University
    Manouba University)

  • Ines Belgacem

    (Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University
    Sousse University)

Abstract

This study examines the impact of audit quality, board of directors' characteristics, and the adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) on the financial performance of firms in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The research is motivated by recent governance and accounting reforms in Saudi Arabia, aligned with Saudi Vision 2030, which aim to develop the financial sector and promote an advanced capital market. The study analyzes a sample of 135 companies listed on the Saudi Stock Exchange Tadawul over a four-year period, covering both pre- and post-2017. The period is significant as it coincides with the introduction of the Saudi Corporate Governance Regulations (SRCGs) and mandatory IFRS adoption in 2017. The study employs the generalized method of moments (GMM) system approach, along with ordinary least squares and fixed effects as robustness checks. The independent variables include market-based indicators (e.g., Tobin’s Q) and accounting-based performance indicators (e.g., Return on Assets, Return on Equity). The results from the robust GMM estimator indicate that the characteristics of audit committees, including size, experience, and meetings, do not significantly impact firm performance indicators. This suggests that audit committees in Saudi Arabia may not effectively serve as governance mechanisms. Compliance with the SRCGs appears to prioritize meeting regulatory requirements rather than enhancing the effectiveness of audit committees. The influence of the Big 4 auditing firms is found to have a positive and significant effect on Tobin’s Q. Regarding board of directors' characteristics, only independence and meetings show significant effects, but with conflicting impacts. Board meetings have a positive impact on Tobin’s Q but a negative influence on ROE. Board independence has a negative impact exclusively on Tobin’s Q. Additionally, the mandatory adoption of IFRS is found to have a substantial and negative relationship with all three firm performance measures (Tobin’s Q, ROA, ROE). This can be attributed to factors such as transition costs, changes in accounting methods, unique national practices, and a shortage of skilled Saudi accountants. This research contributes valuable insights into the influence of corporate governance and mandatory IFRS adoption on firm performance in an emerging and Islamic economy context, specifically Saudi Arabia. The study addresses a gap in the literature by employing a robust methodology, GMM system, to address endogeneity concerns in the corporate governance-performance relationship. By considering both market-based and accounting-based performance measures, the study offers a comprehensive analysis of the complex dynamics involved. The study suggests that adequate resources are needed to support the long-term implementation of IFRS in Saudi Arabia, such as education and training programs, consultative groups, and stakeholder involvement. The research findings can inform policymakers in designing appropriate governance mechanisms in the emerging market context of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Corporation Council region, considering cultural and religious specificities.

Suggested Citation

  • Ines Kateb & Ines Belgacem, 2024. "Navigating governance and accounting reforms in Saudi Arabia's emerging market: impact of audit quality, board characteristics, and IFRS adoption on financial performance," International Journal of Disclosure and Governance, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 21(2), pages 290-312, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:ijodag:v:21:y:2024:i:2:d:10.1057_s41310-023-00193-5
    DOI: 10.1057/s41310-023-00193-5
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1057/s41310-023-00193-5
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1057/s41310-023-00193-5?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. Rateb Mohammad Alqatamin, 2018. "Audit Committee Effectiveness and Company Performance: Evidence from Jordan," Accounting and Finance Research, Sciedu Press, vol. 7(2), pages 1-48, May.
    2. Costel Istrate, 2014. "Impact of IFRS on the accounting numbers of Romanian listed companies," Journal of Accounting and Management Information Systems, Faculty of Accounting and Management Information Systems, The Bucharest University of Economic Studies, vol. 13(3), pages 466-491, September.
    3. Holger Daske & Günther Gebhardt, 2006. "International financial reporting standards and experts’ perceptions of disclosure quality," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 42(3‐4), pages 461-498, September.
    4. Michael C. Jensen, 2010. "The Modern Industrial Revolution, Exit, and the Failure of Internal Control Systems," Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, Morgan Stanley, vol. 22(1), pages 43-58, January.
    5. Nidhi Bansal & Anil K. Sharma, 2016. "Audit Committee, Corporate Governance and Firm Performance: Empirical Evidence from India," International Journal of Economics and Finance, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 8(3), pages 103-116, March.
    6. Siti Rochmah Ika & Nazli A. Mohd Ghazali, 2012. "Audit committee effectiveness and timeliness of reporting: Indonesian evidence," Managerial Auditing Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 27(4), pages 403-424, April.
    7. Yermack, David, 1996. "Higher market valuation of companies with a small board of directors," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 40(2), pages 185-211, February.
    8. Victor Dulewicz & Peter Herbert, 2004. "Does the Composition and Practice of Boards of Directors Bear Any Relationship to the Performance of their Companies?," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 12(3), pages 263-280, July.
    9. Houqe, Muhammad Nurul & Monem, Reza M. & Zijl, Tony van, 2016. "The economic consequences of IFRS adoption: Evidence from New Zealand," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 27(C), pages 40-48.
    10. Benjamin E. Hermalin & Michael S. Weisbach, 1988. "The Determinants of Board Composition," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 19(4), pages 589-606, Winter.
    11. Fung, Simon Yu Kit & Raman, K.K. & Zhu, Xindong (Kevin), 2017. "Does the PCAOB international inspection program improve audit quality for non-US-listed foreign clients?," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(1), pages 15-36.
    12. Ayodeji T. Ajibade & Nelson Okutu & Folorunsho Akande & Jerry D. Kwarbai & Ifayemi M. Olayinka & Ayooluwa Olotu, 2022. "IFRS adoption, corporate governance and faithful representation of financial reporting quality in Nigeria’s development banks," Cogent Business & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(1), pages 2139213-213, December.
    13. Anderson, Ronald C. & Mansi, Sattar A. & Reeb, David M., 2004. "Board characteristics, accounting report integrity, and the cost of debt," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 37(3), pages 315-342, September.
    14. Menon, Krishnagopal & Deahl Williams, Joanne, 1994. "The use of audit committees for monitoring," Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, Elsevier, vol. 13(2), pages 121-139.
    15. Wafaa Salah, 2020. "The International Financial Reporting Standards and Firm Performance: A Systematic Review," Applied Finance and Accounting, Redfame publishing, vol. 6(2), pages 1-10, August.
    16. Roszaini Haniffa & Mohammad Hudaib, 2006. "Corporate Governance Structure and Performance of Malaysian Listed Companies," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(7‐8), pages 1034-1062, September.
    17. Doron Levit, 2020. "Words Speak Louder without Actions," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 75(1), pages 91-131, February.
    18. Abdulrahman A. M. Al–Twaijry 1 & John A. Brierley & David R. Gwilliam, 2002. "An Examination of the Role of Audit Committees in the Saudi Arabian Corporate Sector," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 10(4), pages 288-297, October.
    19. Sato, Shun & Takeda, Fumiko, 2017. "IFRS Adoption and Stock Prices of Japanese Firms in Governance System Transition," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 52(4), pages 319-337.
    20. Jensen, Michael C. & Meckling, William H., 1976. "Theory of the firm: Managerial behavior, agency costs and ownership structure," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 3(4), pages 305-360, October.
    21. Blundell, Richard & Bond, Stephen, 1998. "Initial conditions and moment restrictions in dynamic panel data models," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 87(1), pages 115-143, August.
    22. Jacqueline Christensen & Pamela Kent & Jenny Stewart, 2010. "Corporate Governance and Company Performance in Australia," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 20(4), pages 372-386, December.
    23. Barkat Ullah & Muhammad Ziaullah & Muhammad Razzaq Athar & Malik Muhammad Faisal & Bushra Zulfiqar, 2022. "Impact Of Corporate Governance On Firm Performance In South Asian Countries," Bulletin of Business and Economics (BBE), Research Foundation for Humanity (RFH), vol. 11(2), pages 198-211, June.
    24. Leung, Sidney & Richardson, Grant & Jaggi, Bikki, 2014. "Corporate board and board committee independence, firm performance, and family ownership concentration: An analysis based on Hong Kong firms," Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 10(1), pages 16-31.
    25. Ines Kateb & Olfa Nafti & Nesrine Ben Salah, 2023. "Impact of corporate governance and audit quality on financial performance: listed vs. unlisted Tunisian companies," International Journal of Managerial and Financial Accounting, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 15(2), pages 185-210.
    26. Jeong-Bon Kim & Haina Shi & Jing Zhou, 2014. "International Financial Reporting Standards, institutional infrastructures, and implied cost of equity capital around the world," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 42(3), pages 469-507, April.
    27. Elisavet Mantzari & Christos Sigalas & Tony Hines, 2017. "Adoption of the International Financial Reporting Standards by Greek non-listed companies: The role of coercive and hegemonic pressures," Accounting Forum, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(3), pages 185-205, September.
    28. Jeanjean, Thomas & Stolowy, Hervé, 2008. "Do accounting standards matter? An exploratory analysis of earnings management before and after IFRS adoption," Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, Elsevier, vol. 27(6), pages 480-494.
    29. Costel Istrate, 2014. "Impact Of Ifrs On The Accounting Numbers Of Romanian Listed Banks," The Journal of Accounting and Management, Danubius University of Galati, issue 2, pages 45-49, August.
    30. Philip Brown & Wendy Beekes & Peter Verhoeven, 2011. "Corporate governance, accounting and finance: A review," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 51(1), pages 96-172, March.
    31. Al-Faryan, Mamdouh Abdulaziz Saleh, 2021. "The Effect of Board Composition and Managerial Pay on Saudi Firm Performance," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, issue Online fi.
    32. Kam C. Chan & Joanne Li, 2008. "Audit Committee and Firm Value: Evidence on Outside Top Executives as Expert‐Independent Directors," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 16(1), pages 16-31, January.
    33. Issam Tlemsani & Mohamed Ashmel Mohamed Hashim & Robin Matthews, 2023. "The impact of IFRS adoption on Saudi Arabia," Journal of Islamic Accounting and Business Research, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 15(3), pages 519-533, April.
    34. Peter Baxter & Julie Cotter, 2009. "Audit committees and earnings quality," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 49(2), pages 267-290, June.
    35. Suleiman Hussein Al-Beshtawi & Omar Mohammed Zraqat & Hamdan Moh¡¯D Al ¨CHiyasat, 2014. "The Impact of Corporate Governance on Non Financial Performance in Jordanian Commercial Banks and Islamic Banks," International Journal of Financial Research, International Journal of Financial Research, Sciedu Press, vol. 5(3), pages 54-67, July.
    36. Abernathy, John L. & Herrmann, Don & Kang, Tony & Krishnan, Gopal V., 2013. "Audit committee financial expertise and properties of analyst earnings forecasts," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 29(1), pages 1-11.
    37. Faozi A. Al Maqtari & Najib H. Farhan & Hamood Mohd. Al-Hattami & Amgad S. D. Khalid, 2020. "Impact of country-level corporate governance on entrepreneurial conditions," Cogent Business & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 7(1), pages 1797261-179, January.
    38. Omar Al Farooque & Wonlop Buachoom & Lan Sun, 2020. "Board, audit committee, ownership and financial performance – emerging trends from Thailand," Pacific Accounting Review, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 32(1), pages 54-81, January.
    39. Hopper, Trevor & Lassou, Philippe & Soobaroyen, Teerooven, 2017. "Globalisation, accounting and developing countries," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 125-148.
    40. Roszaini Haniffa & Mohammad Hudaib, 2006. "Corporate Governance Structure and Performance of Malaysian Listed Companies," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(7-8), pages 1034-1062.
    41. M. Alix Valenti & Rebecca Luce & Clifton Mayfield, 2011. "The effects of firm performance on corporate governance," Management Research Review, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 34(3), pages 266-283, March.
    42. Helmi A. Boshnak, 2021. "Corporate Governance Mechanisms and Firm Performance in Saudi Arabia," International Journal of Financial Research, International Journal of Financial Research, Sciedu Press, vol. 12(3), pages 446-465, May.
    43. Wensheng Kang, 2013. "The impact of mandatory IFRS adoption on the earnings--returns relation," Applied Financial Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(13), pages 1137-1143, July.
    44. Amal Yamani & Adel Almasarwah, 2019. "Resistive factors of delaying IFRS adoption in Saudi Arabia listed firms," Journal of Financial Reporting and Accounting, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 17(3), pages 468-497, September.
    45. Fama, Eugene F & Jensen, Michael C, 1983. "Separation of Ownership and Control," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 26(2), pages 301-325, June.
    46. DeAngelo, Linda Elizabeth, 1981. "Auditor size and audit quality," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 3(3), pages 183-199, December.
    47. Henry Agyei-Boapeah & Michael Machokoto & Joseph Amankwah-Amoah & Abongeh Tunyi & Samuel Fosu, 2020. "IFRS adoption and firm value: African evidence," Accounting Forum, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(3), pages 238-261, July.
    48. Basu, Sudipta, 1997. "The conservatism principle and the asymmetric timeliness of earnings," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 24(1), pages 3-37, December.
    49. Mahdi Salehi & Mohammad Tahervafaei & Hossein Tarighi, 2018. "The effect of characteristics of audit committee and board on corporate profitability in Iran," Journal of Economic and Administrative Sciences, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 34(1), pages 71-88, February.
    50. Isabel Costa Lourenço & Raquel Sarquis & Manuel Castelo Branco & Cláudio Pais, 2015. "Extending the Classification of European Countries by their IFRS Practices: A Research Note," Accounting in Europe, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 12(2), pages 223-232, December.
    51. Manuel Arellano & Stephen Bond, 1991. "Some Tests of Specification for Panel Data: Monte Carlo Evidence and an Application to Employment Equations," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 58(2), pages 277-297.
    52. Lefort, Fernando & Urzúa, Francisco, 2008. "Board independence, firm performance and ownership concentration: Evidence from Chile," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 61(6), pages 615-622, June.
    53. Nguyen Thi Hoa Hong & Tran Khanh Linh, 2023. "Institutional investors, corporate governance and firm performance in an emerging market: evidence from Vietnam," Cogent Economics & Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 11(1), pages 2159735-215, December.
    54. Ciftci, Ilhan & Tatoglu, Ekrem & Wood, Geoffrey & Demirbag, Mehmet & Zaim, Selim, 2019. "Corporate governance and firm performance in emerging markets: Evidence from Turkey," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 90-103.
    55. Price, Richard & Román, Francisco J. & Rountree, Brian, 2011. "The impact of governance reform on performance and transparency," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 99(1), pages 76-96, January.
    56. DeFond, Mark & Zhang, Jieying, 2014. "A review of archival auditing research," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 58(2), pages 275-326.
    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. Naeem Tabassum & Satwinder Singh, 2020. "Corporate Governance and Organisational Performance," Springer Books, Springer, number 978-3-030-48527-6, June.
    2. Hussein Abedi Shamsabadi & Byung-Seong Min & Richard Chung, 2016. "Corporate governance and dividend strategy: lessons from Australia," International Journal of Managerial Finance, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 12(5), pages 583-610, October.
    3. Nguyen, Tuan & Locke, Stuart & Reddy, Krishna, 2015. "Ownership concentration and corporate performance from a dynamic perspective: Does national governance quality matter?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 148-161.
    4. Martin Kyere & Marcel Ausloos, 2021. "Corporate governance and firms financial performance in the United Kingdom," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(2), pages 1871-1885, April.
    5. Fidanoski, Filip & Mateska, Vesna & Simeonovski, Kiril, 2013. "Corporate Governance and Bank Performance: Evidence from Macedonia," MPRA Paper 46773, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised Mar 2013.
    6. Yahya Ali Al-Matari & Abdullah Kaid Al-Swidi & Faudziah Hanim Bt Fadzil & Ebrahim Mohammed Al-Matari, 2012. "Board of Directors, Audit Committee Characteristics and Performance of Saudi Arabia Listed Companies," International Review of Management and Marketing, Econjournals, vol. 2(4), pages 241-251.
    7. Chaur-Shiuh Young & Liu-Ching Tsai & Pei-Gin Hsieh, 2008. "Voluntary Appointment of Independent Directors in Taiwan: Motives and Consequences," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(9-10), pages 1103-1137.
    8. Mohammad I Azim, 2012. "Corporate governance mechanisms and their impact on company performance: A structural equation model analysis," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 37(3), pages 481-505, December.
    9. Ahmad Yuosef Alodat & Zalailah Salleh & Hafiza Aishah Hashim & Farizah Sulong, 2021. "Corporate governance and firm performance: empirical evidence from Jordan," Journal of Financial Reporting and Accounting, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 20(5), pages 866-896, August.
    10. Al-Faryan, Mamdouh Abdulaziz Saleh, 2017. "The relationship between corporate governance mechanisms and the performance of Saudi listed firms," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 14(2-2), pages 338-349.
    11. Jacqueline Christensen & Pamela Kent & Jenny Stewart, 2010. "Corporate Governance and Company Performance in Australia," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 20(4), pages 372-386, December.
    12. Nooraisah Katmon & Omar Al Farooque, 2017. "Exploring the Impact of Internal Corporate Governance on the Relation Between Disclosure Quality and Earnings Management in the UK Listed Companies," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 142(2), pages 345-367, May.
    13. Nguyen, Tuan & Locke, Stuart & Reddy, Krishna, 2014. "A dynamic estimation of governance structures and financial performance for Singaporean companies," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 1-11.
    14. Elena Merino & Montserrat Manzaneque & Yolanda Ramírez, 2019. "Value-added distribution to stakeholder of Spanish listed companies: a corporate governance perspective," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 23(3), pages 577-604, September.
    15. Helmi A. Boshnak, 2021. "Corporate Governance Mechanisms and Firm Performance in Saudi Arabia," International Journal of Financial Research, International Journal of Financial Research, Sciedu Press, vol. 12(3), pages 446-465, May.
    16. Franco Ernesto Rubino & Paolo Tenuta & Domenico Rocco Cambrea, 2017. "Board characteristics effects on performance in family and non-family business: a multi-theoretical approach," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 21(3), pages 623-658, September.
    17. Muhammad Haris & Hongxing Yao & Gulzara Tariq & Hafiz Mustansar Javaid & Qurat Ul Ain, 2019. "Corporate Governance, Political Connections, and Bank Performance," IJFS, MDPI, vol. 7(4), pages 1-37, October.
    18. Aziz Jaafar & Lynn Hodgkinson & Mao-Feng Kao, 2019. "Ownership Structure, Board of Directors and Firm Performance: Evidence from Taiwan," Working Papers 19011, Bangor Business School, Prifysgol Bangor University (Cymru / Wales).
    19. Isabel-María García-Sánchez, 2010. "The effectiveness of corporate governance: board structure and business technical efficiency in Spain," Central European Journal of Operations Research, Springer;Slovak Society for Operations Research;Hungarian Operational Research Society;Czech Society for Operations Research;Österr. Gesellschaft für Operations Research (ÖGOR);Slovenian Society Informatika - Section for Operational Research;Croatian Operational Research Society, vol. 18(3), pages 311-339, September.
    20. Malikov, Kamran & Demirbag, Mehmet & Kuvandikov, Azimjon & Manson, Stuart, 2021. "Workforce reductions and post-merger operating performance: The role of corporate governance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 109-120.

    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:pal:ijodag:v:21:y:2024:i:2:d:10.1057_s41310-023-00193-5. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.palgrave.com .

    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.