The purpose of this paper is to explore the sophistication of internet financial reporting (IFR) for Turkish listed firms and explore firm‐specific drivers.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the sophistication of internet financial reporting (IFR) for Turkish listed firms and explore firm‐specific drivers.
Design/methodology/approach
The study surveys the web sites of all firms listed on the Istanbul Stock Exchange (ISE) during December 2009 using a well‐established scoring system to measure IFR.
Findings
It is found that size, auditor and corporate governance effects, as measured by a multivariate regression analysis framework, affect the sophistication of IFR. However, in extending the analysis by running separate regressions for small and large firms, these effects prevail only for large firms. Evidence also supports the industry effect for both small and large firms. Overall, large firms, audited by large international auditors, and included in the Corporate Governance Index of the ISE, are more likely to use sophisticated disclosure formats such as audio and video files, internal search engines and hyperlinks inside their annual reports.
Originality/value
Using a unique data set, this paper provides a snapshot of how well Turkish companies adapt to change in IFR. Its novelty lies in its addressing the issue of IFR sophistication and the impact of firm‐specific factors, such as profitability, growth prospects, firm size, ownership, corporate governance environment and industry effects, for the first time as they apply to Turkish firms.
Details
Keywords
Aslihan E. Bozcuk, Sinan Aslan and S. Burak Arzova
This paper aims to investigate internet financial reporting following major regulatory changes in Turkey. Although these regulations only cover publicly listed firms, large…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate internet financial reporting following major regulatory changes in Turkey. Although these regulations only cover publicly listed firms, large unlisted firms also use the internet to disseminate financial information.
Design/methodology/approach
The study surveys the top 500 Turkish industrial firms on the “Istanbul Chamber of Industry 500” (ICI500) to determine whether the regulatory changes led to significant changes in their financial reporting on the internet.
Findings
The percentage of firms providing financial disclosures on the internet doubled from 2003 to 2010. However, problems remain, including the extremely low level of voluntary disclosures (six percent of firms) and the failure of listed firms to provide information other than mandatory disclosures such as financial summaries and ratios. The study finds increases in voluntary disclosures of share price performance and management reports, providing support for the signaling theory.
Originality/value
This study investigates listed as well as unlisted firms and specifically addresses the consequences of regulatory intervention.