Hussaini Bala, Noor Afza Amran and Hasnah Shaari
The literature on the influence of audit committees (ACs) and cosmetic accounting (CSA) is scarce. This paper aims to examine the influence of AC attributes on CSA and how this…
Abstract
Purpose
The literature on the influence of audit committees (ACs) and cosmetic accounting (CSA) is scarce. This paper aims to examine the influence of AC attributes on CSA and how this relationship is moderated by the audit price (AUPR).
Design/methodology/approach
The study used pooled logistic regressions to analyse 624 firm-year observations of listed companies in Nigeria from 2008 to 2016.
Findings
The results show that AC financial accounting expertise, AC legal expertise and female AC membership were negatively related to CSA. The negative relationship is highly pronounced when a firm incurs higher audit fees. Results for the robustness checks were similar, even with changes to the measurements of dependent and independent variables and alternative estimation.
Practical implications
This study can benefit policymakers and regulators, enabling them to better appreciate the importance of AC attributes and AUPR in curtailing artificial manipulation and enhancing financial reporting quality.
Social implications
This study can benefit policymakers and regulators, enabling them to better appreciate the importance of AC attributes and AUPR in curtailing artificial manipulation and enhancing financial reporting quality.
Originality/value
The findings provide an initial insight into the moderating effect of AUPR on the relationship between AC attributes and CSA.
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Riffat Shaheen, Qi Luo and Hussaini Bala
This study aims to investigate the role of board gender diversity (BGD) in dividend payout decisions of politically embedded firms (PEFs) including government-linked firms (GLFs…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the role of board gender diversity (BGD) in dividend payout decisions of politically embedded firms (PEFs) including government-linked firms (GLFs) and non-GLFs in comparison to non-PEFs from the perspective of an emerging market, China.
Design/methodology/approach
The study uses the fixed-effect regression to examine the relationship between BGD and dividend payout decisions of PEFs including GLFs and non-GLFs in comparison to non-PEFs for a sample of Chinese publicly listed firms over the period 2010–2018.
Findings
The paper presents robust evidence that BGD is associated with higher dividend payments in PEFs than non-PEFs. Similarly, female directors on GLFs' boards are more likely to pay higher dividends than non-GLFs. Moreover, findings also reveal that the female directors' impact on dividend payout decisions is more pronounced in high corporate social responsibility (CSR) PEFs compared to low CSR peers, regardless of the nature of political ties.
Research limitations
The major limitation of this research that it is restricted to Chinese firms that operate under distinctive economic, social, and political environments. However, the study findings are generalizable to other emerging economies which have similar institutional settings and corporate environments with high government intervention like China.
Practical implications
The findings will enable policymakers to design policies targeted at the inclusion of female directors on PEFs' boards to reduce information asymmetry and agency conflicts. However, considering the heterogeneity of female directors' role in dividend payout decisions of GLFs and non-GLFs, the policymakers should be cautious while establishing the female quota in these firms.
Originality/value
The role of BGD in dividend policy decisions of politically connected firms remained unexplored. This study is the first to unveil the role of female directors in dividend payout decisions of PEFs and non- PEFs. In addition, this research further contributes to the literature by exploring the BGD-dividend policy link in PEFs with high- and low-CSR engagements.
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Irfan Hameed, Umair Akram and Arif Ashraf
Mobile phone payment is a significant advancement in e-commerce and retailing. This study aims to look at the influencing factors for the attainment or letdown of mobile payment…
Abstract
Purpose
Mobile phone payment is a significant advancement in e-commerce and retailing. This study aims to look at the influencing factors for the attainment or letdown of mobile payment systems (MPS). The coping theory (CP) and innovation resistance theory (IRT) components were applied in the tourism sector.
Design/methodology/approach
The data were gathered from 402 tourists who utilized MPS for the first time to book their vacation. In a longitudinal study, an online questionnaire was used to contact clients of several travel businesses to predict their intentions and behavior. Covariance-based structure equation modeling (CB-SEM) was applied using IBM-SPSS AMOS to analyze the data.
Findings
CP factors provided highly thought-provoking results, calling into question several apparent beliefs. At the same time, the relationships covering the aspects of the IRT were supported. It has also been found that intentions are a valid predictor of behavior.
Practical implications
The study's findings can be used by governments, media houses, hotels and travel and tourism agencies, particularly in developing countries like Malaysia.
Originality/value
This study adds to the existing literature by offering a complete model that demonstrates the influence of conceptualizations utilized from the most robust theories connected to technology toward MPS for trip reservations from the perspective of developing countries. Importantly, this study measures the consumers' continuous buying behavior by employing a longitudinal research design.
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Mostafa Kayed Mohamed, Alessandra Allini, Luca Ferri and Annamaria Zampella
This paper aims to examine the usefulness of disclosures provided by Egyptian firms in the management report from the viewpoint of financial analysts and institutional investors.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine the usefulness of disclosures provided by Egyptian firms in the management report from the viewpoint of financial analysts and institutional investors.
Design/methodology/approach
Institutional investors are surveyed to determine whether disclosures are meeting the needs of these financial statements’ users. The final sample consists of 78 financial analysts who work at stockbrokerage firms and 36 institutional investors who work in Egyptian banks and insurance companies.
Findings
The main findings reveal that investors view mandatory and voluntary disclosures differently. Some voluntary disclosures are more useful than mandatory disclosures, which highlights a gap between the regulations and users’ information needs. Moreover, the findings show that respondents consider information related to ownership structure more important than information on risks and firms’ future performance.
Research limitations/implications
This study enriches the scientific debate on the usefulness of disclosures provided in the management report. It might also encourage other researchers to focus on investigating different types of information that may have a significant influence on the decision-making process.
Practical implications
The findings will be useful to regulators to improve the current rules of disclosures. In addition, these results will also be helpful to managers because they highlight the disclosure items that are considered important by users.
Originality/value
This study provides evidence on how users perceive the usefulness of information disclosed in the management reports for their decision-making in an emerging capital market. Even though previous studies investigated the usefulness of management reports, no one of them emphasized the users’ viewpoint.
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Saman Bandara and Michael Falta
This paper aims to examine differential perceptions of lenders and investors on (1) the use, perceived usefulness, importance and adequacy of annual reports, (2) the importance of…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine differential perceptions of lenders and investors on (1) the use, perceived usefulness, importance and adequacy of annual reports, (2) the importance of qualitative characteristics (QCs) and (3) the perceived impact of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) on financial reporting quality (FRQ) in Sri Lanka.
Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire survey study of practising professionals consisting of Sri Lankan investors (N = 214) and lenders (N = 235).
Findings
In relation to (1), lenders and investors rank three out of ten information sources ahead of the remaining seven: both include annual reports and personal knowledge. However, the highest average response for lenders is direct communication with clients, and for investors, it is stock market publications. Within annual reports, both decision-makers identify financial statements as the most useful part. Concerning (2), they both identified understandability as the most important QC followed by timeliness. Relevance ranked last, surprisingly. In relation to (3), both groups perceived that the new IFRS reporting environment improved the FRQ compared to the previous Sri Lanka Accounting Standards regime.
Practical implications
Ranking understandability as the most important QC in terms of decision usefulness contradicts IASB's categorisation. The authors provide empirical data on the perceived degree of success of adopting IFRS in a developing economy.
Originality/value
The authors design a decision-oriented (lending vs investing) and context-specific (IASB's financial reporting framework) questionnaire to examine the perceptions of key capital providers separately on the issues mentioned above in “Purpose” within a developing economy. The survey fits into two aspects of the decision-useful theory: useful to make what decisions and useful to whom.
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Muhammad Yaseen Bhutto and Aušra Rūtelionė
This research examines consumer reluctance to purchase organic food using the theory of innovation resistance and also extends the theory by investigating the moderating…
Abstract
Purpose
This research examines consumer reluctance to purchase organic food using the theory of innovation resistance and also extends the theory by investigating the moderating influence of eco-literacy. In addition, the authors used a multigroup analysis to identify differences between consumer segments.
Design/methodology/approach
Data collection used computer-assisted web interviewing and a prior screening process to confirm engagement. Through stratified quota sampling, 1,000 useable responses were obtained from 2,887 recipients.
Findings
The findings reveal barriers are significant inhibitors to adopting organic food. Among these barriers, usage, risk tradition and image barriers have a significant adverse influence on purchase intention. In contrast, the value barrier has a nonsignificant influence on the purchase intention of organic food. However, the study found that eco-literacy significantly reduces the negative influence of risk and tradition barriers on consumers' intentions. In addition, a multigroup analysis examines notable differences between consumer groups based on education, age and income.
Social implications
This research has significant social implications for boosting sustainable consumption in Lithuania. It identifies key barriers to organic food adoption, emphasizing the need for strategic interventions. The study highlights eco-literacy as an essential tool in diminishing resistance to organic food, advocating for targeted educational initiatives. Additionally, it reveals the importance of tailored marketing strategies based on different consumer demographics. Overall, this study provides important insights to promote environmentally conscious consumer behavior and overcome resistance to innovation in the organic food sector.
Originality/value
This study expressively advances the understanding of intentional behavior by exploring organic food within Lithuania's Baltic economy. It authenticates the innovation resistance theory's applicability to organic food behavior in the region while emphasizing the moderating impact of eco-literacy in the link between barriers and purchase intention concerning organic food. Furthermore, using advanced methods such as partial least squares statistical modeling and multi-group analysis, the research reveals how barriers affect the purchase intention of organic food among different groups of consumers.
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Abhishek N., Sonal Devesh, Ashoka M.L., Neethu Suraj, Parameshwara Acharya and Divyashree M.S.
This study aimed to identify factors influencing AI/chatbot usage in education and research, and to evaluate the extent of the impact of these factors.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aimed to identify factors influencing AI/chatbot usage in education and research, and to evaluate the extent of the impact of these factors.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used a mixed approach of qualitative and quantitative methods. It is based on both primary and secondary data. The primary data were collected through an online survey. In total, 177 responses from teachers were included in this study. The collected data were analyzed using a statistical package for the social sciences.
Findings
The study revealed that the significant factors influencing the perception of the academic and research community toward the adoption of AI/interactive tools, such as Chatbots/ChatGpt for education and research, are challenges, benefits, awareness, opportunities, risks, sustainability and ethical considerations.
Practical implications
This study highlighted the importance of resolving challenges and enhancing awareness and benefits while carefully mitigating risks and ethical concerns in the integration of technology within the educational and research environment. These insights can assist policymakers in making decisions and developing strategies for the efficient adoption of AI/interactive tools in academia and research to enhance the overall quality of learning experiences.
Originality/value
The present study adds value to the existing literature on AI/interactive tool adoption in academia and research by offering a quantitative analysis of the factors impacting teachers' perception of the usage of such tools. Furthermore, it also indirectly helps achieve various UNSDGs, such as 4, 9, 10 and 17.