Journal of Financial Reporting and Accounting最新文献

Purpose

This study aims to examine the role of blockchain technology (BCT) in trust in financial reporting (TFR) and the use of smart contracts (USC). It aims to ascertain the mediating role of USC in the relationship between BCT and TFR, thereby contributing to the limited empirical literature in this domain.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a sample of the accountants’ familiarity with BCT, a structural equation model was constructed and analyzed using AMOS 24. The model proposes and tests relationships between BCT, USC and TFR.

Findings

The study highlights BCT’s significant positive influence on TFR, with USC mediating this effect. It provides empirical evidence that supports the transformative potential of BCT and USC in enhancing TFR.

Practical implications

These findings have significant implications for practitioners, regulatory bodies and policymakers. By highlighting the effectiveness of BCT and USC in fostering TFR, the study makes one aware of strategies to mitigate financial malpractices. It promotes the adoption of BCT in accounting practices.

Originality/value

This study addresses a gap in the literature by investigating the complex interplay of BCT, USC and TFR. It offers a unique perspective by exploring the mediating role of USC, thereby enhancing our understanding of the mechanisms through which BCT can foster TFR.

Purpose

Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into various industries, including the financial sector, has transformed them. This paper aims to examine the influence of integrating AI, including machine learning, process automation, predictive analytics and chatbots, on financial institutions and explores its various aspects and areas. The study aims to determine the impact of AI integration on financial services, products and customer experience.

Design/methodology/approach

The research study uses quantitative and qualitative methods, as well as secondary data analysis. It investigates four AI subfields: machine learning, process automation, predictive analytics and chatbots.

Findings

The research findings indicate that integrating AI, particularly in machine learning and chatbot subfields, holds promise and high strategic potential for financial institutions. These subfields can contribute significantly to enhancing financial services and customer experience. However, the significance of predictive analytics integration and process automation is relatively lower. Although these subfields retain their usefulness, they might necessitate alternative workflows and tools that incorporate human involvement. Overall, AI integration minimizes human interactions and errors in financial institutions.

Originality/value

The research study contributes original insights by exploring the specific subfields of AI within the financial industry and assessing their strategic significance. It provides recommendations for financial institutions to adopt AI integration partially in multiple phases, measure and evaluate the impact of the transformation and structure internal units and expertise to strategize adoption and change.

Purpose

This study aims to examine the effects of product market competition (PMC) on analysts’ earnings forecast attributes, particularly forecast accuracy and dispersion. The authors also investigate whether investor protection moderates the relationship between PMC and forecast attributes.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample covers 49,578 firm-year observations from 38 countries. This study uses an ordinary least squares regression, a Heckman two-stage regression and an instrumental two-stage least squares regression.

Findings

This study finds that PMC is associated with higher forecast accuracy and lower dispersion. The results also show that investor protection enhances the effect of PMC on forecast accuracy and dispersion. These findings imply that countries with strong investor protection have a better information environment, as exhibited by the stronger relationship between PMC and analysts’ forecast properties.

Practical implications

The findings highlight the importance of strong governance mechanisms in both the country and industry environments. Policymakers, including government agencies and financial regulators, can leverage these insights to formulate regulations that promote competition, ensure investor protection and facilitate informed investment decisions.

Originality/value

This study advances our understanding of how PMC affects analysts’ earnings forecast attributes. In addition, it pioneers evidence of the moderating role of investor protection in the relationship between PMC and forecast attributes.

Purpose

The recent progress of digital accounting has significantly affected businesses’ sustainable production process. Businesses generally use digital accounting applications to automate their operational procedures and increase their corporate efficiencies through improved output quality and sustainability. Consequently, the purpose of this study is to look into the antecedent factors that directly and indirectly influence blockchain technology adoption in the context of digital accounting systems.

Design/methodology/approach

The data of the current study were obtained from 346 accountants working in information technology companies. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was used to test the research proposal model.

Findings

The empirical results confirmed that the adoption of blockchain technology is most considerably impacted by perceived usefulness, whereby it was also revealed that perceived ease of use has a direct and indirect effect on blockchain technology adoption.

Originality/value

According to the researchers’ knowledge, this study addresses a vital research gap in the literature by suggesting a comprehensive research model that can help garner enhanced usage of blockchain technology and its implications in digital accounting systems in the Jordanian context.

Purpose

The study of the relationship between external auditing services and investment deviation in a French setting has received relatively little research attention thus far. There are insufficient indicators to measure audit quality and then have a measurable link to investment efficiency. This study is motivated by such a research gap as well as the important role of auditing services in assuring investment efficiency. The purpose of this study is to test whether a good audit quality service improves corporate investment awareness in French-listed companies and contributes to establishing a comprehensive analysis framework for inefficient investment and how audit services have become an important tool to reduce the investment deviation of listed companies in France.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a sample of 89 non-financial French firms listed on the Stoxx 600 Index from 2015 to 2021, this study uses feasible generalised least squares (FGLS) regressions to study the relationship between investment deviation and auditing service quality.

Findings

After running an FGLS regression model for two firm groups (overinvestment and overinvestment groups) and testing for a set of control variables, especially COVID-19, the findings show a non-linear correlation between audit service and corporate investment deviation. Both underinvestment and overinvestment decisions are negatively and statistically significantly impacted by audit indicators. Furthermore, involving a high-quality specialised auditor may enhance overall monitoring and lead to a lower investment deviation level. Overall, the empirical results show that a high-quality audit service enhances the investment efficiency of French-indexed companies.

Practical implications

This study offers crucial information that audit regulators can use to better appreciate the advantages of high audit quality and to take seriously the policy issues that affect it. Board members are urged to provide excellent audit quality that improves investment efficiency with careful consideration.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the existing audit literature by illuminating the effect of audit quality services on investment deviation to show a deeper understanding of the factors that contribute to the differences in prior studies’ findings in the field of audit quality impacts.

Purpose

This study aims to examine the association between non-audit fees and audit quality by using the context of gender-diverse audit committees. Further, the authors assess whether this link is moderated by industry-specialist auditors.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used non-financial FTSE-350 firms over the period of seven years. In addition, the authors use ordinary least squares regression to test the research hypotheses.

Findings

The authors find that female directors on audit committees are negatively related to non-audit fees, suggesting that non-audit fees reduce audit quality. Moreover, the results indicate that industry-specialist auditors positively moderate the link between gender-diverse audit committees and non-audit fees. This suggests that non-audit fees improve audit quality when the auditor is an industry-specialist.

Practical implications

The study does not support blanket restrictions on non-audit fees. It recommends regulators to consider industry expertise of auditors when devising non-audit fee restrictions. Moreover, the findings of this study have implications for firms aiming to understand whether non-audit fees could be used for enhancing audit quality.

Originality/value

By using the context of female directors on audit committees, the authors conclusively assess the link between non-audit fees and audit quality. Further, this study provides a more robust evidence on whether industry-specialist auditors affect the relationship between non-audit fees and audit quality.

Purpose

This study aims to provide archival evidence on the impact of board characteristics on corporate social responsibility (CSR) monetary performance and how they interact with the COVID-19 pandemic in the context of CSR monetary performance.

Design/methodology/approach

This study analyzes listed companies in Oman’s capital market from 2016 to 2021, using pooled ordinary least squares and unique CSR performance measures such as budgeting and spending.

Findings

The study finds that companies with more expertise and frequent meetings are more likely to allocate a larger budget for CSR activities. However, this does not apply to larger boards or to independent directors. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the effect of independent directors on CSR budgeting and spending is more pronounced, and boards with more expertise and meetings show a negative interaction with the pandemic. The interaction of board characteristics with COVID-19 in terms of CSR monetary performance varies depending on company size. Board independence and expertise show a significant reaction to COVID-19 infection and death cases when setting CSR budgeting and spending.

Research limitations/implications

The findings of this study are stimulating, but stem from an emerging country with unique cultural and institutional characteristics. Methodological issues were also encountered during the analysis, so readers should exercise caution when applying the results to other settings.

Practical implications

This study highlights board involvement in deciding a company’s CSR investment, as it was believed that chief executive officers are considered responsible for CSR activities. Additionally, this research underscores the significance of incorporating the financial aspects of CSR into reporting.

Originality/value

This study examines the seldom explored relationship between corporate boards and CSR monetary aspects during regular and irregular times, offering theoretical and practical insights that benefit multiple stakeholders.

Purpose

This study aims to understand the interaction between tax fairness perceptions, equitable tax burden distribution and tax compliance within Morocco’s unique socio-economic context, with the goal of uncovering strategies to enhance tax compliance.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the Delphi method, this study engaged tax experts in the Moroccan context to explore the impact of taxpayers’ perception of fairness, tax rates and tax burden on compliance. Their responses were gathered and analyzed with the aid of IRaMuTeQ software, which helped the authors identify themes relevant to the research question.

Findings

The preliminary results indicate a positive correlation between perceptions of tax fairness and compliance behavior, corroborating earlier studies conducted in different contexts. Notably, a substantial majority of Moroccan taxpayers perceive the current tax system as inequitable, deeming tax rates too high and the tax burden unfairly distributed among various taxpayer categories. This perception potentially influences their voluntary tax compliance behavior.

Practical implications

The findings have significant policy implications for the Moroccan Government and stakeholders. They suggest that by improving tax fairness, particularly by aligning tax assessment and payment modalities for employees, civil servants and small to medium enterprises, policymakers can encourage higher voluntary tax compliance, thereby potentially enhancing the efficiency of the Moroccan tax system.

Originality/value

This study adds to the existing body of knowledge by exploring the dynamics of tax fairness and compliance behavior in Morocco, a context which has been significantly understudied.