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Expectation gap between preparers and stakeholders in integrated reporting

Expectation gap between preparers and stakeholders in integrated reporting This paper aims to explore the emphasis placed on certain integrated reporting themes by financial services companies and stakeholders’ perception of the importance of these themes to ascertain if a perception gap exists. The study also considers if the perception gap is affected by user sophistication.Design/methodology/approachThis paper uses a mixed methods approach. First, the integrated reports are analysed to construct interpretively a list of disclosure themes. The frequency of these disclosures themes is determined to give a sense of the emphasis placed on these disclosures by a sample of integrated reporters. Second, a questionnaire is compiled to gauge the perceived importance of the disclosure themes by a proxy group of sophisticated and unsophisticated investors. Third, the results are subject to factor analysis to determine the statistically significant disclosure themes. Differences between the emphasis placed on these disclosures by companies and their perceived importance in the eyes of users are used to outline the nature of a perception gap. Finally, the perceived importance of the integrated reporting themes between the sophisticated and unsophisticated respondents is determined using a Mann–Whitney U test.FindingsThis paper shows that a perception gap has developed because companies do not fully understand what information is valued by their stakeholders. In addition, this study demonstrates that sophistication has an effect on the type of disclosures which are valued by users and the manner in which the disclosures are presented.Originality/valueThis research adds a new dimension to prior literature by introducing the idea of a perception gap (well-known in a financial reporting and assurance context) to integrated reporting. It also shows that differences in stakeholders’ sophistication should be taken into account when companies prepare their integrated reports. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Meditari Accountancy Research Emerald Publishing

Expectation gap between preparers and stakeholders in integrated reporting

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Publisher
Emerald Publishing
Copyright
© Emerald Publishing Limited
ISSN
2049-372X
DOI
10.1108/medar-12-2017-0249
Publisher site
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Abstract

This paper aims to explore the emphasis placed on certain integrated reporting themes by financial services companies and stakeholders’ perception of the importance of these themes to ascertain if a perception gap exists. The study also considers if the perception gap is affected by user sophistication.Design/methodology/approachThis paper uses a mixed methods approach. First, the integrated reports are analysed to construct interpretively a list of disclosure themes. The frequency of these disclosures themes is determined to give a sense of the emphasis placed on these disclosures by a sample of integrated reporters. Second, a questionnaire is compiled to gauge the perceived importance of the disclosure themes by a proxy group of sophisticated and unsophisticated investors. Third, the results are subject to factor analysis to determine the statistically significant disclosure themes. Differences between the emphasis placed on these disclosures by companies and their perceived importance in the eyes of users are used to outline the nature of a perception gap. Finally, the perceived importance of the integrated reporting themes between the sophisticated and unsophisticated respondents is determined using a Mann–Whitney U test.FindingsThis paper shows that a perception gap has developed because companies do not fully understand what information is valued by their stakeholders. In addition, this study demonstrates that sophistication has an effect on the type of disclosures which are valued by users and the manner in which the disclosures are presented.Originality/valueThis research adds a new dimension to prior literature by introducing the idea of a perception gap (well-known in a financial reporting and assurance context) to integrated reporting. It also shows that differences in stakeholders’ sophistication should be taken into account when companies prepare their integrated reports.

Journal

Meditari Accountancy Research – Emerald Publishing

Published: Jun 25, 2018

Keywords: Stakeholders; Factor analysis; Integrated reporting; Mixed methods; Perception gap

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