The web-based financial reporting adopted by the listed companies in the Athens Stock Exchange

Web-based corporate reporting is the provision of financial information through the Internet. Other companies prefer to disclose their financial information in order to satisfy their investors and to attract new ones while others prefer to provide as less information as possible. The purpose of this paper is twofold： first it provides a critical examination of the main reporting criteria followed by the Greek listed companies, in order to point out how many of these companies present these criteria. Second, it considers how the industry sector of the listed companies or their capitalization category is related with their disclosure degree of financial reporting.     

Revelation from the assurance engagements of the accounting industry in Japan

It is generally accepted that because of conflicts of interest, the public accounting firms provide auditing services combined with consulting services to their clients may be one of the main causes of financial reporting fraud. Separating the consulting services from the auditing services becomes a general trend at present. It is indispensable to determine the boundary of auditing and consulting, and simultaneously regulating the internal control within their respective fields. On the premise of transparency of financial information, the auditing service has been separated in some countries, in order to improve the credibility of accounting information. Relevant measures include measures conducted by the management officials to ensure the quality of financial report, enhancement of the responsibilities of the auditors, and the standard formulated by the government to evaluate the auditing process and auditing opinion. Statement on conceptual framework related to assurance engagement, proposed by the Japanese government （below called ＂statement proposed by the Japanese government for short）, which verifies the credibility of financial information, is an example of the above-mentioned trend. Compared with Japan, China has different regulations and laws in relation to the assurance engagement.     

Determinants of international joint venture performance measurement： A theoretical framework

International joint ventures （IJVs） have increasingly their role in business world and also in research field of international business. There have been a lot of studies related to determinant factors of IJV performance. However, there are very few studies focusing on the measurement of I Jr performance. Especially, researchers have ignored how foreign parent firms really choose their measures in the evaluation of their IJV performance. This research investigates determinant factors of performance measures of 1JVs. Determinant factors of IJV performance measures include motives for establishment, establishment mode, location of IJVs, distribution of ownership in IJVs, cultural background of parent firms, and trust between partners, IJV life stages, parent firms＇ international experience, and relatedness of the IJVs to their parents. Performance measures are divided into financial measures and non-financial measures. The paper shows how different determinant factors are expected to lead foreign parent firms preferring one kind of measure over the other.     

International Supply Chain Management （ISCM）： An Emergent Perspective on Internationalization Driven by Information and Communications Technology （ICT）

The focus of the article is on the contribution of the perspective of supply chain management （SCM） to the explanation of internationalization processes. The empirical study is based on case studies of 20 small- and medium-sized enterprises （SMEs） with international activities from China, India, New Zealand, and Singapore. All chosen firms were founded after 1980 in order to capture retrospectively the whole globalization process of each firm. All sample firms operate their supply chains （SCs） on the basis of information and communications technology （ICT）. Depending on size, strategy, business model, industry, and mindset of the managers, firms use ICT on a range from integrating individual functional areas to integrating the whole SC through enterprise resource planning （ERP） and customer relationship management （CRM） systems.     

Missing quarterly earnings benchmarks, CEO cash compensation and institutional ownership

Research suggests that transient institutions, i.e., institutions with short-term investment horizon,make management focus on short-term earnings goals. This study examines incentive in terms of CEO cash compensation that explains why management concentrates on short-term earnings results when transient institutions hold high levels of ownership. Using quarterly consensus analysts＇ expectations as a proxy for short-term earnings benchmarks, the author finds that CEO cash compensation and the frequency with which management misses quarterly earnings benchmarks in a year （MISSNUMt） are more strongly negatively associated in firms with high transient institutional ownership than in firms with low transient institutional ownership, suggesting that transient institutions strengthen the inverse relation between CEO cash pay and missing short-term earnings benchmarks and hence increase pressure on management in terms of cash pay for short-term results. Moreover, the author shows that change in CEO cash compensation is positively associated with change in transient institutional ownership, consistent with the idea that selling shares by transient institutions influences the boards of portfolio firms in CEO cash compensation decision. This study contributes to the governance literature and is relevant to business managers by providing additional evidence that transient institutions provide less patient capital and may not benefit long-run firm value creation.     

Prediction Ability of Cash Flows,Net Income （NI）, and Auditors

The accounting information should help investors and creditors evaluate the amounts, timing, and uncertainty of firms＇ future cash receipts and disbursements. The Financial Accounting Standards Board （FASB） contends that accrual-based historical earnings are superior to cash flows in predicting future cash flows. But, Bowen, Burgstahler, and Daley （1986） showed that traditional measures of cash flows （net income （NI） plus depreciation and working capital from operations） appear to be better predictors of future cash flows than accrual accounting earnings. Since then, many researchers have articulated the importance of accounting data, especially cash flows and NI, in the predictive and forecasting processes. In this study, we empirically re-examined the ability of cash flows from operating activities （CFO） and accrual-based NI in predicting firms＇ bankruptcy. In the past, the results of this type of research were mixed. Differently from previous research, we focus on the timing of predictive ability, i.e., which indicator, cash flows or NI, is faster in predicting a firm＇s bankruptcy. We also investigate the timing of auditors＇ issuance of a going-concern opinion. The preliminary results show that the accrual-based NI is more accurate and faster than either CFO or audit opinion in predicting firms＇ failures. On average, NI signals a firm＇s bankruptcy 2.41 years before the bankruptcy filing, while CFO signals 1.48 years before filing. Auditors issued a going-concern opinion, another signal for firms＇ failure, to only 16 out of 41 bankrupt firms one year before bankruptcy, and no auditor issued the going-concern opinion two years before bankruptcy.     

From Consolidation to Segment Reporting in Local Government： Accountability Needs,Accounting Standards,and the Effect on Decision-Makers

Consolidated Financial Statements （CFSs） in the public sector represent useful financial tools to improve transparency and accountability toward internal and external users. This aggregate view is only a part of the information needed in order to give politicians, managers, employees, financial institutions, rating agencies, and citizens a whole view of a local government＇s financial performance. It emerges the need to have segment information, covering specific policy areas for which it is appropriate to separately report financial and non-financial information. This paper, after having discussed the need for accountability and decision-making in a theoretical framework, gives account of a pilot project realized by the municipality of Reggio Emilia, which introduced CFSs and segment reporting. The empirical study is based on an action research as a methodological approach to solving practical problems. Finally, the paper also offers some practical suggestions to contribute to the applicability of the segment reporting in the public sector.     

Financial statements in less developed countries： What do preparers demand？

This study reports on an empirical investigation of the characteristics, attitudes, and beliefs of preparers of external financial reports in a less developed country. The basic research instrument consisted of a questionnaire in two parts： the first addressing attitudes of professional accountants toward annual financial reports generally; the second, more specifically measuring the importance of the information items to preparers. Our results suggest that the independent auditor is the most influential group in decision-making processes. As in many developed countries, the auditor＇s report and the regulatory framework are considered to have a major influence on financial reporting practices. Preparers believe that a lack of knowledge of external users＇ needs and lack of reporting standards and accepted accounting principles are the main concerns with corporate financial reports in Iran. The results showed that the balance sheet, auditors＇ report, and income statement in that order are the three most important parts of the annual reports.     

The Market Reaction to the Pronouncements Related to International Accounting Standards （IAS） 19R

This paper examines whether and how investors reacted to the pronouncements related to International Accounting Standards （IAS） 19R. Using a sample of 401 European firms reporting pension and retirement expense during the period of 2006-2011, this paper finds negative abnormal returns around the pension project initiation by the International Accounting Standards Board （IASB）. More importantly, the abnormal returns are more negative for firms with higher financial leverage and lower ratios of net periodic pension cost to net income, but less negative for firms in countries with weak creditor rights （CR） and infrequent use of the corridor approach under IAS 19. Additionally, the effects of financial leverage and the ratio of net periodic pension cost to net income on the abnormal returns are more pronounced for smaller firms. Overall, the results are consistent with the view that recognition of previously disclosed off-balance-sheet pension liabilities as required by IAS 19R increases debt contracting costs, and highlight the importance of considering firm size and CR in international tests of debt contracting theory.     

Corporate governance and financing decisions by Saudi companies

This paper aims to contribute to the corporate governance literature in emerging economies by examining the effect of some corporate governance mechanisms on financing decisions in Saudi Arabian listed companies. A multiple regression model is used to examine the association between financing decisions and corporate governance mechanisms for a sample of 37 listed Saudi companies. In particular, we examine the effect of board size, ownership concentration and corporate governance reporting on the debt-to-equity ratio. Corporate governance reporting is measured by the content analysis approach. After controlling for companies＇ profitability and their growth opportunities, we found that both board size and ownership concentration are positively associated with debt-to-equity ratio. We limit our analysis to a small sample of firms that use the internet to communicate corporate governance information between October 2005 and January 2006. The findings suggest that managers are likely to choose higher financial leverage when they have stronger corporate governance （large number of directors on the board and higher ownership concentration）. However, we did not find any statistical association between corporate governance disclosure and debt-to-equity ratio. This suggests that firm＇s asymmetric information is not an important driver of the financing decision of Saudi Arabian companies. This might be due to the nature of the Saudi business environment. We strongly believe that this paper provides a novel contribution to the existing literature as we are the first to examine this issue in Saudi Arabia.     

Manipulations for Inner Employees＇ Shares

After analyzing 262 corporations when their inner employees＇ shares （IES） become tradable from 1999 to 2003, we find that under-line items and probability of issuing stock dividend are significantly higher for firms with IES than firms without IES. In the two years before IES become tradable, corporations with IES tend to manipulate profit through under-line items and are more probable to issue stock dividend.     

Accounting regulation and IPSAS implementation： Efforts of transition countries toward IPSAS compliance

The need for high quality standards to enhance sound and consistent financial reporting and the fact that the inefficiency and ineffectiveness of public sector extended to a belief that public and private sectors did not have to be managed in fundamentally different ways, fostered a wide-ranging discussion about the harmonization of public sector accounting systems and their convergence towards the private sector financial reporting standards. This paper discusses the state and perspective of public sector accounting and financial reporting in transition countries. Precisely, this paper aims to examine the adequacy of governmental accounting and financial reporting model, reflecting the existing accounting regulation and financial reporting framework in Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The motivation for this paper emerges from international discussions about IPSASs development and adoption, and the fact that the topic is becoming more and more relevant as many countries are moving towards adopting full accrual accounting using IPSASs as their method of financial reporting. Our results show that the degree and dynamics of government accounting systems＇ transformation in transition countries depends upon several specific factors which have to be taken into account when evaluating the systems and making comparison between government accounting system reforms in countries in the analysis. Thus, the study distinguishes certain similarities but also discrepancies regarding the status and possible further development of governmental accounting in countries examined.     

Applications of Business Process Management （BPM） in Chinese Firms： A Managerial Accounting Perspective

Based on a questionnaire survey, the aim of this paper is to explore the relationship of business process management （BPM） with managerial accounting system （MAS） and their economic performance consequences in Chinese firms. Statistical data show that more firms accept business process improvement （BPI） other than business process reengineering （BPR） and optimize their activity chains other than supply chains. Through the construction of three elements, i.e., goal-setting, monitoring, and incentive schemes, of MAS, the study finds that when implementing BPM, firms usually use accounting indexes to set goals of the effect of business processes and combine the goals with monitoring and incentive schemes. Statistical data also show that incentive schemes get the lowest usage degree compared with goal-setting and monitoring. In addition, there are differences in their managerial accounting usages for BPM among firms considering ownership, industry, and scale. The main finding of this paper is that BPM empirically brings favorable changes to firms＇ economic performance via managerial accounting in general, and via goal-setting, monitoring, and incentive schemes in particular.     

Debt Rating Initiations： Natural Evolution or Opportunistic Behavior？

The authors examine a firm＇s decision to begin issuing debt in public bond markets and find that it is a function of both life cycle influences and opportunistic timing. Defining life cycle factors to encompass both a firm＇s age in years and its underlying characteristics, the authors confirm that bond market participation is generally restricted to large, mature firms. Summary statistics show that finns obtain their initial bond ratings on average 9.5 years after their equity initial public offering （IPO） and 11.8 years after initiating dividend payments. Growth rates, capital expenditures, and cash flow volatility all decline as the firm accesses public debt markets, consistent with entry into the mature phase of its life cycle. With respect to opportunistic timing, it is asked whether entry into public bond markets follows strong performance （or precedes weak performance） at both the firm and market levels. At the firm level, the authors find that the debt IPO occurs following periods of strong operating performance and high excess stock returns. At the market level, entry coincides with favorable interest rates and default spreads. The benefits of careful timing result in firms receiving initial bond ratings that are stronger than what would be predicted; however, there is no evidence of abnormal numbers of downgrades for these firms in subsequent years.     

Impact of International Financial Reporting Standards （IFRS） Adoption on Key Financial Ratios＂ The Case of the Czech Republic

This contribution analyzes the impact of new International Financial Reporting Standards （IFRS） reporting rules on financial ratios prepared in the Czech companies. Using a sample of 16 Czech firms, we attempt to measure the scope and size of the differences in the selected set of financial ratios as calculated with data reported according to the traditional Czech accounting standards （CAS） and under the IFRS provisions. Our study discovers that there are important differences resulting from the two reporting formats. Our research comes to a conclusion that translation of Czech statements to IFRS may cause changes in the values of financial indicators without relationship to the real change in the firms＇ value, performance, and stability. Even though the findings were not statistically significant, the indicative results of our measurements disclosed an important fact that the transition to IFRS could cause deterioration of key indicators and thereby could impact on the overall rating of companies. One needs to be cautious with generalization due to the small sample size.     

Learning Business Ethics in Schools

Business ethics is a contemporary issue among business professionals. To enhance business ethics in the long run, educating future business professionals in colleges （i.e., college students） is one of the starting points. This paper aims to investigate students＇ perceptions on business ethics, such as their perceived importance of business ethics, knowledge of and interest in business ethics, their preferred method of introducing business ethics, and the perceived usefulness of learning business ethics in lessons. Focus groups will be used to collect feedback on these issues from students with different gender and seniority in colleges. This study will give insights into the students＇ perceptions on business ethics and suggest ways/methodology to increase the awareness of business ethics in colleges. Business professionals and educators can make reference to the findings to develop relevant materials on business ethics to their employees and students.     

Corporate Internet Disclosure in the Arabian Gulf： An Empirical Examination of Determinants and Attributes

This paper investigates and reports on the extent and nature of corporate internet disclosure and the determinants of internet financial disclosure （IFD） by companies listed in three Gulf Corporation Council （GCC） countries. This paper uses data from 207 listed companies in Muscat Securities Market （MSM）, Dubai Financial Market （DFM）, and Qatar Exchange （QE）. Binary logistic regression analysis is used to examine the determinants of IFD. Kruskal-Wallis test is used to examine the differences in disclosure characteristics among the three countries. The results of this study reveal that firm size is the major factor influencing intemet financial reporting in the GCC. The results reveal that the three countries differ significantly in all the disclosure attributes with the exception of the existence of email link. This paper extends the stream of research that confirms the widespread use of internet in disclosing financial information. The results are consistent with previous literature that corporate size is a major determinant of internet financial reporting. This paper provides insights into corporate internet disclosure in the GCC that will benefit all stakeholders with an interest in corporate reporting in this important region of the world.     

Corporate Reporting： An Integrated Approach to Legitimacy Claims

With the increasing pressure on companies to engage in corporate social responsibility （CSR）, it is paramount for businesses and organizations to gain social legitimacy through building trust and credibility towards their stakeholders. Corporate reporting is a major tool whereby they can demonstrate their transparency and their will to contribute to society. However, reporting is often addressed as a narrow and restricted discipline based on specific areas of communication like financial and CSR communication, which potentially can lead to ＂disconnected reporting＂. The aim of this paper is to address reporting within a framework of corporate communication, introducing the concept of corporate reporting as ＂an issue of integration＂ and to discuss the opportunities and challenges of corporate reporting as a driver for gaining social legitimacy. Recent research in corporate reporting and the development of standards by distinguished reporting agencies （e.g., Klynveld Peat Marwick Goerdeler （KPMG）, A4S, PricewaterhouseCoopers （PwC）） seem to support this position, arguing that integrated reporting is ＂the way forward＂. Accordingly, the authors conclude that there is a need to include a broader range of aspects in the corporate reporting literature applying a strategic integrated approach by which corporate reporting may more explicitly help businesses and organizations gain social legitimacy towards their internal and external stakeholders.     

Short-Term Financing of Economic Order Quantity （EOQ） Inventory Model With Probabilistic Quality

In this paper, the classical economic order quantity （EOQ） inventory model assumption that all items of a certain product received from a supplier are of perfect quality is relaxed. Another basic assumption that the payment for the items is made at the beginning of the inventory cycle when they are received is also eased. We consider an inventory situation where items received from the supplier are of two types of quality, perfect and imperfect, and a short deferral in payment is allowed. The split between perfect and imperfect quality items is assumed to follow a known probability distribution. Both qualities of items have continuous demands, and items of imperfect quality are sold at a discount. A mathematical model is developed using the net present value of all cash flows involved in the inventory cycle. A numerical method for obtaining the optimal order quantity is presented, and the impact of the short-term financing is analyzed. An example is presented to validate the equations and illustrate the results.     

Empirical Research on Accounting Profits and Net Cash Flow of Chinese Public Companies ——Analysis Based on Profitability

In traditional analysis, enterprises＇ performance evaluation largely depends on profits indices, which results in the public companies＇ strong pursuit of accounting profits and neglect of net cash flow. It is of great significance to study this phenomenon in public companies for it can help to evaluate their profitability correctly. By making an empirical research on the status quo of the medical public companies＇ accounting profits, net cash flow, receivable and prepaid items, it is found that the phenomenon that the current accounting profits and net cash flow are inconsistent universally exists in the public companies; the current growth rates of accounts receivable, notes receivable, other accounts receivable and accounts prepaid in the companies which the phenomenon exists in are higher than those in other companies and the industrial average, especially for the latter two items; this phenomenon in economically developed areas is more obvious than in other areas. How to avoid the contradiction of accounting profits and net cash flow in the public companies？ Firstly, the credit risk awareness and management should be strengthened. Secondly, cash budget management should be enhanced. Finally, the index system of evaluation of the public companies＇ operating performance should be improved.