Journal of Applied Accounting Research最新文献

{"title":"Greenhouse gas assurance and carbon emission performance in light of the auditor’s reputation and the country’s development level","authors":"Radwan Alkebsee, Ghassan H. Mardini, Jamel Azibi, Andreas G. Koutoupis, Leonidas G. Davidopoulos","doi":"10.1108/jaar-04-2023-0096","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jaar-04-2023-0096","url":null,"abstract":"<h3>Purpose</h3>\u0000<p>The objective of this study is to determine the impact of GHG assurance on firms’ carbon emissions performance (CEP) regarding curbing carbon emissions and the effect on such by the GHG assurance provider’s affiliation and reputation. It also explores whether the affiliation and reputation of GHG assurance providers imply the relationship between GHG assurance and the firm’s CEP. Further, this study examines the moderating effect of the country’s development level on the relationship.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\u0000<h3>Design/methodology/approach</h3>\u0000<p>Based on a sample of international firms from 56 countries spanning the period from 2012 to 2020, this study utilizes the ordinary least squares (OLS) regression. We also run the OLS regression at times t+1 and t+2 to verify the baseline results. To address the endogeneity concerns arising from self-selection bias and the causality effect, this study applies the generalized method of moment (GMM) and the Heckman test.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\u0000<h3>Findings</h3>\u0000<p>This study finds that GHG assurance leads to better CEP by firms. We also find that engaging with accounting assurance providers leads firms to a better CEP than non-accounting assurance providers. Our results show that Big Four auditors can help firms decrease carbon emissions. We also find that the positive effect of GHG assurance is prevalent in firms operating in developed countries.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\u0000<h3>Research limitations/implications</h3>\u0000<p>Our study only considers the influence of the assuror’s reputation and affiliation on CEP without examining other factors that may influence the quality of assurance services provided.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\u0000<h3>Practical implications</h3>\u0000<p>Our study provides a practical implication related to the influence of a GHG assurance provider’s affiliation and reputation globally by providing evidence that accounting and Big Four assurance providers do play a significant role in a firm’s carbon emission performance. This study offers great insights into the GHG assurance impact on CEP with the interplay between the assuror’s affiliation and reputation and the country’s development.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\u0000<h3>Originality/value</h3>\u0000<p>This paper enriches the limit evidence on GHG assurance and CEP by providing novel evidence on the relationship between GHG assurance and a firm’s CEP. Moreover, this study provides insights into the implication of a country’s development level on the role of GHG assurance in CEP.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->","PeriodicalId":46321,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Accounting Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142264603","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A mixed methods study of influences on perceived budgeting accuracy in UK universities","authors":"Paul Cropper, Christopher Cowton","doi":"10.1108/jaar-11-2023-0337","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jaar-11-2023-0337","url":null,"abstract":"<h3>Purpose</h3>\u0000<p>The accuracy of budgeting is important to fulfilling its various roles. The aim of this study is to examine perceptions of budgeting accuracy in UK universities and to identify and understand the factors that influence them.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\u0000<h3>Design/methodology/approach</h3>\u0000<p>A mixed methods research design comprising a questionnaire survey (84 responses, = 51.5%) and 42 semi-structured, qualitative interviews is employed.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\u0000<h3>Findings</h3>\u0000<p>The findings reveal that universities tend to be conservative in their budgeting, although previous financial difficulties, the attitude of the governing body and the need to convince lenders that finances are being managed competently might lead to a greater emphasis on a “realistic” rather than cautious budget. Stepwise multiple regression identified four significantly negative influences on perceived budgeting accuracy: the difficulty of forecasting student numbers; difficulties associated with allowing unspent balances to be carried forward; taking a relatively long time to prepare the budget; and the institution’s level of financial surplus. The interviews are drawn upon to both explain and elaborate on the statistical findings. Forecasting student numbers and associated fee income emerges as a particularly challenging and complex issue.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\u0000<h3>Research limitations/implications</h3>\u0000<p>Our regression analysis is cross-sectional and therefore based on correlations. Furthermore, the research could be developed by investigating the views of other parties as well as repeating the study in both the UK and overseas.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\u0000<h3>Practical implications</h3>\u0000<p>Implications for university management follow from the four factors identified as significant influences upon budget accuracy. These include involving the finance department in estimating student numbers, removing or controlling the carry forward of unspent funds, and reducing the length of the budget cycle.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\u0000<h3>Originality/value</h3>\u0000<p>The first study to examine the factors that influence the perceived accuracy of universities’ budgeting, this paper also advances understanding of budgeting accuracy more generally.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->","PeriodicalId":46321,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Accounting Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142175842","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Corporate culture's influence on the transparency of financial reporting in Iran: an in-depth analysis of readability and tone","authors":"Javad Rajabalizadeh","doi":"10.1108/jaar-02-2024-0074","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jaar-02-2024-0074","url":null,"abstract":"<h3>Purpose</h3>\u0000<p>This study investigates the influence of corporate culture on financial reporting transparency within Iranian firms.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\u0000<h3>Design/methodology/approach</h3>\u0000<p>Leveraging a dataset of 1,480 firm-year observations from the Tehran Stock Exchange spanning from 2013 to 2022, the study employs text mining to quantify linguistic features of corporate culture and transparency, specifically readability and tone, within annual financial statements and Management Discussion and Analysis (MD&amp;A) reports.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\u0000<h3>Findings</h3>\u0000<p>Our results confirm a positive and significant relationship between corporate culture and financial reporting transparency. The distinct dimensions of corporate culture — Creativity, Competition, Control, and Collaboration — each uniquely enhance financial transparency. Robustness tests including firm fixed-effects, entropy balancing, Generalized Method of Moments (GMM), and Propensity Score Matching (PSM) validate the profound influence of corporate culture on transparency. Additionally, our analysis shows that corporate culture significantly affects the disclosure of business, operational, and financial risks, with varying impacts across risk categories. Cross-sectional analysis further reveals how the impact of corporate culture on transparency varies significantly across different industries and firm sizes.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\u0000<h3>Research limitations/implications</h3>\u0000<p>The study’s scope, while focused on Iran, opens avenues for comparative research in different cultural and regulatory environments. Its reliance on text mining could be complemented by qualitative methods to capture more nuanced linguistic subtleties.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\u0000<h3>Practical implications</h3>\u0000<p>Findings underscore the strategic importance of cultivating a transparent corporate culture for enhancing financial reporting practices and stakeholder trust, particularly in emerging economies with similar dynamics to Iran.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\u0000<h3>Originality/value</h3>\u0000<p>This research is pioneering in its quantitative analysis of the textual features of corporate culture and its impact on transparency within Iranian corporate reports, integrating foundational theoretical perspectives with empirical evidence.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->","PeriodicalId":46321,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Accounting Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141942367","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Earnings quality among private firms: evidence from the ELITE context","authors":"Giorgio Ricciardi, Pietro Fera, Nicola Moscariello, Elbano De Nuccio","doi":"10.1108/jaar-09-2023-0276","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jaar-09-2023-0276","url":null,"abstract":"<h3>Purpose</h3>\u0000<p>Recent accounting literature claims that private firms’ heterogeneity influences the quality of earnings. Along with certain drivers of heterogeneity, private firms get involved in specific programs aimed at fostering their access to capital, competencies and networks (CCN programs). Such programs can enhance private firms’ exposure to stakeholders that demand higher reporting quality, affecting their financial reporting choices. Therefore, this study investigated whether membership in CCN programs affects private firms’ earnings quality.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\u0000<h3>Design/methodology/approach</h3>\u0000<p>Focusing on the ELITE program, an international platform that since 2012 aims to support the growth of the most promising SMEs, and employing different econometric specifications facing endogeneity concerns, this paper carries out a quantitative empirical analysis to test the effect of CCN programs on private firms’ earnings quality.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\u0000<h3>Findings</h3>\u0000<p>Employing different earnings quality measures, empirical evidence reveals that firms belonging to CCN programs experienced an improvement in their earnings quality.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\u0000<h3>Research limitations/implications</h3>\u0000<p>Even though endogeneity concerns have been addressed, we are nevertheless aware that they might, at least partially, have affected our results.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\u0000<h3>Practical implications</h3>\u0000<p>Although the contributions of the study are mostly academic, the empirical evidence obtained also carries practical implications. CCN programs not only act, as one might assume, as catalysts for economic and dimensional growth but also contribute to better earnings quality, mitigating the information asymmetries between firms and their stakeholders.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\u0000<h3>Originality/value</h3>\u0000<p>By adding new evidence to the literature concerning the impact of private firms’ heterogeneity on earnings quality, this is the first study to analyze the impact of specific programs aimed at supporting the affiliated SMEs to foster their access to capital, competencies and networks.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->","PeriodicalId":46321,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Accounting Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141884904","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The impact of board gender diversity on firm performance: does critical mass matter?","authors":"J.D. Jayaraman, R. Smita, Narasinganallur Nilakantan","doi":"10.1108/jaar-12-2022-0336","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jaar-12-2022-0336","url":null,"abstract":"<h3>Purpose</h3>\u0000<p>The study aims to investigate the impact of board gender diversity (BGD) on firm performance (FP) by testing two hypotheses – the existence of a positive relationship between BGD and FP, and the moderating role of a critical mass of female directors on FP. The study also explores whether the association varies across different industries.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\u0000<h3>Design/methodology/approach</h3>\u0000<p>The authors collect data using Bloomberg and CMIE Prowess, from the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) 500 index for the period 2008–2018 and employ a robust statistical methodology (Dynamic Panel Data Model).</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\u0000<h3>Findings</h3>\u0000<p>A critical mass of female directors positively moderates and strengthens the relationship between BGD and FP. The study fails to find evidence of a direct association between BGD and FP. The study also finds evidence of industry effects.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\u0000<h3>Research limitations/implications</h3>\u0000<p>Though we use a very robust statistical methodology, any modifications in the methodology or choice of a different methodology are likely to change the results. Moreover, some of the findings are statistically significant at the 10% level.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\u0000<h3>Practical implications</h3>\u0000<p>The findings of our study hold particular significance for emerging economies like India where regulatory initiatives aim to enhance gender diversity within boardrooms.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\u0000<h3>Originality/value</h3>\u0000<p>The study contributes to the critical mass literature by examining the association between a critical mass of female directors as a moderating variable of BGD and FP. Further, the study also identifies those industries which show a positive association between FP and BGD.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->","PeriodicalId":46321,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Accounting Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141776947","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Crowdability: a new configuration of accountability forms in crowdfunding campaigns of non-profit organisations","authors":"Ulpiana Kocollari, Andrea Girardi, Maddalena Cavicchioli, Alessia Pedrazzoli","doi":"10.1108/jaar-08-2023-0257","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jaar-08-2023-0257","url":null,"abstract":"<h3>Purpose</h3>\u0000<p>This study analyses how different forms of online accountability – hierarchical/individualising, hierarchical/calculative and socialising accountability – influence online financing success of non-profit organisations (NPOs).</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\u0000<h3>Design/methodology/approach</h3>\u0000<p>The study is based on 797 NPOs’ projects listed on three international crowdfunding platforms providing space for NPOs to present, account for and fund social projects.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\u0000<h3>Findings</h3>\u0000<p>Results show that accountability forms developed online play significantly different roles in NPOs’ financing. While online hierarchical/individualising and socialising accountability enhance NPO funding, hierarchical/calculative accountability reduces financing success.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\u0000<h3>Research limitations/implications</h3>\u0000<p>The empirical analysis is limited to the specific research context. However, the research provides theoretical and practical insights for the accounting literature.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\u0000<h3>Practical implications</h3>\u0000<p>The paper recommends that NPOs invest more in explaining their past and future activities rather than reporting on pure financial performances, as this may lead to stakeholders’ perception of mission drift and reduce financing success.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\u0000<h3>Originality/value</h3>\u0000<p>This research enhances the understanding of online accountability and its significance in securing financial resources for NPOs by highlighting the necessity of examining various accountability forms individually, as they may serve distinct functions in the financial sustenance of NPOs.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->","PeriodicalId":46321,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Accounting Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141753982","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Information asymmetry and investment efficiency: the role of blockholders","authors":"Mubashir Ali Khan, Josephine Tan-Hwang Yau, Aitzaz Ahsan Alias Sarang, Ammar Ali Gull, Muzhar Javed","doi":"10.1108/jaar-05-2023-0123","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jaar-05-2023-0123","url":null,"abstract":"<h3>Purpose</h3>\u0000<p>This study aims to examine the extent to which information asymmetry affects investment efficiency and whether the presence of blockholders moderate this relationship.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\u0000<h3>Design/methodology/approach</h3>\u0000<p>We employ the data of firms listed on the Malaysian stock exchange for the period 2010–2018, to compose our sample. Our final sample includes the 100 largest non-financial firms based on market capitalization. Collectively, these 100 companies contribute 84.2% to the total market capitalization (MYR 1,730bn) which is representative of the whole market. The ordinary least squares regressions were used as the main estimation technique. The system generalized method of moments, two-stage least squares and propensity score matching were also used, to address potential endogeneity concerns.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\u0000<h3>Findings</h3>\u0000<p>We document a positively significant association of information asymmetry with investment inefficiency. These results imply that information asymmetry reduces investment efficiency and enhances sub-optimal investments. We also document that blockholders negatively moderate the relationship of information asymmetry with investment inefficiency. Further analyses show that investment inefficiency is higher in low-growth firms than in high-growth firms because of higher information asymmetry.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\u0000<h3>Research limitations/implications</h3>\u0000<p>We focus on Malaysia, which is a predominantly common-law Anglo-Saxon country. Graff (2008) documented that the investors are treated differently across legal systems and there are differences between the continental European and Anglo-Saxon countries. La Porta <em>et al</em>. (1999) documented that investors tend to have more legal protection in Anglo-Saxon countries. Therefore, our results may not be generalized to countries with different legal systems.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\u0000<h3>Practical implications</h3>\u0000<p>An important implication of our findings is that stakeholders may encourage the presence of blockholders and give them a voice to weaken the positive relationship between information asymmetry and investment inefficiency.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\u0000<h3>Originality/value</h3>\u0000<p>This study contributes to the contingency literature by investigating the moderating effect of an important governance mechanism, i.e. the presence of blockholders on information asymmetry-investment efficiency nexus. Despite being important, this moderating effect has been largely overlooked in the literature. Our study contributes by providing an understanding of how blockholders can influence investment decisions, offering insights for academics, investors and policymakers focused on improving the efficacy of investment decisions and governance structure.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->","PeriodicalId":46321,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Accounting Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141518546","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A decade of international diversity in collaborative research published in highly ranked accounting journals","authors":"Renato Ferreira Leitão Azevedo, Isabel Lourenço, Jonas Oliveira, Manuel Castelo Branco","doi":"10.1108/jaar-10-2023-0299","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jaar-10-2023-0299","url":null,"abstract":"<h3>Purpose</h3>\u0000<p>This study examines the patterns of international diversity in collaborative research published in highly ranked accounting journals.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\u0000<h3>Design/methodology/approach</h3>\u0000<p>We examine four types of collaborations: regional, inter-regional, European national and European international. The empirical study is based on 4,033 articles published in 13 journals between 2010 and 2019. Social network analyses were carried out for the inter-regional and the European international collaborations.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\u0000<h3>Findings</h3>\u0000<p>The broad analysis of the regional and inter-regional collaborations reveals not only significant differences between the non-North American journals and the North American but also important dissimilarities among the non-North American journals. The analysis of the European collaborations reveals significant differences between the journals where the UK institutions play a significant role in leading a network of European researchers and the journals where the Dutch and/or German institutions also play a significant role in another network as European leaders in terms of research.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\u0000<h3>Research limitations/implications</h3>\u0000<p>Although it reveals the patterns of internationalization of the highly ranked accounting journals, and offers some insights regarding why such patterns exist, it does not assess co-authorship networks with regard to the authors' orientation in terms of methods and research topics. We acknowledge that the networks amongst authors should also be influenced by the specific PhD-granting institutions. However, we let the data speak to these points, showing how journals differ in publication patterns. Not all highly ranked journals in accounting have the same networks and patterns of co-authorship. Another limitation pertains to the limited aspect of diversity it focuses on, that of geographical diversity. Furthermore, our analyses do not speak directly to the nationalities of the authors, but to the country in which the publication was granted at the time of the paper's publication.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\u0000<h3>Practical implications</h3>\u0000<p>Our findings show that the patterns of international diversity in all the types of collaborations under examination in the highly ranked accounting journals vary across different groups of journals. The “North-American or North-American inspired journals” (Guthrie <em>et al.</em>, 2019, p. 12) have the highest level of geographical concentration and the North American universities/institutions contribute with the majority of the papers. The “non-North American journals” – the leading journals for critical, interpretive and interdisciplinary approaches (Hussain <em>et al.</em>, 2020) and those which are more acceptive of these latter approaches – have a lower level of geographic concentration of the papers and there is a broader set of regions and countries involved, including No","PeriodicalId":46321,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Accounting Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141507929","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Spending money is like water soaking into the sand: anticipating financial distress in Japanese professional football clubs","authors":"Sarthak Mondal, Daniel Plumley, Robert Wilson","doi":"10.1108/jaar-12-2023-0394","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jaar-12-2023-0394","url":null,"abstract":"Purpose This paper analyses J1 League and J2 League clubs during the period 2011–2020 to anticipate financial distress.Design/methodology/approach Data were collected for 29 professional football clubs competing in the J1 and J2 League for the financial years ending 2011–2020. Analysis was conducted using Altman’s Z-score methodology and additional statistical tests were conducted to measure differences between groups.Findings The results show significant cases of financial distress amongst clubs in both divisions and that clubs that have played predominantly in the J1 League are in significantly poorer financial health than clubs that have played predominantly in the J2 League. Overall, the financial situation in Japanese professional football needs to be monitored, a position that could be exacerbated by the economic crisis, caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).Research limitations/implications While the financial situation for a majority of the clubs in the J-League presents an austere picture, comparison with clubs in other leagues across Asia and Europe and understanding the different policies set by these leagues would enable us to understand whether the phenomenon of financial distress is common to other clubs and leagues across different countries and continents.Practical implications The paper recommends that J-League visit the existing club licensing criteria and implement equitable cost-control measures, such as implementing a cap on acceptable losses over a specified period or restricting overall expenditures as a percentage of the club’s revenue.Originality/value The paper extends the evidence base of measuring financial distress in professional team sports and is also the first paper of its kind to examine this in relation to Asian professional football.","PeriodicalId":46321,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Accounting Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141334881","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Accounting practitioners’ perspectives on small- and medium-sized enterprises’ environmental sustainability reporting","authors":"Seán O’Reilly, C. Mac an Bhaird, Louise Gorman, Niamh M. Brennan","doi":"10.1108/jaar-08-2023-0250","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jaar-08-2023-0250","url":null,"abstract":"PurposeThis research investigates the feasibility, benefits and challenges of environmental sustainability reporting by Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs).Design/methodology/approachThe authors develop an abridged SME environmental sustainability reporting framework based on the environmental aspects of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards for Sustainability Reporting. The authors collect the views of 203 SME accounting practitioners on our proposed reporting framework using a survey questionnaire.FindingsThe authors find that the greatest perceived benefit for firms adopting environmental sustainability reporting is that it leads to an improvement in company image. Lack of knowledge, resources and data capturing tools impede implementation of environmental sustainability reporting for both SMEs and accounting practitioners. While SMEs are not yet required to implement environmental sustainability reporting, the research discusses implications for policy makers and practitioners for adopting environmental sustainability reporting in the SME context.Research limitations/implicationsThe main limitation of this study is that environmental sustainability reporting for SMEs is in its infancy. A longitudinal survey, or re-examining this survey over time, could be beneficial to assess the long-term benefits and costs of implementing sustainability reporting.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study have practical implications for the future development of SME environmental sustainability reporting in the EU and for regulators considering sustainability reporting regulations with a specific focus on SMEs.Originality/valueThe study reconstructs the GRI environmental guidelines into a framework for SMEs and provides empirical evidence on the accountant’s sustainability reporting role.","PeriodicalId":46321,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Accounting Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141364416","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}