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Readability of Notes to the Financial Statements and the Adoption of IFRS

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  • Esther Cheung
  • James Lau

Abstract

This study examines the association between the readability of financial disclosures and IFRS adoption in Australia. Results show that the Notes (the Notes) to the Financial Statements are significantly lengthier, yet are more readable in the post‐IFRS period. Further, the disclosures in the Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, Financial Instruments and Intangible Assets drive the increased length of the Notes. This study examines the association between the readability of financial disclosures and the adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in Australia by assessing: (1) the impact of the adoption of IFRS on the readability of Notes to the financial statements in the Australian context; and (2) the potential accounting policies that drive the increased length of the Notes to the financial statements post‐IFRS. Results show that financial reports are significantly lengthier, yet are more readable in the post‐IFRS period. Further, the length of disclosures in Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, Financial Instruments and Intangible Assets are significantly longer after the adoption of IFRS.

Suggested Citation

  • Esther Cheung & James Lau, 2016. "Readability of Notes to the Financial Statements and the Adoption of IFRS," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 26(2), pages 162-176, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ausact:v:26:y:2016:i:2:p:162-176
    DOI: 10.1111/auar.12087
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Pathiranage, Nandana P.W. & Jubb, Christine A., 2018. "Does IFRS make analysts more efficient in using fundamental information included in financial statements?," Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 14(3), pages 373-385.
    3. Khaldoon Al†Htaybat, 2018. "IFRS Adoption in Emerging Markets: The Case of Jordan," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 28(1), pages 28-47, March.
    4. Nicola Raimo & Filippo Vitolla & Valentina Minutiello & Arcangelo Marrone & Patrizia Tettamanzi, 2022. "Readability of integrated reports: Evidence from worldwide adopters," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(3), pages 524-534, May.
    5. Jia, Jing & Li, Zhongtian, 2022. "Risk management committees and readability of risk management disclosure," Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 18(3).
    6. Yanqi Sun & Jenny Jing Wang & Kevin Tairan Huang, 2022. "Does IFRS and GRI adoption impact the understandability of corporate reports by Chinese listed companies?," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 62(2), pages 2879-2904, June.
    7. June Cao & Chris Patel, 2020. "The role of the national institutional environment in IFRS convergence: a new approach," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 60(4), pages 3367-3406, December.
    8. Stewart Jones & Nurul Alam, 2019. "A machine learning analysis of citation impact among selected Pacific Basin journals," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 59(4), pages 2509-2552, December.

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