IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v13y2021i24p13645-d699095.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Pessimistic Tone in Earnings Announcement and CSR Disclosure: Exploring the Interacting Role of CEO Busyness

Author

Listed:
  • Sri Ningsih

    (Department of Accounting, Airlangga University, Surabaya 60115, Indonesia)

  • Iman Harymawan

    (Department of Accounting, Airlangga University, Surabaya 60115, Indonesia)

  • Nurul Fitriani

    (Department of Accounting, Airlangga University, Surabaya 60115, Indonesia)

  • Brian Lam

    (Division of Business and Management, BNU-HKBU United International College, Zhuhai 519087, China)

Abstract

This study analyzes the relationship between the pessimistic tone in earnings announcements and CSR disclosures interacted by CEO busyness. This study used 191 observations from 74 firms listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange and the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) database from 2016–2019. Grounded in signaling theory, we hypothesize that a pessimistic tone in earning announcements will increase CSR disclosure. We also hypothesize that busy CEOs strengthen this relationship. We use the ordinary least squares to analyze and answer our hypotheses. This study showed that the use of a pessimistic tone in the income statement in the discussion report and management analysis (MD&A) is related positively and significantly to CSR disclosure. This study also found that busy CEOs strengthen those relationships. Our implication is that CSR disclosure in our sample is only measured based on the information presented in the sustainability report. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to investigate the relationship between the pessimistic tone in earning announcements and CSR disclosures interacted by CEO busyness. In addition, this study provides insight into current performance disclosure practices in MD&A reports and CSR reports that managers can use to safeguard the firm’s reputation.

Suggested Citation

  • Sri Ningsih & Iman Harymawan & Nurul Fitriani & Brian Lam, 2021. "Pessimistic Tone in Earnings Announcement and CSR Disclosure: Exploring the Interacting Role of CEO Busyness," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-19, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:24:p:13645-:d:699095
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/24/13645/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/24/13645/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Falato, Antonio & Kadyrzhanova, Dalida & Lel, Ugur, 2014. "Distracted directors: Does board busyness hurt shareholder value?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 113(3), pages 404-426.
    2. P. Fahad & P. Mubarak Rahman, 2020. "Impact of corporate governance on CSR disclosure," International Journal of Disclosure and Governance, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 17(2), pages 155-167, September.
    3. Kent Walker & Fang Wan, 2012. "The Harm of Symbolic Actions and Green-Washing: Corporate Actions and Communications on Environmental Performance and Their Financial Implications," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 109(2), pages 227-242, August.
    4. Prasad, Ajnesh & Holzinger, Ingo, 2013. "Seeing through smoke and mirrors: A critical analysis of marketing CSR," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 66(10), pages 1915-1921.
    5. Siano, Alfonso & Vollero, Agostino & Conte, Francesca & Amabile, Sara, 2017. "“More than words”: Expanding the taxonomy of greenwashing after the Volkswagen scandal," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 27-37.
    6. Liu, Pu & Nguyen, Hazel T., 2020. "CEO characteristics and tone at the top inconsistency," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    7. Valta, Philip, 2012. "Competition and the cost of debt," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 105(3), pages 661-682.
    8. Kanbaty, Majid & Hellmann, Andreas & He, Liyu, 2020. "Infographics in corporate sustainability reports: Providing useful information or used for impression management?," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 26(C).
    9. Angela K. Davis & Jeremy M. Piger & Lisa M. Sedor, 2012. "Beyond the Numbers: Measuring the Information Content of Earnings Press Release Language," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(3), pages 845-868, September.
    10. Doris M. Merkl-Davies & Niamh Brennan, 2007. "Discretionary disclosure strategies in corporate narratives : incremental information or impression management?," Open Access publications 10197/2907, Research Repository, University College Dublin.
    11. Roberto Di Pietra & Christos Grambovas & Ivana Raonic & Angelo Riccaboni, 2008. "The effects of board size and ‘busy’ directors on the market value of Italian companies," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 12(1), pages 73-91, March.
    12. Angela K. Davis & Jeremy M. Piger & Lisa M. Sedor, 2006. "Beyond the numbers: an analysis of optimistic and pessimistic language in earnings press releases," Working Papers 2006-005, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
    13. Iman Harymawan & Fajar Kristanto Gautama Putra & Bayu Arie Fianto & Wan Adibah Wan Ismail, 2021. "Financially Distressed Firms: Environmental, Social, and Governance Reporting in Indonesia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-18, September.
    14. Carlo D'Augusta & Matthew D. DeAngelis, 2020. "Does Accounting Conservatism Discipline Qualitative Disclosure? Evidence From Tone Management in the MD&A," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 37(4), pages 2287-2318, December.
    15. Yan Luo & Linying Zhou, 2020. "Textual tone in corporate financial disclosures: a survey of the literature," International Journal of Disclosure and Governance, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 17(2), pages 101-110, September.
    16. Saurabh Mishra & Sachin Modi, 2013. "Positive and Negative Corporate Social Responsibility, Financial Leverage, and Idiosyncratic Risk," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 117(2), pages 431-448, October.
    17. S. P. Kothari & Susan Shu & Peter D. Wysocki, 2009. "Do Managers Withhold Bad News?," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(1), pages 241-276, March.
    18. Angela K. Davis & Isho Tama†Sweet, 2012. "Managers’ Use of Language Across Alternative Disclosure Outlets: Earnings Press Releases versus MD&A," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(3), pages 804-837, September.
    19. Heckman, James, 2013. "Sample selection bias as a specification error," Applied Econometrics, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), vol. 31(3), pages 129-137.
    20. Nooraisah Katmon & Omar Al Farooque, 2017. "Exploring the Impact of Internal Corporate Governance on the Relation Between Disclosure Quality and Earnings Management in the UK Listed Companies," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 142(2), pages 345-367, May.
    21. Yekini, Liafisu Sina & Wisniewski, Tomasz Piotr & Millo, Yuval, 2016. "Market reaction to the positiveness of annual report narratives," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 48(4), pages 415-430.
    22. Eliezer M. Fich & Anil Shivdasani, 2006. "Are Busy Boards Effective Monitors?," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 61(2), pages 689-724, April.
    23. Melinda Cahyaning Ratri & Iman Harymawan & Khairul Anuar Kamarudin, 2021. "Busyness, Tenure, Meeting Frequency of the CEOs, and Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosure," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-22, May.
    24. Nailesh Limbasiya & Hitesh Shukla, 2019. "Effect of Board Diversity, Promoter’s Presence and Multiple Directorships on Firm Performance," Indian Journal of Corporate Governance, , vol. 12(2), pages 169-186, December.
    25. Peter Seele & Lucia Gatti, 2017. "Greenwashing Revisited: In Search of a Typology and Accusation‐Based Definition Incorporating Legitimacy Strategies," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(2), pages 239-252, February.
    26. Jan Bebbington & Carlos Larrinaga & Jose M. Moneva, 2008. "Corporate social reporting and reputation risk management," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 21(3), pages 337-361, March.
    27. P. Fahad & P. Mubarak Rahman, 0. "Impact of corporate governance on CSR disclosure," International Journal of Disclosure and Governance, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 0, pages 1-13.
    28. Tim Loughran & Bill Mcdonald, 2016. "Textual Analysis in Accounting and Finance: A Survey," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(4), pages 1187-1230, September.
    29. Xiao Wu, Dong & Yao, Xiao & Luan Guo, Jian, 2021. "Is Textual Tone Informative or Inflated for Firm’s Future Value? Evidence from Chinese Listed Firms," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 513-525.
    30. Frerich Buchholz & Reemda Jaeschke & Kerstin Lopatta & Karen Maas, 2018. "The use of optimistic tone by narcissistic CEOs," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 31(2), pages 531-562, February.
    31. Hauser, Roie, 2018. "Busy directors and firm performance: Evidence from mergers," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 128(1), pages 16-37.
    32. Doaa Aly & Sherif El-Halaby & Khaled Hussainey, 2018. "Tone disclosure and financial performance: evidence from Egypt," Accounting Research Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 31(1), pages 63-74, May.
    33. Barry, Christopher B. & Brown, Stephen J., 1985. "Differential Information and Security Market Equilibrium," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 20(4), pages 407-422, December.
    34. Yan Luo & Linying Zhou, 0. "Textual tone in corporate financial disclosures: a survey of the literature," International Journal of Disclosure and Governance, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 0, pages 1-10.
    35. Wooldridge, Jeffrey M., 2009. "On estimating firm-level production functions using proxy variables to control for unobservables," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 104(3), pages 112-114, September.
    36. Constantinos N. Leonidou & Dionysis Skarmeas, 2017. "Gray Shades of Green: Causes and Consequences of Green Skepticism," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 144(2), pages 401-415, August.
    37. Tim Loughran & Bill Mcdonald, 2011. "When Is a Liability Not a Liability? Textual Analysis, Dictionaries, and 10‐Ks," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 66(1), pages 35-65, February.
    38. Giovanna Gavana & Pietro Gottardo & Anna Maria Moisello, 2017. "Earnings Management and CSR Disclosure. Family vs. Non-Family Firms," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(12), pages 1-21, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Raden Roro Widya Ningtyas Soeprajitno & Sri Ningsih & Iman Harymawan & Bablu Kumar Dhar & Suham Cahyono, 2023. "The School-ties Between Top Management Executive and Audit Partner: Exploring From Earnings Management in Indonesia," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(4), pages 21582440231, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Wanli Li & Tiantian Yan & Yue Li & Ziqiao Yan, 2023. "Earnings management and CSR report tone: Evidence from China," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(4), pages 1883-1902, July.
    2. Volkan Muslu & Sunay Mutlu & Suresh Radhakrishnan & Albert Tsang, 2019. "Corporate Social Responsibility Report Narratives and Analyst Forecast Accuracy," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 154(4), pages 1119-1142, February.
    3. Yuan, Dongliang & Shang, Duo & Ma, Yufei & Li, Dehui, 2022. "The Spillover Effects of Peer Annual Report Tone for Firm Innovation Investment: Evidence from China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    4. Bassyouny, Hesham & Abdelfattah, Tarek & Tao, Lei, 2022. "Narrative disclosure tone: A review and areas for future research," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 49(C).
    5. Bassyouny, Hesham & Abdelfattah, Tarek & Tao, Lei, 2020. "Beyond narrative disclosure tone: The upper echelons theory perspective," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    6. Liu, Pu & Nguyen, Hazel T., 2020. "CEO characteristics and tone at the top inconsistency," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    7. Kim, Jongkyum & Lim, Jee-Hae & Yoon, Kyunghee, 2022. "How do the content, format, and tone of Twitter-based corporate disclosure vary depending on earnings performance?," International Journal of Accounting Information Systems, Elsevier, vol. 47(C).
    8. Berkin, Anil & Aerts, Walter & Van Caneghem, Tom, 2023. "Feasibility analysis of machine learning for performance-related attributional statements," International Journal of Accounting Information Systems, Elsevier, vol. 48(C).
    9. Allee, Kristian D. & Do, Chuong & Sterin, Mikhail, 2021. "Product market competition, disclosure framing, and casting in earnings conference calls," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(1).
    10. Shuolei Xu & Fangjun Wang & Charles P. Cullinan & Nanyan Dong, 2022. "Corporate Tax Avoidance and Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosure Readability: Evidence from China," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 32(2), pages 267-289, June.
    11. John Berns & Patty Bick & Ryan Flugum & Reza Houston, 2022. "Do changes in MD&A section tone predict investment behavior?," The Financial Review, Eastern Finance Association, vol. 57(1), pages 129-153, February.
    12. Ali Ataullah & Andrew Vivian & Bin Xu, 2018. "Optimistic Disclosure Tone and Conservative Debt Policy," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 54(4), pages 445-484, December.
    13. William Mbanyele, 2020. "Do Busy Directors Impede or Spur Bank Performance and Bank Risks? Event Study Evidence From Brazil," SAGE Open, , vol. 10(2), pages 21582440209, June.
    14. John L. Campbell & Hye Seung “Grace” Lee & Hsin‐Min Lu & Logan B. Steele, 2020. "Express Yourself: Why Managers' Disclosure Tone Varies Across Time and What Investors Learn From It," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 37(2), pages 1140-1171, June.
    15. Gehan A. Mousa & Elsayed A. H. Elamir & Khaled Hussainey, 2022. "Using machine learning methods to predict financial performance: Does disclosure tone matter?," International Journal of Disclosure and Governance, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 19(1), pages 93-112, March.
    16. Yan Luo & Linying Zhou, 2020. "Textual tone in corporate financial disclosures: a survey of the literature," International Journal of Disclosure and Governance, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 17(2), pages 101-110, September.
    17. Melinda Cahyaning Ratri & Iman Harymawan & Khairul Anuar Kamarudin, 2021. "Busyness, Tenure, Meeting Frequency of the CEOs, and Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosure," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-22, May.
    18. Arslan-Ayaydin, Özgür & Bishara, Norman & Thewissen, James & Torsin, Wouter, 2020. "Managerial career concerns and the content of corporate disclosures: An analysis of the tone of earnings press releases," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    19. Xi Fu & Xiaoxi Wu & Zhifang Zhang, 2021. "The Information Role of Earnings Conference Call Tone: Evidence from Stock Price Crash Risk," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 173(3), pages 643-660, October.
    20. James P. Ryans, 2021. "Textual classification of SEC comment letters," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 26(1), pages 37-80, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:24:p:13645-:d:699095. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.