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The qualitative characteristics of financial information, and managers' accounting decisions: evidence from IFRS policy changes

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  • Christopher W. Nobes
  • Christian Stadler

Abstract

This is the first empirical study that uses publicly available data to provide direct evidence about the role of the qualitative characteristics (QCs) of financial information in managements' accounting decisions. Based on 40,895 hand-collected IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards) policy choices on 16 topics made by 514 large firms of 10 jurisdictions in the period 2005-2011, we identify 204 reasons for policy changes. The majority of these refer to QCs from the conceptual framework of the standard-setter, in particular to relevance, faithful representation, comparability and understandability. Firms also frequently refer to transparency, which is not directly mentioned in the framework. Furthermore, we analyse the circumstances under which firms explain their policy changes in terms of improved quality. We hypothesise and find that QCs are more often referred to if the change relates to measurement (i.e. to a more important accounting policy decision). We also find that references to QCs are positively associated both with firm size and with a measure of a jurisdiction's transparency. This complements previous research by providing evidence that managers are, at the least, alert to QCs.

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  • Christopher W. Nobes & Christian Stadler, 2015. "The qualitative characteristics of financial information, and managers' accounting decisions: evidence from IFRS policy changes," Accounting and Business Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(5), pages 572-601, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:acctbr:v:45:y:2015:i:5:p:572-601
    DOI: 10.1080/00014788.2015.1044495
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    Cited by:

    1. Valentin BURCA, 2020. "Earnings Quality Versus Accounting Regulation. Empirical Assesment On Accuracy Of Macroeconomic Estimates," Proceedings of the INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE, Faculty of Management, Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 14(1), pages 72-87, November.
    2. Jean Damascene Mvunabandi & Charmaine Lathleiff & Paul-Francois Muzindutsi, 2022. "Financial Accounting as a Tool to Enhance Non-Government Organisations Performance: A Case Study of a Large NGO in Durban, South Africa," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 12(3), pages 10-17, May.
    3. Veltri, Stefania & Ferraro, Olga, 2018. "Does other comprehensive income matter in credit-oriented systems? Analyzing the Italian context," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 18-31.
    4. Paola Vola & Lorenzo Gelmini, 2022. "Climate change skills for the new CFOs. A preliminary analysis on TCFD by Italian listed companies," MANAGEMENT CONTROL, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2022(2 Suppl.), pages 189-209.
    5. N. N. Balashova & V. A. Melikhov & M.A. Ovchinnikov & E.M. Egorova & E.V. Tokareva, 2016. "Organizational and Methodological Approaches to Development of Accounting Policy for Formation of Integrated Accounting of Interrelated Agricultural Companies," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(2), pages 153-160.
    6. Romilda Mazzotta & Giovanni Bronzetti & Stefania Veltri, 2020. "Are mandatory non‐financial disclosures credible? Evidence from Italian listed companies," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(4), pages 1900-1913, July.

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