María Antonia García-Benau

Audit quality and the going-concern decision-making process: Spanish evidence

In this study, we attempt empirically to investigate the relationship between audit quality and the probability that a financially distressed company would receive a going-concern opinion. Auditor decision-making in the presence of going-concern uncertainties may be characterized as a two-stage process. The first stage is the identification of a potential going-concern problem and the second stage is to determine whether the particular company should receive a qualified going-concern opinion. A sample of 1,199 non-financial Spanish company-years has been obtained from the database issued by the Stock Exchange National Commission for the fiscal years ending between December 1991 and December 2000. The results indicate that audit quality (measured by the auditors level of independence and knowledge) affects the probability that a financially distressed company would receive a going-concern opinion. This probability is influenced not only by the auditors ability to detect financial uncertainties, but also by the auditors decision-making as to what type of opinion should be finally issued.

Credibilidad en latinoamérica del informe de responsabilidad social corporativa

To improve credibility of Corporate Social Responsibility reports, they are assured by an external expert. This research is based on 1,021 observations from 12 countries in Latin America during the years 2006-2010. In view of the results obtained, we can conclude that Latin America is a region where there is a great commitment to sustainability. In addition, our results indicate that the decision to give more credibility to sustainable policies through the assurance process depends on the size of the RSC reporting company, the industry to which it belongs and the country where the firm operates.Para dar mayor credibilidad a la informacion publicada en los informes de responsabilidad social corporativa se asigna a estos de un proceso de aseguramiento por parte de un experto externo. Esta investigacion se basa en 1.021 observaciones de 12 paises de Latinoamerica durante los anos 2006-2010. A la vista de los resultados, podemos concluir que Latinoamerica es una region donde cada vez hay un mayor compromiso con la sostenibilidad. Ademas, los resultados senalan que la decision de otorgar mayor credibilidad a las politicas sostenibles por medio del aseguramiento depende del tamano de la empresa, del sector al que pertenece y del pais donde se encuentre.

Integrated reports: disclosure level and explanatory factors

Purpose - This paper looks into the new corporate reporting phenomenon, the so-called Integrated Reporting (IR), so as to assess the information level provided, identify trends and explore its determining factors. Design/methodology/approach - This study looks into the IR disclosure level of the annual reports published by 91 companies in the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC)´s pilot programme. Our empirical research focuses on four areas: the guiding principles of connectivity and materiality, as well as on two content elements: the business model and governance. Following extant research on voluntary disclosure, a disclosure index is proposed and some hypotheses are put forward on its connection with some corporate variables. Findings - Our results point out that the disclosure level of the IR´s published by IIRC´s pilot programme members reach medium levels of disclosure. According to our index, the level of disclosure is significantly associated with the specific environment of organizations (i.e., region and industry), assurance of the report and publication in the IIRC website. Originality/value - This study makes a relevant contribution as it presents an innovative IR disclosure index, and sheds some light on the disclosure practices of early adopters of integrated reporting. This evidence is valuable to understand the trends in this field and could help the IIRC or other standard setters with a view to improve sustainable development and reporting.

Credibility in Latin America of corporate social responsibility reports

To improve credibility of Corporate Social Responsibility reports, they are assured by an external expert. This research is based on 1,021 observations from 12 countries in Latin America during the years 2006-2010. In view of the results obtained, we can conclude that Latin America is a region where there is a great commitment to sustainability. In addition, our results indicate that the decision to give more credibility to sustainable policies through the assurance process depends on the size of the RSC reporting company, the industry to which it belongs and the country where the firm operates.Para dar mayor credibilidad a la informacion publicada en los informes de responsabilidad social corporativa se asigna a estos de un proceso de aseguramiento por parte de un experto externo. Esta investigacion se basa en 1.021 observaciones de 12 paises de Latinoamerica durante los anos 2006-2010. A la vista de los resultados, podemos concluir que Latinoamerica es una region donde cada vez hay un mayor compromiso con la sostenibilidad. Ademas, los resultados senalan que la decision de otorgar mayor credibilidad a las politicas sostenibles por medio del aseguramiento depende del tamano de la empresa, del sector al que pertenece y del pais donde se encuentre.

Credibilidade do relatório de responsabilidade social corporativa na América Latina

To improve credibility of Corporate Social Responsibility reports, they are assured by an external expert. This research is based on 1,021 observations from 12 countries in Latin America during the years 2006-2010. In view of the results obtained, we can conclude that Latin America is a region where there is a great commitment to sustainability. In addition, our results indicate that the decision to give more credibility to sustainable policies through the assurance process depends on the size of the RSC reporting company, the industry to which it belongs and the country where the firm operates.Para dar mayor credibilidad a la informacion publicada en los informes de responsabilidad social corporativa se asigna a estos de un proceso de aseguramiento por parte de un experto externo. Esta investigacion se basa en 1.021 observaciones de 12 paises de Latinoamerica durante los anos 2006-2010. A la vista de los resultados, podemos concluir que Latinoamerica es una region donde cada vez hay un mayor compromiso con la sostenibilidad. Ademas, los resultados senalan que la decision de otorgar mayor credibilidad a las politicas sostenibles por medio del aseguramiento depende del tamano de la empresa, del sector al que pertenece y del pais donde se encuentre.

El informe de transparencia de las firmas auditoras: Evidencia del mercado español 2010-2013

RESUMEN Este trabajo analiza los Informes Anuales de Transparencia publicados en España en 2010, tras la aprobación de la Ley 12/2010 de Auditoría de Cuentas (LAC), y en 2013, tras la publicación del Reglamento de la LAC y las nuevas propuestas europeas. Los resultados de esta investigación, pionera en nuestro país, evidencian un nivel de transparencia elevado en los items de divulgación obligatoria según la normativa y en aumento de 2010 a 2013. No obstante, se reduce la presentación de información voluntaria en 2013. Nuestro estudio revela que las firmas más grandes y menos dependientes de los ingresos por servicios de consultoría son las que presentan mayor transparencia informativa en sus Informes Anuales de Transparencia.

Sustainability reporting experience by universities: a causal configuration approach

The purpose of this research is to identify the combinations of factors leading to experience in sustainability reporting by Spanish public universities.,Using a sample of 49 public universities in Spain, this paper identifies the combinations of factors on innovation profile, political and internal factors that explain the different degree of corporate social reporting experience with fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis.,The study’s findings are a contribution to existing literature as the results obtained point out three different configurations leading to this expertise, with a combination of different conditions based on innovation profile, political and internal factors. Also, the results reveal new characteristics of sustainable development strategies by universities, such as devoting a specific sustainability reporting section in the university website, creating a sustainability body in the university structure or submitting the sustainability report to external assurance.,This study refers only to Spanish public universities. In the future, new studies can enlarge the sample and analyse country effects and impact of public versus private status of universities on sustainability reporting strategies.,The study’s findings are important for university community, regulators and other stakeholders to start considering the need to somehow promote further sustainability reporting and assurance practices by universities, especially in a context of budget restrictions.,This paper opens up a new line of research on sustainability experience using an innovative methodology (fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis) useful with small sample sizes, and provides a complete picture of sustainability reporting by Spanish public universities.