•  
  •  
 

Abstract

Previous studies indicated that there were two common types’ performance explanations disclosures by Indonesian company’s managers in annual report: (1) performance attribution and (2) accounting explanation (Suripto 2013). Performance attribution disclosures were more useful and expensive than accounting explanation (Aerts et al. 2013). This study is conducted to obtain empirical answers for two research questions: (1) whether firm characteristics affect performance attribution disclosure extent in the annual report and (2) whether performance attribution information is useful to evaluate company earnings persistency. Content analysis was conducted on 594 annual reports to obtain data performance attribution disclosures. The empirical test results showed that firm’s size and corporate governance have a positive effect on performances attribution disclosures. In addition, the research results showed that performance attribution disclosures were useful for evaluating revenue persistence.

References

Abrahamson, E. and C. Park. 1994. Concealment of Negative Organizational Outcomes: An Agency Theory Perspective. Academy of Management Journal, 37 (5), 1302-1334. 10.2307/256674 Aerts, W. 1994. On the Use of Accounting Logic as an Explanatory Category in Narrative Accounting Disclosures. Accounting, Organizations and Society, 19 (4-5), 337-353. 10.1016/0361-3682(94)90001-9 Aerts, W. and P. Cheng. 2011. Causal Disclosures on Earnings and Earnings Management in an IPO Setting. Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, 30 (5), 431-459. 10.1016/j.jaccpubpol.2011.03.006 Aerts, W., P. Cheng, and A. Tarca. 2013. Management's Earnings Justification and Earnings Management under Different Institutional Regime. Corporate Governance: An International Review, 21 (1), 93-115. 10.1111/corg.12014 Aerts, W. and A. Tarca. 2010. Financial Performance Explanations and Institutional Setting. Accounting and Business Research, 40 (5), 421-450. 10.1080/00014788.2010.9995322 Ajinkya, B., S. Bhojraj, and P. Sengupta. 2005. The Governance Role of Institutional Investors and Outsider Directors on the Properties of Management Earnings Forecasts. Working Paper, SSRN Akerlof, G. A. 1970. The Market for "Lemons": Quality Uncertainty and the Market Mechanism. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 84 (3), 488-500. 10.2307/1879431 Bagby, J. W., M. R. Kintzele, and P. L. Kintzele. 1988. Management Discussion and Analysis: An Analytical and Empirical Evaluation. American Business Law Journal, 26 (1), 57-98. 10.1111/j.1744-1714.1988.tb00518.x Beasley, M. S. 1996. An Empirical Analysis of the Relation between the Board of Director Composition and Financial Statement Fraud. The Accounting Review, 71 (4), 443-465. Beasley, M. S., J. V. Carcello, D. R. Hermanson, and P. D. Lapides. 2000. Fraudulent Financial Reporting: Consideration of Industry Traits and Corporate Governance Mechanisms. Accounting Horizons, 14 (4), 441-454. 10.2308/acch.2000.14.4.441 Beis, R. J. 1987. The Predicament of Injustice: The Management of Moral Outrage. In L. L. Cummings & B. M. Staw (Eds.), Research in Organizational Behavior, 9, 289-319. Greenwich, CT: JAI Press. Berardino, J. F., 2001. Corporate Governance on the Agenda. South China Morning Post, Markets, p. 2. Bettman, J. R. and B. A. Weitz. 1983. Attributions in the Board Room: Causal Reasoning in Corporate Annual Reports. Administrative Science Quarterly, 28 (2), 165-183. 10.2307/2392616 Bradbury, M. R. 1992. Voluntary Semiannual Earnings Disclosures, Earnings Volatility, Unexpected Earnings, and Firm Size. Journal of Accounting Research, 30 (1), 137-145. 10.2307/2491096 Brown, L. D. and M. L. Caylor. 2006. Corporate Governance and Firm Valuation. Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, 25 (4), 409-434. 10.1016/j.jaccpubpol.2006.05.005 Choi, I., R. E. Nisbett, and A. Norenzayan. 1999. Causal Attribution a Cross Cultures: Variation and Universality. Psychological Bulletin, 125 (1), 47-63. 10.1037/0033-2909.125.1.47 Chow, C. W. and A. Wong-Boren. 1987. Voluntary Financial Disclosure by Mexican Corporation. The Accounting Review, 62 (3), 533-541. Cohen, D. 2004. Quality of Financial Reporting Choice: Determinants and Economic Consequences. Working Paper, University of Southern California. Cole, C. J. and C. L. Jones. 2005. Management Discussion and Analysis: A Review and Implications for Future Research. Journal of Accounting Literature, 24, 135-174. Cooke, T. E. 1991. An Assessment of Voluntary Disclosure in the Annual Reports of Japanese Corporations. The International Journal of Accounting, 26, 174-189. Cremers, K. J. M. and V. B. Nair. 2005. Governance Mechanisms and Equity Prices. Journal of Finance, 60 (6), 2859-2894. 10.1111/j.1540-6261.2005.00819.x Elliot, R. K. and P. D. Jacobson. 1994. Cost and Benefits of Business Information Disclosures. Accounting Horizon, 8, 80-96. Farber, D. B. 2005. Restoring Trust After Fraud: Does Corporate Governance Matter? The Accounting Review, 80 (2), 539-561. 10.2308/accr.2005.80.2.539 Ferreira, D. and M. Rezende. 2007. Corporate Strategy and Information Disclosure. Journal of Economics, 38 (1), 164-184. 10.1111/j.1756-2171.2007.tb00050.x Gompers, P., J. Ishii, and A. Metrick. 2003. Corporate Governance and Equity Prices. Quarterly Journal of Economics, 118 (1), 107-155. 10.1162/00335530360535162 Graham, J. R., C. R. Harvey, and S. Rajgopal. 2005. The Economic Implications of Corporate Financial Reporting. Journal of Accounting and Economics, 40, 3-73. 10.1016/j.jacceco.2005.01.002 Gul, F. A. and S. Leung. 2004. Board Leadership, Outside Directors' Expertise and Voluntary Corporate Disclosures. Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, 23 (5), 251-378. 10.1016/j.jaccpubpol.2004.07.001 Healy, P. and K. Palepu. 2001. Information Asymmetry, Corporate Disclosure, and the Capital Markets: A Review of the Empirical Disclosure Literature. Journal of Accounting and Economics, 31 (1-3), 405-440. 10.1016/S0165-4101(01)00018-0 Hooghiemstra, R. 2003. The Construction of Reality: Cultural Differences in Self-Serving Behaviour in Accounting Narratives. Doctoral Dissertation, University of Amsterdam. Huff, A. S. and C. Schwenk. 1990. Bias and Sense Making in Good Times and Bad. In Huff, A. S. (Eds), Mapping Strategic Thought. New York: John Wiley and Sons. Ikatan Akuntan Indonesia (IAI). 2012. Standar Profesional Akuntan Publik. Jakarta: Salemba Empat. International Accounting Standards Board (IASB). 2010. IFRS Practice Statement Management Commentary: A Frame-work for Presentation. London: Inter-national Accounting Standards Board. Jensen, M. 1993. The Modern Industrial Revolution, Exist, and the Failure of Internal Control Systems. Jurnal of Finance, 48 (3), 831-880. 10.1111/j.1540-6261.1993.tb04022.x Jensen, M. C. and W. H. Meckling. 1976. Theory of the Firm: Managerial Behaviour, Agency Costs and Ownership Structure. Journal of Financial Economics, 3 (4), 305-360. 10.1016/0304-405X(76)90026-X Keil, F. C. 2006. Explanation and Understanding. Annual Review of Psychology, 57, 227-254. 10.1146/annurev.psych.57.102904.190100 King, R., G. Pownall, and G. Waymire. 1990. Expectation Adjustments via Timely Management Forecasts: Review, Synthesis, and Suggestions for Future Research. Journal of Accounting Literature, 9, 113-144. Koonce, L., N. Seybert, and J. Smith. 2011. Causal Reasoning in Financial Reporting and Voluntary Disclosures. Accounting, Organizations and Society, 36 (4-5), 209-225. 10.1016/j.aos.2011.03.006 Lang, M. and R. Lundholm. 1993. Cross-Sectional Determinants of Analyst Rating of Corporate Disclosures. Journal of Accounting Research, 31 (2), 246-271. 10.2307/2491273 Lev, B. 1992. Information Disclosure Strategy. California Management Review, 34 (4), 9-32. 10.2307/41166701 Leventis, S. and P. Weetman. 2004. Voluntary Disclosures in an Emerging Capital Market: Some Evidence from the Athens Stock Exchange. Advances in International Accounting, 17, 227-250. 10.1016/S0897-3660(04)17011-6 Li, F. 2006. Annual Report Readability, Current Earnings, and Earnings Persistence. Working Paper, University of Michigan. Lowry, M. 2009. Discussion of "Shareholder Litigation and Changes in Disclosure Behavior". Journal of Accounting and Economics, 47 (1-2), 157-159. 10.1016/j.jacceco.2008.11.006 McKinnon, J. L. and L. Dalimunthe. 1993. Voluntary Disclosures of Segment Information by Australian Diversified Companies. Accounting & Finance, 33 (1), 33-50. 10.1111/j.1467-629X.1993.tb00192.x Meek, G. K., C. B. Roberts, and S. J. Gray. 1995. Factors Influencing Voluntary Annual Report Disclosures by US, UK and Continental European Multinational Corporations. Journal of International Business Studies, 26 (3), 555-572. 10.1057/palgrave.jibs.8490186 Mercer, M. 2004. How Do Investors Assess the Credibility of Management Disclosures? Accounting Horizons, 18 (3), 185-196. 10.2308/acch.2004.18.3.185 Merkl-Davies, D. M. and N. M. Brennan. 2007. Discretionary Disclosures Strategies in Corporate Narratives: Incremental Information or Impression Management? Journal of Accounting Literature, 26, 116-194. National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI). 2006. An Assessment of Trends and Practice in the Annual Report Process. Virginia: National Investor Relations Institute. Salancik, G. R. and J. R. Meindl. 1984. Corporate Attributions as Strategic Illusions of Management Control. Administrative Science Quarterly, 29 (2), 238-254. 10.2307/2393176 Scott, M. B. and S. M. Lyman. 1968. Accounts. American Sociological Review, 33, 46-62. 10.2307/2092239 Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). 1989. Financial Reporting Release No. 36. Management Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations; Certain Investment Company Disclosures. Securities Act Release No. 33-6835 (May 18). Washington, DC: Securities and Exchange Commission. Skinner, D. J. 1994. Why Firms Voluntarily Disclose Bad News. Journal of Accounting Research, 32 (1), 38-60. 10.2307/2491386 Sloan, R. G. 1996. Do Stock Prices Fully Reflect Information in Accruals and Cash Flows about Future Earnings? The Accounting Review, 71 (3), 289-315. Sudarmadji, A. M. dan L. Sularto. 2007. Pengaruh Ukuran Perusahaan, Profita-bilitas, Leverage, dan Tipe Kepemilikan Perusahaan terhadap Luas Voluntary Disclosure Laporan Keuangan Tahunan. Proceeding PESAT (Psikologi, Ekonomi, Sastra, Arsitek & Sipil), 2, A53-A60. Suripto, B. 1998. Pengaruh Karakteristik Perusahaan terhadap Luas Peng-ungkapan Sukarela dalam Laporan Tahunan. Tesis, Universitas Gadjah Mada. Suripto, B. 2013. Pengaruh Tata Kelola Perusahaan terhadap Manajamen Impresi pada Bagian Naratif Laporan Tahunan. Media Ilmiah Akuntansi, 1 (1), 1-31. Tarca, A., D. Street, and W. Aerts. 2011. Factors Affecting MD&A Disclosures by SEC Registrants: Views of Practitioners. Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, 20 (1), 45-59. 10.1016/j.intaccaudtax.2010.12.001 Wallace, R. S. O., K. Naser, and A. Mora. 1994. The Relationship between Comprehensiveness of Corporate Annual Reports and Firm Characteristics in Spain. Accounting and Business Research, 25 (97), 41-53. 10.1080/00014788.1994.9729927 Watts, R. and J. Zimmerman. 1986. Positive Accounting Theory. Englewod Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall. Weber, R. P. 1988. Basic Content Analysis, Quantitative Applications in the Social Sciences. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications.

Share

COinS