Research Articles (Accounting)

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Reprint of : Does mandating corporate social and environmental disclosure improve social and environmental performance? : Broad-based evidence regarding the effectiveness of directive 2014/95/EU
(Elsevier, 2025-01) De Villiers, Charl Johannes; Dumay, John; Farneti, Federica; Jia, Jing; Li, Zhongtian
Given that the aim of corporate social and environmental disclosure mandates is to improve corporate social and environmental performance, this study investigates the impact of such mandates on performance. Using a difference-in-differences analysis, we examine trends in corporate social and environmental performance before and after the introduction of Directive 2014/95/EU (hereafter, the Directive), comparing affected European companies with companies in the United States (US), based on a balanced sample of 358 European companies (excluding United Kingdom (UK) companies, because they were subject to additional regulations that came into effect around the same time) and 470 US companies from 2009 to 2020. We find that European companies' performance has not improved substantially since the Directive came into effect in 2017, nor have they improved compared to US companies. Thus, the evidence suggests that the Directive has not improved European companies’ social and environmental performance. Our study provides broad-based evidence of the (in)effectiveness of mandating corporate social and environmental disclosures to enhance performance. Our findings will be of interest to regulators considering disclosure mandates, as well as stakeholders and investors interested in enhancing social and environmental performance.
Addressing systemic social and environmental challenges : the role of accounting and accountability practices
(Emerald, 2025) Granà, Fabrizio; Dimes, Ruth; Busco, Cristiano; De Villiers, Charl Johannes
PURPOSE : This study explores the role of accounting and accountability practices in enabling organisations to identify and address systemic social and environmental challenges. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH : The study builds upon a reflective thematic analysis of the theoretical and practical insights collected from the contributions to the first volume of the AAAJ special issue on " The impact of accounting and accountability in identifying and mitigating social and environmental grand challenges". Further, this research develops a theoretical framework that synthesises four key thematic subjects of research: Organisational Purpose ("Why"), Strategy ("What"), Innovative performance measurement practices and organisational processes ("How"), and Impact measurements ("Where" and "When"). FINDINGS : This study fosters critical reflection on the role of accounting and accountability practices in addressing systemic and global challenges. The theoretical framework highlights that adopting more comprehensive and forward-looking accounting and accountability practices that foster purpose-driven strategies and innovative impact assessments across different time dimensions (past, present, and future) can enhance organisational responses to address social and environmental systemic challenges. ORIGINALITY/VALUE : This study contributes to the accounting literature on social and environmental grand challenges by developing a theoretical and multidimensional framework for organisations to address social and environmental grand challenges and effect systemic change. It extends current debates on the limitations of conventional accounting practices by emphasising the necessity of a broader, more integrative and intergenerational accountability model. The findings offer practical insights for organisations, policymakers, and researchers seeking to develop accounting and accountability mechanisms that effectively capture and respond to complex social and environmental phenomena.
University sustainability performance as a catalyst for societal change
(Emerald, 2025) De Villiers, Charl Johannes; Dimes, Ruth; Houqe, Muhammad Nurul; Hu, Nan; Molinari, Matteo
PURPOSE : Despite broadening acceptance in society of the need to prioritise social and environmental sustainability, individuals and groups who dispute its relevance represent a grand challenge. Universities are uniquely placed to institutionalise the idea that pursuing sustainability is the “right thing to do”. As universities that prioritise sustainability themselves are more likely to be effective in promoting sustainability more broadly, this study explores what drives universities’ sustainability performance. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH : We combine external rankings data and internal sustainability performance data from the top 700 universities globally, using a regression model to explore the key determinants of sustainability performance. Drawing upon institutional theory, we critically examine the drivers shaping sustainability performance within higher education. FINDINGS : Overall, we find that large universities with greater access to resources and strong academic reputations are associated with better sustainability performance. The findings reveal the following characteristics to be drivers of sustainability performance: faculty–student ratio, international student ratio, number of students, public university, university ranking, academic reputation, citations per faculty member, international research network and employment outcomes, legal tradition, academic freedom and political stability. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS : Policymakers and university administrators should recognise the importance of economic and geopolitical factors in shaping sustainability performance within the higher education sector. Greater public funding, growing international student enrolments at higher tuition fees, as well as growing domestic enrolments, allow greater access to resources that positively influence sustainability performance. By leveraging regional sustainability initiatives and international research networks, universities can enhance their sustainability performance and contribute meaningfully to institutionalising the notion of sustainability globally. ORIGINALITY/VALUE : This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the transformative potential inherent in universities as agents of societal change and sustainability advocacy to overcome the grand challenge of groups and individuals who resist and promote ignoring social and environmental sustainability. By elucidating the mechanisms through which universities embrace and perpetuate sustainability, this research contributes to informed policy interventions and strategic initiatives aimed at fostering a more sustainable and equitable future.
Research on extended external reporting assurance : an update on recent developments
(Wiley, 2024-06) Venter, Elmar Retief; Krasodomska, Joanna; elmar.venter@up.ac.za
We review the recent literature on the assurance of Extended External Reporting published since the review published in 2021 in the Journal of International Financial Management & Accounting. Our review includes 50 articles published between 2020 and August 2023 across 30 journals ranked A*, A, or B on the Australian Business Deans Council 2022 Journal Quality List. We find that the literature continues to be dominated by positivist studies investigating the determinants and consequences of assurance. Studies on determinants examine carbon assurance, ownership, governance, and institutional themes. The consequences studies included in our review examine reportingrelated outcomes and investors' decisions. Other (qualitative) studies we reviewed examine issues such as assurance providers seeking meaning in their work and their attempts to promote assurance beyond merely a verification tool. We highlight several avenues for future research that could inform the work of standard setters and regulators.
How can vice-chancellor compensation be justified? Evidence from New Zealand
(Wiley, 2025) Houqe, Muhammad Nurul; Marasigan, Alva; De Villiers, Charl Johannes
Vice-chancellors' salaries have been criticised in the media and examined by scholars. Therefore, we examine whether vice-chancellors' compensation can be explained by performance, job size/complexity, and/or the incumbent's characteristics/abilities. Our sample consists of all New Zealand universities' vice-chancellors' pay from 2010 to 2023. We find that university characteristics (higher university rankings, having a medical school, and more students), university governance (larger size of the senior leadership team), and vice-chancellor characteristics (being female, older, and being a New Zealander) are associated with higher vice-chancellor compensation. The prior literature has largely ignored the added complexity of a medical school.
Integrated reporting : developing an injustice assessment framework and a research agenda
(Emerald Insight, 2024-12-13) Beretta, Valentina; Demartini, Maria Chiara; De Villiers, Charl Johannes
PURPOSE – Integrated reporting (IR) provides a joint overview of an organisation’s financial and sustainability performance and strategies. While the prior literature often critiques IR’s potential to entrench injustice, a systematic approach has not been followed. Therefore, this paper provides a systematic literature review, uncovering IR injustices, informing the development of an IR injustice assessment framework to identify injustices and a research agenda. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH – Combining Flyvbjerg’s phronetic social science and the phases of the IR idea journey to focus on injustice, this paper reviews published IR articles to inform a critique of IR. As a result, we identify specific injustice(s), the actors responsible for them, as well as the victims, as a basis for recommendations for praxis through the development of an IR injustice assessment framework and a research agenda. FINDINGS – We find that different approaches are needed in each phase of the IR idea journey. In the (re) generation phase, a pluralistic approach to IR is needed from the very beginning of the decision-making process. In the elaboration phase, the motivations and the features of IR are assessed. In the championing phase, IR champions support radical innovation, whereas IR opponents are obstructing its spread. In the production phase, the extent to which IR and integrated thinking are linked to the business model is assessed. Finally, we find that IR’s impact is often limited by the symbolic implementation of its tenets. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS – The findings suggest a need for companies to rethink the ways in which IR is implemented and used to analyse the ways in which IR is supported and disseminated within and outside the organisation, to focus on internal processes and to reflect on the expected impact of IR on the company’s stakeholders. ORIGINALTY/VALUE – This study represents the first systematic approach to identifying IR-related injustices, involving how IR adoption might create injustices and marginalise certain stakeholder groups, and offering recommendations for praxis. Furthermore, the paper details the role of IR in either mitigating or amplifying these injustices and develops a research agenda.
Exploring the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the delivery of effective feedback
(Routledge, 2024) Venter, Julia; Coetzee, Stephen; Schmulian, Astrid; stephen.coetzee@up.ac.za
Providing effective feedback in large settings presents significant challenges due to time and resource constraints. Given the importance of feedback in competency-based higher education, innovative solutions are essential. This study explores the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance feedback delivery. The research focuses on the development of a custom prompt for GPT-4 within a no-code web application, designed to deliver AI-generated feedback to second-year accounting students on discussion or essay-style questions in a large competency-based intermediate accounting course in South Africa. The prompt aligns with the principles of effective feedback and was tested in a pilot evaluation. Results indicated that the AI-generated feedback generally adhered to these principles, though some variability was observed across the different feedback dimensions. While challenges remain in consistently guiding AI to apply pedagogical best practices, the findings suggest that large language models can complement traditional feedback. Rigorous oversight of AI-generated feedback remains critical.
Can nudging with descriptive norms help internal auditors stop runaway information systems projects?
(Springer, 2025-03) Nuijten, Arno L.P; Verbraak-Kolevska, Violeta; Keil, Mark
Although internal auditors are expected to play an important role in corporate governance, they are not always effective in bringing their message to management’s attention when they observe that a risky course of action is being taken that could harm the organization. When information systems projects go awry, for example, internal auditors often struggle to get managers to listen to their warnings. Instead, managers may turn a deaf ear to the auditor’s warnings. In this paper, we build on the idea that internal auditors can follow an approach that combines two elements to reduce this so-called deaf effect: (1) the auditor can apply communication techniques to more effectively deliver the message, and (2) the internal auditor can develop a relationship with the manager such that the auditor is viewed as a ‘partner’ rather than an ‘opponent.’ Following a mixed method approach, we examined how ‘nudging with a descriptive norm’ as a communication technique could help internal auditors to reduce the deaf effect and how this can be understood in the context of the auditor-manager relationship (AMR). We conducted two experiments showing consistent evidence that both (1) nudging with a descriptive norm and (2) AMR, had significant indirect effects on the deaf effect that were mediated through perceived social norms. A complementary series of ten interviews with Chief Audit Executives shed further light on how internal auditors could apply ‘nudging with a descriptive norm’ as a communication technique, and what should be considered, including the auditor-manager relationship. Implications for both internal audit research and practice are discussed.
The information content of mandatory and discretionary non-GAAP earnings
(Emerald, 2023-07) Badenhorst, Wessel M.; Von Well, Rieka; wessel.badenhorst@up.ac.za
PURPOSE – This paper aims to investigate the pricing of discretionary earnings in South Africa. This is a unique setting, as South African listed firms also reportmandatory non-GAAP earnings (“headline earnings”). DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH – Results are based on multivariate regression analyses for South African firms that report from 2010 to 2019. FINDINGS – Findings show that the value-relevance of discretionary earnings exceeds that of both GAAP earnings and headline earnings. In addition, placement of discretionary earnings reconciliations communicates information about the decision-usefulness of earnings. ORIGINALITY/VALUE – Discretionary earnings remain the most value-relevant earnings measure, despite the divergent decision-useful characteristics offered by headline earnings and GAAP earnings. Therefore, the most decision-useful earnings reflect unique industry or firm characteristics rather than the assurance arising from regulation.
The influence of entrepreneurial bricolage and design thinking on opportunity development
(AOSIS, 2023-08) Schuld, Lindie; Joynt, Corlia Maria; Antonites, Alex J.; corlia.joynt@up.ac.za
BACKGROUND: Entrepreneurial activity in an efficiency-driven economy is fundamental to economic growth, yet its sustainability and opportunities are concerning. Both entrepreneurial bricolage and design thinking could enhance opportunity development, but their effectiveness and incorporation into an integrated approach to opportunity advancement require further investigation. AIM: This study explores design thinking and entrepreneurial bricolage as facilitating constructs for entrepreneurial opportunity development, employing the design-centred entrepreneurship perspective and the conceptual framework offered by various authors; it investigates the effectiveness of the theoretical frameworks mentioned; and lastly it explores the potential of amalgamating these frameworks into a more comprehensive structure for entrepreneurial opportunity development. SETTING: The sample consisted of entrepreneurs in South Africa. METHODS: Fourteen semi-structured interviews with founders of small and medium entrepreneurial ventures in various South African industry sectors were conducted. RESULTS: Current frameworks pertaining to bricolage and design thinking proficiencies were appropriate for opportunity development and could be effectively integrated. However, some contributory factors should be included, such as organisational culture, business partners and a non-linear rather than a methodical approach. CONCLUSION: Entrepreneurial bricolage has a significant influence on developing and establishing opportunities. The value of design thinking was confirmed with a specific focus on a human-centred approach, creativity and innovation. However, contradictory to design thinking authors, entrepreneurs described the design thinking process as non-linear and disordered. CONTRIBUTION: This study provides empirical evidence to enrich the understanding of the elusive entrepreneurial opportunity development process by integrating the design-centred entrepreneurship framework with the entrepreneurial bricolage perspective into a single, more comprehensive framework.
Corporate governance and the value relevance of accounting information : empirical evidence from South Africa
(Southern African Institute of Government Auditors, 2023-11) Daniels, Nabeelah; Smit, Anna-Retha
PURPOSE : The importance of corporate governance has grown dramatically over the last 20 years, owing to corporate fraud and management misconduct. Corporate governance reforms indicate that Regulators regard governance as an important means of establishing credible financial reporting. The purpose of this study was to determine whether internal corporate governance attributes and accounting information affect the value relevance––as proxied by the share price––of large profitable companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). ORIGINALITY/VALUE : To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this was the first study to examine the value relevance of accounting information by considering the impact of internal corporate governance attributes, since the commissioning of the King IV Report on Corporate Governance for South Africa. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH : To determine the impact of corporate governance attributes on the value relevance of accounting information, the Generalised Linear Mixed Effects model was used to test the study hypothesis. The study sample consisted of 62 firms listed on the JSE between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2018. Six variables were used to measure internal corporate governance attributes, namely board size, board independence, staggered board, internal board committees, board activity and board gender diversity. FINDINGS : The findings indicated that the size of the board is value relevant and negatively affects share price. It could also be posited that net asset value per share (NAVPS) and earnings per share (EPS) assist in explaining the share price of JSE-listed firms. RESEARCH LIMITATIONS : Three limitations have been identified. Firstly, the generalisability of the results may be limited on account of the small sample size and the unique setting of South Africa—a developing country. Secondly, the findings are confined to a distinct time-period, as they were generated from a sample taken over a four-year period. Lastly, the study examined the relationship between six internal corporate governance attributes. Alternative proxies may provide different results.
The International Sustainability Standards Board’s (ISSB) past, present, and future : critical reflections and a research
(Emerald, 2024-05) De Villiers, Charl Johannes; Dimes, Ruth; La Torre, Matteo; Molinari, Matteo
PURPOSE : This paper aims to critically reflect on the formation of the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), its current agenda and likely future direction. The authors consider the relationships between the ISSB and other standard setters, regulators, practitioners and stakeholders, and develop a comprehensive research agenda. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH : The authors review and critically analyse academic and practitioner publications alongside the ISSB’s workplans to identify the themes impacting the future of the ISSB and to develop a research agenda. FINDINGS : Three key themes emerge from the authors’ analysis that are likely to influence the future of the ISSB: the jurisdiction and scope of the ISSB – how far its influence is likely to extend, both geographically and conceptually; the ongoing legitimacy challenge the ISSB is facing in terms of setting an agenda for sustainability reporting; and the “capture” of sustainability reporting by influential stakeholders including capital providers. ORIGINALITY/VALUE : The formation of the ISSB is critical to the future of sustainability reporting. The authors provide a comprehensive and topical overview of the past, present and potential future of the ISSB, highlighting the need for further research and providing a research agenda that addresses outstanding questions in the field.
Determinants, mechanisms and consequences of UN SDGs reporting by universities : conceptual framework and avenues for future research
(Emerald, 2025-03) De Villiers, Charl Johannes; Dimes, Ruth; Molinari, Matteo
PURPOSE : The purpose of this paper is to present a conceptual framework that explores the determinants, mechanisms and consequences of reporting on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) by universities. The framework considers the relationship between reporting on the SDGs and the three main activities of universities: research, teaching and service. As universities hold a unique position in society, understanding their experiences with SDG reporting offers insights into the promotion and integration of SDGs into reporting and practice more broadly. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH : The paper adopts a conceptual approach and draws on existing literature to develop a framework for understanding reporting on the UN SDGs by universities. The framework considers the challenges faced by universities in providing sustainability information and examines the motivations and outcomes associated with reporting. It also explores the coordination and collaboration necessary across departments within universities and discusses the risks associated with greenwashing. FINDINGS : The paper highlights that reporting on the UN SDGs can enhance university engagement with stakeholders, improve their reputation, and foster innovation and transdisciplinary research ideas. However, universities encounter challenges such as limited data availability, resource constraints, lack of coordination and competing priorities. The growing scepticism surrounding reporting motives has led to increased allegations of greenwashing within the sector. ORIGINALITY/VALUE : This paper contributes to the accounting literature by presenting a comprehensive framework that explores the determinants, mechanisms and consequences of reporting on the UN SDGs by universities. The framework offers insights into how reporting on SDGs can lead to embedding the SDGs in research, teaching and service activities and can be adapted to other organisational contexts. The paper also emphasises the need for further research on the mechanisms of reporting, which play a crucial role in driving long-lasting change.
Factors that influence first-year students’ academic performance in introductory accounting : a systematic literature review and avenues for future research
(International Network for Higher Education in Africa, University of Kwazulu-Natal, 2023-10) Joynt, Corlia Maria; corlia.joynt@up.ac.za
This study involved a systematic review of academic research conducted between 1968 and 2022 on the factors that predict academic performance in introductory accounting. Several significant predictors including prior knowledge, academic aptitude and as well as personal attributes like grit and self-efficacy have been shown to influence student success in this field. The study’s findings will assist educators to adapt their programmes and integrate these predictive factors. Moreover, this research expands on the theoretical framework established by Rankin, Silvester, Wallely and Wyatt (2003), offering a holistic perspective and highlighting potential areas that warrant further investigation. Future research could explore the role of critical reasoning skills and reading comprehension’s impact as predictors of academic performance in introductory accounting.
Accounting students in the role of equal-status team teacher for the purpose of knowledge and competency development
(MDPI, 2023-11-13) Pollock, Marchantia; Coetzee, Stephen; Schmulian, Astrid; stephen.coetzee@up.ac.za
This study investigates the impact of engaging accounting students in a team-teaching role on their knowledge and competency development in a higher education setting. The research quantifies the knowledge gains from this learning-by-team-teaching intervention and explores students’ experiences with this intervention through survey data. The findings suggest that engaging students in a team-teaching role, specifically a sequential equal-status team-teaching role incorporating interactive teaching styles, significantly enhances knowledge development, particularly among lower-performing students. Students reported a largely positive experience across all performance levels, attributing their growth to improved knowledge, teamwork, and communication skills provided by the intervention. The study recognizes the benefits derived from the team-based design of the intervention, such as enhanced social constructivist knowledge development. Overall, this study contributes to the existing body of knowledge on learning-by-teaching strategies. It emphasizes the potential of engaging students in a team-teaching role to enhance their academic performance and the development of key professional competencies.
Do team-based written or video explanations of course content enhance accounting students’ knowledge, communication, and teamwork skills?
(Elsevier, 2023-12) Pollock, Marchantia; Schmulian, Astrid; Coetzee, Stephen; stephen.coetzee@up.ac.za
This study explores students’ knowledge, communication, and teamwork skills development when using team-based explanations, in either written or video mode, during an assessment for learning in a competency-based accounting education context. Both modes of team-based explanation, written or video, seem to enhance conceptual and transfer knowledge among weaker and moderate-performing students. When viewed as an interconnected and indivisible process, the video explanation mode appears more beneficial for top-performing students’ conceptual knowledge development than the written explanation mode. The team-based video explanation mode also appears to be the preferred method for developing teamwork skills, while both modes are perceived as beneficial for developing communication skills. Overall, the video mode of a team-based explanation assessment for learning appears to be the favored choice, as it facilitates whole-class knowledge development while also allowing greater opportunities for students’ teamwork and communication skills development in a competency-based education context.
Hallmarks of integrated thinking
(Elsevier, 2024-01) Dimes, Ruth; De Villiers, Charl Johannes
Integrated Thinking, the management approach associated with Integrated Reporting, has been hailed as a way of improving organisational decision-making and internal communication, leading to sustainable value creation. Yet Integrated Thinking remains poorly defined and understood. By analysing and synthesising the findings from an emerging body of case study evidence, this paper brings new theoretical insights into how Integrated Thinking is conceptualised and practised and its unique relationship with Integrated Reporting. We reveal Integrated Thinking to bring considerable tension to organisations as managers attempt to adapt to conflicting stakeholder priorities. Organisations which manage this tension and experience some success with Integrated Thinking typically exhibit four ‘hallmarks’, namely: 1) a deliberate drive by the board and CEO to encourage Integrated Thinking, 2) an Integrated Strategy developed through extensive stakeholder engagement and understanding of value creation, 3) the creation, or enhancement, of an organisational culture of trust and collaboration, and 4) the development of Integrated Intelligence, comprising integrated Performance Management Systems (PMS) and the use of multi-functional teams for decision-making. We present a new conceptual framework of Integrated Thinking in practice, reflect on its relationship with developments in sustainable management practices more broadly and propose several avenues for future research.
Caring for children during COVID-19 : the experiences of South African families with children in middle childhood
(University of Pretoria, 2023-09-01) Prinsloo, Christina Elizabeth; Chiba, Jenita; charleneg560@gmail.com; Niemand, Charlene
COVID-19’s impact was so great that it impacted the entire world. The world we knew changed completely. People needed to isolate themselves in their homes for the first part of the lockdown. Only those who were within a profession regarded as essential were allowed to work. The South African Government enforced specific rules and regulations aimed at countering the infection rate of COVID-19. Social distancing, wearing masks in public, using sanitiser regularly, working from home, children receiving education from home, and not being able to visit someone in the hospital all became the new norm in South Africa. The full effect that COVID-19 had on the lives of individuals is still being studied as COVID-19, not only had an immediate effect on people but also affected them in the long run overall. Children are future adults and therefore it is crucial to raise them in such a way so that they can become responsible adults that will fit well within society. COVID-19 has set challenges for many families within South Africa which may have made it difficult for them to raise their children. The goal of this study was to explore the experiences of caregivers with children in middle childhood in their care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Caregivers are seen as anyone who has a child within their care, whether the child is their biological child or not. A qualitative research approach was used in this study which helped the researcher to collect as much in-depth information as possible about the experiences of caregivers with children in middle childhood in their care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data was gathered using semi-structured interviews which were guided by an interview schedule. Non-probability sampling was used as participants were not randomly selected. All the participants were clients of CMR-East Pretoria and fulfilled the requirements set out to take part in this study. Purposive sampling ensured that specific participants, who could provide relevant, information-rich descriptions of their experience were included. Six participants formed part of the study. The research is based on Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory and the Family Systems Theory which allowed for exploration and interpretation of the micro, meso, exo, macro, and chrono systems from a holistic point of view. The findings of this study imply that COVID-19 influenced the finances of families and the everyday functioning of households. It showed the importance of a strong support system to build resilience. The findings also gave a clear indication of participants' reaction to the COVID-19 rules and regulations that were set in place by the South African Government and the effect it had on caring for the children in middle childhood.
How will AI text generation and processing impact sustainability reporting? Critical analysis, a conceptual framework and avenues for future research
(Emerald, 2024-01) De Villiers, Charl Johannes; Dimes, Ruth; Molinari, Matteo
PURPOSE : The ability of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT to produce convincing, human-like text has major implications for the future of corporate reporting, including sustainability reporting. As the importance of sustainability reporting continues to grow, this study aims to critically analyse the benefits and pitfalls of automated text generation and processing. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH : This study develops a conceptual framework to delineate the field, assess the implications and form the basis for the generation of research questions. This study uses Alvesson and Deetz’s critical framework, considering insight (a review of literature and practice in the field), critique (consideration of the influences on the production and use of non-financial information and the implications for assurers of such information) and transformative redefinition (considering the implications of generative AI for sustainability reporting and proposing a research agenda). FINDINGS : This study highlights the implications of generative AI for sustainability accounting, reporting, assurance and report usage, including the risk of AI facilitating greenwashing, and the importance of more research on the use of AI for these matters. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS : The paper highlights to stakeholders the implications of AI for all aspects of sustainability reporting, including accounting, reporting, assurance and usage of reports. SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS : The implications of AI need to be understood in society, which this paper facilitates. ORIGINALITY/VALUE : This study critically analyses the potential use of AI for sustainability reporting, construct a conceptual framework to delineate the field and develop a research agenda.
How management control systems can enable, constrain, and embed integrated reporting
(Wiley, 2023-12) Bezuidenhout, Stefanus Cornelius (Stefan); De Villiers, Charl Johannes; Dimes, Ruth
This study examines how management control systems (MCSs) may enable, constrain and embed the integrated reporting process within organisations. We analyse in-depth, semi-structured interview evidence using Tessier and Otley's MCS framework and institutional work. We find that organisational culture, clear responsibilities and ongoing stakeholder dialogue support the development of an integrated reporting process. In addition, an ongoing multi-stage process with regular stakeholder interaction helps to embed the integrated reporting process. Our paper provides comprehensive detail about the MCS associated with the process for preparing an integrated report that will be of interest to current integrated reporting (IR) practitioners and organisations considering adopting IR.

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