America's Online Pursuits: The Changing Picture of Who's Online and What They Do

Provides a broad analysis of survey data collected between March 2000 and August 2003, to illustrate shifting trends in Internet use. Looks at participation by age, gender, race, income, and education level

Web-Based Corporate Environmental Reporting in Nigeria: A Study of Listed Companies

This paper basically examined the utilization of the Internet for communicating corporate environmental information by listed financial and non-financial companies in Nigeria. The sample for the study consists of 30 firms listed on the Nigerian stock exchange. While the content analysis technique was used as a basis for eliciting data from the corporate websites of the selected firms, the student t-test statistics was used to find out whether there is a significant difference in the level of web-based corporate environmental disclosure between financial and non-financial firms in Nigeria. In addition, the linear regression method of data analysis was employed to investigate whether there is a relationship between the financial performance of firms and the level of corporate environmental disclosures of the selected listed firms in Nigeria. The paper as part of its findings observed that there is no significant difference in the level of web-based corporate environmental disclosure between listed financial and non-financial firms in the Nigeria stock exchang

Sovereign rating actions and the implied volatility of stock index options

This paper examines the interaction between the equity index option market and sovereign credit ratings. S&P and Moody’s signals exhibit strong impact on option-implied volatility while Fitch’s influence is less significant. Moody’s downgrades reduce the market uncertainty over the rated countries’ equity markets. Strong causal relationships are found between movements in the option-implied volatility and all credit signals released by S&P and Fitch, but only actual rating changes by Moody’s, implying differences in rating agencies’ policies. The presence of additional ratings tends to reduce market uncertainty. The findings highlight the importance of rating information in the price discovery process and offer policy implications

The Standard Auditor\u27s Report: Preparer, User, And Student Reactions To The PCAOB Concept Release

Concerns about the usefulness of the Standard Audit Report (SAR) have been expressed by investors and other users of corporate financial statement for several decades. During 2011 the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) reacted to those concerns by issuing Concept Release on Possible Revisions to the PCAOB Standards Related to PCAOB Standards (“Release”). This article provides a description of the SAR, a short history (timetable) of the pressures (surveys) to improve the SAR and events that have led to the eventual Release by the PCAOB. Feedback (comment letters and surveys) from professionals and professional organizations regarding the “Release” are examined and discussed. Accounting and finance majors, future preparers and users of the financial statements, were surveyed to determine both their reactions to the PCAOB’s SAR and whether their reactions were different than practitioners. This article concludes with an analysis of the results and implications for audit practice and education

Do companies reduce CSR disclosures during recessions?

Purpose: We investigate trends in prevalence and volume of CSR disclosure by the top 50 New Zealand listed companies from 2005 to 2010, i.e. from before until after the initial impact of the global financial crisis (GFC). Design/methodology/approach: We examine the annual reports of each of the companies between the years 2005 and 2010, as well as company websites for standalone CSR reports. We count the number of pages of any social and environmental disclosures in annual reports and in standalone reports for each year and use this data to assess whether overall trends can be discerned. We compare CSR disclosure trends with changes in business confidence. Findings: Our results reveal a general upward trend in CSR disclosures over the six-year period. The number of companies disclosing in their annual reports and standalone reports increased from 2005 to 2007. However, during the initial drop in business confidence in 2008 (brought on by the GFC), CSR disclosures in annual reports and standalone reports remained consistent overall with 2007. Companies operating within industries more prone to public scrutiny or those industries more sensitive to the social and environmental impacts of corporate operations actually increased their CSR disclosures, whereas other companies decreased their disclosure for an overall constant level. The upward trend resumed in 2009, but when business confidence again suffered in 2010, overall annual report CSR disclosures decreased, whereas overall standalone report disclosure continued the upward trend. In sum, during times of reduced business confidence, companies in non-environmentally-sensitive and non-socially-sensitive industries appear to buck the overall trend towards increased CSR disclosures. Originality: Many studies conclude that there is an upward trend in CSR disclosures over time. Other studies examine the impact of particular events on disclosure. However, we are not aware of any study that examines the impact of the initial phase of the GFC on the overall upward trend in CSR disclosures, i.e. whether companies subjugate CSR in favour of more pressing business priorities during times of reduced business confidence

Retailers' press release activity: market signals for stakeholder engagement?

PURPOSE – To increase understanding of the role, content and effectiveness of press releases. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH – Qualitative and quantitative analyses of UK supermarkets' press releases in 2001/2002, a medium previously little researched in marketing, are undertaken. FINDINGS – Supermarkets seek stakeholder engagement on diverse issues with different mixes of groups. Treating releases as market signals demonstrates the important role of the press as filters and interpreters. Intended messages frequently fail to reach target audiences, and when they do can be significantly reinterpreted, so that positive claims are reported critically and negatively. Larger chains apparently produce more releases and gain more newspaper coverage, but generally volume of releases does not improve likelihood of press coverage. RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS – The nature of qualitative data, the limited time frame, and possible omissions from source archives. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS – As level of coverage varied independently of turnover, higher release activity of larger chains was questioned. Seeking differentiation through press releases becomes problematic with the press as filters. ORIGINALITY/VALUE – This paper increases knowledge of press releases as market communications, and contributes to the literature of market signalling, notably emphasising the press as important signal intermediaries

Italy in the Australian news media, 2005-2012

Presents a systematic analysis of the coverage of Italian matters in the Australian news media in the period 2005-2012. Executive summary The study presents a systematic analysis of the coverage of Italian matters in the Australian news media in the period 2005-2012. As far as the authors are aware it is largest study of the representation of Italy in the news media of a foreign country ever undertaken.   The study was undertaken by the University of Canberra’s News and Media Research Centre (N&MRC) in association with the On. Marco Fedi, who commissioned research on coverage of Italian politics in selected Australian newspapers.   During the period covered by the study there was more than usual interest in Italian political developments in Australia, both because of their inherent newsworthiness and because of the newly-acquired right of direct participation of expatriate Italians in Australia in the 2006 and 2008 Italian general elections.   To obtain as wide a view of Italy in the Australian news as practicable both the press and television were included in the study.   Three well -known and respected newspapers, namely The Australian, the major national newspaper, The Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) published in Sydney and The Age published in Melbourne were selected for the study. All editorial matter in all issues of these newspapers for the years 2005-2012 was searched using ‘Factiva’– a business information and research tool owned by Dow Jones & Company. The initial search for relevant news in the press generated a very large number of items (around 10,000) which were then assessed individually for relevance and eligibility for inclusion in the analysis. This process generated a data set of 5325 news items

Threats to auditor independence: Evidence from Iran

This paper aims to examine threats to auditor independence in Iran. A mixed questionnaire, including both quantitative closed-ended questions and an open-ended qualitative question, is developed to investigate threats to auditor independence. Moreover, thematic analysis is used to triangulate the results against financial media articles throughout 1994 – 2014. Findings suggest that while bribery, non-audit services, and economic condition are key threats to auditor independence in Iran, gifts and presents do not compromise independence given the Iranian culture. This study contributes to a better understanding of auditor independence in Iran, which may apply to other regional settings. Moreover, it provides some suggestions to improve the current Iranian Audit Organisation’s auditor independence framework. (JEL M32)N/

The Simple Truth About the Gender Pay Gap, Spring 2017 Edition

This guide provides key facts about the gender pay gap in the United States, along with explanations and resources. Information is organized around five common questions:1. What is the pay gap?2. How does the pay gap affect women of different demographics?3. What causes the pay gap?4. How can I make a difference?5. What should I do if I experience sex discrimination at work