Sharia boards, managerial strategies and governance practices in Islamic banks: Critical insights using Goffman’s lens

Purpose – The study applies Erving Goffman’s (1974) “frame analysis” principles to examine how Sharia governance is practiced in Islamic banks and explores the interaction and strategies adopted by bank managers to influence the decisions of Sharia scholars. The study also aims to identify inherent flaws in the Sharia compliance review system. Design/methodology/approach – The study employs the principles of Goffman as a lens to critically analyse a rich dataset obtained through interviews undertaken with 46 key players operating in the governance framework of the Malaysian Islamic banking industry due to its progressive Islamic governance framework. Findings – The study demonstrates that managers of Islamic banks may engage in “passing” and “covering” strategies while interacting within the governance structure. Concurrently, Sharia boards (SBs) implement “protective practices” during their interactions, adding complexity to their responsibilities within the banks. Consequently, SBs cannot merely be viewed as instruments for legitimising banking operations. This raises questions about the “impression management,” “concealment” and “competence” strategies employed by managers and SB members, as suggested by Goffman’s framework. These findings indicate that there is room for further enhancement in the governance practices of Islamic banks. Research limitations/implications – Future research could explore aspects related to the governance of Islamic banks, such as investigating the independence and effectiveness of internal Sharia officers. Examining the strategies employed during their interactions with external Sharia boards and other stakeholders could provide further valuable insights. Practical implications – By highlighting shortcomings in the governance and compliance review process, the findings could serve as a valuable resource for policymakers. The insights derived could inform the development of regulations aimed at reducing opportunistic behaviour and promoting accountability in the Islamic banking sector. Originality/value – This study uniquely employs Goffman’s concepts of “frontstage” and “backstage” strategies to offer insights into the interactions between Islamic bank managers and SBs and the impact of these interactions on Sharia compliance. The study contributes to the understanding of the dynamics between key players in the governance of Islamic banks and the factors influencing their adherence to Sharia principles

An Empirical Investigation of the Regulatory and Non-Regulatory Challenges of the UK Islamic Retail Banking

The paper examines the regulatory and non-regulatory challenges facing the growth of Islamic retail banking in the UK. Our analyses reveal that policy-makers and regulators in the UK have taken many actions to encourage the growth of Islamic finance. However, despite the suitable regulatory environment, UK Islamic retail banks have so far failed to convince consumers of the credibility of their services due to the questionable structure of their products. Intriguingly, the current system of Shar ̄ı‘ah assurance is perceived to have several weaknesses which could perhaps lead to ambiguity, confusion and loss of credibility in the eyes of consumers. Our findings also reveal several key religio-ethical considerations. In particular, we highlight that the future of UK Islamic retail banking is bleak unless these issues are urgently tackled by creating a more transparent Islamic banking system and improving the current structure of Shar ̄ı‘ah-compliant products to preserve the expected ethical and societal legitimacy of Islamic banks

Religious Governance, Regulation and Standardisation: Evidence from Malaysian Islamic Banks

This study explores the modus operandi and regulatory influence of the pioneering Malaysian dual-layer governance system where, besides an Islamic bank’s in-house religious board, supervision is undertaken by the country’s Central Bank via its own Shariah Advisory Council (SAC). Data was collected by means of an in-depth interview survey with SAC members, Central Bank compliance officers, Bank Chairmen and members of Shariah boards, CEO’s and other senior executives. We find that the procedures asserted by this over-arching governance structure contributes to standardising practice without hampering creativity when innovating new products. Considerable bureaucracy is also found to exist due the the current approval process impeding efficient decision-making. In addition, we find the SAC to be decisive in resolving disputes from the widespread use of the ‘legal reasoning’ (or Ijtihad) principle exercised by boards providing the much needed confidence and market discipline required by stakeholders. Finally, we highlight how this form of banking operates best when left to a country’s own governance framework rather than imposing international regulation for this nascent industry

Diverse Accounting Standards on Disclosures of Islamic Financial Transactions: Prospects and Challenges of Narrowing Gaps

Purpose: Since International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) are not primarily meant for the accounting needs of Islamic banks, the Accounting and Auditing Organisation for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI) was established to develop specific accounting standards for Shari’ah compliance. The purpose of this paper is to assess the de jure harmonisation between the disclosure requirements of the IFRS-based Malaysian Accounting Standards (MAS) and those of the AAOIFI. Design/methodology/approach: Using Malaysia as a case study, the paper examines the extent of the de jure congruence between the IFRS-based MAS and AAOIFI’s Financial Accounting Standard No 1 (FAS1), which is considered to be one of the key disclosure standards for Islamic banks. We employ leximetrics and content analysis to analyse these accounting standards and the additional guidelines introduced by the Malaysian Accounting Standards Board (MASB) and the Central Bank of Malaysia (Bank Negara Malaysia, BNM) to identify the gaps between different tiers of MAS and FAS1. Findings: The study finds that de jure congruence between the IFRS-based MAS and AAOIFI standards has improved through the introduction of additional accounting guidelines by both the MASB and the banking regulator, BNM. However, some gaps remain between the two standards. These gaps may be difficult to completely eliminate due to differences in the fundamental principles underlying the development of both standards. Originality/value: While some studies have explored the de facto congruence between AAOIFI accounting standards and others, this paper is the first, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, to examine the de jure congruence between those standards with the IFRS-based MAS

Higher Ethical Objective (Maqasid al-Shari'ah) Augmented Framework for Islamic Banks: Assessing the Ethical Performance and Exploring its Determinants

This study utilises higher objectives postulated in Islamic moral economy or the maqasid al-Shari’ah theoretical framework’s novel approach in evaluating the ethical, social, environmental and financial performance of Islamic banks. Maqasid al-Shari’ah is interpreted as achieving social good as a consequence in addition to well-being and, hence, it goes beyond traditional (voluntary) social responsibility. This study also explores the major determinants that affect maqasid performance as expressed through disclosure analysis. By expanding the traditional maqasid al-Shari’ah,, we develop a comprehensive evaluation framework in the form of a maqasid index, which is subjected to a rigorous disclosure analysis. Furthermore, in identifying the main determinants of the maqasid disclosure performance, panel data analysis is used by including several key variables alongside political and socio-economic environment, ownership structures, and corporate and Shari’ah governance-related factors. The sample includes 33 full-fledged Islamic banks from 12 countries for the period of 2008–2016. The findings show that although during the nine-year period the disclosure of maqasid performance of the sampled Islamic banks has improved, this is still short of ‘best practices’. Through panel data analysis, this study finds that the Muslim population indicator, CEO duality, Shari’ah governance, and leverage variables positively impact the disclosure of maqasid performance. However, the effect of GDP, financial development and human development index of the country, its political and civil rights, institutional ownership, and a higher share of independent directors have an overall negative impact on the maqasid performance. The findings reported in this study identify complex and multi-faceted relations between external market realities, corporate and Shari’ah governance mechanisms, and maqasid performance

Earnings response coefficient: applying individual and portfolio methods

This paper reports new findings from applying portfolio method, which shows a much bigger earnings impact on share prices (ERC) compared to the erstwhile reports of ERC using individual events, averaged over the sample. We estimate cumulative abnormal returns, CAR, across a test window for each quarterly earnings announcement event across one accounting year. The CARs are then regressed against earnings changes of individual firms and portfolios. The findings show a significant positive CAR when earnings increases; and a negative CAR if earnings declines. The ERC is very small in the test period of 2001-14, which is consistent with published results for years before 2000. The ERC size magnifies substantially due to the grouping effect used through portfolio formation. What is significant is that the use of portfolio method, by removing the idiosyncratic errors, show a price response very close to the size of earnings. The last evidence supports strongly the value relevance accounting theory that has not seen much support from averaging the price responses of individual event responses

Managerial reforms in government and the impact of the agencification programme on accounting, accountability and effectiveness

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:DX198427 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

The UK Public Sector VfM Audit Expectations Gap: Evidence from the Informed Groups

This paper investigates the current practice of Value for Money (VfM) auditing in the UK public sector organisations. We focus primarily on two main research questions: to what extent an expectation gap exists between the VfM auditors and auditees, and what lessons can be drawn from VfM audit practice. To address these critical research questions, we conducted 39 semi-structured interviews with key external auditors and public sector organisations representatives who have direct experience of VfM process and audit. The study results reveal significant differences between auditors and managers perceptions of VfM audit materiality, audit evidence and the true and fair view of auditors reports and public sector performance audit. Intriguingly, the study finds evidence that auditors are not performing their VfM audit responsibility with the level of professional and technical expertise as expected by the organisations managers. Overall, our findings provide further empirical evidence on the public VfM audit practice in the UK and draws attention to some of the ambiguities associated with what auditors perceive as their roles and what auditees expect from them