Emerald | Meditari Accountancy Research | Table of Contents

Is Environmental Management Accounting a Discipline? A Bibliometric Literature Review

Fri, 12 Jul 2013 00:00:00 +0100

Abstract

Purpose - The paper investigates the body of literature on environmental management accounting (EMA) and provides a quantitative overview of the academic as well as the professional literature constituting the field. By doing so, the paper discusses whether EMA has developed as a discipline.Design/methodology/approach - Based on a database containing 814 (396 of them published in academic journals) publications in English, German and French with a publication date prior to 2012 a bibliometric analysis is conducted. Data on the publications, journals, authors and citations were collected, double-checked and examined by applying bibliometric measures.Findings - The bibliometric analysis identifies trends in EMA research publications which show that EMA has developed as a young discipline, but is still faces challenges to get better established in mainstream accounting and management research. Research limitations/implications - Although the publication number is growing, a substantial part of the publications have been published outside mainstream accounting journals in non-accounting journals, books and reports. A recent trend towards establishing specialised environmental (and sustainability) accounting journals is also rendered apparent. The low number of highly cited publications of few authors, however, indicates that EMA is still to become a mainstream field of research.Originality/value - The paper discusses with the help of bibliometric analysis and measures whether EMA has developed as a discipline and whether it has become part of mainstream accounting research.

Non-Audit Services and Knowledge Spillovers: An Investigation of the Audit Report Lag

literatinetwork@emeraldinsight.com (Angela Walker, David Hay) — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 00:00:00 +0100

Abstract

Purpose - The accounting profession has argued strongly against claims that the provision of non-audit services to audit clients leads to impaired auditor independence, instead claiming that the joint provision of non-audit services and audit services creates knowledge spillovers that lead to a more efficient audit. In this paper, we seek to provide evidence concerning knowledge spillovers by examining the association between the audit report lag and non-audit services. Design/methodology/approach - We obtain a sample of 260 firm-year observations from the financial reports of New Zealand public companies over the period 2004-2005 and test for associations between non-audit services and audit report lag, controlling for other variables. Findings - We find evidence that non-audit services are associated with a shorter audit report lag, but that this occurs in a subsequent period, not in the year in which the services are provided. Practical implications - The results suggest that firms purchasing non-audit services from their incumbent auditors benefit from knowledge spillovers by achieving a shorter audit report lag, but not immediately.Originality/value - Previous studies have examined whether there is a relationship between non-audit services and audit report lag in the concurrent period. We extend tests to also examine the relationship between NAS in one year and the audit in a subsequent year. These results are more consistent with knowledge spillovers that allow a more efficient audit than they are with loss of independence by the auditor, because loss of independence would take effect immediately, while knowledge spillovers might take time.

The influence of internal organisational factors on corporate–community partnership agendas: An Australian case study

literatinetwork@emeraldinsight.com (Miriam Glennie, Sumit Lodhia) — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 00:00:00 +0100

Abstract

Purpose - Corporate-community partnerships, the collaboration between business and community groups, have risen to prominence recently. This paper examines how internal organisational factors affect the agenda of corporate–community partnerships. Design/methodology/approach - The internal factors considered in this research were the processes involved in the partnerships’ agenda development and the attitudes of participating members towards the partnership and its social or environmental goals. Interviews were conducted with representatives from both the corporate and community members of two major partnerships in Australia. Findings - The findings suggest that internal organisational processes and attitudes affect five major features of the partnerships’ agenda: form, target, scope, stability and sustainability.Research limitations/implications - The study proposes a framework for understanding how internal organizational factors affect the various features of agenda formation in corporate community partnerships. Practical implications - This research provides a practical understanding of corporate community partnerships in relation to the influences on agenda formation, and would be useful to both corporations and stakeholder, especially community groups. Originality/value - The paper examines the influences on the agenda formation of corporate community partnerships through the voices of corporations and community groups.

STRUCTURAL BREAKS IN THE PARAMETER ESTIMATES OF THE DETERMINANTS OF CAPITAL STRUCTURE: SOME EVIDENCE FROM THE JSE

Fri, 12 Jul 2013 00:00:00 +0100

Abstract

Purpose - This paper tests the effects of financial reforms on the structural stability of the parameter estimates in the determinants of capital structure. Design/methodology/approach - A panel of 70 non-financial companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange is constructed, and the Generalised Method of Moments technique is used to estimate the model between leverage and its determinants for the period 1989 to 2007. The dummy variable approach is used to test for structural breaks in the determinants of leverage. Findings - The results show that structural reforms have a significant role in influencing the empirical relationship between leverage and its determinants. Specifically, the lifting of international sanctions and stock market liberalisation have a significant impact on the stability of the profitability variable. A mild structural break is detected for the size variable, and this is caused by stock market and capital account liberalisation. This observation is, however, not consistent across the regressions. Further, the anticipation for full financial liberalisation causes structural breaks in the profitability estimates. Originality/value - This paper adds to the existing body of literature on capital structure by documenting the extent of structural breaks in the parameter estimates of the relationship between leverage and its determinants for listed non-financial firms in South Africa.