FIRM ATTRIBUTES AND ACCOUNTING DISCLOSURE: A SYNTHESIS ANALYSIS
1 Department of Accounting, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria
2 Department of Accounting, Kaduna State University (KASU)-Nigeria
3 Ahmadu Bello University Zaria
* Corresponding author: ibrash78@gmail.com
2 Department of Accounting, Kaduna State University (KASU)-Nigeria
3 Ahmadu Bello University Zaria
* Corresponding author: ibrash78@gmail.com
Abstract
Accounting disclosure with its determinants has been challenged by many
stakeholders over the years. Some users of financial information have
insatiable appetite for more information to be disclosed voluntarily. Others
observed that disclosure should be on material information rather than
disclosing uninformative information which led to information overloaded.
Large firms have strong motives to disclose their activities when compared
with smaller ones. The extent of disclosure within these published reports
varies from company to company and also from country to country.
Consequently, this study synthesizes firm’s attributes and accounting
disclosure from 1960 to 2015. Also studies failed to account for the impact of
globalization where Information Technology and Forensic Accounting as
explanatory variables that are possible to derive information disclosure. The study recommends among others that future researchers should consider
which explanatory variables with more positive relationship in terms of
information disclosure while preparing their reports. Also, it is
recommended that, future researchers should include Information
Technology and Forensic Accounting as firms attributes. This will enable
them to see their impact via accounting disclosure.
Keywords
Accounting Disclosure
Firm Size
Profitability
Liquidity
Firm Age
Leverage
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How to Cite
Yusuf, I., Hassan, S. U., & Mamman, S. (2016). FIRM ATTRIBUTES AND ACCOUNTING DISCLOSURE: A SYNTHESIS ANALYSIS. Nigerian Journal of Accounting Research, 12(1), 178-209. https://doi.org/10.67203/njar.2016.uun4qdh8
I. Yusuf, S. U. Hassan, and S. Mamman, "FIRM ATTRIBUTES AND ACCOUNTING DISCLOSURE: A SYNTHESIS ANALYSIS," Nigerian Journal of Accounting Research, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 178-209, June 2016. doi: 10.67203/njar.2016.uun4qdh8