INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ACCOUNTING AUDITING

International Journal of Accounting, Auditing and Performance
Evaluation (IJAAPE)
Call for Papers
Special Issue on: "Financial Reporting, Transparency and Corporate
Governance: Issues in Volatile International Markets"
Guest Editor: Professor J-L.W. Mitchell Van der Zahn, Curtin University of
Technology, Australia
Papers are invited for a special issue on how corporate governance developments
in the past decade have changed the face of corporate financial reporting and
transparency. The special issue’s prime objective is to increase a healthy debate
and dialogue on the impact of corporate governance reforms during the decade
on corporate financial reporting practices. Via this special issue, a greater indepth
of understanding of issues on this key topic is sought. Given the enormous
volatility in the international capital markets, the demand and need for adequate
transparency and suitable corporate financial reporting is essential. Corporate
governance advocates would postulate sound corporate governance mechanisms
are paramount in maintaining proper corporate financial reporting practices,
thereby, aiding in easing tensions in international markets. Others, however,
would maintain corporate governance mechanism may be of limited, if any, use.
Countless high profile international corporate financial accounting scandals at the
turn of the millennium prompted many national regulators and capital market
institutions to introduce new corporate governance requirements to improve
standards. Revisions and additional reforms since have led to further complexity
on the corporate governance landscape in many nations. Escalating volatility in
international capital markets since end of 2006 is placing further demands on
sound corporate governance practices and the demand for improved financial
reporting and transparency to reassure investor nerves.
Corporate governance reformists frequently suggest that changes in international
corporate governance requirements will lead to major improvements in corporate
financial accounting practices. It follows then that these changes should aid in
overcoming issues arising in the wake of present capital market volatility. Despite
assurances, there appears considerable division in the popular business press
and scholarly literature on whether changes in corporate governance practices
indeed have had a positive, neutral or detrimental impact on corporate financial
accounting practices. Some argue the enormous focus on corporate governance
matters have prompted corporate management away from full disclosure of
corporate financial details pertinent to the decision making of investors.
Furthermore, it has been suggested in some quarters disclosures related to
corporate governance are placing a significant burden on firms with limited, if
any, benefit resulting. Finally, increasing reporting of corporate governance
details is thought be cluttering the financial reporting process rather than aiding
in improving transparency. Question marks arise, therefore, on how corporate
governance reforms and their impact on financial reporting will aid in address
concerns with the current volatility of international capital markets.
Despite the importance of corporate governance in general, and its alleged
significance to corporate financial reporting, scholarly research on the impact
corporate governance changes during the decade on reporting practice is still
underweighted, particular via an international lens. This special issue seeks, in
part, to bridge this gap fostering greater debate and understanding of the
association between corporate governance and corporate financial accounting.
Papers across a broad range of approaches and/or those incorporating other
disciplinary backgrounds (e.g., economics, finance, management or sociology)
aside from accounting are encouraged. In accordance with the mission of IJAAPE,
research that is both rigorously undertaken and completed, and relevant to
practitioners, user and/or policy-makers is encouraged. Whilst papers of a
theoretical nature may be submitted, papers of a strong empirical and quantitative
basis are particularly welcome.
Subject Coverage
Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following questions:
• Did corporate governance reforms lead to better corporate financial
measurement and reporting, and /or enhance financial performance?
• Which corporate governance reforms have the most significant influence
on changing the corporate financial reporting landscape since the turn of
the millennium?
• Has the same corporate governance reform introduced in multiple nations
lead to a convergence or divergence in international corporate financial
reporting practices?
• Is disclosure of corporate governance information a complement to overall
corporate financial accounting transparency? Or is the disclosure of
corporate governance information supplementing traditional disclosure?
• Did the approach taken in different nations to introducing corporate
governance reforms lead to different changes in corporate financial
reporting practices?
• Should corporate governance be a driving force of corporate financial
accounting transparency? Or is corporate governance a fundamental
component of corporate financial accounting transparency?
• Is there any nation (or region) setting the standard benchmark for
disclosure of corporate governance information?
• What mechanisms are being utilized by corporations to disseminate
information about the entity's corporate governance practices and
standards?
• How comparable is the reporting of corporate governance information
across international accounting boundaries?
• Corporate governance codes of practices - are they an assistance or
hindrance in improving corporate financial accounting transparency and
reporting practices?
• The attempt/move toward a principle-based accounting under new
corporate governance regimes is more effective in improving corporate
financial reporting?
• Are persistent differences in US GAAP and IFRS undermining benefits of
corporate governance reforms in improving corporate financial reporting
practices internationally?
• Have reforms to audit committees been effective in improving financial
reporting practices and transparency?
• Are boards of directors increasingly responsible for changes in
transparency? Or are key board sub-committees having a great impact?
• Have improvement in the quality of the internal and/or external auditor
been influential in determining changes in corporate financial reporting and
transparency?
• What features of the internal and external auditor have a bearing on
corporate financial reporting and transparency?
Notes for Prospective Authors
Submitted papers should not have been previously published nor be currently
under consideration for publication elsewhere
All papers are refereed through a peer review process. A guide for authors,
sample copies and other relevant information for submitting papers are available
on the Author Guidelines page
Important Dates
Deadline for Submission: 31 October, 2008
Editors and Notes
You may send one copy in the form of an MS Word file attached to an e-mail
(details in Author Guidelines), with Subject “Special Issue”, to the following:
Professor J-L.W. Mitchell Van der Zahn
School of Accounting
Curtin Business School
Curtin University of Technology
Perth
Australia
Email: Mitchell.VanderZahn@cbs.curtin.edu.au
with copies to:
Professor P.L. Joshi, Editor-in-Chief, IJAAPE
Email: joshi@buss.uob.bh
and
IEL Editorial Office
E-mail: ijaape@inderscience.com
Please include in your submission the title of the Special Issue, the title of the
Journal and the name of the Guest Editor