The present study empirically investigates the level of compliance by listed Indian firms with disclosure requirements of Indian Accounting Standards. India’s Accounting Standards have been gradually converging with the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) since 2001. India currently stands on the verge of adopting the International standards. Indian companies are working fervently towards adopting IFRS. This provides an extraordinary research environment to assess the level of compliance during this transitional time as well as lending an opportunity for a post adoption study. This study addresses two research questions developed to review annual reports of 156 listed Indian firms to determine (1) their current level of compliance with selected disclosure requirements of Indian Accounting Standards, and (2) key corporate characteristics that affect their level of compliance. The data used for the study pertains to the financial year 2009-2010 and utilizes disclosure and compliance index methodology to calculate the level of disclosure. Overall, the findings of this study indicate none of the companies in the sample was fully compliant with the mandatory requirements of the Indian Accounting Standards. On average, level of disclosure made by Indian companies based on selected mandatory disclosures is 70.91%. Nevertheless, the disclosure levels were on an average comparable to results from similar studies conducted in other developing countries. Moreover, results indicated a strong and positive association between level of disclosure and the size, profitability and timeliness of reporting of the sample companies.

Este estudo teve como objetivo diagnosticar e analisar características corporativas associadas à realização de múltiplas escolhas contábeis em empresas de grande porte no Brasil, um ambiente peculiar de transição contábil para o IFRS em mais de uma etapa. As características corporativas refletem incentivos econômicos, contratuais e institucionais para a realização de escolhas contábeis. Foi feito um diagnóstico das escolhas contábeis de mensuração, reconhecimento, classificação e apresentação de 75 empresas de grande porte no Brasil (companhias abertas e fechadas) durante o período de transição para o IFRS (2008-2009) e nos quatro anos subsequentes à convergência completa (2010-2013). Foram observadas as características corporativas que podem estar associadas a essas escolhas contábeis. As técnicas estatísticas análise de correspondência simples e múltipla foram usadas para detectar associações entre escolhas contábeis e características corporativas. O estudo partiu de certas hipóteses derivadas de estudos anteriores sobre escolhas contábeis e fundamentadas em três teorias principais: Teoria Contratual da Firma, Teoria Positiva da Contabilidade e Teoria Institucional. A hipótese central (tese) propõe que em ambiente de transição contábil para o IFRS em mais de uma etapa as características institucionais se associam em maior grau às escolhas contábeis de empresas de grande porte. A partir das análises desenvolvidas foi possível concluir que as características econômicas, contratuais e institucionais se associam a uma ou mais escolhas contábeis realizadas nas empresas de grande porte estudadas, durante e após a adoção do IFRS, ou seja, explicam parcialmente as escolhas contábeis em tais empresas. Adicionalmente, verificou-se que as características institucionais se associam a um maior número de escolhas contábeis realizadas nas empresas pesquisadas, isto é, têm um potencial maior para explicar a realização de escolhas contábeis, se comparadas às demais características corporativas analisadas, o que apoia a tese apresentada. Isso significa que nem sempre as escolhas contábeis efetuadas nas empresas seguiram a racionalidade econômica, e sim, refletiram mais o ambiente institucional do que as relações contratuais e econômicas estabelecidas. Possíveis explicações para esse resultado podem estar relacionadas com o nível de desenvolvimento do mercado brasileiro e com a curva de aprendizado institucional contábil. Ainda que o IFRS seja voltado especialmente para o mercado de capitais, nas empresas de grande porte analisadas as escolhas contábeis explícitas no IFRS podem ser explicadas por características econômicas e contratuais, porém de forma parcial e em menor grau, se comparadas às características institucionais, conforme previsto na hipótese central do presente estudo. Dadas as hipóteses levantadas, as escolhas contábeis podem ter sido realizadas, nas empresas pesquisadas, para atender spectos de eficiência ou mesmo por oportunismo dos gestores, porém, há evidências de que foram mais incentivadas por pressões institucionais e pela busca da legitimidade das práticas contábeis. Em linhas gerais, sugere-se que variáveis institucionais sejam incluídas em estudos futuros sobre escolhas contábeis, no Brasil e em outros países, especialmente aqueles que experimentaram um processo de mudança institucional, como o advindo da adoção do IFRS. / This study aimed to diagnose and analyze corporate characteristics associated with the performance of multiple accounting choices in large companies in Brazil, a peculiar environment of accounting transition to IFRS in more than one stage. Corporate characteristics reflect economic, contractual and institutional incentives to perform accounting choices. A diagnosis of measurement, recognition, classification and presentation accounting choices was made, of 75 large companies in Brazil (public and private companies) during the period of transition to IFRS (2008-2009) and in the following four years of the complete convergence (2010-2013). The corporate characteristics, which may be associated with these accounting choices, were observed. The statistical techniques, simple and multiple correspondence analysis, were used to detect associations between accounting choices and corporate characteristics. The study was based on certain hypothesis derived from previous studies of accounting choices and based on three main theories: Contract Theory of the Firm, Positive Accounting Theory and Institutional Theory. The central hypothesis (thesis) proposes that in accounting transition environment to IFRS in more than one stage the institutional characteristics are associated in a greater extent to the accounting choices of large companies. From the developed analysis it was concluded that the economic, contractual and institutional characteristics are associated with one or more accounting choices made in large companies studied, during and after the adoption of IFRS, i.e. partially explain the accounting choices in such companies. Additionally, it was found that institutional characteristics are associated with a greater number of accounting choices performed in search companies, i.e., have a greater potential to explain performing accounting choices, compared to other corporate characteristics analyzed, which supports presented thesis. This means that not all the accounting choices made in companies followed the economic rationality, but, reflected more the institutional environment than the contractual and economic relations established. Possible explanations for this result may be related to the level of development of the Brazilian market and the accounting institutional learning curve. Although IFRS is especially headed to the capital market, in large companies analyzed explicit accounting choices in IFRS can be explained due to economic and contractual characteristics, however partially and to a lesser extent compared to institutional characteristics, as provided in the main hypothesis of this study. Given the hypothesis made in the study, accounting choices may have been made in the surveyed companies to comply with efficiency aspects or even the opportunism of managers, however, there is evidence that they were more encouraged by institutional pressures and the search for legitimacy of accounting practices. In general, it is suggested that institutional variables are included in future studies of accounting choices in Brazil and other countries, especially those who experienced an institutional changing process, as the one with the IFRS use.

Este estudo teve como objetivo diagnosticar e analisar características corporativas associadas à realização de múltiplas escolhas contábeis em empresas de grande porte no Brasil, um ambiente peculiar de transição contábil para o IFRS em mais de uma etapa. As características corporativas refletem incentivos econômicos, contratuais e institucionais para a realização de escolhas contábeis. Foi feito um diagnóstico das escolhas contábeis de mensuração, reconhecimento, classificação e apresentação de 75 empresas de grande porte no Brasil (companhias abertas e fechadas) durante o período de transição para o IFRS (2008-2009) e nos quatro anos subsequentes à convergência completa (2010-2013). Foram observadas as características corporativas que podem estar associadas a essas escolhas contábeis. As técnicas estatísticas análise de correspondência simples e múltipla foram usadas para detectar associações entre escolhas contábeis e características corporativas. O estudo partiu de certas hipóteses derivadas de estudos anteriores sobre escolhas contábeis e fundamentadas em três teorias principais: Teoria Contratual da Firma, Teoria Positiva da Contabilidade e Teoria Institucional. A hipótese central (tese) propõe que em ambiente de transição contábil para o IFRS em mais de uma etapa as características institucionais se associam em maior grau às escolhas contábeis de empresas de grande porte. A partir das análises desenvolvidas foi possível concluir que as características econômicas, contratuais e institucionais se associam a uma ou mais escolhas contábeis realizadas nas empresas de grande porte estudadas, durante e após a adoção do IFRS, ou seja, explicam parcialmente as escolhas contábeis em tais empresas. Adicionalmente, verificou-se que as características institucionais se associam a um maior número de escolhas contábeis realizadas nas empresas pesquisadas, isto é, têm um potencial maior para explicar a realização de escolhas contábeis, se comparadas às demais características corporativas analisadas, o que apoia a tese apresentada. Isso significa que nem sempre as escolhas contábeis efetuadas nas empresas seguiram a racionalidade econômica, e sim, refletiram mais o ambiente institucional do que as relações contratuais e econômicas estabelecidas. Possíveis explicações para esse resultado podem estar relacionadas com o nível de desenvolvimento do mercado brasileiro e com a curva de aprendizado institucional contábil. Ainda que o IFRS seja voltado especialmente para o mercado de capitais, nas empresas de grande porte analisadas as escolhas contábeis explícitas no IFRS podem ser explicadas por características econômicas e contratuais, porém de forma parcial e em menor grau, se comparadas às características institucionais, conforme previsto na hipótese central do presente estudo. Dadas as hipóteses levantadas, as escolhas contábeis podem ter sido realizadas, nas empresas pesquisadas, para atender spectos de eficiência ou mesmo por oportunismo dos gestores, porém, há evidências de que foram mais incentivadas por pressões institucionais e pela busca da legitimidade das práticas contábeis. Em linhas gerais, sugere-se que variáveis institucionais sejam incluídas em estudos futuros sobre escolhas contábeis, no Brasil e em outros países, especialmente aqueles que experimentaram um processo de mudança institucional, como o advindo da adoção do IFRS. / This study aimed to diagnose and analyze corporate characteristics associated with the performance of multiple accounting choices in large companies in Brazil, a peculiar environment of accounting transition to IFRS in more than one stage. Corporate characteristics reflect economic, contractual and institutional incentives to perform accounting choices. A diagnosis of measurement, recognition, classification and presentation accounting choices was made, of 75 large companies in Brazil (public and private companies) during the period of transition to IFRS (2008-2009) and in the following four years of the complete convergence (2010-2013). The corporate characteristics, which may be associated with these accounting choices, were observed. The statistical techniques, simple and multiple correspondence analysis, were used to detect associations between accounting choices and corporate characteristics. The study was based on certain hypothesis derived from previous studies of accounting choices and based on three main theories: Contract Theory of the Firm, Positive Accounting Theory and Institutional Theory. The central hypothesis (thesis) proposes that in accounting transition environment to IFRS in more than one stage the institutional characteristics are associated in a greater extent to the accounting choices of large companies. From the developed analysis it was concluded that the economic, contractual and institutional characteristics are associated with one or more accounting choices made in large companies studied, during and after the adoption of IFRS, i.e. partially explain the accounting choices in such companies. Additionally, it was found that institutional characteristics are associated with a greater number of accounting choices performed in search companies, i.e., have a greater potential to explain performing accounting choices, compared to other corporate characteristics analyzed, which supports presented thesis. This means that not all the accounting choices made in companies followed the economic rationality, but, reflected more the institutional environment than the contractual and economic relations established. Possible explanations for this result may be related to the level of development of the Brazilian market and the accounting institutional learning curve. Although IFRS is especially headed to the capital market, in large companies analyzed explicit accounting choices in IFRS can be explained due to economic and contractual characteristics, however partially and to a lesser extent compared to institutional characteristics, as provided in the main hypothesis of this study. Given the hypothesis made in the study, accounting choices may have been made in the surveyed companies to comply with efficiency aspects or even the opportunism of managers, however, there is evidence that they were more encouraged by institutional pressures and the search for legitimacy of accounting practices. In general, it is suggested that institutional variables are included in future studies of accounting choices in Brazil and other countries, especially those who experienced an institutional changing process, as the one with the IFRS use.

本研究之研究主題有兩大部份。第一部份探討公司特質與其使用衍生性金融商品之關聯性。第二部份探討公司特質與其使用衍生性金融商品程度之關聯性，並檢驗我國財務會計準則第34號及第36號公報實施後，對企業操作衍生性金融商品之影響。 第一部份之實證結果顯示，公司規模愈大、長期負債比率愈高、股利發放率愈高、流動比率愈低、研發費用率愈高以及外銷比率愈高之公司，愈傾向使用衍生性金融商品。上述公司特質為企業使用衍生性金融商品之決定因素。 第二部份之實證結果顯示，公司規模愈大、長期負債比率愈高、股利發放率愈高以及外銷比率愈高的公司，其衍生性金融商品使用程度愈大。此外，第34號及第36號公報實施後，樣本公司使用衍生性金融商品之程度低於公報實施前，故推論此兩號公報之實施，的確影響公司對於衍生性金融商品之操作，使其態度趨於保守。 / This study focuses on the following issues. First, this study examines the relationship between corporate characteristics and its use of derivatives. Second, I further investigate the relationship between corporate characteristics and its degree of use of derivatives. In addition, the impact of SFAS No.34 and No.36 on corporate use of derivatives is also examined. The main conclusions are as follows. On the first issue, the empirical results show that for the firms with greater size, greater long-term liability ratio, greater dividend payout ratio, lower current ratio, greater R&D ratio and greater export ratio, they are more likely to use derivatives. These characteristics are important determinants for corporate use of derivatives. In the second issue, the empirical results indicate that for the firms with greater size, greater long-term liability ratio, greater dividend payout ratio and greater export ratio, their degrees of using derivatives are greater. In addition, the degree of corporate use of derivatives decreases after SFAS No. 34 and No. 36 became applicable. The corporate use of derivatives became more conservative after the application of these two pronouncements.