PhD (Economics) / Department of Economics / This is the first study to investigate the impact of working capital management on the performance (profitability and value) of South African firms listed on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange (JSE) before, during and after the 2008/2009 global financial crisis. Richards and Laughlin’s (1980) Cash Conversion Cycle (CCC) theory was used as the theoretical framework for analysing and linking working capital management to firm performance. In addition, the study investigates how the separate working capital management components impact the performance of firms. The study used both accounting and market based secondary data obtained from I-Net Bridge/BFA McGregor database and the JSE for 75 firms for the 10 year period, 2003 to 2012. Panel data regression models were used in the analyses. The key findings from the study indicate the following. First, the average profitability (ROA) for the sample firms decreased from 27% (before the financial crisis) to 20.2% during the crisis period and increased to 25.9% after the financial crisis. Second, the average market capitalisation (firm value) decreased from R18.9 billion before the crisis to R16.3 billion during the crisis period, and thereafter increased to a high of R24.4 billion after the crisis. Third, the average firm’s CCC was 28.4 days before the crisis and decreased to 12.5 days during the crisis period and later increased to 16.2 days after the crisis. Fourth, and interestingly, of the four working capital management variables, only accounts receivable conversion period is significantly negatively related to profitability during the financial crisis. Fifth, the three firm-specific variables (size, financial leverage, and current assets to total assets ratio) have no significant relation with profitability during the crisis period. Sixth, the external variable, change in GDP growth rate, has a significant positive relation with profitability. This suggests firms perform better when the economy is booming and otherwise during economic downturns, which is consistent with economic theory. Finally, and perhaps the most important contribution is that the study found an inverted U-shape relationship between working capital management (proxied by cash conversion cycle) and firm value before the crisis. This implies that there exists an optimal level of investment in working capital for which the sampled firms’ value is maximized. At this point, costs and benefits are balanced. Thus corporate managers should aim to keep as close to the optimal level as possible and try to avoid any deviations from it that destroy firm value. On the contrary, the results have not established any such relationship between working capital management and profitability for any of the three financial crisis periods. Based on the findings, it is recommended that firm managers should aim at keeping as close to the optimal working capital level as possible and try to avoid any deviations from it that may destroy firm value. / NRF

MCom (Cost and Management Accounting) / Department of Accountancy / The relationship between a firm’s investment behaviour, financial constraints and the level of internally generated cash flows has been a subject of extensive discussion in finance literature. The discussion revolves around the effectiveness of investment cash flow sensitivity (ICFS) as a measure of financial constraints with contradicting conclusions. Empirical literature is also not in agreement about the best firm-specific proxy to distinguish firms into financially-constrained versus financially-unconstrained ones and the effect of the 2007 to 2009 global financial crisis on the ICFS of South African firms is still to be determined. There are very limited studies that have investigated ICFS in developing economies. This is important as institutional differences and capital market developments between developed and developing economies justify a separate study of South Africa as a developing economy. This study used data drawn from 131 Johannesburg Stock Exchange listed non-financial firms for the period 2003 to 2016 to establish the most suitable criterion for distinguishing firms into financially constrained versus unconstrained, to determine the effect of the 2007 to 2009 global financial crisis on the ICFS and to determine if ICFS is a good measure of financial constraints. The data for the 131 sampled firms was obtained from the financial statements on the IRESS database. The dataset was split into constrained versus unconstrained firms using three firm specific splitting variables: firm size, cash flow holding and dividends pay-out. The data was further split into panel 1 (2003 to 2006 covering the period before the global crisis); panel 2 (2006 to 2010 covering the period including the global financial crisis period) and panel 3 (2010 to 2016 covering the post global financial crisis period). The study utilised the system generalized moments method (GMM) regression model that yields consistent estimates even with unbalanced panel data sets and the Fixed Effects estimator. The models were both implemented on STATA 15 software. Samples split based on the dividend pay-out showed the highest ICFS for financially-constrained firms before, during and after the global financial crisis period. ICFS is highest during the period including the global financial crisis years compared to samples split using firm size and cash flow holding. The study concludes that dividends pay-out is the best criterion to distinguish firms into financially-constrained versus unconstrained; the global financial crisis constrained all firms; and that ICFS can be a good measure of financial constraints. The main limitation to the study was that it used a small sample size in relation to other international studies. / NRF

This study contributes towards the ever-growing research field of sustainability reporting within the broader context of integrated reporting. Sustainability reporting is the integration of the environmental, social and economic aspects of an organisation in the communication with stakeholders. South Africa’s Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) has taken a leading role in the drive for integrated reporting. The aim of the study was to determine the quality of sustainability reporting for the JSE listed firms post the introduction of listing requirements for integrated reporting. Reports of good quality enable stakeholders to make sound decisions from the reported information. The study was limited to sustainability reporting for JSE listed firms. The theoretical lens for the study is the stakeholder theory developed by Freeman (1984). The study analyses perceptions of sustainability practitioners on quality of sustainability reporting for JSE listed firms for the period of 2009 to 2017. In this study, the focus was to gain rich insights from sustainability practitioners involved in the sustainability reporting value chain of JSE listed firms. This included report preparers, report assurance providers, report users and other report critical reviewers. The recordings of the semistructured interviews undertaken in this study were transcribed verbatim and analysed using a descriptive analysis technique called Tesch’s coding. The researcher reviewed the information, probed and summarised the main themes that emerged from the qualitative research. The study shows that there are no explicit mandatory requirements for integrated reporting and sustainability reporting for JSE listed firms, contrary to the perception of some scholars and practitioners. The publication of integrated and sustainability reports is, however, now business best practice for firms on the JSE. Admittedly, this is partly because of King Codes recommendations of South Africa that promotes integrated reporting. Sustainability reporting has been improving over a nine-year period, but this cannot be solely attributed to the listing requirements. Basic interventions such as listing requirements for integrated reporting on the JSE and the shareholder compacts on South Africa’s State-owned companies, although not explicitly mandatory, have contributed in promoting integrated and sustainability reporting in South Africa. There are many drivers of sustainability reporting for JSE listed firms. These can be categorised as internal and external drivers. The internal drivers can also be regarded as critical success factors for sustainability reporting quality for JSE listed firms. The study revealed the dominance of the two drivers of sustainability reporting, namely stakeholder demands and the role of leadership in shaping sustainability reporting in the South African context. The combination of the two drivers on sustainability reporting for JSE listed firms confirms the assumptions of the stakeholder theory. In the process of determining the trends in reporting and the actual drivers for improved quality in reporting, the cross-cutting theme that emerged was that different organisations are in different stages of their reporting journey. There are early adopters and late adopters. Organisations that choose to be involved in integrated reporting and sustainability reporting experience a real journey of reporting, hence various organisations are at different stages depending when and how they commenced their reporting journey. The researcher coined that process “sustainability reporting life stages”. The study further found that there are many determinants for quality of sustainability reporting for JSE listed firms. The sustainability practitioners perceive quality from the view of the Global Reporting Initiative and Integrated Reporting Council frameworks, thus confirming the entrenchment of the two frameworks in the South African context. The best option assurance mechanism in the form of the Combined Assurance Model was observable in the better reporting sectors on the JSE and State-owned companies. The critical paths for sustainability reporting have been provided, indicating the need for sustainability leadership and stakeholder inclusiveness. / Business Management / D.B.L.

The impact of political and economic events on the asset pricing model described by the arbitrage pricing theory (APTM) was examined in order to establish if they had caused any changes in its specification. It was concluded that the APTM is not stationary and that it must be continuously tested before it can be used as political and economic events can change its specification. It was also found that political events had a more direct effect on the specification of the APTM, in that their effect is more immediate, than did economic events, which influenced the APTM by first influencing the economic environment in which it operated. The conventional approach that would have evaluated important political and economic events, case by case, to determine whether they affected the linear factor model (LFM), and subsequently the APTM, could not be used since no correlation was found between the pricing of a risk factor in the LFM and its subsequent pricing in the APTM. A new approach was then followed in which a correlation with a political or economic event was sought whenever a change was detected in the specification of the APTM. This was achieved by first finding the best subset LFM, chosen for producing the highest adjusted R2 , month by month, over 87 periods from 20 October1991 to 21 June 1998, using a combination of nine prespecified risk factors (five of which were proxies for economic events and one for political events). Multivariate analysis techniques were then used to establish which risk factors were priced most often during the three equal subperiods into which the 87 periods were broken up. Using the above methodology, the researcher was able to conclude that political events changed the specification of the APTM in late 1991. After the national elections in April 1994 it was found that the acceptance of South Africa into the world economic community had again changed the specification of the APTM and the two most important factors were proxies for economic events. / Business Leadership / DBL

The disclosure of headline earnings is one of the JSE Limited (JSE)’s listing requirements. All listed entities are required to comply with this disclosure requirement. Guidance in the form of The Circular on headline earnings is issued by the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA), and is updated every time when there are changes to the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). The Circular adopts a rules-based approach and specifies what is included and excluded in the calculation of headline earnings. The rules consist of general rules, which apply to all entities other than those industry groups with special provisions such as the life insurance entities. This study questions whether a rules-based headline earnings approach or a principles-based approach is more appropriate for the calculation of headline earnings of listed property entities on the JSE, for economic decision-making purposes. The research method consisted of questionnaires that were sent out to stakeholders. The responses from the CFOs and investment analysts show that principles-based headline earnings guidance is preferred over rules-based headline earnings guidance. / Business Management / M. Phil (Accounting Sciences)

Abstract in Zulu, English and Afrikaans / This study examined the consequences of Principal-Agent and Corporate Governance interactions within South Africa’s FTSE/JSE Top40 listed companies from 2008 to 2016. The study’s objectives were to examine the prevalence of Principal-Agent and Corporate Governance problems, to ascertain potential costs of these problems, to establish their socio-economic consequences, and evaluate the effectiveness of the governance codes. The study is anchored in Principal-Agent theory. Mixed methods methodology was employed, specifically Concurrent and Exploratory Sequential Mixed Methods design logics. The main findings include that, 23.91% of sample companies experienced Principal-Agent and Corporate Governance problems- significantly exceeding the study’s expectations that negligible governance problems exist and reveals the pervasiveness of these problems; executive compensation plays a bigger role in exacerbating Principal-Agent and Corporate Governance problems than expected and often considered in governance mechanisms; multi-billion rands potential costs are ascribed to Principal-Agent and Corporate Governance problems incurred by principals; unjustifiable salary inequalities resulting in other inequalities that build social mistrust; and there is limited conviction that current governance codes are effective. This study’s contributions include; proposing an executive remuneration model that considers governance of the company in determining executive compensation; formulating a governance index calculated based on King III and King IV recommendations to standardise the measurement of the quality of governance in companies; the salary Gini was used to establish compensation gaps and red-flag potential Principal-Agent problems and flaws in governance systems; and used value at risk procedures to quantify potential Principal-Agent and Corporate Governance costs. The main theoretical implications of the study’s findings are; agency theory needs extension to capture socio-economic costs and not only focus on the principal; remuneration models should consider the executive’s company governance and social and economic egalitarianism; flexibility of ‘comply or explain’ should subordinate socio-economic consequences, suggesting a hybrid approach which makes certain governance code provisions compulsory; and finally, behavioural finance theories should be used in governance research for better insights. / Lolu cwaningo lwacubungula futhi lwahlolisisa imiphumela yokuxhumana phakathi kwesimo seNhloko ne-Ejenti, i-Principal-Agent, (lapho umuntu eqoka omunye ukuba athathe izinqumo kanye/noma izinyathelo egameni lakhe) nokuPhathwa nokuLawulwa Kwenkampani, ezinkampanini ezingama-40 ebezikleliswe phezulu ohlwini lwe-FTSE/JSE eNingizimu Afrika kusukela ngowezi-2008 kuya kowezi-2016. Izinhloso zalolu cwaningo kwabe kuwukubheka ukuthi zivamise kangakanani futhi zisabalele kangakanani izinkinga eziphathelene neNhloko ne-Ejenti kanye nokuPhathwa Nokulawulwa Kwenkampani ukuze kutholakale ukuthi zingakanani izindleko ezibangelwa yilezi zinkinga, nokuthola umthelela walokhu kwinhlalomnotho, kanye nokuhlola ukuthi zisebenza kahle kangakanani izinkambiso zokuphathwa nokulawulwa kwezinkampani. Lolu cwaningo lwakhelwe phezu kwethiyori yeNhloko ne-Ejenti. Kwasetshenziswa izindlela zocwaningo ezixubile, ikakhulukazi izindlela ezixubile zokuhlola kusetshenziswa izinyathelo ezenziwa kanyekanye noma ngesikhathi esisodwa kanye nezinyathelo ezilandelanayo. Okusemqoka okwatholakala ocwaningweni kubandakanya nokuthi izinkampani okwenziwa kuzona ucwaningo ezingama-23.91% zahlangabezana nezinkinga eziphathelene neNhloko ne-Ejenti kanye nokuPhathwa Nokulawulwa Kwenkampani – okuyinani elingaphezulu kakhulu kwalokho obekulindelekile ocwaningweni, ngoba phela kwakulindeleke ukuthi zibe yingcosana kakhulu izinkinga ezikhona eziphathelene nalokhu, kepha-ke ucwaningo lwaveza ukuthi lezi zinkinga zixhaphakile impela; imiholo yabaphathi abakhulu bezinkampani idlala indima enkulu ekubhebhethekiseni izinkinga eziphathelene neNhloko ne-Ejenti kanye nokuPhathwa Nokulawulwa Kwenkampani kunalokho obekulindelekile futhi esikhathini esiningi lokhu akuyona neze into evamise ukubhekisiswa uma kwenziwa izinqubo zokuphatha nokulawula; zibalelwa kwizigidigidi zamarandi izindleko ezingena kuzona izinhloko zezinkampani okucatshangwa ukuthi zibangelwa yizinkinga eziphathelene neNhloko ne-Ejenti kanye nokuPhathwa Nokulawulwa Kwenkampani; ukungalingani ngokwemiholo, ngaphandle kwesizathu esizwakalayo salokhu, okuyinto eholela kokunye futhi ukungalingani, okudala ukungathembani emphakathini; futhi kuncane kakhulu ukuqiniseka nokukholelwa ekutheni zisebenza kahle izinkambiso zokuphatha nokulawula ezikhona njengamanje. Igalelo lalolu cwaningo libandakanya isiphakamiso semodeli yemiholo yabaphathi abakhulu ebhekisisa nodaba lokuphathwa nokulawulwa kwenkampani ngenkathi kucutshungulwa udaba lwemiholo yabaphathi abakhulu; ukuhlanganiswa kwenkomba yokuphathwa nokulawulwa kwenkampani ebalwa ngokususela kwizincomo ze-King III kanye ne-King IV zokusetshenziswa kwesikali esifanayo sokukala ikhwalithi yokuphathwa nokulawulwa kwezinkampani; isikali semiholo se-Gini sasetshenziswa ukuhlonza amagebe akhona phakathi kwemiholo kanye nokuxwayisa ngezinkinga ezingahle zivele eziphathelene neNhloko ne-Ejenti kanye nokuPhathwa Nokulawulwa Kwenkampani kanye namaphutha nobuthakathaka obukhona ezinhlelweni zokuphatha nokulawula; futhi kwasetshenziswa izinqubo zezikali zobungozi bokulahlekelwa kwenkampani ukubala inani lezindleko okungenzeka kungenwe kuzona ngenxa yezinkinga eziphathelene neNhloko ne-Ejenti kanye nokuPhathwa Nokulawulwa Kwenkampani. Imibonongqangi evele kulokho okutholakale ocwaningweni yilena elandelayo; ithiyori echaza ubudlelwano phakathi kwenhloko ne-ejenti kumele yelulwe ukuze ifake phakathi nezindleko eziphathelene nenhlalomnotho futhi lokhu kungagcini nje kuphela kwinhloko; amamodeli omholo kumele abhekisise nendlela ephethwe ngayo inkampani ngabaphathi abakhulu kanye nemfundiso yokulingana kwabantu bonke ngokwenhlalo nangokomnotho; ukuguquguquka ‘kokuthobela umthetho noma ukuchaza’ (‘comply or explain’) kumele kube ngaphansi uma kuqhathaniswa nemiphumela yenhlalomnotho, ukuze kuqhanyukwe nendlela exubile ephoqelela ukusetshenziswa kwezinkambiso zokuphatha nokulawula ezithile; kanti futhi, okokugcina, ocwaningweni lokuphatha nokulawula kumele kusetshenziswe amathiyori aphathelene nesimo somqondo sabaphathi ngenkathi bethatha izinqumo nezinyathelo eziphathelene nokuphathwa nokusetshenziswa kwezimali ukuze kuqondakale kangcono konke okuphathelene nalokhu. / Hierdie studie het van 2008 tot 2016 die gevolge van die wisselwerking tussen hoofagent- en korporatiewe regering in Suid-Afrikaanse FTSE/JSE Top 40- genoteerde maatskappye bestudeer. Die oogmerke was om die voorkoms van probleme met hoofagent- en korporatiewe regering te ondersoek; die moontlike koste en die sosio-ekonomiese gevolge daarvan te bepaal; en die doeltreffendheid van die regeerkodes te evalueer. Hierdie studie berus op die hoofagentteorie. Gemengde metodes is as metodologie gebruik, in die besonder gelyklopende en verkennende, opeenvolgende metodes. Die belangrikste bevindings is dat 23,91% van steekproefmaatskappye probleme met hoofagent- en korporatiewe regering ondervind. Dit is beduidend hoër as die persentasie wat verwag is, en ʼn aanduiding van hoe diepgaande hierdie probleme is. Die vergoeding van uitvoerende beamptes is ʼn groter oorsaak van die probleme met hoofagent- en korporatiewe regering as wat verwag is en waarvoor in regeermeganismes voorsiening gemaak word. Die potensiële koste, wat miljarde rande beloop, word gewyt aan die probleme met hoofagent- en korporatiewe regering wat prinsipale hulle op die hals haal. Onregverdigbare salarisverskille lei tot ongelykheid wat sosiale wantroue wek. Hierbenewens is daar bedenkinge oor die doeltreffendheid van die huidige regeerkodes. Die bydrae van hierdie studie behels ʼn vergoedingsmodel vir uitvoerende beamptes wat korporatiewe regering in ag neem. Hierdie studie formuleer ʼn regeerindeks wat op King III- en King IV-aanbevelings berus, en die meting van die gehalte van korporatiewe regering standaardiseer. Verskille in vergoeding, potensiële rooivlag-hoofagentprobleme en gebreke in regeerstelsels is met behulp van die salaris-gini bepaal. Waarde-op-risikoprosedures is gebruik om die potensiële koste van hoofagent- en korporatiewe regering te kwantifiseer. Die belangrikste teoretiese implikasie van die bevindings is dat die agentskapsteorie uitgebrei moet word sodat die sosio-ekonomiese koste vasgestel word, en daar nie alleen op die hoofsom gekonsentreer word nie. Afgesien hiervan moet vergoedingsmodelle rekening hou met ʼn uitvoerende beampte se korporatiewe regering en met maatskaplike en ekonomiese egalitarisme. Voorts moet die sosio-ekonomiese gevolge ondergeskik wees aan die buigsaamheid van “voldoen of verduidelik”. Dit impliseer ʼn hibridiese benadering wat die bepalings van sekere regeerkodes verpligtend maak. Ten slotte behoort finansieringsgedragteorieë in regeernavorsing aangewend te word om groter insig te verkry. / Business Management / D. Phil. (Management Studies (Finance))

The impact of political and economic events on the asset pricing model described by the arbitrage pricing theory (APTM) was examined in order to establish if they had caused any changes in its specification. It was concluded that the APTM is not stationary and that it must be continuously tested before it can be used as political and economic events can change its specification. It was also found that political events had a more direct effect on the specification of the APTM, in that their effect is more immediate, than did economic events, which influenced the APTM by first influencing the economic environment in which it operated. The conventional approach that would have evaluated important political and economic events, case by case, to determine whether they affected the linear factor model (LFM), and subsequently the APTM, could not be used since no correlation was found between the pricing of a risk factor in the LFM and its subsequent pricing in the APTM. A new approach was then followed in which a correlation with a political or economic event was sought whenever a change was detected in the specification of the APTM. This was achieved by first finding the best subset LFM, chosen for producing the highest adjusted R2 , month by month, over 87 periods from 20 October1991 to 21 June 1998, using a combination of nine prespecified risk factors (five of which were proxies for economic events and one for political events). Multivariate analysis techniques were then used to establish which risk factors were priced most often during the three equal subperiods into which the 87 periods were broken up. Using the above methodology, the researcher was able to conclude that political events changed the specification of the APTM in late 1991. After the national elections in April 1994 it was found that the acceptance of South Africa into the world economic community had again changed the specification of the APTM and the two most important factors were proxies for economic events. / Business Leadership / DBL

The disclosure of headline earnings is one of the JSE Limited (JSE)’s listing requirements. All listed entities are required to comply with this disclosure requirement. Guidance in the form of The Circular on headline earnings is issued by the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA), and is updated every time when there are changes to the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). The Circular adopts a rules-based approach and specifies what is included and excluded in the calculation of headline earnings. The rules consist of general rules, which apply to all entities other than those industry groups with special provisions such as the life insurance entities. This study questions whether a rules-based headline earnings approach or a principles-based approach is more appropriate for the calculation of headline earnings of listed property entities on the JSE, for economic decision-making purposes. The research method consisted of questionnaires that were sent out to stakeholders. The responses from the CFOs and investment analysts show that principles-based headline earnings guidance is preferred over rules-based headline earnings guidance. / Business Management / M. Phil. (Accounting Sciences)

Corporate reporting has changed from the traditional form of reporting which covered financial information only to the modern form of reporting called integrated reporting which covers, financial, corporate governance and sustainability information. The levels of corporate disclosure among corporate entities within any country and between countries are thus likely to have been affected by this change. Motivated by the IMF/World Bank (2006) that observed that corporate reporting improved in Botswana during the previous five years, without indicating what the actual level was or how it compares with that of other countries; this study sought to determine the actual level of corporate disclosure of two samples of companies: 23 companies listed on the Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) and the top 40 companies (by market capitalisation) that are listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). The study also shows how the two levels of corporate disclosure compare. This study is qualitative and descriptive by design; and involves analysing the content of the corporate annual report of each company in a sample using a corporate disclosure checklist; and determining the level of corporate disclosure for each sample of companies. The process ends with a comparative analysis of the levels of corporate disclosure of the companies from the two samples. Consistent with the IMF/World Bank report, the study revealed that the level of corporate disclosure in the BSE sample was low but increasing. However, the increase in the level of corporate disclosure varied from sector to sector and the specific information items. The study also showed that integrated reporting was not practised at all by the companies in the BSE sample. Comparatively, companies in the JSE sample had a higher level of corporate disclosure than that of companies in the BSE sample; and the rate of increase was much higher than that in the BSE sample. The study further found integrated reporting practiced in the entire JSE sample, although at different levels. xi This study also noted that although in principle it is sensible to benchmark from the best, other fundamental factors need to be considered before carrying out the exercise. Furthermore, the study indicated that the prevalent low level of corporate disclosure in the BSE sample was evidence that the corporate reporting environment in which the BSE lies was not conducive for the theories of corporate disclosure to fully explain corporate disclosure. A number of recommendations were made including establishing corporate disclosure indices and creation of a corporate environment in which all the theories discussed in the study can explain corporate disclosure. This study contributes to the literature on cross-country corporate disclosure and cautions companies with low levels of corporate disclosure not to embark on benchmarking without creating an environment conducive for corporate reporting. The study also offers useful insights to policymakers in Botswana and South Africa; and stimulates further research on cross-country corporate disclosure. The academia too will be able to identify areas for further research from this study. / Business Management / M. Com. (Accounting)

Corporate reporting has changed from the traditional form of reporting which covered financial information only to the modern form of reporting called integrated reporting which covers, financial, corporate governance and sustainability information. The levels of corporate disclosure among corporate entities within any country and between countries are thus likely to have been affected by this change. Motivated by the IMF/World Bank (2006) that observed that corporate reporting improved in Botswana during the previous five years, without indicating what the actual level was or how it compares with that of other countries; this study sought to determine the actual level of corporate disclosure of two samples of companies: 23 companies listed on the Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) and the top 40 companies (by market capitalisation) that are listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). The study also shows how the two levels of corporate disclosure compare. This study is qualitative and descriptive by design; and involves analysing the content of the corporate annual report of each company in a sample using a corporate disclosure checklist; and determining the level of corporate disclosure for each sample of companies. The process ends with a comparative analysis of the levels of corporate disclosure of the companies from the two samples. Consistent with the IMF/World Bank report, the study revealed that the level of corporate disclosure in the BSE sample was low but increasing. However, the increase in the level of corporate disclosure varied from sector to sector and the specific information items. The study also showed that integrated reporting was not practised at all by the companies in the BSE sample. Comparatively, companies in the JSE sample had a higher level of corporate disclosure than that of companies in the BSE sample; and the rate of increase was much higher than that in the BSE sample. The study further found integrated reporting practiced in the entire JSE sample, although at different levels. xi This study also noted that although in principle it is sensible to benchmark from the best, other fundamental factors need to be considered before carrying out the exercise. Furthermore, the study indicated that the prevalent low level of corporate disclosure in the BSE sample was evidence that the corporate reporting environment in which the BSE lies was not conducive for the theories of corporate disclosure to fully explain corporate disclosure. A number of recommendations were made including establishing corporate disclosure indices and creation of a corporate environment in which all the theories discussed in the study can explain corporate disclosure. This study contributes to the literature on cross-country corporate disclosure and cautions companies with low levels of corporate disclosure not to embark on benchmarking without creating an environment conducive for corporate reporting. The study also offers useful insights to policymakers in Botswana and South Africa; and stimulates further research on cross-country corporate disclosure. The academia too will be able to identify areas for further research from this study. / Business Management / M. Com. (Accounting)