Submitted by Maykon Nascimento (maykon.albani@hotmail.com) on 2015-12-14T18:37:06Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Essays on life cycle voluntary disclosure and the cost of capital of brazilian companies.pdf: 1743467 bytes, checksum: 506c8fe8bffb13d82c87125c7dd355fb (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Morgana Andrade (morgana.andrade@ufes.br) on 2016-01-07T11:31:23Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Essays on life cycle voluntary disclosure and the cost of capital of brazilian companies.pdf: 1743467 bytes, checksum: 506c8fe8bffb13d82c87125c7dd355fb (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-01-07T11:31:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Essays on life cycle voluntary disclosure and the cost of capital of brazilian companies.pdf: 1743467 bytes, checksum: 506c8fe8bffb13d82c87125c7dd355fb (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015 / CAPES / Esta dissertação investiga como os estágios do ciclo de vida impactam no disclosure voluntário, no custo de capital próprio e também na relação entre eles. Utilizando uma amostra de empresas não-financeiras entre 2008 e 2014, e seguindo o modelo de Gebhardt et al. (2001) para desenvolver o Custo de Capital Implícito (ICC), usando a base de dados I/B/E/S, da Thomson Reuters®, encontra-se que, em média, as empresas são beneficiadas com a redução do custo de capital por meio da melhora no nível de evidenciação voluntária. Usando a métrica de ciclo de vida de Dickinson (2001), encontra-se que o nível de disclosure voluntário cresce até atingir o estágio de maturidade e então esse nível decresce. Ainda, o ICC se difere significativamente entre os estágios de ciclo de vida. Contudo, não são encontradas diferenças significativas entre os estágios de crescimento, maturidade e shake-out, embora o nível de ICC diminua depois de sair do estágio inicial e ele cresça novamente no estágio de declínio. Finalmente, encontra-se que a melhora no nível de disclosure voluntário nos estágios de crescimento e maturidade é mais bem compensada com uma redução maior no nível de custo de capital. Os resultados para o disclosure voluntário são robustos usando uma série de testes de sensibilidade, muito embora os resultados não tenham se mantido para o custo de capital usando proxies diferentes. / This thesis investigates how life cycle stages impact on voluntary disclosure, cost of equity capital and also on the relationship between them. Using a sample of non-financial Brazilian listed firms covered by analysts between 2008 and 2014, and following the model by Gebhardt et al. (2001) to develop the Implied Cost of Capital (ICC) using I/B/E/S database, from Thomson Reuters®, I find that companies on average are benefitted by the reduction of the cost of capital via improvement in voluntary information level. Using Dickinson’s (2001) life cycle measure, I find that voluntary disclosure level grows until reaching the maturity phase and then it declines. Moreover, the ICC significantly differs across life cycle stages. However, I do not find differences among growth, maturity and shake-out, although the level of the ICC fades out after leaving the initial stage and it increases again in decline stage. Finally, I find that the improvement of voluntary disclosure level in growth and maturity stages is better compensated with more reduction in cost of capital. The results for voluntary disclosure are shown to be robust using a series of sensitivity tests, however the expectation about cost of capital did not hold using different proxies.

O presente estudo investiga qual o efeito que a divulgação de empresas solidárias apoiadoras e da remuneração de dirigentes de Organizações Sem Fins Lucrativos (OSFL) possui na decisão sobre o volume de contribuição e na propensão de doar futuramente por parte do doador individual. O estudo é consubstanciado em pesquisas desenvolvidas por Balsam e Harris (2014) e de Galle e Walker (2013) que encontraram evidências de que doadores reduzem as contribuições subsequente à divulgação, por parte da OSFL, de alta remuneração do dirigente; e, em pesquisa desenvolvida no Brasil por IDIS e Gallup (2016), que relatam a falta de confiança como um dos principais motivos para que doadores deixem de contribuir para as OSFL. Este estudo pressupõe que, divulgar empresas solidárias apoiadoras da OSFL gera compliance, um dos principais elementos de influência social citado por Cialdini e Trost (1998) sobre o doador, levando-o a perceber a OSFL como monitorada e, com maior confiança de que a organização cumpre a missão social para a qual se destina, reduzindo o efeito adverso ocasionado da divulgação pela própria OSFL de valores elevados de remuneração do dirigente. O procedimento metodológico para coleta de dados ocorreu por meio de um experimento, com 140 participantes estudantes de pós-graduação lato sensu em Ciências Contábeis da Universidade Federal do Paraná. Encontraram-se evidências de que o disclosure voluntário pela OSFL de empresa solidária apoiadora possui efeito positivo significativo na propensão de contribuição futura do doador individual, assim como o disclosure da remuneração do dirigente e da empresa solidária apoiadora, de forma interativa, conduz à maior probabilidade de doação futura pelo doador individual. Esperava-se que a divulgação da empresa solidária apoiadora apenas, ou essa em conjunto com a informação de menor remuneração do dirigente gerassem maiores volumes de contribuições pelo doador, contudo, não foram obtidas evidências empíricas que suportem as referidas hipóteses. Os achados também não confirmaram a hipótese de que, divulgados maiores valores da remuneração do dirigente seriam reduzidos o volume de contribuição e a propensão de doação futura. Os resultados implicam que a divulgação da empresa solidária apoiadora pela OSFL suscita uma resposta por parte do doador em relação à probabilidade de doar futuramente em consonância à comunicação explícita da organização, neste caso a solicitação de doação, possivelmente ocorrendo o compliance como forma de influência social de direcionamento pela figura de autoridade legítima exercida pela empresa solidária apoiadora. Isto ocorre inclusive quando a divulgação é realizada em conjunto com a remuneração do dirigente, indicando a relevância do disclosure voluntário por parte das OSFL na captação de recursos. Desta forma, este estudo amplia os conhecimentos sobre o disclosure voluntário em OSFL, principalmente relacionado à divulgação da empresa solidária apoiadora como fonte de autoridade legítima e do efeito de compliance sobre o doador individual. / This study investigates the effect of disclosure of Influential Institutional Partners and senior management\'s compensation on individuals\' decisions to donate for non-profit organizations (NPOs). Prior research (Balsam & Harris, 2014; Galle & Walker, 2013) indicate that donors reduce donations after the disclosure of senior manager\'s high compensation by the NPOs, and in the Brazilian setting (IDIS & Gallup, 2016), lack of trust is one of the main reported reasons for donors to stop contributions for NPOs. Based on the literature on social influence, this study argues that the Influential Institutional Partner\'s disclosure increases the donors\' compliance with the NPOs (Cialdini & Trost, 1998). This behaviour should lead donors to conclude that the NPO is an entity under monitoring, and drive higher trust that the organization reaches the social mission for which it is intended, reducing the adverse effect caused by the disclosure of senior management\'s high compensation. The experimental is conducted with 140 graduate accounting students at the Federal University of Parana (UFPR). The results indicate that NPOs voluntary disclosure has a significant positive effect on the individual donors\' propensity of future donations, as does, interactively, the disclosure of senior management\' compensation and of the Influential Institutional Partners. However, no empirical evidence was found supporting the main or interactive effects of disclosure of Influential Institutional Partners and senior management\'s compensation on donors contribution\'s amount. Findings also did not confirm that disclosure of senior management\'s higher compensation result in lower propensity of future donations by individual donors. The results imply that the Influential Institutional Partner\'s disclosure by NPOs drives a response from donors with respect to the probability of making future donations in accordance with explicit communications by the organization, leading to the compliance as a form of social influence, exerted by the legitimate authority figure represented by the Influential Institutional Partner. This also happen when the disclosure is made in conjunction with senior management\'s compensation, indicating the relevance of the NPO\'s voluntary disclosure in fundraising. This study broadens the knowledge on voluntary disclosure by NPOs, in particular about the Influential Institutional Partner\' disclosure as a source of legitimate authority, and the effect of compliance on individual donors.

Introduktion En anledning till att företag vill ge ut frivillig redovisning kan vara för att erhålla positiva ekonomiska effekter så som minskad kapitalkostnad. Tidigare forskning finner blandade resultat gällande den frivilliga redovisningens påverkan på kapitalkostnaden. Forskningen indikerar att olika innehåll i den frivilliga redovisningen kan ge varierande effekter på kapitalkostnaden. Därför är det intressant att göra en mer detaljerad analys av innehållet i den frivilliga redovisningen relaterat till kostnaden för eget och lånat kapital. Syfte Studiens syfte är att förklara hur innehållet i den frivilliga redovisningen påverkar kostnaden för eget och lånat kapital. Metod Studien har en deduktiv ansats och utgår ifrån en kvantitativ strategi med kvalitativa inslag. Genom en tvärsnittsdesign genomförs en innehållsanalys av den frivilliga redovisningen i 44 börsnoterade bolags årsredovisningar för att kvantifiera innehållet. Slutsats Resultatet visar på att mer frivillig redovisning i form av information om risk och information av icke-finansiell karaktär leder till minskad kostnad för eget kapital. Mer aktierelaterad information, information av historisk, framåtriktad, kvantitativ, icke-kvantitativ och icke-finansiell karaktär leder till minskad kostnad för lånat kapital. Även mer frivillig redovisning totalt sett minskar kostnaden för lånat kapital. Resultatet bör dock endast ses som indikationer på hur sambanden kan se ut på grund av studiens begränsningar. / Introduction A reason for companies to publish voluntary disclosure can be to receive positive economic effects such as reduced cost of capital. Previous research find mixed results regarding the impact of voluntary disclosure on the cost of capital. Research indicates that different content of voluntary disclosure can affect the cost of capital differently. Therefore, it is of interest to conduct a more detailed analysis of the content of voluntary disclosure related to the cost of equity and debt capital. Purpose The purpose of this study is to explain how the content of voluntary disclosure affects the cost of equity and debt capital. Method This is a quantitative study with qualitative elements that has a deductive approach. Through a cross-sectional design, a content analysis of the voluntary disclosure in the annual reports of 44 listed companies is conducted to quantify the content. Conclusion The results show that more voluntary disclosure in the form ofinformation about risk and information of a non-financial nature leads to a reduced cost of equity. More share-related information and information of a historical, forward-looking, quantitative, non- quantitative and non-financial nature leads to a reduced cost of debt capital. More voluntary disclosure in total also reduces the cost of debt capital. However, due to the limitations of the study, the results should only be seen as indications of the nature of the relationships.

Titel From then till now - A study of changes in sustainability reports from 1998-2019. Level Bachelor thesis in Business Administration Authors William Johansson, Johan Finn Rydberg, Thom Werner Tutor Esbjörn Segelod Date 2020-06-09 Keywords Sustainability, Sustainability reports, Signalling theory, Stakeholder theory, Business emissions, Equality, Corruption, Donation, Business Research, GRI, CSR, CSR history, Voluntary disclosure and Legitimacy theory. Research Questions How have the sustainability reports changed in different GRI frameworks and how have it affected companies in different branches, depending on pages and line of business between 1998–2019? How have the word in the categories: environment, social and economic responsibility changed in companies sustainability reports between the years 1998–2019? Purpose The purpose with this study is to examine how businesses sustainability reports associated with energy-, automotive- and forest and paperproduct have effected their sustainability reports from an environmental, social and economical perspecitve from year 1998–2019. Method The method of this study is a quantitative method with a content analysis that consists of 75 sustainability reports in total where 62 of these 75 reports was used. These 62 reports are coming from 25 different companies associated to energy-, automotive and forest and paperpoduction. The study was made of sustainability reports from the year 1998 to 2019. The result of the study encoded to a scheme of code. Conclusion The conclusion of this study shows an increase of the sustainability reports in all three branches. The most of the words shows an increase from 1998-2019. / Titel Från dåtid till nutid - En studie om förändringar i hållbarhetsredovisning mellan åren 1998–2019. Nivå Kandidatuppsats Författare William Johansson, Johan Finn Rydberg, Thom Werner Handledare Esbjörn Segelod Datum 2020-06-09 Nyckelord Sustainability, Sustainability reports, Signalling theory, Stakeholder theory, Business emissions, Equality, Corruption, Donation, Business Research, GRI, CSR, CSR history, Voluntary disclosure och Legitimacy theory. Frågeställningar Hur har företags hållbarhetsredovisning påverkats av förändringen i GRI:s ramverk, mätt i antal sidor samt branschtillhörighet mellan åren 1998-2019? Hur har begrepp inom miljö, socialt och ekonomiskt ansvar förändrats i företags hållbarhetsredovisningar mellan åren 1998–2019? Syfte Syftet med studien är att undersöka hur svenska företag i branscherna fordon, energi samt skog- och pappersproduktion har påverkat sin hållbarhetsredovisning utifrån miljö, socialt och ekonomiskt perspektiv, mellan åren 1998–2019. Metod Studiens tillvägagångssätt är kvantitativ metod med innehållsanalys som var tänkt att bestå av totalt 75 stycken hållbarhetsrapporter men endast 62 stycken kunde användas. Dessa 62 rapporter kommer från 25 olika företag som tillhör energi, skogs- och pappersproduktion och bilbranschen. Studien använde sig av hållbarhetsredovisningar från 1998–2019. Resultatet kodades därefter i ett kodningsschema. Slutsats Den slutsats som kan uppsatsen visar är att en ökning av antal hållbarhetsrapporter har ökat i alla tre branscher. Även de flesta orden påvisar en ökning under 1998–2019.

Årsredovisningar har gått från att vara ett sätt för företagen att rapportera sin ekonomiska ställning för aktieägare till att anpassas mer för alla intressenter. All information som intressenterna efterfrågar är dock inte företagen alltid tvungna att uppge enligt lag, vilket leder till att företag väljer att redovisa viss information frivilligt. Omfattningen av denna information skiljer sig mycket mellan företag. Tidigare studier har därav undersökt sambandet mellan olika företagsegenskaper och nivån av frivillig redovisning och kommit fram till varierande resultat. Syftet med studien är därför att få kunskap om vilka företagsspecifika egenskaper hos svenska börsnoterade företag som påverkar nivån av frivillig redovisning samt hur förändringar mellan åren påverkar detta. Tidigare forskning och företagsekonomiska teorier ligger till grund för utvecklade hypoteser kring egenskapernas påverkan. En longitudinell studie har genomförts på 21 företag som valdes ut genom ett stratifierat slumpmässigt urval. Datainsamling för studiens beroende variabel frivillig redovisning genomfördes med hjälp av ett index där företags årsredovisningar från år 2016-2020 granskades. Nivån på den frivilliga redovisningen analyserades sedan mot studiens oberoende variabler storlek, ålder, lönsamhet, skuldsättning och likviditet. En multipel regressionsanalys genomfördes och visade på de förväntade sambanden mellan nivån av frivillig redovisning och företagens storlek, ålder och lönsamhet. Resultatet visade på ett signifikant positivt samband för dessa egenskaper. Dock kunde inte något signifikant samband påvisas för egenskaperna skuldsättning och likviditet. En linjär regressionsanalys genomfördes även på förändringarna i lönsamhet mellan åren samt sambandet till frivillig redovisning. Även denna analys stämde överens med förväntningarna om att förändringar i lönsamhet inte påverkar nivån av frivillig redovisning. / Annual reports have gone from being a way for companies to report their financial position for stockholders, to being adapted for all stakeholders. All the information that stakeholders demand the companies are not obliged by law to publish, which leads companies to disclose some information voluntarily. The extent of this information differs between companies. Previous studies have investigated the relationship between different firm characteristics and the level of voluntary disclosure, which has resulted in varying results. The aim of the study is therefore to attain knowledge regarding which firm specific characteristics in Swedish listed companies that affect the level of voluntary disclosure and also how change between years affects this. Previous studies and business economics theories is the basis for the developed hypotheses regarding the impact of the characteristics. A longitudinal study was implemented on 21 companies that were chosen through a stratified random sampling. The data collection for the dependent variable of the study, voluntary disclosure, was done with the help of an index where the companies’ annual reports from 2016-2020 were examined. The level of the voluntary disclosure was then analyzed against the independent variables of the study, the companies’ size, age, profitability, debt ratio and liquidity. A multiple regression analysis was performed and resulted in the expected relationships between the level of voluntary disclosure and the companies’ size, age and profitability. The results showed a significant positive relationship for these characteristics. Any significant relationship could not be shown for the characteristics debt ratio and liquidity. A linear regression analysis was performed on the change in profitability between years and its relationships to the voluntary disclosure. This analysis was also in line with the expectations that changes in profitability does not affect the level of voluntary disclosure.

Den rådande Covid-19-pandemin har haft en stark negativ påverkan på efterfrågan världen över vilket kommit att påverka de svenska företagen i allra högsta grad. Efterfrågetappet som pandemin inneburit har lett till en stor ekonomisk oro för företagen och dess intressenter. Pandemin har dock visat sig påverka företag och branscher olika mycket vilket kan komma att avspegla sig i den frivilliga informationen som företagen lämnar i sina finansiella rapporter. Denna studie syftar till att undersöka om olika mått på finansiell ställning kan påverka graden av upplysning om Covid-19. Med hjälp av en kvantitativ innehållsanalys granskas 100 vd-ord som 25 slumpmässigt valda svenska börsnoterade företag inom fem olika branscher lämnat i sina kvartalsrapporter för 2020. Studiens empiriska material lyckas förklara en del av variationen i upplysning om Covid-19. / The current Covid-19-pandemic has had a strong negative impact on demand worldwide, which has affected Swedish companies to a high degree. The loss of demand caused by the pandemic has led to great financial concern for companies and their stakeholders. However, the pandemic has been shown to affect companies and industries to varying degrees, which may be reflected in the voluntary disclosures that companies provide in their financial reports. This study aims to investigate whether different measures of financial performance can affect the degree of disclosure about the Covid-19-pandemic. By using a quantitative content analysis for reviewing 100 CEO letters that 25 Swedish randomly selected listed companies from five different industries have submitted in their quarterly reports for 2020. The empirical result of the study succeeds to explain some of the variation in disclosures about Covid-19.

Die vorliegende kumulative Dissertation analysiert Determinanten und Konsequenzen der Berichterstattung von Unternehmen im deutschen Kaiserreich. Das erste Papier analysiert den Zusammenhang zwischen der freiwilligen Publizität und dem Produktmarktwettbewerb. Auf der Grundlage einer Stichprobe von 570 Unternehmensjahren lässt sich ein negativer Zusammenhang zwischen der freiwilligen Publizität und dem potentiellen Wettbewerb zeigen. Darüber hinaus finde ich einen negativen Zusammenhang zwischen der freiwilligen Publizität und der Branchenprofitabilität. Schließlich finde ich einen positiven Zusammenhang zwischen der freiwilligen Publizität und dem existierenden Wettbewerb. Dieser Zusammenhang ist jedoch nur für Branchenfolger statistisch signifikant. Im zweiten Papier analysiere ich den Einfluss von (überraschenden) Dividendenankündigungen auf die Berliner Börse im Jahr 1895. Auf der Grundlage einer Stichprobe von 166 Unternehmen finde ich positive (negative) kumulierte abnormale Renditen als Reaktion auf eine positive (negative) Dividendenüberraschung. Querschnittsanalysen zeigen, dass diese Effekte mit der Signaling Theorie vereinbar sind. Darüber hinaus lässt sich zeigen, dass der Handel auf dem Kapitalmarkt um die Dividendenankündigungen herum erhöht ist. Dies ist vereinbar mit der differentiellen Erwartungsrevision. Das dritte Papier analysiert schließlich den Zusammenhang zwischen der Zusammensetzung des Aufsichtsrats und dem bilanzpolitischen Verhalten von Unternehmen zu Beginn des 20. Jahrhunderts. Bei diesen Unternehmen lässt sich der von Burgstahler/Dichev (1997) dargestellte „earnings kink“ nachweisen. Darüber hinaus lässt sich zeigen, dass dieser „earnings kink“ nicht mehr präsent ist, sobald die Gewinne um Abschreibungen korrigiert werden. Es lässt sich allerdings nicht zeigen, dass die Präsenz von Bankdirektoren im Aufsichtsrat mit dem „earnings kink“ oder der Höhe der abnormalen Abschreibungen verbunden ist. / This cumulative Ph.D. thesis analyzes determinants and consequences of financial accounting practices in Imperial Germany. The first paper analyzes the relationship between product market competition and voluntary disclosure. Based on a balanced panel of 570 firm-years, I find a negative association between voluntary disclosure and potential competition. I also find a negative association between industry profitability and voluntary disclosure. Finally, I find a positive association between existing competition and voluntary disclosure for industry followers. The second paper analyzes share price and trading effects around dividend announcements of firms listed on the Berlin Stock Exchange in 1895. Based on a sample of 166 firms, I find a statistically and economically significant positive (negative) cumulative average abnormal return following a positive (negative) dividend surprise. Cross-sectional analyses show that these effects are consistent with the dividend signaling hypothesis. I furthermore find that trading is increased around the announcements. This is consistent with a differential belief revision among individual investors. The third paper analyzes the earnings of 50 public and 50 private German firms for the fiscal years 1903-1907. I find the earnings kinks reported by Burgstahler and Dichev (1997). I also find that these kinks disappear once I adjust earnings for depreciations. However, my analyses do not support a divergent probability to avoid small losses and earnings decreases when firms are monitored by bank directors. Based on a propensity score matching I do also not find systematic differences in discretionary depreciations between firms monitored by bank directors and firms without such bank attachments in general.

Diese kumulative Dissertation untersucht die Rolle von Informationen und Finanzkompetenz im deutschen Crowdinvesting-Markt. Die erste Studie erforscht den Zusammenhang zwischen dem Umfang der von Start-Ups auf Companisto veröffentlichen Informationen und dem Investitionsverhalten von Crowdinvestoren auf Basis proprietärer Nutzer-level Companisto-Daten. Meine Ergebnisse deuten darauf hin, dass (unerfahrene) private Investoren, im Gegensatz zu institutionellen Investoren, auch „weiche“ Informationen im Rahmen ihrer Investitionsentscheidungen berücksichtigen. Meine zweite Studie untersucht das tatsächliche Informationsverhalten von Crowdinvestoren im Vorfeld von Investitionen auf Basis von Nutzer-level Google Analytics-Daten. Meine Ergebnisse suggerieren, dass Investoren einen Großteil der von Start-ups bereitgestellten Informationen im Vorfeld von Investitionen ignorieren. Darüber hinaus zeige ich auf, dass das Informationsverhalten von Investoren mit den demografischen Merkmalen, der Crowdinvesting-Erfahrung und den (durchschnittlichen) Investitionsbeträgen von Investoren zusammenhängt. Meine Ergebnisse deuten zudem darauf hin, dass Investoren beim Vorliegen potentieller Indikatoren für die Qualität eines Start-ups bzw. bei weniger riskanten Investitionen, weniger Information akquirieren. In meiner dritten Studie, welche ich gemeinsam mit Joachim Gassen durchführe, untersuche ich den kausalen Effekt einer Online-Finanzschulung auf das Informations- und Investitionsverhalten von Crowdinvestoren im Rahmen eines Feldexperiments auf Companisto. Während das Experiment noch nicht abgeschlossen ist, motiviert der in dieser Dissertation enthaltene Zwischenbericht die zugrundeliegende Forschungsfrage und beschreibt das Forschungsdesign. Die vorläufigen Ergebnisse zeigen auf, dass Crowdinvestoren im Vergleich zu repräsentativen Stichproben der Gesamtpopulation, welche vergleichbaren Studien zugrunde liegen, ein signifikant höheres Maß an finanzieller Grundkompetenz aufweisen. / This cumulative Ph.D. thesis investigates the role of information and financial literacy in the German crowdinvesting market. Using proprietary investor-level data from Companisto, one of the largest German crowdinvesting portals, the first paper explores how the magnitude of start-ups’ disclosures on Companisto is associated with crowdinvestors’ investment behavior. My findings suggest that the investment decisions by both retail and institutional crowdinvestors are positively associated with the magnitude of start-ups’ voluntary disclosures. However, while start-ups’ ‘soft’ disclosures seem to play a role in the decision-making of (inexperienced) retail investors, they appear to be irrelevant for the investment decisions of institutional investors. My second thesis paper uses investor-level Google Analytics data to explore investors’ actual information acquisition prior to investing. My results indicate that crowdinvestors tend to neglect a substantial fraction of start-ups’ disclosures before investing. Moreover, I show that investors’ information acquisition varies with their demographics, their level of crowdinvesting experience as well as their (average) investment amounts. My findings further suggest that investors acquire less information in the presence of potential signals of start-up quality and (thus) in cases where the investment appears to be less risky. In my third paper, which is co-authored by Joachim Gassen, I study the causal effect of online financial training on crowdinvestors’ information and investment behavior by conducting a field experiment on Companisto. While the experiment is still ongoing, the interim report included in my thesis motivates the overall research question and explains the research design. Our preliminary results indicate that, compared to survey samples representative for the overall population, crowdinvestors exhibit a significantly higher level of ‘basic’ financial literacy.

本研究以中國大陸2003年所推動之XBRL自願申報計畫為例，探討率先以XBRL格式申報財務資訊之企業，相較於未率先申報之企業，其經營績效之表現是否較佳？並進一步檢視企業率先申報XBRL之行為與各經營績效層面之關聯性。研究樣本為2000年至2009年於上海證券交易所上市之90家公司，分為兩個群組：一組為參與自願申報計畫之公司共45家，另一組為未參與申報計畫之對照組。在經營績效之衡量部分，本研究依據國內外之文獻探討，將經營績效區分為五個衡量層面：長期償債能力、流動性、獲利能力、經營效率與成長力，並分別以負債比率、流動比率、純益率、股東權益報酬率、總資產週轉率與營收成長率等財務比率做為各層面之衡量指標。 本研究之實證結果顯示，負債比率、流動比率、純益率、股東權益報酬率與總資產週轉率皆呈現顯著相關，證明率先以XBRL格式申報財務資訊之企業群組，在長期償債能力、流動性、獲利能力與經營效率方面之表現皆優於對照組。期望此研究結果能提供資本市場一有用訊息，做為投資人形成投資決策時之參考。 / In 2003, Shanghai Stock Exchange of China promoted a program encouraging companies to voluntarily file financial information using XBRL format. This paper examines whether these early and voluntary filers of financial information in XBRL format demonstrate superior operating performance relative to their non-adopting peers. Samples of this study include 90 listed companies of Shanghai Stock Exchange from 2000 to 2009. Half of them are voluntary filers and the others are the non-adopting peers. The measure of operating performance is divided into five levels: long-term solvency, liquidity, profitability, operating efficiency and growth capacity. Debt ratio, current ratio, net profit margin, return on equity, total assets turnover and sales growth rate are used as the indicators of these measurement levels, respectively. The empirical results of this study show that debt ratio, current ratio, net profit margin, return on equity and total assets turnover are significant, which mean that early and voluntary filers of financial information in XBRL format have superior performance in long-term solvency, liquidity, profitability and operating efficiency. These findings should provide a useful message to the capital market, as investors concern when forming investment decisions.

Empirical evidence indicates that companies that reduce information asymmetry by increased voluntary disclosures achieve several benefits, such as lower cost of capital, improved pricing, and liquidity of their shares. Despite the possibility of such benefits, many studies report varying degrees of voluntary disclosure behaviour that is attributable to various factors. Recent studies indicate that investors’ investment horizon has a significant effect on actions taken by management. Companies with predominantly short-horizon investors spend less on research and development, invest in shorter-term projects that are less profitable than longer-term projects, and are more likely to manipulate earnings to meet short-term earnings expectations. This study investigates whether investors’ investment horizon has an effect on the quality of companies’ information environment. Long-horizon investors should be familiar with their investee company’s risks and rewards, using both their own internal information gathering processes and the cumulative information disclosed by management over time. Moreover, over the course of a long-term relationship, they can become familiar with management’s capability to deliver long-term sustainable returns. Long-horizon investors should therefore be less concerned with short-term fluctuations of earnings and management’s public explanations and disclosures thereof. I hypothesise that higher (lower) proportions of long-horizon investors are associated with lower (higher) quality voluntary disclosure. The shareholder familiarity hypothesis was tested in this study, using an ordinary least squares regression. Voluntary disclosures were observed via the channel of companies’ websites. A checklist was compiled of best practices for online investor relations, and content analyses were conducted on the websites of 205 companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. Shareholder familiarity was proxied by shareholder stability, measured over nine years. The stability measure was lagged by one year to create a temporal difference between the shareholder profile and disclosure behaviour. I found that companies with a profile of unstable investors that are larger, younger, dual-listed and have a Big4 auditor have higher quality online investor relations practices. The hypothesis of a negative association between shareholder familiarity and voluntary disclosure quality is therefore accepted. This study extends the theory on information asymmetry and voluntary disclosure by providing evidence supporting the argument that investor horizon is a predictor of voluntary disclosure quality. The dictum of more is better does not hold in all scenarios. It is important for financial directors and investor relations officers to establish the investment horizon profile of their respective companies’ shareholders before they embark on extensive disclosure programmes. / Financial Intelligence