Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management (ETDs)

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    Exploring Covid-19 disclosure patterns: A comparative analysis of the financial statements of a sample of top-, mid-, and small-tier companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, Nigerian Exchange and the London Stock Exchange in the 2020 and 2021 financial years
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023) Makara, Motanyane; Gomez, Samantha
    This study is an exploration of the impact of Covid-19 on the accounting standard disclosures of a sample of companies from the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), Nigerian Exchange (NGX) and London Stock Exchange (LSE). The study is a comparison of the impact of Covid-19 between developing nations and a developed nation. It explores how the impact of Covid-19 was disclosed in the financial statements of the sample companies from the top-, mid-, and small-tiers of the stock exchanges. Stakeholder theory and Legitimacy theory are applied to better understand the study due to their emphasis on transparency and accountability to shareholders. A content analysis was carried out using financial statements of 90 companies from the LSE, 79 companies from the JSE and 37 companies from the NGX. Covid-19 disclosures were not as prevalent as expected in the financial statements. The study finds that the JSE and LSE had a higher number of Covid-19 disclosures than the NGX in both years. The number of disclosures between the market tiers varies by stock exchange however. The most impact disclosed in all the stock exchanges revolved around IFRS 16 Leases, IAS 1 Presentation of Financial Statements with focus on going concern, and IAS 36 Impairment of Assets. Covid-19 had the consequence of halting business activity globally. This meant assets were unused, affecting impairment and leasing activities. Going concern also became a major issue for businesses worldwide. The study is guided by the legitimacy and stakeholder theories to contribute to the literature on the impact of major events on the disclosure practices of entities taking into the need for stakeholders to have adequate information provided
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    An exploratory study of biodiversity, ecological and extinction reporting among JSE-listed entities
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2021) Da Mata, Dino Marco; Maroun, Warren
    The purpose of this research is to explore the level of biodiversity, ecological and extinction reporting among 50 Top JSE-listed entities and the possible determinants of biodiversity, ecological and extinction reporting. This is important because unprecedented biodiversity loss is a major ecological and business risk affecting South African organisations. The thesis is grounded in an interpretive approach to collecting and analysing data and employs a mixed- methods approach. Qualitative content and thematic analysis were used to evaluate what content companies disclose in their integrated reports and to gauge the level of biodiversity, ecological and extinction reporting over the 2018 to 2020 reports. This was followed by the use of quantitative methods to test for associations between identified determinants and the level of reporting. The findings show that, overall, the level of disclosures have increased since 2018. Unfortunately, most of the disclosures are still vague, generic or focus on positive information. The findings also showed that there is a significant relationship between the typeof industry and the level of biodiversity, ecological and extinction reporting. Interestingly, the study found that secondary listed JSE companies have a much higher level of biodiversity, ecological and extinction reporting. The research found that there is a significant relationship between the level of reporting and if the company has a biodiversity partnership or has disclosed the importance of biodiversity. Suggesting that companies are beginning to understand the need to protect biodiversity and prevent further biodiversity loss. This change in mindset is, unfortunately, occurring at a slow pace and more needs to be done by companies, stakeholders and society in general. This thesis is the first study to explore biodiversity, ecology and extinction elements concurrently. It is also the first South African study to explore biodiversity, ecological and extinction reporting across a range of industries
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    Evaluating business model disclosures in the integrated report
    (2019) Gutmayer, Thomas
    Purpose – This paper assesses the extent to which integrated thinking has been applied in the construction of business models by exploring business model disclosures in the integrated reports of a sample of companies listed on the JSE1 for their 2016 financial years. Methodology – This paper uses a content analysis to identify disclosure themes in the integrated reports. Findings – The correlations between disclosure themes evidence the absence of integrated thinking in the construction of business models. Research limitations – Since the sample consists of only listed companies, it may not be possible to generalize the results to non-listed companies. Furthermore, the absence of a framework governing business model disclosures may negate the comparability amongst integrated reports. Originality/Value – This paper adds to the limited body of knowledge on integrated reporting and integrated thinking. It also sheds light on how one of the key principles of King IV is being interpreted and applied in a South African context, which is a relatively new area of study.