PART A (5 marks)
Objective of the Article
Q: Briefly describe what the article is about: summarise the issues being examined.
Remember the article is discussed in detail in part B, so this should be brief, (and will be expanded upon in Part B)
Area of Integrated Reporting
Q: Briefly explain what integrated reporting is.
Q: Explain how the particular aspect of Integrated reporting examined in your chosen article fits into the “the whole” of Integrated Reporting, that is, place the issues examined in the article into context.
The article you chose will examine a particular aspect of Integrated Reporting, not every aspect of Integrated reporting, e.g. the application of materiality in Integrated Reporting; audit of Integrated Reports, the use of Integrated Reports by Investors, etcetera (note that these are just some examples).
Personal Interest in Article
Q: Explain why you selected this particular article to review, rather than one of the other articles listed.
This could relate to your past life experience, (e.g. you previously worked as an auditor, therefore you chose an article examining the audit of Integrated reports).
Alternatively, it may be an Integrated Reporting issue that captured your interest, and you wanted to explore further, (e.g. you became interested in whether Integrated Reporting really did result in better quality decision making by users of integrated information, as claimed by the IIRC). Note that you need to explicitly explain why it has captured your interest.
Do not provide a general explanation (see below), which could apply to any of the articles:
“Integrated reporting is a new development and a growing trend in financial
reporting. As a future practising accountant, it is important that I am familiar with this new area of financial reporting”
Do You Need Assignment of This Question
Request to Buy Answer
PART B (12 marks)
Research question/s
Q: What research question/s or hypotheses is the chosen article examining?
The research questions (or problem statement) are the issues researched/examined in the research article. In articles using quantitative (statistical) research methods the research questions may be labelled as hypotheses. Often there is more than one research question. Your assessment should report each research question. In qualitative research there may be a number of aspects which are examined in relation to a research question. You should refer to these aspects in your assignment.
Research methodology
The research questions identified in the research article are examined by:
(1) Collecting Data (Data Sample);
(2) Analysing the Data (Research Method)
Data Sample
Q: Describe the nature of the data used
Examples of data used: e.g. data from annual integrated reports from 2018-2022; interview data; stock exchange price data from 2018-2023. etcetera. There may be more than one set of data used.
Q: Describe the sample selected
Examples of samples: top 100 companies by market capitalisation in South Africa; 15 auditors in Germany, with experience auditing Integrated reports, etcetera.
Data Analysis / Research Method
Q: Describe the method used to analyse the data sample
The data sample may be analysed using qualitative research methods, or quantitative research methods, or mixed methods (both qualitative and quantitative methods).
1.E.g. Qualitative research may entail classifying/ coding data into themes/categories (first order classification), which may be repeated by classifying first order themes/categories into broader themes/categories (second order classification). The final themes/categories are examined to draw general conclusions/ findings.
2.E.g. Quantitative research may entail using multiple regression analysis to examine the presence or absence of a relationship between the dependent variable (the variable being studied) and independent variables (variables which may influence the dependent variable).
When discussing the research method do not get lost in excessive detail, e.g. when discussing quantitative research, you may briefly explain how the independent variables and dependent variables are measured, but do not discuss the control variables used.
Major research findings
Q: Identify the major findings (conclusions) relating to each research question.
Focus on the major/overall findings/ conclusions, do not get lost in the detailed discussion of findings (e.g. discussion relating to particular parts of the data sample).
Limitations of the research methodology
Q: Describe the limitations of the data sample used in the research
The limitations of the research methodology may, or may not, be identified in the article. If not identified in the article, you will need to think about and describe the limitations that you believe are relevant.
To examine the research questions a data sample is required, but the data sample cannot cover the entire population, (e.g. all Integrated Reports; all auditors involved in auditing Integrated Reports; all users of Integrated Reports).
As the sample may not representative of the entire population, the conclusions
of the research study may not apply to the entire/general population.
- E.g. the conclusions relating to the top 100 companies by market capitalisation in South Africa may not apply to different countries, due to different regulations and culture; may not apply to smaller firms
- E.g. the conclusions relating 15 auditors in Germany may not apply to different countries, due to different regulations and culture; may not apply generally, because the sample size is quite small; does not consider the perspectives of different stakeholders involved in Integrated reporting
Q: Describe the limitations of the method used to analyse the data
The limitations of the research methodology may, or may not, be identified in the article. If not identified in the article, you will need to think about and describe the limitations that you believe are relevant.
Limitations of the Method Used to Analyse the Data
- E.g. If qualitative research is undertaken by classifying data into themes/categories, the major findings / conclusions may be affected by
themes/categories chosen to classify the data. If the data had been classified into different themes/ categories would the same patterns emerge, and same findings/conclusions be made? - E.g. If quantitative research is undertaken, the major findings/conclusions may be affected by the measures chosen to measure the dependent and independent variables, e.g. measurement of Integrated report quality. How well do these measures capture the variable?
PART C (8 marks)
PART C has 2 components that are addressed for 4 different stakeholder groups of your choice that are relevant to the article you are analysing.
Stakeholders involved with Integrated Reporting include preparers of Integrated Reports; regulators/ potential regulators of Integrated Reporting, (e.g. IIRC,
Australian Government, via amending the Corporations Act); auditors of Integrated Reports, users of Integrated Reports / Information, (e.g. investors, creditors, customers, employees, local communities, management, because the entity’s information systems are now producing Integrated Information).
The appropriate stakeholder groups to choose, and discuss implications for, depends upon the particular aspect of Integrated Reporting examined by your chosen article.
Do not use the term “stakeholder” to discuss/ refer to a particular stakeholder group. You must identify the particular stakeholder group you are discussing, as there are many different stakeholder groups.
Do not discuss the implications for stakeholders generally, as there is likely to be different implications for different stakeholders.
Q: Select 4 particular stakeholder groups, and for each stakeholder group examine the implications of the major research findings/ conclusions for the quality of information provided by Integrated Reporting;
The major findings/conclusions of the research article may indicate that
Integrated Reporting results in improved reporting; or fails to provide improved
reporting; or there is a deficiency in Integrated reporting etcetera.
Stakeholder Group 1 (insert name of stakeholder group here)
Stakeholder Group 2 (insert name of stakeholder group here)
Stakeholder Group 3 (insert name of stakeholder group here)
Stakeholder Group 4 (insert name of stakeholder group here)
Q: Use the same 4 stakeholder groups, and for each stakeholder group examine the implications of the major research findings/ conclusions for decision making using information provided by Integrated Reporting, or relating to Integrated Reporting.
If Integrated Reporting results in improved reporting, it should enable better decision making, e.g. investors/ creditors/ management can engage in integrated thinking and make better investment/ lending / management decisions.
Alternatively, if Integrated Reporting does not result in improved information, it should not result in better decision making.
If there are deficiencies in Integrated Reporting, the implications for the IIRC may be to revise the IR framework; for regulators to regulate Integrated Reporting etc.
Stakeholder Group 1 (insert name of stakeholder group here)
Stakeholder Group 2 (insert name of stakeholder group here)
Stakeholder Group 3 (insert name of stakeholder group here)
Stakeholder Group 4 (insert name of stakeholder group here)