The determinants of segment disclosure: an empirical analysis on Italian listed companies

In November 2006 the International Accounting Standards Board issued IFRS 8, which replaced IAS 14-Revised and became effective for the fiscal year beginning on or after 2009. IFRS 8 changed the items of information that companies have to disclose for each segment. The aim of the research is to examine the determinants of segment disclosures provided by Italian companies in both 2008 and 2009 using the framework of the proprietary costs theory. Moreover, the research investigates whether the implementation of IFRS 8 has brought companies operating in less competitive industries to adopt some opportunistic behaviors, reducing the level of segment disclosure provided in 2009, compared to that disclosed the previous year under IAS 14-R. The results show that higher levels of industry competition are associated with higher levels of segment disclosure. Moreover, we find that firms operating in less competitive industries decreased the items of information provided for each segment under IFRS 8, compared to those released the previous year.

Nel mese di Novembre 2006 lo IASB ha emesso l’IFRS 8, che ha sostituito lo IAS 14-R a partire dagli esercizi che hanno inizio dal 2009 ed ha modificato le informazioni che le società devono fornire per ogni settore operativo. L’obiettivo del lavoro è analizzare le determinanti del livello di informativa di settore reso dalle società quotate Italiane nel 2008 e nel 2009, usando il framework della proprietary costs theory. Inoltre, la ricerca intende verificare se l’implementazione dell’IFRS 8 ha spinto le società operanti in settori meno competitivi ad adottare un comportamento opportunistico, riducendo il livello di informativa reso nel 2009 rispetto a quello divulgato l’anno precedente. I risultati mostrano che le società operanti in settori più competitivi hanno comunicato un maggior numero di informazioni di settore. Inoltre, le società operanti in settori meno competitivi hanno ridotto il numero di informazioni rese nel 2009 rispetto a quelle fornite nel 2008.

Keywords:Informativa di settore, proprietary costs theory, IFRS 8, IAS 14-R, società quotate italiane

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Sabrina Pisano, Loris Landriani, The determinants of segment disclosure: an empirical analysis on Italian listed companies in "FINANCIAL REPORTING" 1/2012, pp 113-132, DOI: 10.3280/FR2012-001005