This study examines the extent of strategy disclosure in the Annual Reports of South Africa’s top one hundred companies listed on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange (JSE). Disclosure of strategy is voluntary and not required by law. Investigation into the strategy disclosure was carried out by scoring the amount of disclosure companies reported in their Annual Reports. Variables included items such as mission, goals and objectives. Two additional criteria, Human Immunodefiency Virus (HIV) / Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and Black Economic Empowerment (BEE), were included specifically for the South African context.Results showed that maximum disclosure per criteria was low. Overall the scores of the variables indicate that although South African companies generally do disclose a lot more information on their strategy, only six per cent of companies made maximum disclosure on all twelve criteria. The lowest scores were obtained for HIV/AIDS and BEE. The low disclosure overall has implications for users of annual reports.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the roles of the initial perceptions of chief audit executives (CAEs) on the role of internal audit function (IAF) in integrated reporting (IR) in South Africa. This paper draws attention to possible challenges and barriers to internal audit’s (IAs) involvement in the integrated reporting process (IRP). Design/methodology/approach Detailed interviews were carried out in 2016 with 10 CAEs from the EY Excellence in Integrated Reporting Awards for South Africa. An interpretive approach involving thematic content analysis was used to construct key themes which provided the CAE’s initial perception of the IAF’s role in IRP. Findings Despite the current role being limited, the findings suggest that the IAF has unexploited potential to improve the IRP. These roles include: providing assurance on data integrity; reviewing risks and opportunities; evaluating the adequacy of governance and risk management controls and giving assurance on the IRP. A benefit to the IAFs involvement in the IRP relates to their extensive knowledge of the business. The lack of skills in the IA profession is an area of concern, as there is a shortage of capacity and specialist skills. Research limitations/implications The interpretive style will assist IAFs to understand and define their role in the IRP, as well as to follow best practice in the IRP. Originality/value This paper is the first to explore the views and make recommendations on the role of the IAF in the IRP. This paper can be seen as an important contribution to academic research as the role of IAF in the IRP is exploratory in a global context.

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This paper compares the effectiveness of in‐house developed computer‐based learning (CBL) materials with face‐to‐face teaching. Two groups of higher education students were randomly assigned to complete tutorial work in one highly structured topic of introductory accounting using either CBL materials (treatment group) or face‐to‐face teaching (control group). The effectiveness of both approaches was measured according to the students’ performance in a class test, in relation to their prior accounting knowledge and gender. The results showed that the students with no prior accounting knowledge who completed the CBL materials achieved a significantly higher test mark than the face‐to‐face teaching group. However, there was no significant difference in the marks of the students with prior accounting knowledge, and there was no difference on the basis of gender. The results of this South African study correspond to results in existing literature in other countries, and contribute to the overall knowledge of the effectiveness of CBL materials with respect to prior accounting knowledge and gender.

Small and medium-sized entities (SMEs) play a crucial role in the South African economy. The financial reporting framework applicable to SMEs may contribute to the success of the SME. This study was exploratory in nature and followed an interpretive approach to seek an in-depth understanding of the application of the International Financial Reporting Standards for Small and Medium-Sized Entities (IFRS for SMEs) in South Africa.Research purpose: This article explores the perceptions of South African accounting practitioners regarding the post-implementation of the IFRS for SMEs in the South African SME sector.Motivation for the study: South African research on IFRS for SMEs is scarce. This study was designed to contribute to the scarce body of literature on IFRS for SMEs and will benefit both the South African and international accounting profession.Research approach/design and method: In-depth semi-structured interviews with 21 accounting practitioners were carried out during 2017 and 2018. An interpretive approach was adopted to analyse the data into themes providing the insight into the perceptions of South African practitioners. Main findings:Overall, there appears to be an approval of IFRS for SMEs. The uniformity associated with IFRS for SMEs is one of the significant advantages, while factors such as the age of the practitioners, the use of automated software systems and South African legislative requirements affect the relative merit of using the standard.Practical/managerial implications: The use of the interpretive style will assist professional accounting organisations, standard setters and regulators in understanding the various benefits and drawbacks of the IFRS for SME framework. Contribution/value-add:This article is the first to explore the in-depth views of accounting practitioners after IFRS for SMEs was adopted in South Africa. The article also highlights the challenges faced by accounting practitioners in developing economies that service SMEs.