Integrated reporting (IR) is the latest topic in corporate reporting that has raised interest in the disclosure literature. Although the board’s role in IR practice has received significant attention in developed countries, this effect is still unexamined in an emerging market like Malaysia. Thus, this study sought to fill this gap in the IR literature by investigating the impact of the board of directors’ characteristics on the quantity and quality of IR disclosure. The study also examined whether the existence of a sustainability committee affects the board-IR relationship. The study used all listed companies in Bursa Malaysia that applied IR strategy from 2017 to 2020 to test the hypotheses. It employed a content analysis technique to measure the quantity and quality of IR using an index with 100 items based on the International Integrated Reporting Council guidelines. Multivariate ordinary least squares (OLS) regression was applied to examine these relationships. The analysis showed that board size, independence, gender diversity, and non-executive remuneration were positively and significantly related to greater IR disclosure, suggesting that the board of directors has a monitoring role in reducing agency problems and protecting stakeholders’ interests. However, multiple directorships did not affect IR disclosure. The analysis also showed that the presence of a sustainability committee positively affected IR disclosure, and had a moderating effect on the board-IR disclosure relationship. Our result was robust to alternative measures of the corporate board and an alternative regression model. This study is among the first to provide empirical evidence of the board and sustainability committee’s significant role in enhancing IR strategy. The findings may benefit regulatory bodies, policymakers, company managers, investors, and researchers in better understanding how directors’ characteristics influence companies’ IR practices.

Purpose This paper aims to explore the factors of social media adoption by zakat institutions. Design/methodology/approach This study uses qualitative data as the main source of evidence. Data were collected using semi-structured face-to-face interviews. Ten respondents from eight zakat institutions across Malaysia were interviewed. Judgement sampling and snowballing techniques were used to select respondents. Data analysis was done in three phases, namely, data reduction, data display and conclusion confirmation. Findings The findings of this study found perceived benefits, ease of use, accessibility, formalization, training, management push and indirect public push to be the determinant factors that contribute to the adoption of a social media application in zakat institutions. They are discussed and organized into a few groups under four categories, namely, technological, organizational and environmental contexts based on the TOE framework. Research limitations/implications This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge in technology adoption understanding with the engagement of a range of Technology Organization Environment (TOE) framework. However, for future research, quantitative data involving the zakat payers should be anticipated to further understand the issue. Practical implications Output from this study may be useful to the adoption champions within zakat institutions, such as decision-makers and marketing officers. These people can help to provide guidelines and steer managers to focus on the identified factors in this study when adopting social media. Social implications The finding from this study may help to increase the efficiency of two-way communication between zakat institutions and the community. It was found that the adoption of social media improved communication activities with the public and better handling of negative perceptions towards zakat institutions. The findings proved that using social media applications in zakat institutions can help create a better organizational image for the public by publishing instant and continuous news feeds on activities that specifically cater to the need of the asnaf. This can alleviate negative perceptions that zakat institutions are only good in collecting money, but not effective in helping the poor. Originality/value Previous zakat literature has focussed on different issues such as the determinants of zakat compliance behaviors, zakat fund management, distribution of funds, zakat information system and digital marketing; however, little is known about how and why zakat institutions adopt social media applications as a communication tool with the public. Thus, this research makes a difference by focussing on a new aspect of study in the zakat environment, which aims to explore the factors of social media adoption by zakat institutions. This study also proposes the new appropriate TOE framework to understand the adoption behaviour by the zakat institution towards social media application.

Purpose Integrated reporting (IR) is a new trend in corporate reporting that has spread rapidly in recent years for disclosing financial and non-financial information. This study aims to assess the status of the current regulations and the trends in IR disclosure practice in an emerging market, Malaysia, by providing a comparative analysis of the IR disclosure level (IRDL) and IR disclosure quality (IRDQ). Design/methodology/approach The current study has developed a comprehensive IR disclosure index based on the international integrated reporting framework (IIRF), which comprises 100 items divided into four categories (background, assurance and reliability, content and form). The data were collected from annual reports of companies listed on the Bursa Malaysia over the three years 2017 to 2019, based on 267 observations. Content analysis technique was used to evaluate and measure IRDL and IRDQ. Descriptive analysis was performed to provide the background statistics of the variables examined. Findings IR regulations are at an early stage, and IR adoption is still voluntary in the Malaysian market. Only 267 Malaysian company-year observations during the years 2017–2019 have adopted IR techniques. However, descriptive analysis results showed that Malaysian companies have moved towards the preparation of IR consistent with the IIRF. The findings indicate a significant increase in both IRDL and IRDQ over this period, after the recent recommendation by the Malaysian code of corporate governance (2017) on adopting IR. Further, the results show statistically significant differences in the mean of IRDL and IRDQ between large and small companies. Practical implications These results are important for regulators and policymakers in articulating new IR legislation in an emerging market and for corporate entities and investors in shaping their understanding of IR disclosure practice in the Malaysian institutional context. Originality/value To the best of the researchers’ knowledge, the study is among the first to address the IR regulation status and practice in Malaysian companies. It also established a comprehensive index for measuring IRDL and IRDQ based on the IIRF. The results add to the meagre descriptive literature on IR practice by providing comprehensive insights into IR practice from the perspective of an emerging country.

A Collection of Comprehensive Cases is a compilation book of comprehensive cases for Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR) I, II and III. This book is specially designed for accounting students in FAR subjects to be more familiar with the format and the structure of comprehensive cases. The objective of this book is to assist students to have a better understanding on the case instructions as well as to guide them on how to answer well those instructions. The book is also meant as a good reference for students as they have their own collection of comprehensive cases and the key answers were also systematically arranged for them to do revision.

Study level/applicability The teaching case is designed to be used by students in higher education institutions at the undergraduate level. This case may also be relevant for staff at the bursary departments of any public universities or public organizations that have biological assets. Case overview This case provides a study on agricultural activity at Universiti Pengurusan Malaysia (UNIPM). The purpose of this case is to create greater awareness for case users on the accounting framework and on methods recommended for recording specific assets in agricultural activity, i.e., biological assets. This case provides users with experience in explaining the nature of an organization’s agricultural activities and accounting for biological assets as recommended in the Malaysian accounting framework. In addition, users are exposed to some current issues in accounting standards, such as ethical issues. In this case, Fakhrul, an accountant at UNIPM and a leader of the Asset Unit, was responsible for reporting the value of all UNIPM’s assets, including biological assets. He was instructed to accurately recognize, measure, and disclose the value of biological assets according to the appropriate accounting standard. Furthermore, UNIPM had been urged to replace the existing accounting standard of the Malaysian Private Entity Reporting Standard (MPERS) with the Malaysian Public Sector Accounting Standard (MPSAS). Fakhrul was considering how to account for and report biological assets according to the new MPSAS. This case is a decision making or ‘unfinished’ case which is suitable for financial accounting and reporting courses. The names of the people and the university are fictitious, but the details were based on actual events. A series of interviews were conducted with the key players to gather the data. Other useful documents such as the university’s annual report, university’s website and the deer reports were also referred. Expected learning outcomes The primary objective of this teaching case is to provide an opportunity for case users to understand both the accounting framework and the methods recommended for recording specific assets in agricultural activity. More specifically, the teaching objectives of this case are to achieve the following learning outcomes: to identify the relevant accounting standard for recognizing, measuring, reporting, and disclosing biological assets by public universities in Malaysia, to apply the appropriate accounting treatment in recognizing, measuring, reporting, and disclosing biological assets in accordance with the appropriate accounting standard for public universities in Malaysia and to understand the ethical issues involved in deer valuation methods. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Subject code CSS 1: Accounting and finance.