Corporate Internet Reporting in Egypt: A Pre- and Peri-Uprising Analysis

Ahmed Hassan Ahmed (Lead / Corresponding author), Mohamed E Elmaghrabi, Bruce Burton, Theresa Dunne

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    3 Citations (Scopus)
    201 Downloads (Pure)

    Abstract

    Purpose: The purpose of this study is to provide a detailed descriptive account and analysis of corporate internet reporting (CIR) practices among non-financial companies listed on the Egyptian Exchange (EGX) at two points in time – December 2010 (pre) and December 2013 (peri) political and social unrest in Egypt.

    Design/methodology/approach: The study developed a disclosure index to determine the extent of CIR practices among all non-financial companies listed on the EGX in December 2010 and December 2013. The study uses ordinary least squares (OLS) regressions and isometric log-ratio transformations for compositional independent variables to empirically examine the factors affecting CIR in Egypt using a modern institutional theory lens.

    Findings: The findings of this investigation suggest that listed companies in Egypt have started embracing the power of the internet as a disclosure channel, but the extent of these practices increased significantly over the investigated period, with great variations evident among the sampled companies in this regard. Such variations were chiefly dependent on the changing institutional actors over the two time frames. Additionally, the findings show that the time factor is particularly important for a given institutional field to induce a sufficient diffusion of corporate practices, especially in periods with drastic institutional change.

    Practical implications: The evidence presented reflects the voluntary nature of CIR practices and the absence of a reinforced regulatory framework for organizing and monitoring such practices, with companies having discretion in terms of the amount and type of information disclosed via their websites. The results should, therefore, provide useful guidelines for regulators and standard-setters in identifying best practices, which, in turn, should allow CIR practices to become more consistent, making them easier to monitor and govern.

    Originality/value: To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that examines CIR practices at two points in time using a comprehensive disclosure index and a modern institutional theory lens.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)2409-2440
    Number of pages32
    JournalInternational Journal of Organizational Analysis
    Volume31
    Issue number6
    Early online date30 Mar 2022
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 7 Nov 2023

    Keywords

    • CIR
    • Disclosure
    • Egypt
    • Emerging Markets
    • Ownership Structure
    • Institutional theory
    • Ownership structure
    • Emerging markets

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management
    • Strategy and Management

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