Coercive Pressures and Anti-corruption Reporting: The Case of ASEAN Countries

Tiyas Kurnia Sari (), Fitra Roman Cahaya () and Corina Joseph ()
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Tiyas Kurnia Sari: Universitas Islam Indonesia
Fitra Roman Cahaya: Universitas Islam Indonesia
Corina Joseph: Universiti Teknologi MARA

Journal of Business Ethics, 2021, vol. 171, issue 3, No 5, 495-511

Abstract: Abstract This paper aims to investigate the extent of anti-corruption reporting by ASEAN companies and examine whether coercive factors influence the level of disclosure. The authors adopt indicators from the Global Reporting Initiative version 4.0 to measure the extent of anti-corruption disclosures in 117 companies’ reports. Informed by a coercive isomorphism tenet drawn from the institutional theory, the authors propose that several institutional factors influence the extent of their voluntary disclosures. The findings reveal that a large degree of variability difference between the average levels of anti-corruption disclosure in Thailand (434 words) and the Philippines (149 words). The dependence on government tenders and foreign ownership are associated with the level of disclosure. Surprisingly, the United Nation Global Compact membership is not a significant determinant of anti-corruption reporting. This signifies that the membership in the international initiative does not correspond to individual company’s commitment to disclose anti-corruption information. In spite of significant efforts undertaken by global organizations to combat corruption, the level of anti-corruption disclosure is significantly different among the four countries under study. The disclosure of sensitive information such as the confirmed incidences of corruption cases requires careful consideration by the top management as it is subjected to legal implications and reputational risks. Thus, impression management can complement the coercive pressure in explaining the level of anti-corruption reporting. This study is among the first studies which explores the association between coercive factors and the level of anti-corruption disclosure in ASEAN region.

Keywords: Anti-corruption; Disclosure; ASEAN; Coercive pressures (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (9)

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DOI: 10.1007/s10551-020-04452-1

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