Reducing information asymmetry from the management control perspective: discussion of practices in transparent companies

Abstract

The capital market is supplied with information daily, but when this is made available in an incomprehensible way, it becomes a potential barrier to investment. In order to overcome this shortcoming, constantly improved regulations intensify the need for more and better information. In the managerial context, empirical studies indicate that there is a low level of use of modern Management Accounting tools; however, on a theoretical level, Accounting Theory prescribes that Accounting must effectively meet the needs of its external and internal users. It is thus believed that not only financial but also management information would be apparent in its reports. This investigation aims to verify whether there are differences with regards to the level of reporting of management control practices in the financial statements of companies nominated for the Transparency Award, organized by the National Association of Finance, Administration, and Accounting Executives (ANEFAC), the Accounting, Actuarial, and Financial Research Institute (FIPECAFI) and Serasa Experian, compared with the other companies listed on the São Paulo Stock, Commodities, and Futures Exchange (BM&FBOVESPA). These elements were defined based on a discourse analysis of Management Reports (MRs) and the evidence was tested using Multiple Correspondence Analysis. The sample consists of 19 MRs from publicly-traded companies that were nominated for the Transparency Trophy and 129 MRs from companies listed on the BM&FBOVESPA. The findings show that the companies nominated for the award have some special informational categories in the discourses of their MRs and that these elements are not enough to show differences in the level of transparency of management control practices.