Improving the Quality of Integrated Reporting Based on Identifying the Effective Factors of Companies Through a Meta-Combination Approach and Quantitative Analysis

Global crises have contributed to the importance and dominance of reporting, particularly integrated reporting in such dimensions of general management as performance, sustainability, and environmental and social reporting. Therefore, the identification of corporate specifications contributing to the improvement of the integrated reporting quality deserves particular attention. The present study employs both qualitative and quantitative approaches to scrutinize the corporate characteristics influencing the integrated reporting quality. From the qualitative perspective, the meta-analysis method serves to recognize factors, among which the influencing ones are identified using two-phase Delphi questionnaire based on experts’ opinions. From the quantitative approach, on the other hand, the data collected from 120 firms listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange during the years 2011-2017 is used to analyze the effect of these factors on the integrated reporting quality. The regression analysis based on panel data is also employed to test the research hypotheses. The results indicate that firm size and growth opportunity are positively correlated with integrated reporting quality. It is also revealed that institutional ownership has a significantly negative association with integrated reporting quality. Corporate governance quality also shows no significant connection with integrated reporting.