Purpose – This paper aims to examine empirically whether the system of public expenditure reporting is capable of delivering financial accountability, focusing on the UK government's use of private finance for roads. Design/methodology/approach – Publicly available documents from the public...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyse whether the development of a needs-based funding formula for resource allocation incorporates the needs of funders or the needs of the service providers. Design/methodology/approach – The paper analyses interview data and documentary evidence...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to consider changing perceptions of audit quality in the UK during a period of significant environmental change. The views of three audit stakeholder groups of auditors (n=109 and 183), auditees (n=75 and 121), and investors (n=74 and 111) are considered....

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of audit quality, measured by financial statements audited by the big four accounting firms, on the investors' ability to predict future earnings for profitable and unprofitable firms. Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine whether voluntary disclosure and dividends signal future earnings for decline earnings growth firms. It seeks to inform regulators (and managers) about the potential benefits of increased disclosure and increased dividends to investors for...

Purpose – Much current academic writing focuses on the changing nature of work in the services sector, particularly with regard to the implementation of new technological processes. Bringing attention back to a traditional industry, coal mining, the paper aims to consider the impact of...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine risk disclosures by UK companies within their annual reports. Tests are performed to measure the level of the readability of the risk disclosures and to assess whether directors are deliberately obscuring bad risk news....

Purpose – The purpose of the paper is to explore whether there is any relationship(s) between social and environmental disclosure and the financial market performance of the UK's largest companies. Design/methodology/approach – Two data sets were used in the study. The CSEAR database of UK...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine the extent to which social, ethical and environmental (SEE) disclosure is being integrated into institutional investment. The aim is also to investigate the interplay between private and public SEE disclosure. Design/methodology/approach –...