آسیب شناسی پافشاری بر افشای جریان های نقدی عملیاتی به روش غیرمستقیم (مقاله علمی وزارت علوم)
درجه علمی: نشریه علمی (وزارت علوم)
آرشیو
چکیده
این پژوهش با هدف بررسی شکاف بین دیدگاه سرمایه گذاران و مدیران مالی نسبت به ارائه جریان های نقدی عملیاتی انجام شده است. روش استفاده شده سه پیمایش جداگانه است که از طریق پرسشنامه های ساختاریافته بر روی نمونه های تصادفی از سرمایه گذاران خصوصی (384 نفر)، مدیران مالی (201 نفر) و حسابرسان (265 نفر) به اجرا درآمده است. شواهد گردآمده از سرمایه گذاران خصوصی نشان می دهد حدود 85 درصد روش مستقیم را برای ارائه جریان های نقد عملیاتی ترجیح می دهند و اطلاعات مربوط به «دریافت های نقدی حاصل از فروش کالا و ارائه خدمات» را به عنوان مهم ترین جریان نقدی عملیاتی تقاضا می کنند. این در حالی است که کمتر از یک سوم آنها معتقد هستند امکان برآورد معقول چنین قلم اطلاعاتی، با استفاده از افشائیات روش غیرمستقیم و سایر صورت های مالی، وجود دارد. از سوی دیگر، در خصوص امکان پذیری تهیه صورت جریان های نقدی به روش مستقیم، دیدگاه تهیه کنندگان و حسابرسان تفاوتی معنادار دارد. بیشتر حسابرسان عضو نمونه معتقد هستند امکان افشای بخش جریان های نقدی عملیاتی به روش مستقیم و با رعایت ملاحظات هزینه - منفعت وجود دارد؛ اما فقط حدود 9 درصد از مدیران مالی چنین اعتقادی دارند. این دو گروه، در خصوص دلایل حمایتی خود نیز اختلاف نظر دارند. بنابراین، از مجموع یافته ها وجود شکاف بین رویه های عملی حسابداران و انتظارات سرمایه گذاران استنباط می شود؛ شکافی که می تواند کیفیت مطلوب گزارشگری مالی را خدشه دار کند. این مطالعه با بررسی دقیق نظرات افراد مرتبط با صورت جریان های نقدی از مرحله تهیه تا استفاده، تلاش کرده است تا ادبیات موجود درباره صورت جریان های نقدی در طول چرخه عمر آن را در محیط ایران توسعه دهد.The Pathology of Insistence on Indirect Disclosure of Operating Cash Flows
This study examines the gap between investors' and financial managers' views on the presentation of operating cash flows. The method used is three separate surveys conducted through structured questionnaires on random samples of private investors (384 people), financial managers (201 people), and auditors (265 people). Evidence collected from private investors shows that about 85% prefer the direct method for presenting operating cash flows and demand information on “cash receipts from customers” as the most important operating cash flow. This is while less than a third of them believe it is possible to reasonably estimate such information using indirect method disclosures and other financial statements. On the other hand, there is a significant difference in the views of preparers and auditors regarding the possibility of preparing a cash flow statement using the direct method. Most of the auditors in the sample believe it is possible to disclose the operating cash flow section directly, considering cost-benefit considerations, for the company whose financial statements they audit; however, only about 9% of financial managers believe so. These two groups also disagree about the reasons for support. Therefore, from the overall findings, it can be inferred that there is a gap between accountants' practical procedures and investors' expectations; a gap that can undermine the desired quality of financial reporting. This study, by carefully examining the opinions of people related to the cash flow statement from the preparation stage to its use, attempts to expand the existing literature on the cash flow statement throughout its life cycle in the Iranian environment.
Introduction
Prior research (e.g., Orpurt & Zang, 2009) suggests that the direct method provides more decision-useful information, particularly for forecasting future cash flows. However, accountants still favor the indirect method, raising concerns about the motivations and potential inefficiencies underlying this preference. This study uses the concepts of “insistence” and “pathology” to critically assess the persistence of this accountants’ behavior and, drawing on agency theory and user-oriented financial reporting, seeks to examine the alignment of current practice with the needs and expectations of stakeholders (particularly private investors); the rationale behind this trend and its implications. Accordingly, the study poses several key questions: How do investors utilize the cash flow statement in practice, and what is their preferred method of reporting? Are investors able to reasonably estimate the components of operating cash flows only available under the direct method? The study also explores the perspectives of financial managers and auditors to assess the feasibility and justification for a shift toward the direct method.
Research Method
In this study, to find the necessary evidence to answer the questions raised, the required data were collected through a survey of target individuals in three communities: private investors, financial managers, and auditors. Given the size of the communities for financial managers of companies (405 companies) and the certified auditors (820 people) and the lack of clarity of the community framework for private investors, using the Morgan table, the sample size for investors will be 384, auditors 265, and financial managers 201. The questionnaires used in the surveys were structured and were distributed and implemented online to increase participation.
Findings
The findings showed that most investors use the cash flow statement in their economic decision-making, and this use is mainly to assess the liquidity and predict the future cash flows of the company. Supplementary findings showed that while investors consider the cash flow statement to be the most useful part of the financial statements in assessing a company's liquidity; however, this financial statement is in third place in terms of usefulness in predicting future cash flows. In examining the preferences of private investors, evidence shows that about 85% of people prefer the direct method for presenting operating cash flows. They consider "cash receipts from customers" as the most important operating cash flow, and most investors who use the cash flow statement in economic decision-making consider direct disclosure of this item to be very important. This is even though less than one-third of investors believe it is possible to reasonably estimate this item using indirect method disclosures and other financial statements. On the other hand, although the findings of this study show that preparers of financial statements cite management discretion as the most important reason for their opposition to the direct method, auditors have a different view. Auditors state that the most important reason is that the indirect method provides a better relation between the cash flow statement and other financial statements. The results show that this disagreement regarding the possibility of disclosing the operating cash flow section using the direct method also exists between preparers and auditors.
Conclusion & Results
The set of findings indicates that there is no clear consensus among professionals on the feasibility of implementing the direct method and the reasons for supporting the indirect method. While accounting standards seek to promote transparency and accountability in financial reporting, ignoring user expectations can reduce the effectiveness of the information provided. Insistence on using the indirect method affects the qualitative characteristics of financial reporting. This method reduces reliability (fair presentation) because it is based on the income statement, which is prone to error and does not rely on initial transactions. Also, the characteristic of "relevance" is impaired, because the findings of this study show that the indirect method is severely criticized for not paying attention to the needs of users. As a result, the lack of compliance of practical procedures with user expectations and the decline in the qualitative characteristics of financial reporting can prevent investors from effectively using the cash flow statement in economic decision-making. The findings of this study highlight the need to revise standards and the requirement to use the direct method.
تبلیغات
