The role of segment reporting requirements in enhancing the volume of segmental disclosure of the Iraqi corporations

Abstract

The aim of this research was to analyze the financial reporting requirements of segmental information that stipulated by the Iraqi accounting rules, investigating the extent of it compliance with the requirements of the International Financial Reporting Standard No.8 (IFRS 8) and the Statement of Financial Standards No.131 (SFAS 131). Also the research aimed to identify the segmental disclosure practices in listed corporations on Iraq Stock Exchange (ISX), basing on a hypotheses said that “the insufficient  of Iraqi financial reporting requirements of segmental information affect negatively the volume of segment information disclosures in the annual reports of listed corporations on (ISX), and due to the fact that the Iraqi accounting rules did not specify the segment information disclosure items, rather merely put a general disclosure framework, making it difficult to measure the volume of disclosure in the Iraqi companies, We resort to design an index to measure the volume of segmental disclosures, in the light of the general framework provided by the Iraqi rules and relying on detailed items that required by IFRS 8.

The research carried out on a sample of annual financial reports for the year 2012 of 54 ISX listed corporations’. based on the measurement of the research  variables, diagnosis and testing of it, the research reached to several conclusions including an important role for the segment information in enhancing the quality of the accounting information contained in the financial reports Due to its fundamental and enhanced characteristics that contribute to raising the quality of accounting information and thus enhance the quality of financial reports. The research also found a significant deficiencies of the segment reporting requirements in the Iraqi accounting rules, and a low level of the disclosure of segment information in the researched corporations.