Integrated information systems and transparency in business reporting

• Published in: International journal of disclosure and governance Vol. 7; no. 3; pp. 216 - 226
• Main Author: Nicolaou, Andreas I
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Palgrave Macmillan UK 01-08-2010; Palgrave Macmillan
• Subjects: Accounting/Auditing; Alliances; Business and Management; Communication; Corporate Finance; Corporate Governance; Data exchange; Design; Extensible Business Reporting Language; Financial reporting; Information sharing; Information systems; Original Article; Supply chains; Systems design; Validity; Value chain; business reporting; integrated systems; information transparency
• ISSN: 1741-3591; 1746-6539
• DOI: 10.1057/jdg.2009.27

Inter-organizational (I-O) relationships have greatly proliferated in the past years. Business organizations are faced with significant risks in the exchange of information in their I-O environment. Research findings show that these exchanges are governed in such a way as to better manage coordinated tasks and enhance the overall quality of information-sharing. Business reporting can be supported by integrated information technologies that enhance transparency in shared information. Integrated information systems may help enact a firm's embeddedness in a value network and thus contribute to establishing an effective information value chain. This article proposes a conceptual business reporting model to show that higher levels of transparency in a firm's information value chain can lead to the creation of organizational capabilities and the realization of relational capital. This article contributes to the current stream of research on business reporting and proposes some conceptual elements in the design of a business reporting model for I-O information-sharing. Future research could expand on these elements and further associate information technology capabilities with a firm's relational capabilities in its information value chain.