Graphical reporting practices in the annual reports of Jordanian banks: An empirical analysis

Abstract

This study aims at investigating graphical reporting practices in the annual reports of Jordanian banks. Data are collected from the annual reports of 15 banks listed on Amman Stock Exchange for the period 2008-2013. The study revealed that graphs are being moderately used by Jordanian banks to present information in their annual reports. The presence of non-executive directors on the boards of Jordanian banks tend to limit graph usage in their annual reports. In addition, the study provides clear evidence for the presence of improperly designed graphs in the annual reports of Jordanian Banks. Thus, regulators in Jordan such as the Security Exchange Commission may need to develop a set of guiding principle for properly designed graphs. Furthermore, effort has to be devoted to encourage firms to comply with these principles.