The designs of financial information disclosure indices on the Internet. A systematic literature review

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to synthesise and describe the designs of indices used in research related to Internet Financial Reporting (IFR). A systematic literature review analysed 46 research articles with a quantitative-explanatory approach; these articles were all dedicated to studying IFR and included information about the index design used. The results allow for the systematisation of the most common designs by the indices, dimensions, and number of items, as well as the theories, methodologies, determining variables, and the most significant findings in academic research. It is concluded that the heterogeneity in the construction and characteristics of these indices is the product of the evolution of this field of research.