Hewage, Yashodha Madhavi, Cooray, Arusha, and Ahmed, Rafiuddin (2026) A Review of Corporate Reporting Transparency Quality: Current Status and Future Directions. Australian Accounting Review, 36 (1). pp. 52-89.

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Abstract

This paper critically assesses the current state of the literature and sets an agenda for future research on Corporate Reporting Transparency Quality (CRTQ) in formal corporate reporting. Employing a systematic literature review approach that follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) model and analysing a total of 70 papers, 65 from top-ranked journals and 5 from peer-reviewed journals published between May 2002 and May 2025, the analysis reveals the absence of a clear and universally accepted definition of CRTQ. This highlights the need to broaden the conceptual scope to encompass financial, governance, operational, social, environmental, and risk dimensions. The findings further emphasise the importance of adopting multiple theoretical perspectives to capture the multifaceted nature of CRTQ. Existing studies predominantly rely on disclosure indices that measure the quantity over its quality of information, exposing a critical gap in the literature and demonstrating the need for a multidimensional framework for comprehensive CRTQ assessment. Through a systematic synthesis of existing knowledge and the identification of key theoretical, methodological, and empirical gaps on CRTQ, this review offers valuable insights and directions for academics, practitioners, and regulators committed to enhancing CRTQ. Keywords: Corporate reporting transparency quality (CRTQ), Formal corporate reporting, Comprehensive assessment of CRTQ, PRISMA model, Systematic literature review

Item ID:	92929
Item Type:	Article (Research - C1)
ISSN:	1835-2561
Keywords:	Corporate reporting transparency quality, Formal corporate reporting, Comprehensive assessment of CRTQ, PRISMA model, Systematic literature review
Copyright Information:	This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. © 2026 The Author(s). Australian Accounting Review published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of CPA Australia.
Additional Information:	This publication is out of chapter two of Yashodha Madhavi Hewage's Phd thesis.
Funders:	James Cook University (JCU)
Date Deposited:	12 Aug 2026 23:11
FoR Codes:	35 COMMERCE, MANAGEMENT, TOURISM AND SERVICES > 3501 Accounting, auditing and accountability > 350103 Financial accounting @ 50% 35 COMMERCE, MANAGEMENT, TOURISM AND SERVICES > 3501 Accounting, auditing and accountability > 350107 Sustainability accounting and reporting @ 50%
SEO Codes:	11 COMMERCIAL SERVICES AND TOURISM > 1101 Environmentally sustainable commercial services and tourism > 110199 Environmentally sustainable commercial services and tourism not elsewhere classified @ 100%
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