Exploratory research on integrated reporting and integrated thinking at organisations level

Abstract

The paper aims to provide a rigorous and systematic overview of the academic literature focusing on the role of integrated reporting (IR) and integrated thinking (IT) in achieving sustainable development at entity level, outlining the benefits, and challenging for the implementation of integrated thinking and integrated reporting. Literature review to respond to the following research questions: Which is the interconnection between integrated thinking and integrated reporting? Why organizations should embed integrated thinking and reporting? How do companies approach information integration? The literature review is done with the purpose of emphasizing the benefits and challenges, the interconnection between integrated reporting practices and the principle of integrated reporting. Design/methodology/approach. The paper proposes an analysis of a database containing 50 publications in English with a publication up to 2021, a content analysis is conducted. The methodology involves selection of the articles on integrated reporting and thinking, data on publications, journals and authors. Preliminary Findings. The notoriety of IR and IT is not spread uniformly across countries, the adoption rate varying due a legitimate framework globally accepted. Further, IR having the foundation on IT principles, is perceived by business environment as an innovation in the field of corporate and sustainability reporting. Companies are embracing the “transformation” of their reporting moving the direction of transparent communication towards stakeholders, changing corporate governance, and improving decision making process, increasing performance. However, there is still a lack of championship from organizations side to improve processes and to do a massive transformation in the management mindset and to install integrating thinking mentality across organisation. Originality/Value The study shows that IR concept is subject of relevant academic research without a direct connection to IT. Lately, the academic research is more focused in developing IT connecting organizations internal processes by bringing people together, creating value and maximizing the benefits. Up to the present moment, there is a gap between academic literature and practice, between formalised IR adoption and practice at organisation level. CZU: [657.37:06.055.5]:657.1; DOI 10.5281/zenodo.6700138