DETERMINANTS OF VOLUNTARY DISCLOSURE QUALITY IN JORDAN: EVIDENCE FROM MANUFACTURING COMPANIES LISTED IN AMMAN STOCK EXCHANGE

This paper critically examines the voluntary disclosure quality, and its determinants among manufacturing companies listed on Amman Stock Exchange. The study developed a disclosure index based on prior related studies, and in the light of literature review and previous studies, the determinants of voluntary disclosure were examined. Furthermore, the study relied on information extracted from the annual reports of (40) listed manufacturing companies, for the year 2019, and used different statistics methods and techniques such as mean, standard deviation, correlation and regression to define the voluntary disclosure quality (level), and its determinants. The results indicate that there is a positive correlation between company's size, age, and profitability on one hand, and between the quality of voluntary disclosure on the other hand. In addition, the results indicate a weak and insignificant relation between the assets in place and financial leverage, and the level of voluntary disclosure quality. Finally, this paper advocates that it has become useful for Jordan securities commission to include the items of improved index as a part of the compulsory disclosure, especially with regard to Intellectual capital and Competitive environment voluntary disclosure.