Accounting tools
Jafar Babajani; Farrokh Barzideh; Vahid Mohammadrezakhani
Abstract
Public Sector Internal Audit, by delivering reliable and consulting services in line with improvement and eliminate challenges can support organizations to achieve goals and provide better services. The purpose of this study is to provide a model for the establishment of internal audit in the public ...
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Public Sector Internal Audit, by delivering reliable and consulting services in line with improvement and eliminate challenges can support organizations to achieve goals and provide better services. The purpose of this study is to provide a model for the establishment of internal audit in the public sector entities in Iran. The approach of the research is based on qualitative method by using fuzzy Delphi model. The statistical population consisted of 85 experts and elites in the internal audit who were selected as the expert group of the research by using non-probability sampling technique. Finally, after the consensus of the experts, we establish the framework internal audit in public sector by considering external environment and our country criteria. This framework can assisting ministers and heads of state agencies in promoting the level of performance and evaluation of financial and operational accountability in addition to growth and improvement of the financial oversight system and the increase of efficiency, effectiveness and economic scale in the public sector.1- IntroductionInternal audit, as a part of the internal control system and one of the important components of corporate governance, plays a significant role in creating added value by improving the quality level of the organization's operations and activities and complying with laws and regulations and their implementation methods.Internal audit is one of the effective tools in the process of realizing and evaluating the level of financial and operational accountability. In this process, the government acts as a respondent and citizens and representatives will play a role as receivers of the answer. In such a system (if such an approach is accepted), the minister or the head of the executive body, in terms of the heavy responsibility he has for accountability, designs and implements appropriate control mechanisms to ensure compliance with laws and regulations. The questions raised in this research can be summarized as follows:Main question 1: What is the pattern of establishing internal audit in government institutions of the public sector of Iran?The purpose of this research is to provide a model for the establishment of internal audit in the government agencies of the public sector of our country.2- Literature ReviewIn a report, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (2011) examined the role of internal audit and internal control as a means of strengthening the transparency and accountability of the public sector.Gamayouni (2018) in a research investigated the effect of the efficiency of the internal audit function and the implementation of the accrual-based government accounting standard on the quality of financial reporting. Dunya and Barak (2021) addressed the issue of internal control, a lever for good governance of state-owned companies in Morocco.Rahmani et al. (2014) examined the obstacles to the establishment of internal audit units in public universities in Iran. The obstacles facing the establishment of the internal audit unit are placed in 3 main groups: "Cultural, organizational and legal obstacles", "Lack of recognition, training and proper familiarity" and "Obstacles related to the employees of the internal audit unit".Nikbakht et al. (2016) in a research, analyzed Vera's data with the help of open, central and selective coding method which is specific to grounded theory approach. Moradi and Bahri Terali (2017) studied the factors affecting the effectiveness of internal audit in improving internal controls in banks and state-owned companies.3- Research MethodThe current research is an applied and developmental research. In this research, it seeks to know the existing conditions and help in the decision-making process, so it is classified as a descriptive research, and it also seeks to obtain the opinion of a large statistical community on the subject of the research, so it is a descriptive-survey research.According to the use of the fuzzy Delphi method, the statistical population of the research includes experts based on the three characteristics of "presence of representatives of expert groups", "deep knowledge of the research topic" and "breadth of opinion and knowledge". ", from among expert groups such as auditors. The head of the State Court of Audit, auditors of executive bodies, and directors of audit organizations and academic faculty members of universities who have experience in the field of internal audit using non-probability-chain or network sampling method Barfi) were selected.In this research, first, to identify the dimensions, components and indicators of the internal audit establishment model, the subject literature has been reviewed using the library study method. After identification, the examples of these cases in the public sector of our country were examined based on the opinion of experts. Considering the advantages of the fuzzy Delphi method (29FDM) compared to the traditional Delphi method (30TDM), the fuzzy Delphi method has been used in this research.4- Research findingsIn the data collection phase, 85 questionnaires were completed and presented by 100 members of the expert group. 14.1% of the respondents to the questionnaire questions are in the doctoral level, 77.6% are in the master's level, and 8.2% are in the bachelor's degree. 18.8% of the respondents to the questions of the academic questionnaire, 41.2% were accountants and 40% were auditors of the Court of Accounts.According to the education distribution of the respondents who form the expert group, the obtained results are reliable. In this research, we tried to use the most appropriate group to achieve more accurate results. The reliability of the questionnaire was determined by Cronbach's alpha method. If the obtained alpha coefficient is more than 0.7, it has an acceptable reliability test, which was obtained in this research with a coefficient of 94. Therefore, the questionnaires of this research have good reliability. Based on the results of binomial test for all items, the significance level is less than 0.01. Therefore, at the 99% significance level, the ratio of agreement and disagreement is not the same, and because the ratio of agreement is more than 0.5, the initial agreement of the experts with the items is acceptable. After the binomial test, fuzzy analysis was performed using triangular fuzzy shapes. If this number is greater than 7, it is accepted, otherwise it is rejected.5-DiscussionThe importance of the role of internal audit in public institutions has increased in the last two decades. Internal controls and auditing are considered a desirable function to assist public sector management. Because internal audit plays a fundamental role in maintaining public funds, discovering and preventing abuses and mistakes, and improving methods.6-ConclusionIn this research, an attempt was made to present the model of establishing internal audit in a local way. In this regard, with the help of the fuzzy Delphi method, according to the opinion of experts, dimensions, components and indicators were presented in the form of the mentioned model.
Accounting and various aspects of finance
Mohammad Namazi; Amin Nazemi; Navid Reza Namazi; Esmail Moazzeni
Abstract
In this research, operational budgeting was investigated in the form of four groups of contextual factors, structural factors, human factors and other factors on operational and research budgeting with analytical model, balanced evaluation method. The statistical population of this study is all executive ...
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In this research, operational budgeting was investigated in the form of four groups of contextual factors, structural factors, human factors and other factors on operational and research budgeting with analytical model, balanced evaluation method. The statistical population of this study is all executive bodies subject to Article (5) of the Civil Service Management Law. Data were obtained using 182 questionnaires and analyzed using structural equation method and Smart PLS software. In this model, the balanced evaluation method was adapted to the three-part cycle of performance management and a three-part model of performance management, based on balanced measurement, is obtained. The results showed that the identified structures in operational budgeting have a positive and significant effect on the performance of executive agencies. The structures of “structural factors”, “human factors” and “other factors affecting the implementation of operational budgeting (including personality, acceptance and ability)” have a positive and significant effect on performance, but the structure of “underlying factors” has a significant effect. It does not affect the performance of executive agencies.IntroductionIn traditional budgeting, the goals and emphasis are based solely on financial instruments and accounting of receipts and payments of the public sector (Mio et al., 2022). Also, in the traditional method of budgeting, the ability to plan long-term is limited and the possibility of achieving operations and budget monitoring is very weak.The problem that exists is that organizations pay less attention to budgeting in a new way and as a result, it is not used seriously in strategic decisions. Therefore, the effect of the operational budgeting method on the performance of organizations is not clear (Park & Jang, 2022). On the other hand, despite the sensitivity of the budget and the importance of its economic allocation, this issue has not been seriously considered yet. Therefore, it is necessary to study, discuss and review operational budgeting in organizations.Research QuestionsDespite the different emphasis and requirements of the country's development programs on the implementation of operational budgeting, the following questions are raised:What is the operational budgeting mechanism? What factors, including contextual, structural, human and other factors, are effective on the implementation of operational budgeting? What kind of budgeting model do Iran's executive bodies use? What are the important and influential factors related to operational budgeting? What are the obstacles and problems of operational budgeting in Iran's executive bodies? How to solve the current operational budgeting obstacles and problems?Research hypothesesBased on the theoretical foundations of operational budgeting as well as balanced evaluation and research history, the following hypotheses are presented:The main hypothesis: Operational budgeting variables are effective on the performance of Iran's executive bodies (using the balanced evaluation technique). Sub-hypotheses1) Structural factors in the establishment of operational budgeting are effective on the performance of Iran's executive bodies (using the balanced evaluation technique).2) Background factors in the establishment of operational budgeting are effective on the performance of Iran's executive bodies (using the balanced evaluation technique).3) Human factors in the establishment of operational budgeting are effective on the performance of Iran's executive bodies (using the balanced evaluation technique).4) Other effective factors in the establishment of operational budgeting (including personality factors, acceptance and ability) are effective on the performance of Iran's executive bodies (using the balanced evaluation technique).Literature ReviewThe theoretical foundations of operational budgeting are based on agency theory (Arief, (2020)) and organizational performance improvement (Derfuss, (2016)). In operational budgeting, instead of being based on cost materials, budget information is based on activities, and the results of performance measurement are provided with performance reports. The design and implementation of operational budgeting in any organization is based on three important factors: “planning”, “costing” and “organizational performance evaluation”. Activity-based costing (ABC) is the heart of operational budgeting and the main pillar in budget calculations (Azer and Khadivar, 2013), because activity-based costing is much more suitable for planning and control than traditional methods and provides more accurate information in this field. makes (Namazi, 1998 and 1999).MethodologyThis research is among the few researches that uses the scientific method of construction and experimental proof and is carried out based on pre-determined hypotheses and research plans. (Namazi, 2003). The method of data collection is a questionnaire. The information obtained from the measurement of the variables for the purpose of research tests was used from structural equations and the information was analyzed using Smart PLS version 2 and SPSS version 25 software.ResultsThe value of the T statistic and its statistical significance for the first main hypothesis and all balanced evaluation factors at the 95% confidence level shows as follows:The main hypothesis test: The structures identified in operational budgeting have a positive and significant effect on the performance of executive bodies.The first sub-hypothesis: The structures identified in the operational budgeting structural factors have a positive and significant effect on the performance of executive bodies.The second sub-hypothesis: The strength of the model and the background factors of operational budgeting do not have a significant effect on the performance of executive bodies.The third sub-hypothesis: The structures identified in human factors of operational budgeting have a positive and significant effect on the performance of executive bodies.The fourth sub-hypothesis: The structures identified in other effective factors in operational budgeting have a positive and significant effect on the performance of executive.DiscussionThe purpose of this study was to expand the theoretical foundations and provide empirical evidence in the field of operational budgeting in Iran. This development was done by presenting a conceptual model, explaining the organization's strategy and presenting 5 balanced evaluation criteria and testing related hypotheses. The findings of the study confirmed the theoretical foundations of operational budgeting and balanced evaluation. The results of the main hypothesis test of the research showed that the structures identified in operational budgeting have a positive and significant effect on the performance of executive bodies.ConclusionThe findings of the first, third and fourth sub-hypothesis showed that the structures identified in the structural factors, human factors and other operating budgeting factors of operational budgeting, have a positive and significant effect on the performance of executive bodies.The results of the second sub-hypothesis test showed that the variable of operational budgeting background factors does not have a statistically significant effect on the performance of executive bodies. The reason for this can be related to the governmental nature of executive bodies, non-compliance with the requirement to establish operational budgeting and cultural factors such as the resistance of employees and managers to new changes in the body.
Accounting report
Mohammad Javad Salimi; Ghassem blue; Maghsoud Amiri; Hamed Zakeri
Abstract
The earnings forecasts report is considered as one of the most important and effective reports in investors' decision-making. The purpose of this study is to present an earnings forecasts reporting framework in Iran's capital market. To achieve this research goal, the earnings forecasts reporting framework ...
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The earnings forecasts report is considered as one of the most important and effective reports in investors' decision-making. The purpose of this study is to present an earnings forecasts reporting framework in Iran's capital market. To achieve this research goal, the earnings forecasts reporting framework was identified first by studying the theoretical foundations and the background of the research, as well as interviewing 21 experts using the snowball method and the theme analysis method. Then, through the implementation of the fuzzy Delphi method and solicitation of opinions from 183 experts using a questionnaire and targeted judgmental sampling method, a consensus was reached on the reporting framework, resulting in the presentation of the earnings forecasts reporting framework in Iran's capital market. The research population included university faculty members, employees in regulatory organizations, investors, auditors, and providers of financial information. The research results showed that out of 122 detailed themes extracted through theme analysis, categorized into six main themes and 14 sub-themes, 97 detailed themes obtained the consensus among the Delphi group, thereby forming components of the earnings forecasts reporting framework. The main elements of the earnings forecasts reporting framework encompass generalities, environmental fields, characteristics, consequences, challenges, and evaluation. The findings of this research can serve as a guide for developing financial reporting standards and modifying procedures and regulations.IntroductionThe management forecasts earnings is one of the disclosed information outside the financial statements, which reflects the management's forecast about the future prospects. This report is one of the most important sources of information for companies in the capital market. Corporate management possesses considerable information advantages about contingencies related to future profitability. Management disclosures are considered a valuable and potential source of information for investors. Investors are interested in estimating the future benefits of their investment so that they can assess receiving future cash earnings as well as the value of their shares. Therefore, the expected earnings from companies are important for investors and beneficiaries to make investment decisions.How to present the earnings forecast report has been a challenging issue in recent years. Therefore, in the current situation, examining the framework and reporting method of earnings forecasting in the Iranian capital market using the opinions of experts is regarded as an essential need.Considering the importance of earnings forecast reporting for investors, the problem of the current research is: What is the earnings forecast reporting framework in Iran's capital market? Additionally, what are the components of this framework based on the country's economic and capital market conditions? Literature ReviewThere are several reasons for disclosing the information of managers and publishing the earnings forecast report. One reason for this is agency theory, which refers to the conflict of interests between managers and owners. In addition, we can refer to the Signaling theory, Expectation adjustment hypothesis, and Legal liability hypothesis.The primary framework of earnings forecasting reporting includes the purpose, users, limitations, environmental fields, characteristics, and consequences.Hirst et al. (2008) provided a framework regarding management earnings forecasting. They categorized earnings forecasts into three components including antecedents, characteristics, and consequences. They concluded that earnings forecasting characteristics are less explored in both theoretical and empirical research, despite managers having the most control over this component.Preussner and Aschauer (2022) synthesized the literature on management earnings forecasts and adaption mechanisms, combined existing theories into a unifying framework. Overall, the literature review provides strong support for a positive correlation between the extent and credibility of management earnings forecasts, on the one hand, and stock returns, share liquidity, and analyst coverage, on the other hand. Earnings forecasts tend to be optimistically biased, with a positive correlation with forecast uncertainty, earnings flexibility, financial distress, investor sentiment, and the share price dependency of managers' remuneration. Firm growth, legal liability, and litigation risk are significantly associated with forecast pessimism.Until 2017, listed companies in Tehran Stock Exchange published an independent report titled earnings forecasts report. The Securities and Exchange Organization announced in a notification that since January 2018, the Issuers are not allowed to publish earnings forecasts report. Instead, they are required to prepare and disclose the management's interpretive report alongside the interim and annual financial statements. Recently, as of July 2021, the return of the earnings forecast report was announced with a new procedure for five industries.MethodologyTo achieve the goal of the research, the primary framework was first identified by studying the literature review and theoretical background. Semi-structured interviews were then conducted with 21 experts using the snowball sampling method. The data from the interview was analyzed using the theme analysis method and the earnings forecasts reporting framework was extracted according to the country's environmental characteristics. Finally, the fuzzy Delphi method was implemented and opinions were gathered from 183 experts through a questionnaire and targeted judgment sampling method to reach a consensus on the earnings forecasts reporting framework.The statistical population of the research included university faculty members, employees in regulatory organizations, investors, auditors, and providers of financial information.ResultsThe research results showed that out of 122 detailed themes extracted through theme analysis, which were categorized into 6 main themes and 14 sub-themes, 97 detailed themes obtained consensus from the Delphi group and were identified as components of the earnings forecasts reporting framework. The main themes of the framework are generalities, environmental fields, characteristics, consequences, challenges, and evaluation. Each main theme consists of sub-themes. For example, the generalities theme includes sub-themes such as purpose, users, and limitations. The environmental fields theme covers aspects related to the forecast environment and company characteristics. The characteristics theme encompasses the method of publishing, features, text of the report, and assurance. The consequences theme addresses the consequences of publishing and non-publishing. The challenges theme explores the challenges in the environment and the company. Lastly, the evaluation theme focuses on the evaluation of the disclosure procedure.DiscussionThe findings of this research can serve as a valuable guide for developing financial reporting standards and modifying procedures and regulations.The paper has some limitations. The use of questionnaires, which is common in humanities research, is inherently limited, and this research is no exception. The time limitation, the diverse knowledge base of the experts, and their interest in the research topic may have influenced the quality of the experts' responses to the questionnaire.ConclusionThis research has presented the earnings forecasts reporting framework in Iran's capital market, consisting of 6 main themes. The results of this study can help Iran's Accounting Standards Development Committee in developing standards. Furthermore, the Securities and Exchange Organization can use the framework, particularly for the evaluation theme to modify and present regulations related to earnings forecasting reporting. Additionally, investors can use the results of this research to enhance their understanding about the earnings forecast report and make more informed investment decisions. Issuers can also use the framework to improve information disclosure and prepare reports.AcknowledgmentsI am grateful to all the esteemed professors and experts who helped me in this way. I would also like to express my gratitude to the staff of Allameh Tabataba’i University for their cooperation.
Accounting and various aspects of finance
Javad Shekakhah; Iraj Asghari
Abstract
This article deals with modeling the long-term performance of IPOs in the Tehran Stock Exchange and OTC. Due to the difficulty of determining the definition of the long-term period, modeling was initially conducted for 12 periods. These periods ranged from 3 to 36 months. The purpose of this modeling ...
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This article deals with modeling the long-term performance of IPOs in the Tehran Stock Exchange and OTC. Due to the difficulty of determining the definition of the long-term period, modeling was initially conducted for 12 periods. These periods ranged from 3 to 36 months. The purpose of this modeling was to analyze and compare the results and identify the most suitable periods for explaining the long-term performance of IPOs. Modeling has been conducted at the portfolio level using a Stepwise approach. For this purpose, the monthly time series was formed, and data from 236 IPOs in the Tehran Stock Exchange and OTC markets from 2009 to 2022 have been analyzed. The results showed that the return of the portfolios formed from initial offerings could be explained at a satisfactory level. While the primary factor in explaining the long-term performance of IPOs is market return, the profitability, and its distribution also play a significant role. Finally, the most suitable periods for use as the definition of the long-term period are 12, 21, and 27 months.IntroductionThe long-term performance of Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) has always been disputed by researchers. The inherent challenges of conducting long-term research and the complexities associated with Initial Public Offerings have led researchers to use different methods resulting in inconsistent findings.A prevalent approach in studying long-term IPOs is the use of “factor models” to identify the factors influencing IPO portfolio performance. However, the literature has presented and utilized several factor models. Examples of these models include Fama and French (1993), Carhart (2004), Fama and French (2015), and Ho et al. (2015). Despite some similarities, each of these models employs different factors and variables to explain IPO performance. In recent years, many researchers have criticized the use of these common models in their respective countries, citing reasons such as ineffectiveness of these models. These researchers argue that neglecting the socio-economic context of societies can lead to misinterpretation of return and yield inappropriate results for decision-makers. Consequently, each society should develop and employ its own models. Considering these issues, this research aims to provide models that explain the long-term performance of Iranian IPOs. Specifically, by testing various factors and variables, this study identifies the most effective models for explaining the long-term performance of IPOs in Iran.MethodologyIn this research, a stepwise approach was employed. Monthly data of 236 IPOs between 2009 and 2022 were utilized to construct relevant time series, and the returns of the IPO portfolios were analyzed with respect to potential factors that explain the return. To determine the initial set of variables, a systematic review approach was adopted. Due to the high correlation and multiple proxies for the liquidity factor, the liquidity variables were first reduced to three factors using principal component analysis. In total, 19 different factors and variables were included in the analysis.Given the lack of consensus among researchers regarding the definition of the long-term period, the modeling process in this research considered 12 different periods ranging from 3 to 36 months with a three-month increment. The selection of appropriate models was based on the criteria of accuracy and quality forecast, specifically Theil’s (1975) criterion. Three models that nest met these criteria were chosen, and the corresponding portfolio periods were identified as the defining terms for the long-term period. The validation of the selected models was performed by comparing their adjusted R2 values with those of common models found in the literature. Additionally, out-of-sample testing was conducted using 10% of the data to assess the model’s performance.Results and DiscussionThe research findings indicate that the models developed in this study exhibit a strong explanatory power, accounting for approximately 80% of the variations in the returns of IPO portfolios. Among the different portfolio periods considered, the models constructed using 12, 21, and 27-month portfolios demonstrated superior accuracy and forecast quality according to Theil’s (1975) criteria. As a result, these specific periods were identified as the most suitable definitions for the long-term period in this context. The significant variables identified in the models include market return, profitability, size, and dividend. Although the models generally incorporate a set of relatively common variables, the specific model associated with each defined period can be employed to achieve better results, taking into account the specific characteristics of the long-term period under consideration. Furthermore, it is worth noting that the intercept of the designed models, as well as the intercepts of the common models found in the literature, were found to lack statistical significance.ConclusionBased on the analysis conducted in the research, it can be concluded that utilizing native models specifically designed for IPOs provides a suitable explanation for their long-term performance. The primary factor in explaining the long-term performance of IPOs is found to be the market return. This suggests that the performance of initial offerings is primarily influenced by the overall market conditions, while other variables, such as profitability help modulate this effect. Additionally, the non-significance intercept in the models indicates that there is no evidence of long-term under or over-performance of IPOs in Tehran's financial markets. The superiority of the designed models compared to other common models is evident primarily in the 12-month period. While the performance of the models in other periods depends on the specific model employed.
Financial Accounting
Mohammad ali Karimi; Gholamreza Kordestani; . Kumars Biglar
Abstract
The public financial management system in developing countries faces ongoing challenges. These challenges include ensuring the compatibility of budget planning and discipline with macroeconomics, resource allocation in accordance with poverty reduction strategies, and effectively implementing programs ...
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The public financial management system in developing countries faces ongoing challenges. These challenges include ensuring the compatibility of budget planning and discipline with macroeconomics, resource allocation in accordance with poverty reduction strategies, and effectively implementing programs and activities while monitoring results. This research was conducted to identify the challenges of the public financial management system in the country. This qualitative study utilized the content analysis method to analyze data collected between 1400-1401. The required information was collected and analyzed through semi-structured interviews conducted with 15 experts to identify the challenges related to the country's public financial management systems. The challenges related to various public financial management sub-systems including the tax system, treasury system, asset and debt management system, budgeting system, accounting and financial reporting system, audit system, and performance evaluation system were identified in four elements, financial and non-financial resources, management and governance system, institutional framework, and support structures and in twelve dimensions including lack of financial resources, weak infrastructure and equipment, human resource problems, weakness in executive and operational processes, insufficient support of managers, influence and lobbying, lack of accountability, weak rules and standards, lack of transparency, weak training, non-implementation of accrual accounting, and weak performance budgeting. Identifying these challenges can provide a framework for improving the financial management system and help those involved in reforming the public financial management system.IntroductionStrong public financial management can reduce poverty, increase social justice, meet the information needs of stakeholders to assess accountability, and provide the basis for economic and social satisfaction, and contribute to sustainability in different dimensions. To achieve strong public financial management, there is a need to transform the public financial management subsystems.Studies have shown the necessity for reforming public finance management subsystems (Babajani, et al., 2012; Agha Mohammad et al., 2020; Nyamita, et al, 2015). To initiate reforms and strengthen the public financial management system, it is necessary to transition from traditional approaches to new ones that identify existing challenges and obstacles. By resolving them and building capacity, a foundation can be established for reforming the public financial management system. Therefore, the research question at hand is: What are the challenges facing public sector fiscal management?This research aims to introduce the literature related to the subject and explore the less-investigated issues associated with assessing financial management capacity and challenges within its sub-systems. In other words, the objective is to provide a deeper insight for responsible institutions and researchers to evaluate the capacity and challenges of public sector financial management.2-Literature ReviewThe research literature is presented in two parts: challenges related to public financial management sub-systems and assessing public financial management capacity.2-1: Challenges related to government financial management subsystems.Studies have shown that the tax system, treasury system, asset and debt management system, budgeting system, accounting and reporting system, audit system, and performance evaluation system are facing challenges.2-2: Assessing the capacity of public financial managementWhen assessing public financial management systems, the issue of capacity should be considered as crucial. Olander (2007) introduces four interdependent elements that need to be taken into account when assessing and developing public financial management capacity: management, resources, support structures, and the institutional framework. These elements represent the same challenges and limitations that must be identified and strengthened in the evaluation of public financial management. Doing so creates the necessary foundation for reforming and improving public financial management. MethodologyThis research employed a qualitative design. Data was collected through interviews, and the content analysis approach was utilized for analysis. A total of 15 individuals from the public sector were interviewed as part of the research. ResultsThe research results are presented in two parts.4-1) the codes extracted from the interviews are provided in Table.1, which consists of 7 main categories, 12 subcategories (dimensions), and a total of 70 concept elements (challenge factors).4-2) Research Concept Model.Drawing upon the research findings and recognizing that financial management comprises a comprehensive system of subsystems, the challenges associated with these subsystems also reflect the challenges of the overall financial management system. This is illustrated in Figure 1, which identifies 4 elements and 12 dimensions. DiscussionThe challenges related to public financial management subsystems, namely the tax system, the treasury system, the asset and debt management system, the budgeting system, the accounting and financial reporting system, the audit system, and the performance evaluation system can be grouped into four elements: financial and non-financial resources, management and governance system, institutional framework, and support structures. These challenges span across twelve dimensions, including: lack of financial resources, weak infrastructure and equipment, human resource problems, weakness in executive and operational processes, insufficient support of managers, influence and lobbying, lack of accountability, weak rules and standards, lack of transparency, weak training, non-implementation of accrual accounting, and weakness in performance budgeting. Identifying these challenges provides a framework for improving the financial management system and assists those involved in the reform of the public financial management system. ConclusionTo achieve the goals and capitalize on improvement opportunities, the financial management system must address several challenges. These challenges can be overcome through necessary reforms in the public financial management sub-systems, which require cooperation and coordination among executive bodies. The outcome of these reforms and the resolution of challenges will result in a robust public financial management system. This, in turn, will bring about stable financial income, resource discipline and efficiency, increased accountability and transparency, proper management of public funds, and ultimately good governance.However, it is important to acknowledge an important limitation: The breadth of dimensions and sub-systems related to the research subject. Limited access to experts and familiarity with all relevant topics presented a constraint. One potential solution to address the need for skilled human resources in the public sector is the establishment of a public financial management course. By developing the course curriculum in accordance with the actual needs of the public sector, this limitation can be mitigated.
Accounting and various aspects of finance
Saman Mohammadi; Zahra Oryaie; Ali Naderi
Abstract
Considering the impact of CEO Power on a bank’s performance, CEOs can play a role in social responsibility and earnings management. Given that earnings management in banks can have various effects on other industries and the overall economy, banks tend to practice earnings management more frequently ...
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Considering the impact of CEO Power on a bank’s performance, CEOs can play a role in social responsibility and earnings management. Given that earnings management in banks can have various effects on other industries and the overall economy, banks tend to practice earnings management more frequently than non-financial organizations. Furthermore, due to a lack of transparency and information asymmetry, banks are required to be more accountable to society than other industries. Therefore, this research aims to investigate the impact of CEO Power on the relationship between social responsibility and earnings management in banks. The research sample comprises 16 banks listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange Market and Iran OTC between 2016 and 2021. These banks were selected to test the research hypothesis. The findings of the study suggest that social responsibility has a significant negative impact on earnings management in banks. This implies that an increase in social responsibility may lead to a decrease in information asymmetry and lack of transparency, resulting in a decrease in earnings management. Furthermore, the findings of the study indicate that CEO power does not play a significant role in moderating the relationship between social responsibility and earnings management in banks.IntroductionIndeed, engaging banks in social responsibility practices is expected to be beneficial for their stakeholders. In this context, stakeholders are often attracted to banks with a good reputation for social responsibility. Therefore, executives may engage in social responsibility activities to gain support from stakeholders, defend themselves against stakeholder activism, manage their business reputation, or protect their own careers. However, executives may also engage in social responsibility activities to manipulate earnings management and hide their self-interest motivations, which leads to agency problems. These agency problems arise when executives take opportunistic actions such as earnings management to maximize their profits, increasing the bank's agency costs. Given the influence of powerful CEOs on a bank’s performance, powerful CEOs play a role in social responsibility and earnings manipulation. Therefore, CEO power is one of the most important determinants affecting managers’ decisions.the current research has several important aspects. First, it extends the literature on the effect of commitment to social responsibility activities on firm earnings management, with a specific focus on the banking sector. Second, the research fills a gap in the literature regarding the role of social responsibility in financial reporting. Previous studies have not provided a clear consensus on whether social responsibility commitment has a positive or negative impact on financial reporting quality. Given the diversity of findings reported by previous studies, more research is needed to focus on understanding how social responsibility commitment can affect financial reporting quality, as proxied by earnings management practices.Does social responsibility affect banks' earnings management? Does CEO power have a significant effect on the relationship between social responsibility and earnings management of banks and strengthen this relationship?Literature Review2.1. Corporate social responsibility and earnings managementTo understand the link between corporate social responsibility (SR) and earnings management (EM), previous studies have proposed two perspectives: the ethical perspective and the managerial opportunism perspective. The ethical perspective assumes that EM is negatively associated with SR, while the managerial opportunism perspective argues that EM and SR are positively related. This leads us to our first hypothesis:H1. There is a significant relationship between SR and EM.2.2. Corporate social responsibility, earnings management and CEO powerGiven the influence of powerful CEOs on bank’s performance, powerful CEOs play a significant role in both SR input and earnings manipulation. Therefore, CEO power is considered one of the crucial determinants affecting managerial decisions. Hence, CEO power may have a moderating effect on the relationship between SR and EM. Accordingly, we propose the following hypothesis:H2. Powerful CEOs moderate the SR–EM relationship. MethodologyThe statistical population of this research consists of banks enlisted in the Tehran Stock Exchange Market and Iran OTC. The data from 16 banks for the period between 2016 to 2021 have been analyzed to test the research hypotheses. The statistical method employed in this study is the regression model of mixed data using panel data approach with a random effects estimation.ResultsThe obtained results suggest that social responsibility has a negative and significant effect on bank’s earnings management. In other words, as social responsibility increases, earnings management in banks is expected to decrease. Furthermore, the results show that the significant relationship between social responsibility and earnings management is not maintained when the adjusting variable of the CEO's power is included. In other words, the CEO's power does not have a significant effect on the relationship between social responsibility and earnings management.Discussion and ConclusionWith an increase in activities related to social responsibility, banks experience a decrease in earnings management. This observation aligns with the ethical perspective and the signaling theory, which suggest that social responsibility can serve as a tool to reduce earnings management. Banks with higher levels of social responsibility not only exhibit greater transparency regarding their social responsibility initiatives and stronger engagement with stakeholders, but they also tend to engage in less earnings management. Additionally, the study found that CEO power does not moderate the relationship between social responsibility and bank earnings management. This finding contradicts the theoretical foundations and the research background, which propose that CEOs may use social responsibility to gain stakeholder support, manage their reputation, and defend against stakeholder activism. Therefore, it is evident that relying solely on CEO power and characteristics may not lead to accurate decision-making in this domain. Shareholders and other financial decision-makers should consider factors beyond CEO power when attempting to moderate the relationship between social responsibility and earnings management.
Accounting and various aspects of finance
Gharibe Esmailikia; Raha Mohtasham
Abstract
In recent decades, there has been increasing pressure on governments to improve their performance, and in this regard, the importance of achieving sustainable performance has doubled. The effectiveness of the accounting information system in public sector institutions plays an important role in achieving ...
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In recent decades, there has been increasing pressure on governments to improve their performance, and in this regard, the importance of achieving sustainable performance has doubled. The effectiveness of the accounting information system in public sector institutions plays an important role in achieving sustainable performance. However, the effectiveness of accounting information systems cannot achieve sustainable performance alone due to rapid changes in the world economy. Based on this, there is a growing demand to create a framework of evaluation that is suitable with the characteristics of the public sector organization for directing, managing and evaluating performance towards achieving sustainable performance. Public sector scorecard for measuring performance, is a strategic, result-oriented and multi-dimensional model. This study was conducted with the aim of investigating the relationship between the adoption of the public sector scorecard, the effectiveness of the accounting information system and sustainable performance in the public sector. The statistical population of the research was the financial employees of the governmental offices of Bushehr city, which was determined using Cochran's formula as a sample of 168 people, 175 questionnaires were distributed in 15 governmental offices, and finally 124 completed questionnaires were received and analyzed using structural equations. Data collection was done using Huy and Phuc (2020) questionnaire and data analysis was done using Smart PLS software. The findings showed that the adoption of the Public sector scorecard has a positive and significant effect on the effectiveness of the accounting information system, i.e. data input system, data processing system, data storage system and financial statement system. In addition, the effectiveness of the four components of the information system has a positive and significant effect on sustainable performance.IntroductionThe financial perspective provides a clear picture of the long-term goals of for-profit companies, however, in public sector organizations, this perspective acts as a constraint, not a goal (Kaplan, 1999). The public sector scorecard model is one of the best models used to measure and manage performance in the public sector (Shorvarzi etal, 2011). Accounting information system is considered as a lever to support the effectiveness and efficiency of organizational operations as well as management operations (Huy&phuc, 2020).Due to rapid changes in the global economy, the effectiveness of the accounting information system alone cannot lead to sustainable performance. Based on this, there is a growing demand for an evaluation framework that seems to be appropriate to the characteristics of public sector institutions in order to position, manage and evaluate the functions of the accounting information system in order to achieve sustainable performance. Based on this, adoption the Public sector scorecard is considered a suitable solution for this matter.Research Question(s)The main questions in this research are as follows:Does public sector scorecard adoption has an effect on the effectiveness of accounting information systems (based on its components)?Does the effectiveness of accounting information systems (based on its components) have an effect on sustainable performance in the public sector?Literature ReviewThe limitations of financial resources have caused public sector organizations to continuously review their activities, manage costs, evaluate performance and adopt mechanisms for continuous improvement (Shorvarzi etal, 2011). With the aim of integrating the service improvement and performance management framework used in the public sector, the public sector scorecard was created by Moullin (2017). Balanced scorecard is more than a simple performance evaluation system and can be an important strategic management accounting tool to simplify and transform the organization's mission and strategy (Rashid, 2020). With the aim of improving and promoting accounting performance in order to create useful information for decision-making, accounting information system is a coordinated combination of data input system, data processing system, data storage system and financial statement system. The effectiveness of the accounting information system can only be achieved when each of the mentioned systems can function effectively (Huy&phuc, 2020). The effect of public sector scorecard adoption on the effectiveness of the four components of the accounting information system was considered in four hypotheses. In order to achieve financial and non-financial performance, the accounting information system creates value added for users in terms of providing financial information for planning, control and decision making. Accounting information systems of organizations can improve non-financial performance in the long term and contribute to the sustainable development of the organization. In this regard, the impact of the effectiveness of the accounting information system on sustainable performance was formulated in four hypothesesMethodologyThe statistical population of the research was the financial employees of the governmental offices of Bushehr city, which was determined using Cochran's formula as a sample of 168 people, 175 questionnaires were distributed in 15 governmental offices, and finally 124 completed questionnaires were received and analyzed using structural equations. Data collection was done using Huy and Phuc (2020) questionnaire and data analysis was done using Smart PLS software.ResultsThe results of the eight research hypotheses are presented in Table 1.DiscussionThe findings showed that the adoption of the Public sector scorecard has a positive and significant effect on the effectiveness of the accounting information system, i.e. data input system, data processing system, data storage system and financial statement system. In addition, the effectiveness of the four components of the information system has a positive and significant effect on sustainable performance.ConclusionAccounting information systems play an important role in the activities of organizations, so the special proposal of the research is the need to pay serious attention to the various components of the accounting information system and focus on improving Its effectiveness. Since accounting information systems must measure performance in all aspects, not just the financial aspect, one of the factors affecting this issue is the use of the Public sector scorecard, which can improve the effectiveness of the accounting information system.Sustainable performance requires increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of organizations by taking into account all sustainability factors, so it is suggested to achieve performance sustainability in the public sector in different ways, including paying attention to information prerequisites by providing hard infrastructures. Hardware and software are important, therefore, putting in the agenda to improve the effectiveness of the accounting information system of the public sector through integrated information management can lead to improved performance and in the same direction sustainable performance.
