Search results

The cost of equity (COE) and corporate governance structure are the most critical factors affecting competition among publicly held companies. Accordingly, the present paper aims to examine the relationship between corporate governance and the COE in the wake of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Iraq.

Our statistical sample includes 34 companies listed on the Iraq Stock Exchange from 2012 to 2017. Board structure (i.e. board size, board independence, CEO tenure, board meetings frequency and CEO duality) and ownership structure (managerial ownership, institutional ownership and state ownership) are considered proxies for corporate governance structure. Besides, the authors employ the Capital Asset Pricing Model to measure the COE as our dependent variable. Multiple regression analysis and Exploratory Factor Analysis are also used to estimate the research models.

Our results suggest that corporate governance structure plays a significant role in reducing COE during the ISIS era. Furthermore, the authors find that corporate governance can be an alternative to COE reduction in Iraq’s absence of national security. Our findings also indicate that board size, board meeting frequency, managerial ownership and institutional ownership are negatively associated with COE.

Although this study has been thoroughly considered and cautiously planned, the specific period chosen to conduct the research (i.e. the ISIS era) could be a significant limitation since financial disclosure of listed companies may have been of lower quality during this period. However, to relatively alleviate this limitation and maintain the authenticity of the findings, the authors exclude low-quality financial statements, particularly non-audited financial reports, from the statistical sample. Furthermore, practitioners of emerging markets that are suffering from a weak external corporate governance combination can use the findings of this paper as a guideline to compensate the existing market deficiencies by improving internal corporate governance for observing further cash sources with lower cost. The findings also propose to international agencies that the business environment in Iraq is heavily affected by the ISIS phenomenon and needs financial aid to recover from its side effects. Furthermore, macroeconomists may use this paper to make more decisive macroeconomic indicators predictions.

This paper is among the pioneer investigations and elaborates on how the agency conflict is resolved effectively. The board and managerial characteristics and different forms of ownership might be applicable to provide cheaper funds for companies listed in emerging markets suffering from weak external corporate governance combinations.

The purpose of this study is to cover the ownership structure as (institutional ownership and managerial ownership) influencing the cost of equity in emerging markets.

The authors applied the regression model with the fixed-effect model in the data. Data collected from listed companies in the Iraq-Iran Stock Exchange during 2012-2017.

The authors found a significant positive associated between institutional ownership and the cost of equity in the Iranian and Iraqi contexts. The results also reveal a significant negative associated between managerial ownership with the cost of equity in the Iranian and Iraqi contexts. This means that when managerial ownership is increased, the cost of equity will be reduced. These results support the role of inside ownership to enhance fixed performance by reducing the cost of equity. So, managerial ownership can be a substitute for all shareholders. Moreover, the results indicate a similarity in the impact of the ownership structure on the cost of equity in the Iraqi and Iranian context, this means the similar elements among west Asian countries.

Financial companies such as banks and investment companies were not listed due to the difference in the nature of their work with the other sectors in the Iranian and Iraqi stock exchanges. Moreover, the authors are heavily constrained as listed companies must continue during the study period to calculate the cost of equity. Therefore, the results are difficult to generalize widely.

This international study will enable investors in, as well as local and international investors to take the appropriate investment decision-making in the capital markets in these countries (Iraq and Iran). Moreover, it contributes significantly to helping corporate governance bloggers in Iraq and Iran understand the role of the ownership structure in corporate governance.

This is the first study of the interaction between institutional ownership, managerial ownership with the cost of equity in Iraq, the study will help complete the knowledge gap with developed markets. The results are important in future research because the authors believe that it is very important for the future to look at better for percentage levels of institutional and managerial ownership in the company ownership. Although the contribution is limited, it will provide a useful guide for more papers in other west Asian countries.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the classification of profit-sharing investment accounts (PSIAs) under various accounting standards, and determine whether Islamic banks maintain uniform practices when the same accounting standards are applied. It also aims to determine whether Islamic banks consider investment account holders (IAHs) important financial statement users by disclosing necessary information pertaining to PSIAs.

A sample composed of financial statements from 63 Islamic banks from 15 countries is compared with respect to the information related to PSIAs.

The results show heterogeneity of classification for PSIAs. Applying the same standards does not lead to the uniform classification of PSIAs when banks apply International Financial Reporting Standards, while financial statements applying Financial Accounting Standards by the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions are more similar. The perplexity in classifying PSIAs brings obscurity on the treatment for PSIA-related accounts, particularly returns attributable to IAHs. The fact of fewer disclosures pertaining to PSIAs in Islamic banks – which apply accounting standards not specifically tailored to Islamic finance – suggests that IAHs receive less attention under those accounting standards.

The main limitation relates to the lack of financial statements available online and the possibility of sample selection bias toward larger Islamic banks.

This research contributes to the limited literature on accounting for PSIAs, and reveals the diversity of reporting methods for unique transactions in Islamic banks and the insufficiency of current accounting standards to guide them, which create possible challenges of comparability.

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of business ethics and governance score on tax avoidance.

The sample used consists of 432 European companies belonging to the STOXX600 index during the period ranging from 2010 to 2019. The authors use the linear regression with a panel data.

The results show a negative and significant relationship between business ethics and tax avoidance. In addition, the governance is negatively and significantly correlated with tax avoidance. Similarly, this paper finds a negative and significant joint impact of business ethics and governance score on tax avoidance.

The findings of this paper could help firms consider their future growth opportunities in a context where the approach of business ethics occupies a central position in the business valuation.

This study is motivated by the low number of works in the context of the tax avoidance. It makes an important contribution to the academic literature through adding to the limited body of research on business ethics and governance score in a company setting. The firms strongly focusing on ethics and governance score are more likely to reduce their tax avoidance activities. Thus, these corporations aim to preserve their reputation and image. In this regard, it is worth saying that a positive reputation can increase the shareholder value. Accordingly, companies find a powerful strategy in their commitment and their ethical and responsible behavior, allowing them to maintain their good image and reputation.

The purpose of this paper is to shed light on the reputational risk, which is elusive and difficult to measure due to the lack of its conclusive definition. Literature supports the notion that financial risks may translate into reputational risks that pose threat to bank performance. However, empirical investigations in this context are still at their nascent stage.

This study has used a panel dataset for the sample of 24 conventional and Islamic banks regarding the period 2007–2017 by using a structural equation model.

The results of this study show that reputational risk partially mediates the relationship between financial risks and the performance of conventional banks. However, for Islamic banks, the reputational risk remains insignificant as a mediator. This study provides significant implications to risk managers in banks, regulators and academics to understand the role of reputational risk linked to financial risks for the improvement of bank performance.

This study aims to add to the literature by measuring reputational risk through the shareholders reputational score index, which is used as a mediator to determine whether financial risks of banks affect the performance of conventional and Islamic banks in Pakistan.