H. I. Hussain, Katarzyna Szczepańska-Woszczyna, Fakarudin Kamarudin, Nazratul Aina Mohamad Anwar, M. Saudi
Research background: Microfinance institutions (MFIs) play an important role in alleviating poverty. Thus, MFIs should be efficient in order to ensure that their objectives on social welfare and financial performance can be achieved by identifying the potential determinants, specifically on social globalisation. Purpose of the article: This paper examines the impacts of the social globalisation dimensions of interpersonal, informational, and cultural globalisations on the financial and social efficiency of MFIs. Methods: The data period covered the years 2011?2018; the data set consists of 176 MFIs from six Asian countries. The Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) approach was employed to examine the MFIs? efficiency levels. Generalised Least Square (GLS) regressions were used to analyse the impacts of social globalisation and other determinants towards the efficiency of MFIs. Findings and value added: Interpersonal globalisation had a significantly negative correlation with social efficiency, suggesting that increasing the number of foreigners in management intrudes on local managers? decisions. Informational globalisation had a significantly positive correlation with financial and social efficiency, which signifies that more information produces monopolistic profits in this industry. Finally, cultural globalisation had a positive correlation with social efficiency, demonstrating that a global trading culture improves the abilities and technological skills for labour development and enhances MFIs? social efficiency. In general, the Cobb Douglas Production theory explained the understanding of the impacts social globalisation has on MFI efficiency. Furthermore, the findings from this study could provide important scientific, practical gap and contribute new insights and implications to various parties. Firstly, governments or policymakers can establish effective national policies and strategies. Secondly, this study could support investors in monitoring and understanding the performance of MFIs. Finally, the research could fill scholarly gaps and uncover more potential factors that influence the efficiency of MFIs.
{"title":"Unboxing the black box on the dimensions of social globalisation and the efficiency of microfinance institutions in Asia","authors":"H. I. Hussain, Katarzyna Szczepańska-Woszczyna, Fakarudin Kamarudin, Nazratul Aina Mohamad Anwar, M. Saudi","doi":"10.24136/oc.2021.019","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24136/oc.2021.019","url":null,"abstract":"Research background: Microfinance institutions (MFIs) play an important role in alleviating poverty. Thus, MFIs should be efficient in order to ensure that their objectives on social welfare and financial performance can be achieved by identifying the potential determinants, specifically on social globalisation. \u0000Purpose of the article: This paper examines the impacts of the social globalisation dimensions of interpersonal, informational, and cultural globalisations on the financial and social efficiency of MFIs. \u0000Methods: The data period covered the years 2011?2018; the data set consists of 176 MFIs from six Asian countries. The Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) approach was employed to examine the MFIs? efficiency levels. Generalised Least Square (GLS) regressions were used to analyse the impacts of social globalisation and other determinants towards the efficiency of MFIs. \u0000Findings and value added: Interpersonal globalisation had a significantly negative correlation with social efficiency, suggesting that increasing the number of foreigners in management intrudes on local managers? decisions. Informational globalisation had a significantly positive correlation with financial and social efficiency, which signifies that more information produces monopolistic profits in this industry. Finally, cultural globalisation had a positive correlation with social efficiency, demonstrating that a global trading culture improves the abilities and technological skills for labour development and enhances MFIs? social efficiency. In general, the Cobb Douglas Production theory explained the understanding of the impacts social globalisation has on MFI efficiency. Furthermore, the findings from this study could provide important scientific, practical gap and contribute new insights and implications to various parties. Firstly, governments or policymakers can establish effective national policies and strategies. Secondly, this study could support investors in monitoring and understanding the performance of MFIs. Finally, the research could fill scholarly gaps and uncover more potential factors that influence the efficiency of MFIs.","PeriodicalId":46112,"journal":{"name":"Oeconomia Copernicana","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":8.5,"publicationDate":"2021-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44570675","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Research background: Tax evasion is an urgent challenge for governments, as reaching sufficient level of tax revenues enable adequate sustainable economic development. The motivation for the research was thus the identification of the situation in the EU countries. Purpose of the article: The main research objective was to identify the extent of tax evasion in the EU countries, with a subsequent specific focus on the econometric predictive models and a forecast of their future development in the case of Slovakia as the poorest performing country of the V4 in this area. Methods: The research was primarily based on testing selected statistical indicators in the field of tax evasions expressed on the basis of the VAT gap. The data for the research was obtained from the EUROSTAT database and the international system VIES for the period between 2000 and 2017. In addition to panel graphs, the research hypotheses were tested primarily using a cluster analysis, t-test, time series analysis, and an analysis of the time series trend with 4 basic models: linear trend, quadratic trend, growth curve model, and S-curve model. On the basis of the Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE), the S-Curve model was selected as the determining model of predicting tax evasion. Findings & value added: Based on the results of the cluster analysis, the EU countries were divided into five reference groups by the VAT gap value, using the VAT gap percentage share on the overall GDP value. The research also provides a unique methodological framework and a unique econometric model for predicting the future VAT gap in Slovakia as the poorest performing country of the V4 in this area, which is applicable to other V4 and EU countries. The research results also enable policy-makers in the EU countries and specifically also in Slovakia and other V4 countries to compare themselves explicitly with the reference countries of the EU in terms of tax evasion and subsequently adopt adequate measures to improve the effectiveness and performance in this field.
{"title":"Tax evasion in the EU countries following a predictive analysis and a forecast model for Slovakia","authors":"J. Dobrovič, R. Rajnoha, P. Šuleř","doi":"10.24136/oc.2021.023","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24136/oc.2021.023","url":null,"abstract":"Research background: Tax evasion is an urgent challenge for governments, as reaching sufficient level of tax revenues enable adequate sustainable economic development. The motivation for the research was thus the identification of the situation in the EU countries. \u0000Purpose of the article: The main research objective was to identify the extent of tax evasion in the EU countries, with a subsequent specific focus on the econometric predictive models and a forecast of their future development in the case of Slovakia as the poorest performing country of the V4 in this area. \u0000Methods: The research was primarily based on testing selected statistical indicators in the field of tax evasions expressed on the basis of the VAT gap. The data for the research was obtained from the EUROSTAT database and the international system VIES for the period between 2000 and 2017. In addition to panel graphs, the research hypotheses were tested primarily using a cluster analysis, t-test, time series analysis, and an analysis of the time series trend with 4 basic models: linear trend, quadratic trend, growth curve model, and S-curve model. On the basis of the Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE), the S-Curve model was selected as the determining model of predicting tax evasion. \u0000Findings & value added: Based on the results of the cluster analysis, the EU countries were divided into five reference groups by the VAT gap value, using the VAT gap percentage share on the overall GDP value. The research also provides a unique methodological framework and a unique econometric model for predicting the future VAT gap in Slovakia as the poorest performing country of the V4 in this area, which is applicable to other V4 and EU countries. The research results also enable policy-makers in the EU countries and specifically also in Slovakia and other V4 countries to compare themselves explicitly with the reference countries of the EU in terms of tax evasion and subsequently adopt adequate measures to improve the effectiveness and performance in this field.","PeriodicalId":46112,"journal":{"name":"Oeconomia Copernicana","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":8.5,"publicationDate":"2021-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44396799","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
K. Valaskova, P. Adamko, Katarina Frajtova Michalikova, Jaroslav Macek
Research background: The paper investigates the earnings management phenomenon in the context of Central European countries, attempting to identify the factors and incentives that can influence earnings management behavior on a sample of 8,156 enterprises from Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland. Purpose of the article: The main purpose of the manuscript is to prove that there are significant differences in earnings management practices (measured by discretionary accruals) across the countries and to find the firm-specific features that influence the way enterprises manage their earnings. Methods: The modified Jones model was used to calculate the discretionary accruals, which are further analyzed across the countries. The statistically significant differences were confirmed across the countries. Thus, the impact of the economic sector, firm size, firm age, legal form, and ownership structure on earnings management behavior is studied by the Kruskal-Wallis test. The Dunn-Bonferroni post hoc tests then revealed the significant differences across the categories of the investigated earnings management determinants. To find the association between the particular earnings management practice (income-increasing or income-decreasing manipulation), correspondence analysis was used to visualize the mutual relations. Findings & value added: The results of the realized investigation revealed that the economic sector is one of the most important earnings management determinants, as its statistical significance was confirmed in each analyzed country. The correspondence analysis determined specific sectors, where income-increasing manipulation with earnings is practiced (NACE codes F, J, K, M, N), and vice versa, income-decreasing earnings management is characteristic for enterprises in sectors A, C, D, G or L. In specific economic conditions, firm size is also a relevant indicator (Hungary), or firm age and legal form and ownership structure (Poland). The recognition of crucial earnings management incentives may be helpful for authorities, policymakers, analysts and auditors when identifying various techniques and practices of earnings manipulation which could vary across the sectors and taking necessary measures to mitigate potential financial risks.
研究背景:本文研究中欧国家背景下的盈余管理现象,试图以斯洛伐克、捷克、匈牙利和波兰的8156家企业为样本,找出影响盈余管理行为的因素和激励因素。文章目的:本文的主要目的是证明各国盈余管理实践(以可支配应计利润衡量)存在显著差异,并找到影响企业管理盈余方式的企业特有特征。方法:采用修正的Jones模型计算可自由支配应计利润,并对各国的可自由支配应计利润进行进一步分析。统计上的显著差异在各国之间得到证实。因此,本文通过Kruskal-Wallis检验研究了经济部门、企业规模、企业年龄、法律形式和股权结构对盈余管理行为的影响。Dunn-Bonferroni事后检验随后揭示了被调查盈余管理决定因素类别之间的显著差异。为了找到特定盈余管理实践(增加或减少收入的操纵)之间的关联,我们使用对应分析来可视化相互关系。研究结果和附加价值:已实现的调查结果显示,经济部门是盈余管理最重要的决定因素之一,因为其统计显著性在每个分析国家都得到了证实。对应分析确定了具体的行业,其中收入增加操纵与盈余(NACE代码F, J, K, M, N),反之亦然,收入减少盈余管理是A, C, D, G或l行业企业的特征。在特定的经济条件下,公司规模也是一个相关指标(匈牙利),或公司年龄,法律形式和所有权结构(波兰)。认识到关键的盈余管理激励措施可能有助于当局、政策制定者、分析师和审计师识别不同部门可能存在的各种盈余操纵技术和做法,并采取必要措施减轻潜在的财务风险。
{"title":"Quo Vadis, earnings management? Analysis of manipulation determinants in Central European environment","authors":"K. Valaskova, P. Adamko, Katarina Frajtova Michalikova, Jaroslav Macek","doi":"10.24136/oc.2021.021","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24136/oc.2021.021","url":null,"abstract":"Research background: The paper investigates the earnings management phenomenon in the context of Central European countries, attempting to identify the factors and incentives that can influence earnings management behavior on a sample of 8,156 enterprises from Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland. \u0000Purpose of the article: The main purpose of the manuscript is to prove that there are significant differences in earnings management practices (measured by discretionary accruals) across the countries and to find the firm-specific features that influence the way enterprises manage their earnings. \u0000Methods: The modified Jones model was used to calculate the discretionary accruals, which are further analyzed across the countries. The statistically significant differences were confirmed across the countries. Thus, the impact of the economic sector, firm size, firm age, legal form, and ownership structure on earnings management behavior is studied by the Kruskal-Wallis test. The Dunn-Bonferroni post hoc tests then revealed the significant differences across the categories of the investigated earnings management determinants. To find the association between the particular earnings management practice (income-increasing or income-decreasing manipulation), correspondence analysis was used to visualize the mutual relations. \u0000Findings & value added: The results of the realized investigation revealed that the economic sector is one of the most important earnings management determinants, as its statistical significance was confirmed in each analyzed country. The correspondence analysis determined specific sectors, where income-increasing manipulation with earnings is practiced (NACE codes F, J, K, M, N), and vice versa, income-decreasing earnings management is characteristic for enterprises in sectors A, C, D, G or L. In specific economic conditions, firm size is also a relevant indicator (Hungary), or firm age and legal form and ownership structure (Poland). The recognition of crucial earnings management incentives may be helpful for authorities, policymakers, analysts and auditors when identifying various techniques and practices of earnings manipulation which could vary across the sectors and taking necessary measures to mitigate potential financial risks.","PeriodicalId":46112,"journal":{"name":"Oeconomia Copernicana","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":8.5,"publicationDate":"2021-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45076420","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Li He, Jian’ge Tao, Ping Meng, Dan Chen, Mengyin Yan, Laszlo Vasa
Research background: Previous studies on the economic and social development of urban agglomerations mostly focus on a single primacy comparative analysis and efficiency evaluation. Spatial structure differentiation is an important feature of urban agglomeration. The lack of economic and social analysis on the spatial structure makes it impossible to determine the development positioning of each city in the urban agglomeration, which affects the sustainable economic devel-opment ability of these areas. Purpose of the article: The objective of the article is to analyze the spatial development law and experience of urban agglomeration, this study explores the practice of economic and population spatial structure of city areas in China. For this purpose, CPUA and its central city Zhengzhou was taken as an example, the spatial gradient structure of example was analyzed. Methods: Using economic and population data of 32 cities in this region, growth pole theory, and pole-axis theory, the economic and population spatial structure of urban agglomeration, the spatial gradient structure of central cities in urban agglomerations were analyzed with the method of cluster about radiation index. Findings & value added: (1) In the process of the formation of CPUA, the geo-graphical spatial pattern plays a decisive role in economic and social development. This is an experience from developing countries. (2) CPUA presents a gradient development pattern with Zhengzhou as the center, and economic and social development gradually radiates to the metropolitan area, the core development area, and the character development demonstration area. (3) The economic and social gradients of Zhengzhou, the central city, present the hierarchy rules and characteristics which are driven by the Beijing-Guangzhou-Railway axis and the Longhai-Railway axis. (4) The central city of Zhengzhou still presents insufficient primacy in regional development, which shows that Zhengzhou accounts for 6% of the population of the Central Plains Economic Zone and 14% of GDP, and insufficient agglomeration. Different countries at different stages of economic development have different urban agglomeration development models. The conclusions from China provide new decision-making ideas and methods for spatial structure research and development strategy analysis of urban agglomerations.
{"title":"Analysis of socio-economic spatial structure of urban agglomeration in China based on spatial gradient and clustering","authors":"Li He, Jian’ge Tao, Ping Meng, Dan Chen, Mengyin Yan, Laszlo Vasa","doi":"10.24136/oc.2021.026","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24136/oc.2021.026","url":null,"abstract":"Research background: Previous studies on the economic and social development of urban agglomerations mostly focus on a single primacy comparative analysis and efficiency evaluation. Spatial structure differentiation is an important feature of urban agglomeration. The lack of economic and social analysis on the spatial structure makes it impossible to determine the development positioning of each city in the urban agglomeration, which affects the sustainable economic devel-opment ability of these areas. \u0000Purpose of the article: The objective of the article is to analyze the spatial development law and experience of urban agglomeration, this study explores the practice of economic and population spatial structure of city areas in China. For this purpose, CPUA and its central city Zhengzhou was taken as an example, the spatial gradient structure of example was analyzed. \u0000Methods: Using economic and population data of 32 cities in this region, growth pole theory, and pole-axis theory, the economic and population spatial structure of urban agglomeration, the spatial gradient structure of central cities in urban agglomerations were analyzed with the method of cluster about radiation index. \u0000Findings & value added: (1) In the process of the formation of CPUA, the geo-graphical spatial pattern plays a decisive role in economic and social development. This is an experience from developing countries. (2) CPUA presents a gradient development pattern with Zhengzhou as the center, and economic and social development gradually radiates to the metropolitan area, the core development area, and the character development demonstration area. (3) The economic and social gradients of Zhengzhou, the central city, present the hierarchy rules and characteristics which are driven by the Beijing-Guangzhou-Railway axis and the Longhai-Railway axis. (4) The central city of Zhengzhou still presents insufficient primacy in regional development, which shows that Zhengzhou accounts for 6% of the population of the Central Plains Economic Zone and 14% of GDP, and insufficient agglomeration. Different countries at different stages of economic development have different urban agglomeration development models. The conclusions from China provide new decision-making ideas and methods for spatial structure research and development strategy analysis of urban agglomerations.","PeriodicalId":46112,"journal":{"name":"Oeconomia Copernicana","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":8.5,"publicationDate":"2021-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41335479","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
E. Congregado, Ewa Gałecka-Burdziak, A. Golpe, R. Pater
Research background: We analyse the added worker effect (AWE) and the discouraged worker effect (DWE) from an aggregate perspective. The first effect refers to an increase in labour force participation in response to a decrease in the wage rate. The second effect refers to the decision by workers who have been unsuccessful in their job search to leave the labour market or to decrease their labour force participation. For our analysis, we use the case of Poland, a country with a persistently low labour force participation rate. Purpose of the article: While previous studies focused on the net of the two effects, we aim to analyse the two effects both separately and simultaneously. We propose a new approach for analysing the two effects. We generalise and model them as resulting from different shocks: (i) the AWE as the result of a negative wage income shock, and (ii) the DWE as the result of a positive job search time shock. The underlying assumption is that both shocks have at least a transitory effect on the labour force participation rate. However, we also track the potential long-lasting effects of these shocks, and we analyse the reactions of gender and age groups to them. While this approach demonstrates the robustness of our results, it also provides the range of the sensitivity, as it shows that there are large differences in the magnitude of the AWE and the DWE for different labour market cohorts. Methods: We use the multivariate unobserved component model to extract the AWE and the DWE, and we then use VAR models, applying sign and exclusion restrictions to model the underlying shocks. We use quarterly data for Poland in 1995?2019. Most of these data come from the Labour Force Survey, while the rest come from Statistics Poland. Findings & value added: In contrast to previous literature, which analysed only the net effect of the two effects, we model the AWE and the DWE separately. Contrary to the findings of previous research, our approach seems to confirm that both effects are simultaneously present in the labour market, and both effects influence the labour force participation rate. Thus, we find that both effects are significant. Specifically, we show that the AWE is stronger, but transitory; while the DWE is weaker, but long-lasting.
{"title":"Separating aggregate discouraged and added worker effects: the case of a former transition country","authors":"E. Congregado, Ewa Gałecka-Burdziak, A. Golpe, R. Pater","doi":"10.24136/oc.2021.024","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24136/oc.2021.024","url":null,"abstract":"Research background: We analyse the added worker effect (AWE) and the discouraged worker effect (DWE) from an aggregate perspective. The first effect refers to an increase in labour force participation in response to a decrease in the wage rate. The second effect refers to the decision by workers who have been unsuccessful in their job search to leave the labour market or to decrease their labour force participation. For our analysis, we use the case of Poland, a country with a persistently low labour force participation rate. \u0000Purpose of the article: While previous studies focused on the net of the two effects, we aim to analyse the two effects both separately and simultaneously. We propose a new approach for analysing the two effects. We generalise and model them as resulting from different shocks: (i) the AWE as the result of a negative wage income shock, and (ii) the DWE as the result of a positive job search time shock. The underlying assumption is that both shocks have at least a transitory effect on the labour force participation rate. However, we also track the potential long-lasting effects of these shocks, and we analyse the reactions of gender and age groups to them. While this approach demonstrates the robustness of our results, it also provides the range of the sensitivity, as it shows that there are large differences in the magnitude of the AWE and the DWE for different labour market cohorts. \u0000Methods: We use the multivariate unobserved component model to extract the AWE and the DWE, and we then use VAR models, applying sign and exclusion restrictions to model the underlying shocks. We use quarterly data for Poland in 1995?2019. Most of these data come from the Labour Force Survey, while the rest come from Statistics Poland. \u0000Findings & value added: In contrast to previous literature, which analysed only the net effect of the two effects, we model the AWE and the DWE separately. Contrary to the findings of previous research, our approach seems to confirm that both effects are simultaneously present in the labour market, and both effects influence the labour force participation rate. Thus, we find that both effects are significant. Specifically, we show that the AWE is stronger, but transitory; while the DWE is weaker, but long-lasting.","PeriodicalId":46112,"journal":{"name":"Oeconomia Copernicana","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":8.5,"publicationDate":"2021-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48347823","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Urszula Mrzygłód, S. Nowak, Magdalena Mosionek-Schweda, Jakub M. Kwiatkowski
Research background: We examine the dividend payout policies across companies listed on the main stock exchanges in Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS). Unlike the highly developed capital markets, the literature regarding dividend policy on BRICS? stock exchanges is scarce. Purpose of the article: The purpose of this paper is threefold: verification of the existence of dividend smoothing pattern; selection of the significant drivers that affect both dividend levels and dividend smoothing; examination of differences between dividend policy of cross- and single-listed companies. Methods: Based on a dataset of 564 companies that paid dividends for at least 11 consecutive years in the period of 1995?2015, we apply a GMM two-step estimator to assess the speed of dividend adjustment (SOA) coefficient. Further we employ the linear panel regression to indicate the individual and market determinants of the dividend levels and SOAs. In the latter case, we base on time series of the SOAs obtained from the rolling estimation technique. Finally, we conduct separate estimations for cross-listed companies. Findings & value added: We confirm a moderate level of dividend smoothing within BRICS countries. Among the firm-level characteristics affecting the SOA the most important are: ownership dispersion, age and size of a firm, retained earnings, leverage, long term debt, asset tangibility, liquidity risk ratio, and issuing the depositary receipts (DR). Two relevant market factors are found: market capitalisation and turnover in relation to GDP. Similar characteristics have a significant impact on dividends? levels in the entire sample, whereas in the subsample of cross-listed companies fewer variables are significant. Our paper is the first comprehensive attempt to investigate the dividend policy and determinants of dividend smoothing among BRICS countries.
{"title":"What drives the dividend decisions in BRICS countries?","authors":"Urszula Mrzygłód, S. Nowak, Magdalena Mosionek-Schweda, Jakub M. Kwiatkowski","doi":"10.24136/oc.2021.020","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24136/oc.2021.020","url":null,"abstract":"Research background: We examine the dividend payout policies across companies listed on the main stock exchanges in Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS). Unlike the highly developed capital markets, the literature regarding dividend policy on BRICS? stock exchanges is scarce. \u0000Purpose of the article: The purpose of this paper is threefold: verification of the existence of dividend smoothing pattern; selection of the significant drivers that affect both dividend levels and dividend smoothing; examination of differences between dividend policy of cross- and single-listed companies. \u0000Methods: Based on a dataset of 564 companies that paid dividends for at least 11 consecutive years in the period of 1995?2015, we apply a GMM two-step estimator to assess the speed of dividend adjustment (SOA) coefficient. Further we employ the linear panel regression to indicate the individual and market determinants of the dividend levels and SOAs. In the latter case, we base on time series of the SOAs obtained from the rolling estimation technique. Finally, we conduct separate estimations for cross-listed companies. \u0000Findings & value added: We confirm a moderate level of dividend smoothing within BRICS countries. Among the firm-level characteristics affecting the SOA the most important are: ownership dispersion, age and size of a firm, retained earnings, leverage, long term debt, asset tangibility, liquidity risk ratio, and issuing the depositary receipts (DR). Two relevant market factors are found: market capitalisation and turnover in relation to GDP. Similar characteristics have a significant impact on dividends? levels in the entire sample, whereas in the subsample of cross-listed companies fewer variables are significant. Our paper is the first comprehensive attempt to investigate the dividend policy and determinants of dividend smoothing among BRICS countries.","PeriodicalId":46112,"journal":{"name":"Oeconomia Copernicana","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":8.5,"publicationDate":"2021-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47519311","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Research background: In recent times, the whole world has been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The influence of the epidemic on the society and the economy has caused a great deal of scientific interest. The development of the pandemic in many countries was analyzed using various models. However, the literature on the dissemination of COVID-19 lacks econometric analyzes of the development of this epidemic in Polish voivodeships. Purpose of the article: The aim of the study is to find similarities in time series for infected with and those who died of COVID-19 in Polish voivodeships using the method of dynamic time warping. Methods: The dynamic time warping method allows to calculate the distance between two time series of different lengths. This feature of the method is very important in our analysis because the coronavirus epidemic did not start in all voivodeships at the same time. The dynamic time warping also enables an adjustment of the timeline to find similar, but shifted, phases. Using this method, we jointly analyze the number of infected and deceased people in each province. In the next step, based on the measured similarity of the time series, the voivodeships are grouped hierarchically. Findings & value added: We use the dynamic time warping to identify groups of voivodeships affected by the epidemic to a different extent. The classification performed may be useful as it indicates patterns of the COVID-19 disease evolution in Polish voivodeships. The results obtained at the regional level will allow better prediction of future infections. Decision makers should formulate further recommendations for lockdowns at the local level, and in the long run, adjust the medical infrastructure in the regions accordingly. Policymakers in other countries can benefit from the findings by shaping their own regional policies accordingly.
{"title":"The use of the dynamic time warping (DTW) method to describe the COVID-19 dynamics in Poland","authors":"J. Landmesser","doi":"10.24136/oc.2021.018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24136/oc.2021.018","url":null,"abstract":"Research background: In recent times, the whole world has been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The influence of the epidemic on the society and the economy has caused a great deal of scientific interest. The development of the pandemic in many countries was analyzed using various models. However, the literature on the dissemination of COVID-19 lacks econometric analyzes of the development of this epidemic in Polish voivodeships. \u0000Purpose of the article: The aim of the study is to find similarities in time series for infected with and those who died of COVID-19 in Polish voivodeships using the method of dynamic time warping. \u0000Methods: The dynamic time warping method allows to calculate the distance between two time series of different lengths. This feature of the method is very important in our analysis because the coronavirus epidemic did not start in all voivodeships at the same time. The dynamic time warping also enables an adjustment of the timeline to find similar, but shifted, phases. Using this method, we jointly analyze the number of infected and deceased people in each province. In the next step, based on the measured similarity of the time series, the voivodeships are grouped hierarchically. \u0000Findings & value added: We use the dynamic time warping to identify groups of voivodeships affected by the epidemic to a different extent. The classification performed may be useful as it indicates patterns of the COVID-19 disease evolution in Polish voivodeships. The results obtained at the regional level will allow better prediction of future infections. Decision makers should formulate further recommendations for lockdowns at the local level, and in the long run, adjust the medical infrastructure in the regions accordingly. Policymakers in other countries can benefit from the findings by shaping their own regional policies accordingly.","PeriodicalId":46112,"journal":{"name":"Oeconomia Copernicana","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":8.5,"publicationDate":"2021-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41307531","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
P. Durana, Lucia Michalkova, Andrej Přívara, J. Maroušek, M. Tumpach
Research background: Deteriorating economic conditions and a negative outlook increase the pressure on financial management and the need to show high financial performance. According to Positive Accounting Theory, the growing risk of bankruptcy is associated with the phenomenon of earnings management. Bankruptcy risk and the quality of reported profits, along with other aspects of financial performance, vary throughout the company's life cycle. Nevertheless, these factors or their interactions are investigated only to a very small extent. Purpose of the article: The aim of this study is to clarify the impact of corporate life cycle and bankruptcy on earnings management, in order to describe behaviour of companies at different stages of corporate life cycle. Methods: A hierarchical mixed model with a random time and industry effect was chosen as appropriate because it allows the investigation of multilevel data that is not independent. The sample covers the financial indicators of more than 33,000 Central European companies from 2015?2019. The non-sequential Dickinson model, company age, and three models of accrual earnings management were used as proxies for the company's life cycle and quality of reported profit. Findings & value added: Earnings management and bankruptcy risk have a U-shape, indicating that financially distressed firms reduce reported accounting profit at the Introduction, Decline and, to a lesser extent, at the Growth stage. Slovak and Czech companies manipulate profits to a similar extent, Hungarian companies increase accounting profit to a greatest extent than the surveyed countries by controlling bankruptcy ? life cycle effect; however, the variability of accounting manipulations across industries has not been demonstrated. These findings imply that start-ups and declining businesses provide crooked financial statements to obtain more favourable debt covenants, and estimating discretionary accruals using life-cycle subsamples can improve the predictive power of accrual earnings management models.
{"title":"Does the life cycle affect earnings management and bankruptcy?","authors":"P. Durana, Lucia Michalkova, Andrej Přívara, J. Maroušek, M. Tumpach","doi":"10.24136/oc.2021.015","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24136/oc.2021.015","url":null,"abstract":"Research background: Deteriorating economic conditions and a negative outlook increase the pressure on financial management and the need to show high financial performance. According to Positive Accounting Theory, the growing risk of bankruptcy is associated with the phenomenon of earnings management. Bankruptcy risk and the quality of reported profits, along with other aspects of financial performance, vary throughout the company's life cycle. Nevertheless, these factors or their interactions are investigated only to a very small extent. \u0000Purpose of the article: The aim of this study is to clarify the impact of corporate life cycle and bankruptcy on earnings management, in order to describe behaviour of companies at different stages of corporate life cycle. \u0000Methods: A hierarchical mixed model with a random time and industry effect was chosen as appropriate because it allows the investigation of multilevel data that is not independent. The sample covers the financial indicators of more than 33,000 Central European companies from 2015?2019. The non-sequential Dickinson model, company age, and three models of accrual earnings management were used as proxies for the company's life cycle and quality of reported profit. \u0000Findings & value added: Earnings management and bankruptcy risk have a U-shape, indicating that financially distressed firms reduce reported accounting profit at the Introduction, Decline and, to a lesser extent, at the Growth stage. Slovak and Czech companies manipulate profits to a similar extent, Hungarian companies increase accounting profit to a greatest extent than the surveyed countries by controlling bankruptcy ? life cycle effect; however, the variability of accounting manipulations across industries has not been demonstrated. These findings imply that start-ups and declining businesses provide crooked financial statements to obtain more favourable debt covenants, and estimating discretionary accruals using life-cycle subsamples can improve the predictive power of accrual earnings management models.","PeriodicalId":46112,"journal":{"name":"Oeconomia Copernicana","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":8.5,"publicationDate":"2021-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42144427","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Research background: Risk-taking is the basis for sustainable development of enterprise. It was clear that the influence COVID-19 epidemic on the global market economy has increased operational risks for businesses. The semiconductor industry has high operating risks and financial risks. Moderate financial flexibility (FF) can improve the ability of semiconductor enterprises to acquire financial resources in real time, calmly cope with the impact of uncertainties in operation, improve investment opportunities, and enhance sustainable operation. It is therefore interesting to study the influence of FF on enterprise risk-taking (ERT). Purpose of the article: The aim of the contribution is to explore the effect of FF on ERT within Taiwan?s semiconductor industry amid the COVID-19 pandemic period, and investigate whether ERT varies with semiconductor industry characteristic. Methods: Data from first three quarters of 2020, from multinational semiconductor firms listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TSE), were collected and analyzed. Fixed effects regression with heteroscedasticity adjustment used to evaluate the influence of FF on the ERT of Taiwan?s semiconductor industry. Furthermore, in order to corroborate and support the reliability of the results, this research also used the different measures of ERT and Quantile regression (median regression) in the research model to check the robustness. Findings & value added: Empirical results indicate that FF has a U-shaped effect on ERT for multinational semiconductor firms listed on the TSE, particularly within the integrated circuits (IC) manufacturing industry. Additionally, FF also has a U-shaped effect on ERT for the asset-light semiconductor and IC manufacturing industries. This article also suggests that for the asset-light semiconductor and IC manufacturing industries, the optimal inflection points are 1.1397 and 0.9729, respectively. Based on the consequences of this study, it is suggested that Taiwan?s semiconductor industry should reasonably maintain FF and focus on the liquidity risk management for the long term value added, even after the COVID-19 pandemic period.
{"title":"The nonlinear relationship between financial flexibility and enterprise risk-taking during the COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan?s semiconductor industry","authors":"Bao-Guang Chang, Kun-Shan Wu","doi":"10.24136/OC.2021.011","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24136/OC.2021.011","url":null,"abstract":"Research background: Risk-taking is the basis for sustainable development of enterprise. It was clear that the influence COVID-19 epidemic on the global market economy has increased operational risks for businesses. The semiconductor industry has high operating risks and financial risks. Moderate financial flexibility (FF) can improve the ability of semiconductor enterprises to acquire financial resources in real time, calmly cope with the impact of uncertainties in operation, improve investment opportunities, and enhance sustainable operation. It is therefore interesting to study the influence of FF on enterprise risk-taking (ERT). Purpose of the article: The aim of the contribution is to explore the effect of FF on ERT within Taiwan?s semiconductor industry amid the COVID-19 pandemic period, and investigate whether ERT varies with semiconductor industry characteristic. Methods: Data from first three quarters of 2020, from multinational semiconductor firms listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TSE), were collected and analyzed. Fixed effects regression with heteroscedasticity adjustment used to evaluate the influence of FF on the ERT of Taiwan?s semiconductor industry. Furthermore, in order to corroborate and support the reliability of the results, this research also used the different measures of ERT and Quantile regression (median regression) in the research model to check the robustness. Findings & value added: Empirical results indicate that FF has a U-shaped effect on ERT for multinational semiconductor firms listed on the TSE, particularly within the integrated circuits (IC) manufacturing industry. Additionally, FF also has a U-shaped effect on ERT for the asset-light semiconductor and IC manufacturing industries. This article also suggests that for the asset-light semiconductor and IC manufacturing industries, the optimal inflection points are 1.1397 and 0.9729, respectively. Based on the consequences of this study, it is suggested that Taiwan?s semiconductor industry should reasonably maintain FF and focus on the liquidity risk management for the long term value added, even after the COVID-19 pandemic period.","PeriodicalId":46112,"journal":{"name":"Oeconomia Copernicana","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":8.5,"publicationDate":"2021-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"69085618","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Loredana Mihalca, Lucia Lucia Ratiu, Gabriela Brendea, D. Metz, M. Dragan, F. Dobre
Research background: The global COVID-19 pandemic created an unprecedented challenge not only for employees? well-being, but also for the nature of their work, as teleworking became the norm for many of them almost overnight. Thus, there is a need to a more fine-grained understanding of the specific job demands experienced while teleworking during COVID-19, and the specific resources that mitigate the detrimental effects of demands and help employees to adopt resilient responses during and beyond COVID-19. Purpose of the article: Drawing upon the job demands-resources model, the present study aims at investigating the link between work overload (a job demand) and employee well-being (i.e., burnout), considering role clarity (a job resource) as a mediator, and task interdependence and self-efficacy as two potential boundary conditions. Methods: In order to examine the link between work overload, role clarity and emotional exhaustion moderated by task interdependence and self-efficacy, we used survey data from 701 Romanian employees at a large information technology company, who worked from home during COVID-19. We employed regression-based path analysis to examine the hypothesized relations. Findings & value added: The results reveal that role clarity partially mediates the relation between work overload and emotional exhaustion while teleworking during COVID-19. Moreover, the results from the moderated mediation analysis show that role clarity, self-efficacy, and task interdependence interact in their effects on emotional exhaustion. This study has important theoretical and managerial implications for employee well-being that go beyond the pandemic. As this study shows, when high levels of workload and task interdependence cannot be avoided, employees? personal (self-efficacy) and job (role clarity) resources might be particularly useful to reduce their exhaustion while teleworking. Based on these results, managers can design better jobs for remote workers and more flexible work arrangements in the future.
{"title":"Exhaustion while teleworking during COVID-19: a moderated-mediation model of role clarity, self-efficacy, and task interdependence","authors":"Loredana Mihalca, Lucia Lucia Ratiu, Gabriela Brendea, D. Metz, M. Dragan, F. Dobre","doi":"10.24136/OC.2021.010","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.24136/OC.2021.010","url":null,"abstract":"Research background: The global COVID-19 pandemic created an unprecedented challenge not only for employees? well-being, but also for the nature of their work, as teleworking became the norm for many of them almost overnight. Thus, there is a need to a more fine-grained understanding of the specific job demands experienced while teleworking during COVID-19, and the specific resources that mitigate the detrimental effects of demands and help employees to adopt resilient responses during and beyond COVID-19. \u0000Purpose of the article: Drawing upon the job demands-resources model, the present study aims at investigating the link between work overload (a job demand) and employee well-being (i.e., burnout), considering role clarity (a job resource) as a mediator, and task interdependence and self-efficacy as two potential boundary conditions. \u0000Methods: In order to examine the link between work overload, role clarity and emotional exhaustion moderated by task interdependence and self-efficacy, we used survey data from 701 Romanian employees at a large information technology company, who worked from home during COVID-19. We employed regression-based path analysis to examine the hypothesized relations. \u0000Findings & value added: The results reveal that role clarity partially mediates the relation between work overload and emotional exhaustion while teleworking during COVID-19. Moreover, the results from the moderated mediation analysis show that role clarity, self-efficacy, and task interdependence interact in their effects on emotional exhaustion. This study has important theoretical and managerial implications for employee well-being that go beyond the pandemic. As this study shows, when high levels of workload and task interdependence cannot be avoided, employees? personal (self-efficacy) and job (role clarity) resources might be particularly useful to reduce their exhaustion while teleworking. Based on these results, managers can design better jobs for remote workers and more flexible work arrangements in the future.","PeriodicalId":46112,"journal":{"name":"Oeconomia Copernicana","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":8.5,"publicationDate":"2021-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41825097","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}