Purpose: The study set out to understand how auditors assess a company’s tone at the top, as an integral component of audit risk which is a significant part of forming an audit opinion. Methodology: The study followed a qualitative exploratory multiple-case research design, using individual semi-structured interviews to collect data from audit partners and a group interview to collect data from inspectors from the audit regulatory body. Findings: The findings provided insights into the procedures how ethical leadership and an ethical organisational culture, which were deemed central to a company’s tone at the top, were assessed. Despite these assessments being done before and throughout an audit, assessments before an audit seemed to be emphasised. While the audit engagement partner took responsibility for tone-at-the-top assessments, audit files contained limited evidence of such involvement. Originality/Value: The insights from this study could be useful to auditing firms in enhancing their audit methodologies and training programmes on assessing a company’s tone at the top and the documentation thereof, specifically during the planning of an audit and to evidence audit engagement partner involvement. The findings may also inform the audit regulatory body in providing best-practice guidelines to auditors on the assessment of a company’s tone at the top. Despite the study’s South African orientation, the findings are globally relevant, given the inclusion of the Big 4 auditing firms and firms adhering to the International Standards on Auditing.

Purpose: The purpose of this research was to investigate the relationship of a CEO’s organizational and personal characteristics and firm performance. This study also examines how debt-to-equity ratio (capital structure) mediates the impact of CEO’s characteristics toward firm performance. Manufacturing companies listed on Bursa Efek Indonesia (BEI) between 2016 and 2019 are the focus of this study. Design/methodology/approach: The research sample is chosen using the purposive sampling approach. The SmartPLS software was used to evaluate the data in this investigation. This study uses Tobin’s Q as measurement of firm performance. The tenure, age, gender, and education of a CEO are all factors to CEO’s characteristics. Debt to equity ratio will be used as capital structure. Findings: The results of this study show that CEO’s tenure has significant positive impact on firm performance. CEO’s characteristics (age, gender, education) show a positive but insignificant impact on firm performance. Finally, the debt-to-equity ratio does not serve as a mediating factor in the link between CEO's characteristics and firm performance. Practical implications: These findings will be extremely beneficial to management in terms of improving a firm's performance by controlling the qualities of a CEO. Originality/value: This article adds to the body of knowledge in the field of firm performance research which explored the function of capital structure in mediating the influence of CEO’s characteristics on firm performance.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to find out how the influence of the disclosure of sustainability reporting on the value of state-owned enterprises (SOEs). Research Methodology: The research approach used quantitative. This research sample selection method uses a purposive sampling method with a total of 8 SOEs listed in IDX that meet the criteria. Results: sustainability reporting has a significant negative effect on firm value, this indicates that the disclosure of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) by the company reduces the value of state-owned companies listed on the BEI. Most companies only focus on financial factors and companies pay less attention to non-financial factors such as CSR, it can be seen that the level of CSR disclosure made by the company is very low. Limitations: Data limitations then this study only uses a sample of SOEs listed in IDX and does not add good corporate governance variables to improve the relationship between sustainability reporting and company’s value. Contribution: based on stakeholder theory to improve the relationship between stakeholder and company, SOEs must disclose CSR activities to improve the organization image and impact on the increasing value of the firms. Adding GCG as a moderation variable can maximize sustainability reporting in SOEs.

Purpose: Cost behaviour is the response of costs to changes in the volume of activity of businesses. In the literature, cost behaviour is discussed in two ways: symmetrical and asymmetrical. Firstly, this study aims to analyze the data on sales revenue and cost items related to sales of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) with the help of the ABJ model in terms of cost stickiness. Another aim of the study is to determine the decision-making styles of the managers who make investment decisions in these enterprises. Thus, cost stickiness can be interpreted in terms of the manager’s decision- making style in the companies that make up the sample. Methodology: A balanced panel data analysis method was used to test the cost stickiness levels in the study. The decision-making styles scale was used to determine the decision-making styles of the managers. Findings: The study concluded that the cost stickiness theory was valid for all variables in a one-year period, while the stickiness level of only general management expenses decreased in a two-year period. In addition, it has been determined that the managers of the enterprises adopt the rational decision-making style. Originality/Value: To measure the cost stickiness level of a business, various cost and revenue figures that occur in that business over long periods are needed. Companies do not want to share this data with third parties or institutions for various reasons. For this reason, studies on cost stickiness have been carried out on large- scale enterprises that have to offer their financial statements to the public. The originality of this study is that it tests the theory of cost stickiness for small and medium-sized enterprises. In addition, it is thought that the study is important in terms of considering cost stickiness together with the decision-making style of the manager.

Purpose: This study was motivated by the fact that despite several recommendations being proffered by researchers, some of these noble suggestions just remain in paper. Furthermore, the problem of transfer pricing (TP) manipulation is more detrimental to the African continent as well as the fact that it is far from being addressed. Through a scoping review, this study sought to synthesise research evidence on the possible solutions to minimise transfer pricing manipulation in African countries through categorisation of these recommendations into key themes. Methodology: This study employed a qualitative research approach through a scoping review. Through a comprehensive review of literature, the nature and extent of the possible solutions to curbing illicit financial flows through transfer pricing was identified, assessed and evaluated for applicability. Considering that transfer pricing is a hot topic and legislation is still in its infancy in African countries, database searches were done through Google scholar for both peer reviewed articles and grey literature. Findings: The findings revealed that solutions can be grouped into three categories, which include politically oriented, legislative focused and administrative recommendations. It was evident that there is need for political commitment by governments, improvements to the current legislation as well as enhanced administrative capacities of revenue authorities in order to reduce TP abuse. Originality or Value: Transfer pricing manipulation in international trade is a challenge in most developing economies. Transfer pricing and tax evasion are important and topical concerns as they relate to base erosion and profit shifting in developing countries. This is linked to the fact that ethical practices, corruption, illicit financial flows and other similar concepts speak to Sustainable Development Goal 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions). In response to challenges of transfer pricing and the need to ensure maximum revenue mobilisation, developing countries have put in place transfer pricing legislation to regulate transfer pricing activities and to reduce the tax revenue losses resulting from transfer pricing manipulation by multinational enterprises. Several studies have been carried out in African countries to investigate the transfer pricing exploitation strategies, assess the effectiveness of transfer pricing legislation in curbing Base Erosion and Profit Shifting. This study sought to provide an aggregated synopsis of recommendations on how to enhance legislation and effectiveness of the regulation, with the hope that this summary would provide policymakers with a one-stop shop for possible solutions as well as evaluating their applicability.

Purpose: The present study examines the relationship between profit quality and return and risk. Design/methodology/approach: The research hypotheses are tested using a sample consisting of six industries listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange during the years 2014 to 2019 and using multiple regression based on the technique of integrated data and t-test. Findings: The findings indicate that there is a significant positive relationship between profit quality and return and investment risk. The first hypothesis of the effect of return and risk on the quality of profit is accepted and the second hypothesis rejected. Practical implications: The capital market, by directing stagnant micro-capitals to the production process, has played an important role in the economies of countries and acts as an important economic indicator. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to the basic decision- making principles of this type of market, especially in Iran, which has a young literature on this subject.

Purpose: This research was conducted to test whether ownership structure has an influence on earnings management using the control variables of leverage, company size, profitability, and company growth. Moreover, this research aims to find out what type of ownership has more influence on earnings management in Indonesia therefore the authors focus on all types of company ownership as independent variables. Design/methodology/approach: The purposive sampling method is used for the selection of the research samples. This research uses non-financial companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange from 2016 to 2019 as research objects. Earnings management is measured using discretionary accruals which is a Modified Jones Model. The ownership structure is calculated from the percentage of each share ownership in the company. Findings: The results of this research indicate that there is no significant effect of ownership structure on earnings management in Indonesia. Only leverage, company size, and company growth have a significant positive effect on earnings management. Practical implications: This research is useful for improving decision making for corporate governance, as well as providing information to academics about the influence of the supervisory role of ownership structure on earnings management. Originality/value: This article expands on previous research by including the type of ownership structure as an independent variable and examines its effect on earnings management in developing countries.