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1 – 10 of over 26000This paper aims to increase awareness of work on accounting for natural capital at the national and international level that has been ongoing for many years and has recently…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to increase awareness of work on accounting for natural capital at the national and international level that has been ongoing for many years and has recently culminated in the adoption of international statistical standards for environmental-economic accounting.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper provides the context for work on natural capital accounting with particular links to the measurement of progress and a brief history of the work on natural capital accounting from an official statistics perspective and summarizes the key aspects of the technical and accounting aspects of the new international statistical standards. The paper also outlines some of the limitations of the approach and required research.
Findings
The paper highlights that while natural capital accounting does not provide a complete basis for assessment of sustainable development, a broad body of work is now in place to use accounting approaches for the assessment of environmental sustainability.
Research limitations/implications
The paper observes that much of the work on natural capital accounting from the perspective of the official statistics community has not engaged the academic community and there is strong potential for collaboration to take this work forward particularly in the area of land and ecosystem accounting.
Social implications
The paper describes a framework for the organization of information on the links between environmental and economic issues and an indication of the relevance of this work for the broader measurement of progress. Compilation of data following the framework is intended to provide a broader base of information for public policy and other decisions and thus has the potential to influence social, economic and environmental outcomes.
Originality/value
The paper’s value lies in raising awareness of the work that has been developing outside of the academic community but which likely has many connections to existing research and ongoing policy discussions.
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Manufacturing and service companies are likely to make a variety of costs possible. Environmental costs are one of those costs. Environmental performance is one of the most…
Abstract
Purpose
Manufacturing and service companies are likely to make a variety of costs possible. Environmental costs are one of those costs. Environmental performance is one of the most important factors in assessing a company’s success. For environmental accounting, companies need to work together as teams of system designers, chemists, engineers, production managers, operators, employees, purchasing circle and accountants (those who may have never worked together before).
Design/methodology/approach
Nowadays, most of the companies are facing environmental issues and are seeking an appropriate way to report and disclose the information to the public. The environmental pollution issue is among the most important problems of today’s human society. Therefore, this is very important to use environmental accounting as an attempt towards protecting the environment.
Findings
Green accounting is a type of accounting that attempts to factor environmental costs into the financial results of operations. Apart from answering the question whether the economy has performed sustainably during one or more accounting periods, green accounting indicators [green gross domestic product (GDP)] can be used in policy formulation and evaluation. Green GDP calculations can contribute to raise awareness for sustainability concerns among national governments/policy-makers, who tend to concentrate on their countries’ fast economic development.
Practical implications
Environmental accounting can be applied to large and small companies in various industries, as well as in manufacturing or service sectors. Environmental accounting can be applied on a large or a smaller scale in a systematic manner for the required bases.
Social implications
Environmental accounting requires the collection of information from all the groups. People of various groups need to talk to each other to achieve a common vision and understanding of environmental accounting and to realize this vision.
Originality/value
Undoubtedly, to establish an ideal system of environmental accounting in the country, accountants can become a powerful forearm of the government regarding economical and financial controls. To achieve this goal, environmental accounting objectives and tasks should be identified and defined in detail, and the standards, rules and criteria should be grounded and codified based on reasonable and practical principles.
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Mahdi Salehi, Ali Daemi Gah, Farzana Akbari and Nader Naghshbandi
The purpose of this study is to analyze the predictability of firm level data for determining macroeconomic indicators such as unemployment.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to analyze the predictability of firm level data for determining macroeconomic indicators such as unemployment.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses quarterly GDP and unemployment data manually collected from the Statistical Center of Iran (SCI). Accounting numbers are also collected from the Tehran Stock Exchange library for the 2004-2015 period. Dispersion of earnings growth provides related data about labour reallocation, unemployment change and finally aggregate output. To summarize, this study attempts to examine the effect of these variables using classical and Bayesian approaches.
Findings
At a firm level, our results suggest that sectoral shift in previous years is likely to increase labour reallocation in subsequent years. At the macro level, the results reveal that dispersion of earnings growth and labour reallocation has a negative and positive impact on unemployment changes, respectively. However, the study suggests no significant relationship between stock return and unemployment changes. Consequently, we determine that the real estimates of macroeconomic indicators have predictive power because nominal estimates are not statistically associated with firm-level details. Finally, the results obtained from classical and Bayesian approaches suggest similar findings, thus confirming the robustness of our conclusions. Note that, based on Bayesian approach, the nominal reallocation has predictive power in unemployment rate.
Originality/value
The study is the first conducted in a developing country and the results provide important insight into current line of accounting literature.
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To present empirical and theoretical evidence that our national accounts are improper for model applications. To propose a design for a micro foundation of the basic economic data…
Abstract
Purpose
To present empirical and theoretical evidence that our national accounts are improper for model applications. To propose a design for a micro foundation of the basic economic data that will give analytical national accounts. To present arguments for the need for an academic and scientific foundation of national accounting.
Design/methodology/approach
Reviews published works in the field. In the theoretical discussion simple index algebra and Edgeworth‐Bowley boxes are used.
Findings
Shows that conventional accounting methods and deflation procedures imply inconsistent national accounts.
Research limitations/implications
To fulfill the idea presented, that new designs for sampling of basic data‐based on new data technology have to be considered and developed. Also a new accounting system has to be developed based on modern administration systems.
Practical implications
If the idea is fulfilled a new kind of national accounts suited for meaningful and analytical model applications will be available. The need to revise national accounts will not be a case to consider.
Originality/value
The paper presents theoretical evidence that our national accounts are not analytical, which is requirement for meaningful model applications. National account users should be interested in the proposal and result.
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Doan Ngoc Phi Anh and Duc‐Tho Nguyen
The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive yet concise review of changes which have occurred in Vietnamese accounting regulations and practices since the mid‐1980s…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive yet concise review of changes which have occurred in Vietnamese accounting regulations and practices since the mid‐1980s, and an analysis of prospective developments.
Design/methodology/approach
A combination of analytical review and synthesis of information available from diverse sources, and analysis of information obtained from interviews with 20 middle‐to‐senior practicing accountants.
Findings
Over the past two decades, as Vietnam implemented economic liberalization and developed closer links with Western economies, its accounting system has changed accordingly. The current system is a mixture of conceptual and formal elements taken from Western accounting and some basic features and practices retained from the old (Soviet‐style and French‐influenced) system. Further convergence toward international practices is likely to be slow, especially in the SME sector and in large enterprises that do not attract capital from foreign sources. Developments in management accounting and the accounting profession are also reviewed.
Originality/value
The paper contributes to the literature by providing structured and consistent information about a country which is reported only infrequently in the international literature, and considering both the pros and cons of harmonizing with IAS/IFRS in a developing‐country context.
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Xue Jin, Kedong Yin and Xuemei Li
On the basis of the time series of the land area economy and marine economy data during 1996-2015, the authors study the relationship between land area economy and marine economy…
Abstract
Purpose
On the basis of the time series of the land area economy and marine economy data during 1996-2015, the authors study the relationship between land area economy and marine economy, and divides the relational schema of the land-sea economy by doing causality test of land-sea economy, grey correlation degree analysis and relational schema analysis of the land-sea economy in coastal provinces and cities. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper uses methods such as Granger causality test and grey correlation degree analysis to preliminarily demonstrate the relationship of land-sea economy.
Findings
With Granger causality test, we can draw that there is a causal relationship between the land area economy and marine economy. Further with the relational schema analysis, we can draw that the relationship between marine economy and land economy in 11 coastal provinces and cities can be summed up into four kinds of patterns such as land-sea weak type, land-sea strong type, sea strong land weak type and land strong sea weak type.
Practical implications
For the government and related disaster management departments, when policies are made and relevant measures are taken in the process of planning economic layout of land-sea economy, similar policies or measures may be taken for the same type of provinces, in order to improve administrative efficiency.
Originality/value
The development and utilization between land economy and marine economy has a certain contradiction, which must be balanced to realize the balanced development of land economy and marine economy. Therefore, it is necessary to comprehensively assess the grey relational analysis of land-sea economy, in order to provide the basis for reasonable policies.
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The recent development of the European debt sovereign crisis showed that sovereign debt is not “risk free.” The traditional index bond management used during the last two decades…
Abstract
Introduction
The recent development of the European debt sovereign crisis showed that sovereign debt is not “risk free.” The traditional index bond management used during the last two decades such as the market-capitalization weighting scheme has been severely called into question. In order to overcome these drawbacks, alternative weighting schemes have recently prompted attention, both from academic researchers and from market practitioners. One of the key developments was the introduction of passive funds using economic fundamental indicators.
Purpose
In this chapter, the authors introduced models with economic drivers with an aim of investigating whether the fundamental approaches outperformed the other models on risk-adjusted returns and on other terms.
Methodology
The authors did this by constructing five portfolios composed of the Eurozone sovereigns bonds. The models are the Market-Capitalization RP, GDP model RP, Ratings RP model, Fundamental-Ranking RP, and Fundamental-Weighted RP models. These models were created exclusively for this chapter. Both Fundamental models are using a range of 10 country fundamentals. A variation from other studies is that this dissertation applied the risk parity concept which is an allocation technique that aims to equalize risk across different assets. This concept has been applied by assuming the credit default swap as proxy for sovereign credit risk. The models were run using the Generalized Reduced Gradient (GRG) method as the optimization model, together with the Lagrange Multipliers as techniques and the Karush–Kuhn–Tucker conditions. This led to the comparison of all the models mentioned above in terms of performance, risk-adjusted returns, concentration, and weighted average ratings.
Findings
By analyzing the whole period between 2006 and 2014, it was found that both the fundamental models gave very appealing results in terms of risk-adjusted returns. The best results were returned by the Fundamental-Ranking RP model followed by the Fundamental-Weighting RP model. However, better results for the mixed performance and risk-adjusted returns were achieved on a yearly basis and when sub-dividing the whole period in three equal periods. Moreover, the authors concluded that over the long term, the fundamental bond indexing triumphed over the other approaches by offering superior return and risk characteristics. Thus, one can use the fundamental indexation as an alternative to other traditional models.
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Zuziwe Ntsalaze, Gideon Boako and Paul Alagidede
The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of sovereign credit ratings on corporations in South Africa by assessing whether the sovereign rating assigned to South Africa…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of sovereign credit ratings on corporations in South Africa by assessing whether the sovereign rating assigned to South Africa by credit rating agencies acts as a ceiling/constraint for credit ratings assigned to corporations that operate within the country. The question of whether sovereign ratings are significant in determining corporate ratings was also explored.
Design/methodology/approach
To test the hypothesis regarding the rating of corporates relative to sovereigns, a longitudinal panel design was followed. The analysis employed fixed effects and generalized method of moments techniques.
Findings
The main findings are that sovereign ratings both act as a ceiling for corporate ratings and are important determinants of corporate ratings in South Africa. The findings however indicated that company specific variables (accounting variables) are not significant in explaining credit risk ratings assigned to corporates.
Research limitations/implications
This study only looked at the rating activity done by Standard and Poor’s (S&P). A possible further study could explore the hypothesis tested in this research using data from multiple rating agencies and contrast the results across different agencies. Future studies could also look at crisis periods and how the transfer risk discussed in this paper manifests during the transfer period.
Practical implications
The results have implications for the borrowing costs incurred by corporates in South Africa when participating in the international debt market. The implication is that if the sovereign is poorly rated, the corporates may be limited in their ability to secure investor funding at competitive rates from the international financial markets. Thus, should South Africa be downgraded to non-investment grade by S&P, the implications may be that South African corporates on average may suffer the same fate.
Originality/value
Extant literature predominantly utilizes foreign currency ratings. To the extent that this study uses local currency ratings, it adds a new dimension in the body of related studies.
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The purpose of this paper is to explore the co-movements among emerging markets. The authors, additionally, investigate the driven force of the within emerging markets…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the co-movements among emerging markets. The authors, additionally, investigate the driven force of the within emerging markets integration. The authors provide evidence of volatility clustering, leverage effect and time-varying integration of emerging markets.
Design/methodology/approach
The study used dynamic conditional correlation techniques to estimate the time-varying conditional correlations among emerging markets. The cross-sectional and time series variations in the within emerging markets correlations are then described by various market and economic factors.
Findings
The authors show that investment, domestic credit to the private sector and import of financial services have a positive relation within emerging markets co-movements. However, claim on central government, current account balance and financial services exports have a negative relation with the integration among emerging markets. Evidence is also provided that liquidity and market depth explain the correlation between emerging markets.
Originality/value
The findings show that emerging markets ability to convert domestic assets into investments appears to be the single most important factor influencing with in emerging markets integration. The findings indicate that across-emerging markets diversification potential exists.
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Ameenullah Aman, Asmadi Mohamed Naim, Mohamad Yazid Isa and Syed Emad Azhar Ali
Both developed and developing countries, Muslim and non-Muslim, have been showing keen interest in sukuk financing. This interest was because of the lesson learned by both Asian…
Abstract
Purpose
Both developed and developing countries, Muslim and non-Muslim, have been showing keen interest in sukuk financing. This interest was because of the lesson learned by both Asian and non-Asian economies that having a developed capital market is very essential to enable an economy resilient to the financial crisis. Therefore, this study aims to produce theoretical relationships and identify empirical support for the determinants of sukuk market development.
Design/methodology/approach
By using panel data analysis, the study covers the period from 1993 until 2017, and includes 13 sukuk issuing economies as per the availability of data.
Findings
The findings of the study revealed that the stage of economic development, banking system, money supply and current account balance are positively associated with sukuk market. Interestingly, economic size and exports appear to be negatively associated with sukuk.
Practical implications
To flourish the domestic sukuk market, authorities need to strengthen the existing financial system and economic development.
Originality/value
The study contributes in a limited body of knowledge on determinants of sukuk market development by exploring novel determining factors of foreign capital inflows as well as macroeconomic and financial factors.
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