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This paper aims to identify the competency domains to be included in a conceptual framework for tax literacy.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to identify the competency domains to be included in a conceptual framework for tax literacy.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a qualitative approach, this study expands on the current understanding of the competency areas of tax literacy. A dual-purpose literature review was, therefore, conducted. The literature review first provided the body of knowledge that underpinned the study and second, the key data concepts for the draft competency structure to determine whether there is consensus on an international (supra) level. The literature review was supported by an interactive qualitative analysis to further present the concept of tax literacy from the perspectives of various national stakeholders in an emerging economy. Accounting and public finance educators from a higher education institution, as well as financial advisers as representatives of a profession with a direct interest in tax-related matters, were considered.
Findings
Although a discipline lens seems to strongly influence the previous authors’ view of what tax literacy means, it was possible to identify certain tax literacy competency domains that should be included in a taxpayer education curriculum. These content domains consist first of a knowledge domain which includes disciplinary, interdisciplinary, epistemic and procedural knowledge components. Second, the skills domain should include components of cognitive and meta-cognitive, social and emotional, as well as physical and practice skills. Third, personal and societal attitudes and values represent the third domain. Fourth, transformative competencies such as value creation, taking responsibility and reconciliation attributes are important. Finally, core foundational competencies, such as numeracy and literacy should be in place.
Practical implications
The draft conceptual framework for tax literacy could serve as the foundation for the further development of a tax literacy measurement instrument, as well as tax education courses.
Originality/value
A more holistic conceptual framework for tax literacy, portraying the multidimensional nature of taxation, is presented in contrast to the limited one-dimensional position presented up to now.
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Amrizah Kamaluddin and Nero Madi
The central issue of this study is to gauge the general level of tax literacy among salaried taxpayers in Sabah and Sarawak. This study is undertaken to shed light on our…
Abstract
The central issue of this study is to gauge the general level of tax literacy among salaried taxpayers in Sabah and Sarawak. This study is undertaken to shed light on our preparedness to face the challenge posed by the implementation of Self Assessment System (SAS) on salaried taxpayers beginning from the year 2004 where taxpayers are expected to be functionally literate to compute their own tax liabilities accurately. For the purpose of this study, samples were randomly taken from salaried taxpayers working in the main cities in Sabah namely Sandaken, Tawau and Kota Kinabalu and Sarawak which were Kuching, Sibu, Bintulu and Miri. Statistical test using One‐Way ANOVA was applied on the mean tax literacy scores by place of work. Relationships between tax literacy scores and place of work were also analyzed by using the Chi‐square test of independence. Some of the findings, among others, indicated that salaried taxpayers in Sarawak were found to be more tax literate compared to their counterparts in Sabah. It was also discovered that the sector of employment is not an important factor of tax literacy. Public and corporate sector employees wee found to be equally literate as indicated by insignificant difference in the mean scores of these two sectors. Overall, it could be inferred that salaried taxpayers in both states are not prepared for SAS in 2004 as reflected by a low percentage of “very literate” category.
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Farah Nabila Md Fadzil and Anna Che Azmi
The purpose of this study is to provide insights into the factors affecting the tax morale of workers in the gig economy. Tax morale is defined as the willingness and motivation…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to provide insights into the factors affecting the tax morale of workers in the gig economy. Tax morale is defined as the willingness and motivation to comply with tax laws.
Design/methodology/approach
Data was collected from gig economy workers through a questionnaire survey and analysed using second-generation multivariate analysis (partial least squares-structural equation modelling).
Findings
The findings reveal that while the extent of the dependency on the gig economy has a positive relationship with tax morale, the level of education has a negative relationship. However, in contrast to reflective moral attentiveness, perceptual moral attentiveness positively influence tax morale.
Originality/value
As no earlier study has examined factors affecting tax morale in the context of the gig economy, this research will be beneficial to tax authorities and policymakers. This study also offers insights into multidimensional aspects of the tax morale of those working in the gig economy.
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Anis Barieyah Mat Bahari and Lai Ming Ling
This study aims (i) to assess the quest for tax education among working adults that pursuing off‐campus non‐accounting program, (ii) to analyze the level of tax knowledge among…
Abstract
This study aims (i) to assess the quest for tax education among working adults that pursuing off‐campus non‐accounting program, (ii) to analyze the level of tax knowledge among the working adults, (iii) to elicit the relevant tax topics to be taught should tax education be integrated into non‐accounting curriculum in higher education. We surveyed 450 working adults pursuing off‐campus non‐accounting program in one Malaysian public university. 190 usable responses were received. The survey found 64 per cent of the respondents were keen to learn taxation, and only 23.7 per cent of the respondents possessed high level of tax knowledge. The topics that they desired to learn the most are basic tax principles, personal taxation, tax planning for individuals and taxation for small business and company. The findings suggest that as we moved into the era of self‐assessment tax system, it is imperative for the accounting academics and the education authorities to seriously consider introducing tax education in non‐accounting curriculum in higher education.
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Prianto Budi Saptono and Ismail Khozen
Even as governments worldwide take extraordinary measures and spend unprecedented amounts of their state budgets to combat COVID-19, tax compliance remains challenging. Therefore…
Abstract
Purpose
Even as governments worldwide take extraordinary measures and spend unprecedented amounts of their state budgets to combat COVID-19, tax compliance remains challenging. Therefore, this study employs previously identified predictors to investigate the factors that persuade individual taxpayers to comply with the law.
Design/methodology/approach
Individual taxpayers in Indonesia (N = 699) who had experienced COVID-19-related benefits were asked to assess the provided evaluation regarding the tax compliance intention and its determinants. The bootstrapping analysis was employed using smart partial least squares (SmartPLS) to test the hypotheses.
Findings
The results suggest that the perceived fiscal exchange, tax morality, tax fairness, tax complexity and the power of authority are significant determinants of tax compliance intention. This study also supports the indirect effects of numerous factors on tax compliance intention through the perceived fiscal exchange and tax morality. In practice, reminding taxpayers of how tax payments fund public services, improving taxpayer morale, increasing the perceived fairness of the tax system, streamlining the tax code and managing the effectiveness of tax administration could all lead to a greater intention to comply with the law.
Originality/value
In addition to highlighting the dynamics of tax compliance amid the unprecedented pandemic crisis, our findings also provide insight into the importance of perceived fiscal exchange and tax morality for achieving and sustaining planned behavior to comply with tax rules.
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Philmore Alleyne and Terry Harris
Tax evasion has been a major problem for governments around the world, with innovative and ever-changing schemes making the practice increasingly difficult to regulate. In light…
Abstract
Purpose
Tax evasion has been a major problem for governments around the world, with innovative and ever-changing schemes making the practice increasingly difficult to regulate. In light of this, this study aims to use the extended version of the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) (Beck and Ajzen, 1991) to predict individuals’ intentions to engage in tax evasion.
Design/methodology/approach
The research adopts a two-stage approach for data collection and analysis. First, the authors obtained survey data from 150 taxpayers in Barbados to conduct multivariate analyses to test the validity of the study’s hypotheses. The authors also used several open-ended questions on the survey instrument to conduct thematic analyses to further explore the influence of the antecedents of intentions to engage in tax evasion. Second, the authors conducted a focus group with two tax officials and three tax advisors.
Findings
The authors find that attitudes toward the behaviour, perceived behavioural control and moral obligation are significant predictors of intentions to engage in tax evasion. Factors cited as encouraging tax evasion are perceived fairness, tax authorities’ institutional infrastructure and responses, potential financial benefit, perceptions of inequality, low level of trust in tax authorities, perceived poor use of tax revenues and poor treatment of taxpayers. Conversely, factors cited as discouraging tax evasion include fear of prosecution, high morals and potential adequate governmental regulation.
Research limitations/implications
The study measures intentions to engage in tax evasion rather than actual behaviour. The study does not measure social desirability bias.
Originality/value
This paper tests the applicability of variables used in the extended version of the TPB to predict intentions to engage in tax evasion in a Caribbean-based emerging economy. It also applies a mixed-methods approach of collecting data from taxpayers, tax advisors and tax officials.
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Richmond Kumi and Richard Kwasi Bannor
The paper aims to examine agrochemical traders’ tax morale in three Ghanaian regions.
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to examine agrochemical traders’ tax morale in three Ghanaian regions.
Design/methodology/approach
Primary data were collected from 92 respondents using structured questionnaires. A multistage sampling technique was employed and used in selecting respondents.. Descriptive statistics, factor analysis and quantile regression analysis were used to analyse data obtained via the questionnaires.
Findings
The study found tax reporting knowledge, tax calculating knowledge and tax payment knowledge to be the keen factors influencing agrochemical traders’ tax knowledge. It was also revealed that age, religion and marriage positively influence the tax morale of traders. Inversely, gender, high level of education and monthly sales were found to affect tax morale negatively. Moreover, trust (respect, trustworthiness and expertise knowledge) negatively influenced tax morale. Authorities’ tax knowledge and power (sanction and lockdown) were revealed to impact tax morale positively. However, tax morale decreases amongst agrochemical traders with higher tax morale when sanction increases.
Originality/value
Unlike previous studies which focussed on tax morale amongst individuals and firms outside the agribusiness sector, this study examined the tax morale within the informal agrochemical trading sector, which has recently attracted colossal patronage due to the high usage of agrochemicals amongst farmers in Africa and Ghana. This study also assumed tax morale to be at different levels; hence the factors that affect the morale at different levels differ. Therefore, the study examined the factors influencing tax morale amongst agrochemical traders by segregating tax morale into quartiles. Relating to theory, the economic deterrence theory was used to ground the study, which is not usually used in most tax morale studies.
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This study aims to shed light on Shari’ah supervisory boards (SSBs) and the possibilities of Islamic banks to reduce the tax avoidance. Performance and Shari’ah compliance have…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to shed light on Shari’ah supervisory boards (SSBs) and the possibilities of Islamic banks to reduce the tax avoidance. Performance and Shari’ah compliance have been extensively studied; however, tax avoidance remains a challenge.
Design/methodology/approach
SSB characteristics, based on resource dependence theory, influence tax avoidance, including SSB size, educational level, expertise, reputation, remuneration and turnover. The samples were obtained from Islamic banks in Indonesia and Malaysia (2010–2020) using the data panel method.
Findings
Islamic banks avoid taxes through the effective tax rate and book tax difference. SSBs who have more expertise play a role in investigating the complexity of tax avoidance, and SSB reputation, who is a member of the Islamic bank regulator, understands immorality, resulting in reduced tax avoidance. Moreover, the recruitment system has been effective, as SSBs with more expertise have become more prevalent. Meanwhile, SSB from a Shari’ah background works only in regulated areas, simplifying Shari’ah compliance, in particular, attestation of financial reporting. A heavy workload is created by cross-membership, resulting in the neglect of the immoral value of tax avoidance. The calculation of tax avoidance also includes remuneration and bank assets.
Practical implications
Given the uniqueness of Islamic banks contributing to social welfare, tax regulators need to review the appropriateness of fees that can be treated as taxes. Tax regulators can join hands with Islamic bank regulators on this review.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is one of the first to examine the characteristics of SSBs and Islamic banks on tax avoidance. Separating Islamic banks by country enriches the analysis.
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Petros Lois, George Drogalas, Alkiviadis Karagiorgos and Aikaterini Chlorou
Governments count on tax revenues in order to finance their fiscal and social activities. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the citizens’ conception of tax compliance and…
Abstract
Purpose
Governments count on tax revenues in order to finance their fiscal and social activities. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the citizens’ conception of tax compliance and examine the factors affecting tax behaviour.
Design/methodology/approach
This survey was conducted through a stratified sample and questionnaires consisted of closed-ended questions. A linear regression and a series of reliability tests including an analysis of variance were conducted with IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences.
Findings
The majority of the respondents demonstrate a positive perspective towards tax compliance and tax administration employees that inspire it. However, while the fairness of the tax system is evident, findings indicate a deeper issue of social and behavioural influences, including the characteristics of tax administrative employees and tax morality.
Research limitations/implications
The findings are subject to over- or sub-representation, since the sample derived from groups whose occupations feature strong tax compliance. The study was conducted in Greece, and it is possible that the results can be generalised to developing countries with similar economic environments and fiscal circumstances.
Practical implications
Non-economic factors affect tax behaviour and the formation of modern tax strategies. This survey enables governments to improve tax compliance rates and increase tax revenues. Fiscal depression tends to decrease state revenues. Tax compliance factors should be taken into account through tax decision-making processes and ensure efficient tax collection.
Originality/value
This paper furthers the existent literature and deepens in non-economic factors of morality, revealing tax behaviours instigated by reasons beyond tax unfairness.
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