The study investigates the association between the effectiveness of the board of directors and the likelihood that a company receives a modified audit opinion (as a measure of the quality of companies’ external financial reporting) in Malaysia. The sample companies were extracted from the population of publicly-available information mainly the annual reports of publicly-listed companies on the Bursa Malaysia. 136 firm-year observations listed on Bursa Malaysia were identified to examine the relationship between the effectiveness of the board of directors and a modified audit opinion. Data used in this study are collected from two separate sources – annual reports and Datastream. Any missing financial figure from Datastream was acquired from the annual reports. To test the study’s hypotheses, we use the pooled cross-sectional logistic regression analysis for 136 firm-year observations listed on Bursa Malaysia over the period 2009-2011. The evidence we have uncovered is consistent with the hypothesis that companies with large score of the board of directors’ effectiveness are less possible to receive a modified audit opinion. Therefore, the result confirms that the combined effect of the board of directors’ characteristics has a significant negative association with the likelihood of the companies receiving a modified audit opinion.

본 논문에서는 고리 1호기 해체 비용 추정을 위해 외국 원자력발전소 해체 비용 데이터를 현가화한 후 원자력발전소 해체 비용 추정 회귀 분석모델을 개발하였다. 이 모델 개발에 사용된 데이터는 해체 또는 진행 중인 BWR 13기, PWR 16기의 해체 비용 데이터이다. 회귀 분석모델 도출을 위해, 해체 비용을 종속변수로 정하고, 해체 원전의 운전 특성을 반영할 수 있게 고 안된 Contamination factor와 해체 기간을 독립변수로 선정하였다. 빅데이터 분석 도구인 R language의 통계패키지를 이용 하여 회귀 분석모델을 도출하였다. 이 회귀 분석 모델을 적용하여 고리 1호기 해체 비용을 예측한 결과, 미화 663.40~928.32 백만 달러, 한화 약 7,828.12억~1조 954.18억 원이 소요될 것으로 예측되었다.

This paper investigates the effect of the involvement of the board chairman in the audit committee (AC) on earnings management (EM). It examines Bursa Malaysia-listed companies with the lowest positive earnings for the years 2013 to 2015. The Modified Jones Model by Kasznik (1999) was used to determine discretionary accruals. An AC that includes its board chairman as an ordinary member is associated with greater discretionary accruals. However, a board chairman who is also the chairman of the AC does not seem to influence discretionary accruals. This paper supports the agency theory and policy-makers’ efforts to prevent board chairmen from sitting on ACs. It is the first study that uses the agency theory to describe the association between the board chairman’s involvement in the both AC and EM. This study alerts policy-makers, stakeholders and researchers to the influence of a board chairman serving on the AC in curbing EM. Furthermore, it provides empirical evidence that the majority of Malaysian companies whose board chairmen are involved in the AC appoint the chairman as an ordinary member of the AC. This indicates that executive directors may affect such actions. Hence, more policies are needed to improve AC independence.

Purpose: Prior studies rarely investigated the effects of the Word of Mouse (WoM) information on consumers’ motivation and willingness to purchase a product. Furthermore, few scholars have studied how word-of-mouth information works and they fail to find consistent results. Research design, data and methodology: This study uses a multivariate regression model to investigate the influence of WoM on consumer attitudes and consumer decision-making. It categorizes the quality of WoM into source level and acceptance level, to analyze its influence from a new perspective. A total of 400 surveys were completed, resulting in 336 usable questionnaires for analysis. It was collected in 14 cities from all regions in China. This study constructs a theoretical model of WoM influence on consumers' purchase willingness based on a systematic review of the related literature on WoM quality, perceived value, customer trust, and consumers' purchase willingness. Results: Empirical results reveal that the Internet WoM (consumer's source level and acceptance level) indirectly affects consumer behavior by influencing consumer attitudes. Conclusions: This study provides practical significance and value for merchants to develop better WoM marketing and to establish the reliability of WoM websites. Companies should consider online WoM from the perspective of consumers, thereby improving existing marketing strategies.

Using primary data collected through semi-structured interviews conducted during February 2019, this article examines citizen’s awareness and knowledge of Khon Kaen Smart City (KKSC) among the residents of five contiguous municipalities within Khon Kaen Province, Thailand. A self-weighted sample of 420 respondents was selected through a two-stage, 30-cluster sampling process. In the first stage, a sample of 30 artificial clusters of 100 households each was selected. In the second, 14 households were randomly selected from each of these clusters. The head of household or, if unavailable, a resident aged 18 or over was interviewed. The study applies the “citizens as democratic participants” dimension of Simonofski et al.’s (2019) evaluative framework. Results found that, because of ineffective citizen engagement, the levels of awareness and knowledge about KKSC were low. However, multiple logistic regression found that, despite the low levels of awareness and knowledge, education and income could establish an independent effect on awareness of KKSC. Those who completed post- secondary school were more aware of KKSC than those who finished only secondary or primary education. Similarly, the analysis of data clearly indicated that educational attainment, solely and independently from all other socio-economic and demographic variables, could explain the positive effect of education on knowledge about KKSC.

This study aims to get empirical evidence about the influence of budgetary participation and understanding of the accounting system on the performance of local government apparatus with organizational commitment as an intervening variable. The population in this study was structural apparatuses in the Regional Apparatus Organization (OPD) of Sleman Regency, Indonesia, which included offices and agencies with a total of 25 OPDs. 125 people were selected as sample by using purposive sampling based on specific criteria. Data were analyzed based on multiple regression and path analysis (Analysis Path) utilizing the SPSS program. The results of this study indicated that budgetary participation had no positive influence on organizational commitment; understanding of the accounting system had a positive effect on organizational commitment; organizational commitment did not have a positive effect on the performance of local government apparatuses; budgetary participation did not impact positively on the local government apparatuses performance; understanding of the accounting system positively effected the performance of local government apparatuses; participation in budgeting did not have a positive effect on the local government apparatuses performance through organizational commitment; while understanding the accounting system had a positive impact on the local government apparatuses performance through organizational commitment.

The research investigates the impact of the lockdown period caused by the COVID-19 to the stock market of India. The study examines the extent of the influence of the lockdown on the Indian stock market and whether the market reaction would be the same in pre- and post-lockdown period caused by COVID-19. Market Model Event study methodology is used. A sample of 31 companies listed on Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) are selected at random for the purpose of the study. The sample period taken for the study is 35 days (24 February-17 April, 2020). An event window of 35 days was taken with 20 days prior to the event and 15 days during the event. The event (t1) being the official announcement of the lockdown. The results indicate that the market reacted positively with significantly positive Average Abnormal Returns during the present lockdown period, and investors anticipated the lockdown and reacted positively, whereas in the pre-lockdown period investors panicked and it was reflected in negative AAR. The study finds evidence of a positive AR around the present lockdown period and confirms that lockdown had a positive impact on the stock market performance of stocks till the situation improves in the Indian context.

Purpose: Recently, Korean cosmetics distribution market has been reorganized with the H&B store. In the domestic cosmetics distribution market, existing brand road shops are decreasing, and multi-shops are leading the H & B stores, which have greatly improved their experience and content. In these environmental changes, the offline distribution channels are turning into the multi-editing shops that have introduced products of various brands and greatly enhanced experiences and contents. Nevertheless, most studies of factors and measurement items for measuring customer experience in the H&B store use Schmitt (1999)'s Strategic Experience Modules (SEMs). Therefore, the purpose of this study is to propose a measure that is practicable through consideration of the in-store customer experience components of the H&B store. Research design, data and methodology: Based on Schmitt's Strategic Experience Modules (SEMs), which are widely used in customer experience marketing, the metric pool was constructed through customer and literature research on H & B store managers. Since then, 101 preliminary surveys and 211 main surveys have been conducted in order to propose a dimension of customer experience and refine the metrics. Results: As a result of the research, H&B store's customer experience was derived from a measurement model consisting of 19 measurement items in total of five dimensions: environmental experience, intellectual experience, behavioral experience, tech experience, and relationship experience. This study analyzed that compared to the existing Schmitt's Strategic Experience Modules (SEMs), (1) emotional experience expanded to environmental experience, (2) Cognitive and relationship experiences are maintained (3) behavioral experience was subdivided into physical and technical experiences. In particular, the environmental experience has been proposed as a major component is an important point because the H&B store recently opened a large flagship store and is competitive in constructing a differentiated space. Conclusions: Related experience was seen as an important component of customer experience in the offline store, but in the process of refining the scale, interaction items with employees of the H&B store were removed, and rather, participation in the APP or SNS channel of the company, event Participation, interaction with other customers, etc. appear to be important, while suggesting the practical implications.

Purpose: Islamic banking products and services have always claimed to be unique from its traditional interest-based counterpart. However, in practice, many Islamic banks are alleged to have drifted away from its paradigm version. The purpose of this study is to gauge the perception of university students in Malaysia towards Islamic banking products. Research design, data and methodology: Data were collected from 250 Malaysian university students. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was performed to test proposed hypotheses to identify factors influencing customers‘ perception toward Islamic banking products. Results: The main finding indicates that most of the respondents are familiar with Islamic banking products and consider Islamic banking products as useful as it s conventional counterparts. The regression results show that respondents are less convinced of adherence to Shari‘ah, efficiency and helpfulness of existing Islamic banks. Conclusions: This is a cue to the Islamic banks‘ stakeholders that they need to realign their practices in an ethically responsible way in accordance with Shari‘ah if they wish to secure existing customers and attract potential ones. In a competitive banking environment, most banks provide efficient and readily available service; thus, focusing on this as a strategy hardly distinguishes an Islamic bank from an interest-based bank

An economic downturn can occurred through unexpected events in various fields, such as the subprime mortgage crisis and the outbreak of Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19). Trade credit is important for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), especially during a monetary contraction, as it is the last option for firms that lack bank credit. This study aims to determine whether trade credit is profitable for the buyer and supplier firms during and after a financial crisis. We use panel data consisting of all trade credit transactions and financial statements of 5,751 Korean firms during the period 2008–2012. It shows that trade credit is more profitable for both buyers and suppliers in the post-crisis period than during the crisis. Moreover, trade payable is more effective for unconstrained buyers than for constrained buyers. Finally, a mixed strategy is superior to an aggressive or passive strategy of SMEs. The results suggest less profitability of trade credit during a period of contraction and greater sensitivity of the buyer SMEs, emphasizing the idiosyncratic liquidity strategy of each firm. This study can be helpful to develop a strategy of profitable trade credit for SMEs and to establish a policy of managing liquidity for the authority.