SME perceptions of the independent review and accounting skills on bank financing: South African perspective

The purpose of this paper is to present the results of a meta-analysis of the relationship between determinant factors and tax evasion based on deterrence approach. Using the meta-analysis method, each statistical result of empirical studies is converted into r-pearson as standardized effect size, and then synthesized into a mean effect size in order to increase power and to resolve uncertainty. Theoretically, increasing audit, tax rate and tax penalty will decrease tax evasion. However, the results show that only tax rate has a significant impact on tax evasion. Synthesizing totally 478 outcomes from articles published between 1978 and 2018, there is a robust conclusion that decreasing tax rate is an effective tool in combating tax evasion. On the other hand, audit and penalty are not significant in influencing tax evasion. In addition, the results of heterogeneity analysis suggest that national culture and income level of the country are useful in explaining the impact of audit, tax rate and tax penalty on tax evasion. These findings should be of interest to policymakers. First, instead of sacrificing more resources in conducting audit or imposing more penalty, tax authorities should consider setting the tax rate as low as possible to diminish tax evasion. Second, considering that culture and income level influence the impact of audit and penalty on tax evasion, policymakers should consider national cultural values and income level condition when designing audit techniques and setting penalty structures.

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are a powerful economic force, significant employers, and creators of added value. In the European Union SMEs are the backbone of its economic and innovative potential, and for this reason, economic development and stability of SMEs are critical. The goal of this study is to apply modern controlling to the management of SME value growth using the tools and indicators of financial analysis. This study is based on a detailed analysis of 359 companies from the European Union in order to test 4 hypotheses. The data obtained were subjected to statistical analysis to identify the dependence between the controlling management of a company, tools of financial analysis, innovative potential, level of digitization, internal auditing, and HR communication tools used in the SME. The statistical analysis confirmed a close relationship between the studied variables and created a model for managing the company’s value growth for the study sample of SMEs. Subsequent experimental testing was used to confirm these conclusions, and other important associations were found that are important for successful management of SMEs value growth. The findings obtained are applicable in practice and can be used for a deeper analysis of the issues in question.

Transparency is a challenge for public administration reforms for now and beyond towards modern and better governance. The economic crisis that occurred has led to a large erosion of public confidence in the effectiveness of government financial management. This study aims to analyze the key elements of local government transparency in new public governance. The research data was obtained through financial reports on local government websites. The sample selection technique used purposive judgment sampling and yielded a total of 262 local governments in Indonesia. The analytical method used is logistic regression analysis. The results showed that key elements, reflected by the local government size and local financial independence ratio, had a significant influence on the implementation of internet financial reporting, while audit opinions do not have a significant effect. This is due to changes in public perception of the quality of audit opinions provided by the Audit Board. This study emphasizes that local governments that receive a fair or unfair audit opinion cannot prove with certainty that the local government has performed good or poor financial management. Audit opinions obtained by local governments do not always facilitate the publication of financial statements on their official websites.