Issue #1 (Volume 13 2024)

International capital providers such as the World Bank suggest that inefficient resource allocation in developing countries remains a major challenge for borrowing countries. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine whether the adoption of International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) improves the resource allocation efficiency of developing countries. A robust econometric modeling including fixed effect and Two-Step Generalized Method of Moments is employed on a sample of 64 developing countries between 2005 and 2021. The results are not sensitive to potential endogeneity issues. The findings indicate that the IPSAS coefficient is significantly and positively correlated at a 5% level or higher. This suggests a strong and significant relationship between IPSAS adoption and resource allocation, indicating that using IPSAS improves efficient resource allocation. Additionally, the resource allocation coefficient is positive and highly significant at a 5% level or higher. These results are particularly notable in countries with low bureaucratic quality, suggesting that IPSAS adoption strengthens policies and regulations in the public sector’s financial structure, ultimately leading to more efficient resource allocation. Therefore, these findings imply that adopting IPSAS is crucial for developing countries to ensure efficient resource allocation and attract international capital providers.

This study undertakes a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of publications pertaining to the external public debt management system. The paper aims to study the evolution of scholarly discourse surrounding the external public debt management domain, highlighting contributions, methodologies, and collaborative networks within the field. The methodology encompasses a multivariate approach, incorporating extensive searches across the three major scientometric databases: Google Scholar (PoP), Scopus (in-built Scopus tools, SciVal), and Web of Science (in-built WoS instruments). The bibliometric analysis extends to contextual, evolutionary, and spatial dimensions, allowing for a comprehensive understanding of the identified clusters. The ensuing clusters serve as a roadmap, categorizing publications based on their contextual relevance, evolutionary trajectory, and spatial focus, which enhances the identification of key works in the field, facilitating a nuanced understanding of the current state of external public debt management research. The synthesis of findings from the content-contextual block emphasizes a primary orientation toward understanding the dynamic interplay between external public debt management and economic development. Furthermore, the contextual-temporal block identifies four distinct stages in the evolution of research focus, highlighting the shifting emphasis over time. A discernible pattern of heightened research activity in external public debt management across various countries in recent decades is revealed through spatiotemporal analysis. The interdisciplinary nature of this field is underscored by the dominance of economics, econometrics, finance, business, management, and accounting in dedicated research.

Government initiatives to eradicate poverty in developing countries have included establishing microfinance programs to provide microloans and credit to the less privileged living in peri-urban and rural areas where commercial financial institutions are underrepresented. The study aims to investigate the effect of the South African Microfinance Apex Fund (SAMAF) on poverty alleviation and job creation. This case study targeted 103 beneficiary firms and self-employed individuals to send them questionnaires. The data analysis was primarily exploratory and descriptive. The findings show that the majority, 87%, agreed that the loans they accessed were sufficient for their business plans and needs. In addition, they were able to create at least one additional job after receiving the loan and improve their total business income on average compared to before the SAMAF loan. However, due to the risk of non-repayment of loans by recipients living in informal settlements, most microfinance intermediary institutions were unwilling to expand their operations into such settlements. SAMAF, on the other hand, has flaws, one of which is the slow delivery of funds to microfinance intermediary institutions, which needs to be addressed. The study concludes that to address the credit needs of semi-rural and rural residents, microfinance intermediary institutions must do more to expand into these areas and adopt a more aggressive and creative approach to the development of financial products and expand their access to include more of the poorest and most vulnerable households.

Russia’s war against Ukraine has exacerbated challenges and risks to community development. Improving the ability to withstand the shocks of the external and internal environment, adapt to changes in the security environment, respond to threats, maintain sustainable functioning, and recover to the desired equilibrium will contribute to strengthening the resilience of communities. Budgetary instruments are crucial for ensuring the resilience of communities in such conditions. This study aims to identify the impact of budgetary instruments on ensuring the resilience of territorial communities amid the war in Ukraine (the case of Lviv oblast). The methods include a systemic and structural approach (building an information and analytical model of resilience research) and indicative and GAP analysis (identifying the impact of budgetary instruments on community resilience, in particular, local taxes, transfers, and personal income tax (PIT)). The data of 73 communities in Lviv oblast for 2021–2023 were collected. The study shows that the resilience of the territorial communities of Lviv oblast during the study period was at a moderate and above-moderate level; most were in the zones of resistance (resilience indicators ranging from 0.43-0.65) and decreasing resilience (0.42-0.20); the resilience of 8% was at a critically low level (2022–2023). The results estimate that the resilience of 90% communities in 2024 will not change significantly if military PIT is redirected from local to state budgets, except for those communities whose resilience is highly dependent on the amount of military PIT (the decrease in resilience will range from 12.5 to 4.2 percentage points).

Managing budget flows under martial law is important to ensure the security and financial stability of the state, helping to mobilize the necessary resources and concentrate them on financing key needs. This paper aims to identify and outline possible measures to balance the movement of budget flows in order to harmonize them with the goals of state policy in the field of national security. The movement of budget flows of income and expenses was assessed, and trends and changes were identified using economic and statistical methods. The assessment results confirmed the need for reasonable planning of budget flows in the context of the impact of unforeseen military events on the process of budget execution in terms of revenues and expenditures, which leads to failure to meet expenditure indicators, causes a lack of financial resources and an increase in the budget deficit. One of these measures is the improvement of budget planning, which is based on the analysis, detection, and assessment of the probability of occurrence and countering the risks related to the state’s financial system. Correlation-regression analysis confirmed the growing dependence of revenues on official transfers from the EU, foreign governments, international organizations, donor institutions, and government bodies. The results obtained are basic for developing measures to balance incoming and outgoing budget flows under martial law. They provide for the obligation to create a financial support system (including international financial aid) while strengthening state financial control measures for the timely, targeted, effective direction of budget flows, including for the security and defense of the state.

The state policy of Ukraine aims to promote sustainable economic growth and improve its quality through economic activity, particularly through the optimization of the tax system, which is particularly relevant both during the period of martial law in Ukraine and the post-war recovery. The purpose of the study is to assess the formation and implementation of the state tax policy to activate the internal factors of economic growth in Ukraine under martial law. The study of tax policy in Ukraine and EU countries has shown that the EU countries are characterized by a consistent and transparent tax policy that stimulates investment, innovation, and entrepreneurship to activate internal factors of economic growth. The paper uses fiscal analysis based on the Cobb-Douglas production-institutional function; its main concept is the mutual location of the Laffer points of the first and second types and the actual level of the tax burden. The results show a noticeable adjustment of the real fiscal climate in Ukraine in line with changes in threshold fiscal standards. Considering martial law in Ukraine and the need for the state’s ability to post-war recovery, the study suggests changing the rates of specific taxes, after which it is necessary to make a transition from private fiscal instruments with inherent rate values to the aggregate fiscal burden.

The relationship between fiscal policy and economic growth is one of the longest-lived economic discourses. In this context, countries with emerging institutions and resource-based economies are of particular interest. Therefore, the Azerbaijani economy was chosen as the object of study. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the relationship between fiscal policy and economic growth in Azerbaijan and analyze the possible existence of the BARS curve relationship in Azerbaijan. The study covers quarterly data for 2005Q1–2023Q2. The autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bound test is used to evaluate the relationship between fiscal variables and economic growth (both general and non-oil), as well as the BARS curve relationship. The analysis revealed a positive association between government spending and both overall and non-oil economic growth over the long term. On average, a 1% rise in government spending corresponds to a 0.6% increase in economic growth. Conversely, in the short term, a negative relationship is observed between government spending and economic growth, encompassing both the general and non-oil economy. Notably, no statistical evidence supporting the presence of the BARS curve relationship in Azerbaijan was identified. Amid the circumstances of decreasing oil production in Azerbaijan, these results put more emphasis on the importance of increasing the productivity of government spending.

The issuance of bonds by the government attracts the interest of many investors, including foreigners. The government must understand the factors determining bond yields for managing government debt. This study aims to investigate the effect of domestic and global macroeconomic variables on government bond yields in Indonesia. The paper uses monthly data from November 2014 to December 2022. The research sample comprises government bonds with 5, 10, and 15-year tenor bonds. The GARCH (1,1) and GARCH-M (1,1) models are applied to estimate and analyze the determinants of government bond yields. Research findings reveal that Indonesian interest rates significantly affect the yield of 10- and 15-year tenor bonds. Inflation has no impact on bond yields across all tenors. The increase in foreign exchange reserves reduces bond yields in all tenors. The Indonesian stock exchange index is detrimental to long-term bond yields. The exchange rate has a positive impact on bond yields in all tenors. World oil prices significantly impact yields on 5- and 10-year tenor bonds. The Fed’s interest rate positively affects the yield on the 15-year tenor bond. The implication of these findings for the Indonesian government is the implementation of several aspects of economic and financial policies that can improve state debt management and financial market stability.

Reliable development reports highlight persistent deficits in developing countries’ balance of payments since the 1980s and 1990s, attributed to monetary turmoil and ambitious development plans. Saudi Arabia faces similar challenges as the leading economy in the Middle East and North Africa region.
The objective of this study is to pinpoint the macroeconomic determinants influencing Saudi Arabia’s current account balance from 1995 to 2019. This aligns with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, which emphasizes economic diversification and sustainability.
Eleven macroeconomic determinants were subjected to the Principal Component Analysis model and the Autoregressive Distributed Lag model for analysis. Five determinants, such as budget balance, goods exports, per capita gross domestic product, gross domestic product growth, and domestic liquidity growth, were identified as significant contributors to the current account balance. The Autoregressive Distributed Lag model revealed that goods exports, domestic liquidity growth, gross domestic product growth, and per capita gross domestic product exert a statistically significant positive impact on the current account balance in the long term.
The research findings highlight the significance of goods exports, economic growth, and domestic liquidity in shaping Saudi Arabia’s current account balance, emphasizing the need for diversification away from oil dependence to mitigate economic vulnerabilities. The study underscores the implications for Saudi Vision 2030, stressing strategic policy interventions to foster non-oil exports and stimulate economic growth. Additionally, the analysis identifies temporal variations in export dynamics, emphasizing the importance of policy continuity and adaptability for economic resilience.

Acknowledgments
The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support from The Deanship of Scientific Research, King Faisal University (KFU) in Saudi Arabia. The present work was done under Project Number (CHAIR 138).

This study aims to investigate the differential impacts of recurrent and non-recurrent government expenditures on the gross domestic product (GDP) of Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1996 to 2022. Aggregating data from various government levels, it employs ordinary least squares (OLS) regression techniques to analyze the relationship between these types of expenditures and economic growth. The findings reveal a significant positive correlation between recurrent expenditure and GDP, indicating that spending on health, education, and security contributes to economic growth. Conversely, non-recurrent expenditure, encompassing capital and development investments, does not show a statistically significant impact on GDP in the short term. This suggests that while recurrent spending is crucial for immediate economic performance, non-recurrent investments require strategic planning and efficiency to realize their growth potential. The study underscores the importance of efficient expenditure allocation in transitioning economies like Bosnia and Herzegovina, highlighting the need for a balanced fiscal strategy that supports both immediate economic stability and long-term development.

Local government finance has a critical impact on regional sustainability and governance. This study seeks to conduct comprehensive analyses of evolving trends and future directions in municipal finance research. It aims to address the insufficient longitudinal studies and fragmented understanding of how municipal finance practices and policies evolve by providing systematic evidence on dynamic trends and potential future trajectories. The study employed bibliometric analysis using Scopus and Google Scholar databases and Publish or Perish (PoP) software to analyze literature dynamics and associated topics and research trends and improve understanding of local government financial research. The results show a strong focus on local governance. Key themes included transparency, accountability, and financial sustainability, highlighting the critical need for good governance and fiscal prudence. The promising directions are technology (e-government) and comprehensive actions on the economic side through public-private partnerships and financial sustainability. Critical themes are fiscal stress, budgeting, and local government finance. However, new trends in sustainability, public-private partnerships, financial resilience, municipal bonds, and land finance are emerging as significant research areas. It highlights the field’s adaptability to evolving social and economic conditions. Through a thorough synthesis of these insights, stakeholders are better positioned to gain a deeper understanding of the current landscape of local government finance studies and their broader implications within a constantly changing global environment.

Acknowledgments
The authors would like to express their sincere gratitude to the Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Business, Hasanuddin University, for their invaluable support and assistance in this research. Their unwavering commitment to advancing academic research and community service has been the key to completing this study.

This study aims to examine the administrative service delivery practices within the local government of Nepal and explore the intricate perceptions of the interplay between governance, service delivery, and citizens. The objectives include understanding the contextual elements that shape states, addressing concerns of developing nations, emphasizing service delivery, prioritizing citizen viewpoints, and tackling governance issues. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach grounded on post-positivism, the study employs purposeful sampling to select rural municipalities in Nepal. Data collection involves a quantitative institutional survey to assess the current state of public administrative services, with survey respondents comprising service providers and citizens. The respondents reported higher levels of satisfaction with the efficiency, timeliness, and resource availability of administrative services. However, the study also revealed gaps and disparities in the knowledge and perceptions of administrative practices and governance among different respondent groups and ecological regions. Emphasizing the significant advantages of collaboration, decentralization, people-centric development, and meaningful engagement, the study highlights the need for further research and policy interventions to enhance public service delivery and governance of local government in Nepal.

During forensic audits, the use of auditors has increased significantly. This happened thanks to fraud detection mechanisms that help prevent and quickly detect fraud. Whistleblowing systems set up by local authorities play an important role in detecting fraudulent activities and protecting the rights of whistleblowers, promoting transparency and accountability in public organizations. This study aims to analyze and explain the impact of attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and organizational commitment on whistleblowing intention moderated by local culture. This analysis was conducted on local government internal auditors in 24 districts/cities in South Sulawesi Province, Indonesia. Research data were collected through questionnaires with a total research sample of 246 respondents and analyzed using multiple linear regression analysis and moderated regression analysis using the SPSS version 23 application. The research findings show that attitudes, perceived behavioral control, and organizational commitment have a significant effect on whistleblowing intention, while subjective norms do not have a significant effect on whistleblowing intention. Furthermore, regional culture moderates the influence of subjective norms and perceived behavioral control on whistleblowing intention but is unable to moderate the influence of attitudes and organizational commitment on whistleblowing intention.

This study aims to determine and analyze the determinants of the complexity of tax regulations and the principles of justice regarding taxpayer compliance in Indonesia. The study surveyed 148 individual taxpayers who are entrepreneurs of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) using a Google Form. The results show that the complexity of tax regulations has a significant negative effect (–0.253) on taxpayer compliance, and the principles of justice (0.501) have a significant positive effect on taxpayer compliance. An R square shows that independent variables have a 45.5% influence on increasing taxpayer compliance. The degree of the correlation relationship between all independent variables is around 0.674. The results confirm the relationship between the complexity of tax regulations and the principle of justice and their effect on taxpayer compliance. Therefore, to increase taxpayer compliance, the government should put efforts into simplifying and explaining tax regulations. This can help reduce inadvertent errors, increase taxpayer confidence, and reduce the overall cost of complying with regulations. It is important to consider aspects of justice when designing and implementing the tax system. Efforts to increase transparency, reduce injustice, and make taxes applied proportionally can help strengthen taxpayer compliance and support the sustainability of state revenues.