https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/86257 Sat, 11 Apr 2026 03:41:35 GMT 2026-04-11T03:41:35Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/86352 Title: Assessing a company’s tone at the top : evidence from South African auditing firms Authors: Jaffer, Faeeza; Odendaal, Elza; Theron, Hans Abstract: PURPOSE: The study set out to understand how auditors assess a company’s tone at the top, as an integral component of audit risk which is a significant part of forming an audit opinion.; METHODOLOGY: The study followed a qualitative exploratory multiple-case research design, using individual semi-structured interviews to collect data from audit partners and a group interview to collect data from inspectors from the audit regulatory body.; FINDINGS: The findings provided insights into the procedures how ethical leadership and an ethical organisational culture, which were deemed central to a company’s tone at the top, were assessed. Despite these assessments being done before and throughout an audit, assessments before an audit seemed to be emphasised. While the audit engagement partner took responsibility for tone-at-the-top assessments, audit files contained limited evidence of such involvement.; ORIGINALITY/VALUE: The insights from this study could be useful to auditing firms in enhancing their audit methodologies and training programmes on assessing a company’s tone at the top and the documentation thereof, specifically during the planning of an audit and to evidence audit engagement partner involvement. The findings may also inform the audit regulatory body in providing best-practice guidelines to auditors on the assessment of a company’s tone at the top. Despite the study’s South African orientation, the findings are globally relevant, given the inclusion of the Big 4 auditing firms and firms adhering to the International Standards on Auditing. Sat, 01 Jan 2022 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/86352 2022-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/86318 Title: Does capital structure mediates the link between CEO characteristics and firm performance? Authors: Supriyanto; Kho, Kennily Abstract: PURPOSE: The purpose of this research was to investigate the relationship of a CEO’s organizational and personal characteristics and firm performance. This study also examines how debt-to-equity ratio (capital structure) mediates the impact of CEO’s characteristics toward firm performance. Manufacturing companies listed on Bursa Efek Indonesia (BEI) between 2016 and 2019 are the focus of this study.; DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The research sample is chosen using the purposive sampling approach. The SmartPLS software was used to evaluate the data in this investigation. This studyiuses Tobin’s Q as measurement of firmiiperformance. The tenure, age, gender, and education of a CEO are all factors to CEO’sicharacteristics. Debt to equity ratio will be used as capital structure.; FINDINGS: The results of this study show that CEO’s tenure has significant positive impact on firm performance. CEO’s characteristics (age, gender, education) show a positive but insignificant impact on firm performance. Finally, the debt-to-equity ratio does not serve as a mediating factor in the link between CEO's characteristics and firm performance.; PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: These findings will be extremely beneficial to management in terms of improving a firm's performance by controlling the qualities of a CEO.; ORIGINALITY/VALUE: This article adds to the body of knowledge in the field of firm performance research which explored the function of capital structure in mediating the influence of CEO’s characteristics on firm performance. Sat, 01 Jan 2022 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/86318 2022-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/86313 Title: Sustainability reporting and company’s value Authors: Santi Hariyani, Diyah; Wahyuandari, Wenni; Salatnaya, Louse Happy Amira Abstract: PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to find out how the influence of the disclosure of sustainability reporting on the value of state-owned enterprises (SOEs).; RESEARCH METHODOLOGY: The research approach used quantitative. This research sample selection method uses a purposive sampling method with a total of 8 SOEs listed in IDX that meet the criteria.; RESULTS: sustainability reporting has a significant negative effect on firm value, this indicates that the disclosure of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) by the company reduces the value of state-owned companies listed on the BEI. Most companies only focus on financial factors and companies pay less attention to non-financial factors such as CSR, it can be seen that the level of CSR disclosure made by the company is very low.; LIMITATIONS: Data limitations then this study only uses a sample of SOEs listed in IDX and does not add good corporate governance variables to improve the relationship between sustainability reporting and company’s value.; CONTRIBUTION: based on stakeholder theory to improve the relationship between stakeholder and company, SOEs must disclose CSR activities to improve the organization image and impact on the increasing value of the firms. Adding GCG as a moderation variable can maximize sustainability reporting in SOEs. Sat, 01 Jan 2022 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/86313 2022-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/86307 Title: The validity of the cost stickiness theory in SMEs and the decision-making styles of managers : evidence from Turkey Authors: Yazarkan, Hakan; Yiğit, Sema; Baş, Bahadır Abstract: PURPOSE: Cost behaviour is the response of costs to changes in the volume of activity of businesses. In the literature, cost behaviour is discussed in two ways: symmetrical and asymmetrical. Firstly, this study aims to analyze the data on sales revenue and cost items related to sales of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) with the help of the ABJ model in terms of cost stickiness. Another aim of the study is to determine the decision-making styles of the managers who make investment decisions in these enterprises. Thus, cost stickiness can be interpreted in terms of the manager’s decisionmaking style in the companies that make up the sample.; METHODOLOGY: A balanced panel data analysis method was used to test the cost stickiness levels in the study. The decision-making styles scale was used to determine the decision-making styles of the managers.; FINDINGS: The study concluded that the cost stickiness theory was valid for all variables in a one-year period, while the stickiness level of only general management expenses decreased in a two-year period. In addition, it has been determined that the managers of the enterprises adopt the rational decision-making style; ORIGINALITY/VALUE: To measure the cost stickiness level of a business, various cost and revenue figures that occur in that business over long periods are needed. Companies do not want to share this data with third parties or institutions for various reasons. For this reason, studies on cost stickiness have been carried out on largescale enterprises that have to offer their financial statements to the public. The originality of this study is that it tests the theory of cost stickiness for small and medium-sized enterprises. In addition, it is thought that the study is important in terms of considering cost stickiness together with the decision-making style of the manager. Sat, 01 Jan 2022 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/86307 2022-01-01T00:00:00Z