Alice Medioli, Stefano Azzali and Tatiana Mazza
Although tax-motivated income shifting has been widely explored, no studies have as yet analyzed the association between ownership structure and management decisions about income…
Abstract
Purpose
Although tax-motivated income shifting has been widely explored, no studies have as yet analyzed the association between ownership structure and management decisions about income shifting. The ownership structure of multinational groups is characterized by different levels of minority interests, and our aim is to establish whether income shifting is explained by the aim of expropriation of minorities, as well as taxation avoidance.
Design/methodology/approach
We collect data on a sample of European parent companies located in five countries and their foreign subsidiaries, and run a multivariate regression based on the Huizinga and Laeven (2008) model.
Findings
Our results support the idea of minority expropriation, finding evidence of ownership-motivated income shifting. We also find that the level of minority protection affects ownership-motivated income shifting, and that, when both are present, expropriation is statistically significant.
Research limitations/implications
Although the study looks at a wide range of subsidiaries, a limitation may be that it examines only firms having parent companies in five European countries. Further research would overcome this limitation and extend the literature and take into account other income-shifting contextual variables. Our results may lead regulators to pay more attention to the protection of minority interests.
Practical implications
This research offers insights to companies and investors, and should help them to make better-informed decisions and evaluate the best contexts for investments.
Originality/value
This study enriches the literature on income shifting by revealing that it can be caused by factors other than the desire to avoid taxation. It suggests that ownership structure is crucial.
Details
Keywords
Nisita Jirawutkornkul, Chanthawat Patikorn and Puree Anantachoti
This study explored health insurance coverage of genetic testing and potential factors associated with precision medicine (PM) reimbursement in Thailand.
Abstract
Purpose
This study explored health insurance coverage of genetic testing and potential factors associated with precision medicine (PM) reimbursement in Thailand.
Design/methodology/approach
The study employed a targeted review method. Thirteen PMs were selected to represent four PM categories: targeted cancer therapy candidate, prediction of adverse drug reactions (ADRs), dose adjustment and cancer risk prediction. Content analysis was performed to compare access to PMs among three health insurance schemes in Thailand. The primary outcome of the study was evaluating PM test reimbursement status. Secondary outcomes included clinical practice guidelines, PMs statement in FDA-approved leaflet and economic evaluation.
Findings
Civil Servant Medical Benefits Scheme (CSMBS) provided more generous access to PM than Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS) and Social Security Scheme (SSS). Evidence of economic evaluations likely impacted the reimbursement decisions of SSS and UCS, while the information provided in FDA-approved leaflets seemed to impact the reimbursement decisions of CSMBS. Three health insurance schemes provided adequate access to PM tests for some cancer-targeted therapies, while gaps existed for access to PM tests for serious ADRs prevention, dose adjustment and cancer risk prediction.
Originality/value
This was the first study to explore the situation of access to PMs in Thailand. The evidence alerts public health insurance schemes to reconsider access to PMs. Development of health technology assessment guidelines for PM test reimbursement decisions should be prioritized.
Details
Keywords
This paper uses various Data Envelopment Analysis (SBM-DEA) approaches to study the efficiency of major airlines in Asia-Pacific region. To evaluate the operation efficiency of…
Abstract
This paper uses various Data Envelopment Analysis (SBM-DEA) approaches to study the efficiency of major airlines in Asia-Pacific region. To evaluate the operation efficiency of fourteen major airlines in Asia-Pacific region from 2003-2011, Available Seat Kilometers(ASK), Available Ton Kilometers(ATK), the number of employees are used as input factors, Revenue Passenger Kilometers(RPK), Revenue Ton Kilometers(RTK), the amount of Sales are used as output factors.
The non-radial SBM-DEA (Slacks-based Measure of Efficiency) model was able to provide a more comprehensive efficiency of combining economic performance and regional difference. And it was also able to capture slack values in input excess and output shortage.
The results demonstrate that Korea and Japan airlines are operated efficiently and could be regarded as the benchmarking airlines. On the other hand, most of the China and ASEAN airlines are deemed to be inefficient. Also analyzing slacks may be more suitable way for the evaluation or suggestion of an improvement scheme for the inefficient airlines. The excess of labor is the major cause of the airlines’ inefficiency.
Details
Keywords
Laura Barasa, Patrick Vermeulen, Joris Knoben, Bethuel Kinyanjui and Peter Kimuyu
Countries in Africa have a common goal policy of industrialisation that is expected to be driven by investing in innovation that yields efficiency. The purpose of this paper is to…
Abstract
Purpose
Countries in Africa have a common goal policy of industrialisation that is expected to be driven by investing in innovation that yields efficiency. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the technical efficiency effects arising from innovation inputs including internal R&D, human capital development (HCD), and foreign technology adoption in manufacturing firms in Africa.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses cross-sectional firm-level survey data from the 2013 World Bank Enterprise Survey and the linked 2013 Innovation Follow-up Survey. A heteroscedastic half-normal stochastic frontier is used for analysing the technical efficiency effects of innovation inputs of 418 firms.
Findings
This study reveals that internal R&D, and foreign technology have negative effects on technical efficiency. Notwithstanding, the combination of foreign technology and internal R&D, and foreign technology and HCD reinforce each other’s effects on technical efficiency.
Practical implications
This study provides evidence that whereas individual innovation inputs may not yield positive efficiency outcomes, the combination of absorptive capacity enhancing inputs comprising internal R&D and HCD with foreign technology is vital for enhancing technical efficiency in manufacturing firms in Africa. This study offers important lessons for managers in manufacturing firms in Africa.
Originality/value
This study is virtually the first to investigate the relationship between innovation inputs and efficiency in Africa. This study demonstrates that investing in foreign technology in isolation from absorptive capacity enhancing innovation inputs diminishes efficiency. HCD and internal R&D are imperative for building absorptive capacity that enhances efficiency outcomes arising from foreign technology.
Details
Keywords
Noel Scott, Brent Moyle, Ana Cláudia Campos, Liubov Skavronskaya and Biqiang Liu
This paper aims to review the research on accounting professionalisation in China to develop insights into how the research is developing, offer a critique of the research to date…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to review the research on accounting professionalisation in China to develop insights into how the research is developing, offer a critique of the research to date and outline future research directions and opportunities.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper adopts a methodological approach of systematic literature review, as suggested by Tranfield et al. (2003) and Denyer and Tranfield (2009), to identify, select and analyse the extant literature on the Chinese public accounting profession. In total, 68 academic works were included in the review process.
Findings
This paper finds that the extant literature has produced fruitful insights into the processes and underlying motivation of accounting professionalisation in China, demonstrating that the Chinese experience has differed, to a large extent, from the hitherto mainly Anglo-American-dominated understandings of accounting professionalisation. However, due to the lack of common theoretical vernacular and an agreed upon focus, the extant literature illustrates a fragmented and contradictory picture, making attempts to accumulate prior knowledge in the field increasingly difficult.
Research limitations/implications
This paper focusses only on research published in English. Consequently, the scope of review has been limited as some works published in languages other than English may be excluded.
Originality/value
This paper provides one of the pioneering exercises to systematically review the research on accounting professionalisation in China. It explores significant issues arising from the analysis and provides several suggestions for furthering the research effort in this field.