Financial Flows Research Articles

THE ROLE OF THE ANALYSIS OF THE FINANCIAL POTENTIAL OF THE ENTERPRISE IN THE FORMATION OF THE FINANCIAL STRATEGY OF ITS ACTIVITIES

The article substantiates the significance of the analysis of the financial potential of the enterprise in the formation of the financial strategy of its activity through the study of the theoretical and methodological foundations of the implementation of this type of analysis, the basic foundations of the process of forming the strategy of the enterprise and the search for connections between these economic phenomena. By the term "financial potential of the enterprise" we can understand the totality of the enterprise's opportunities for optimizing its financial flows (volumes, dynamics and structure), the timely identification and reasonable use of which allows creating conditions for maximizing the achievement of the enterprise's current and strategic goals. It was determined that the analysis of financial potential is a comprehensive analytical study of the company's capabilities to optimize the volume and structure of its financial flows. The financial strategy of an enterprise is defined as the determination of the long-term goals of the enterprise's financial activity, the choice of the most effective methods and ways of achieving them. It is established that the analysis of the financial potential of the enterprise penetrates into all stages of the process of forming the financial strategy of the enterprise, from the comprehensive assessment of the strategic financial position of the enterprise to the development of the target strategic guidelines of its activity in the financial aspect and the evaluation of the developed financial strategy. It was determined that the importance of financial analysis in the process of forming a financial strategy is also confirmed by the fact that in the scientific literature such a subtype of analysis as strategic financial analysis is often singled out, which focuses on a comprehensive analysis of the financial aspects of the enterprise from the point of view of ensuring the most complete realization of its financial potential for long-term stable development

Factors Militating against the Efficacy of the Mutual Agreement Procedure: A Comparison between South Africa, Kenya, Uganda and Ghana

The effective resolution of transfer pricing disputes has been identified as one of the primary challenges to eliminate double taxation and/or double non-taxation as well as to enhance the free flow of trade and investment. This article investigates the unique challenges faced by selected African countries, including South Africa, Kenya, Uganda and Ghana, which militate against the use of the mutual agreement procedure (MAP) as a preferred Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) transfer pricing dispute resolution mechanism. The research used a qualitative legal review of existing literature in the selected regimes by comparing the domestic tax law framework in these countries. Transfer pricing manipulation is a significant source of illicit financial flows of capital as identified in the research by Global Financial Integrity on Africa, which drew from Ghana, Kenya and Uganda as case studies. South Africa and Kenya are considered as the gateways to Africa with many multinational enterprises (MNEs) taking residence in them before expanding to the rest of Africa. The article focuses specifically on a number of guidelines that should be in place for the effective use of the MAP in the resolution of tax treaty disputes. It also demonstrates how the absence of guidelines, or the lack of clarity thereof, discourages both taxpayers and revenue authorities from effectively using the MAP to resolve transfer pricing disputes. The absence of guidelines has resulted in many aggrieved taxpayers opting to approach the courts as opposed to using the MAP as a mechanism to resolve tax treaty disputes. Furthermore, it highlights the importance of how resolved transfer pricing disputes eliminates double taxation. The article recommends that the same benefits enjoyed under the domestic dispute resolution process be incorporated into the MAP. It also makes recommendations on how jurisdictions with a low tax treaty network can address this challenge to enable them to effectively use the MAP as a tax treaty dispute resolution.

The Nexus between Illicit Financial Flows and Tax Revenue: New Evidence from Resource-Rich African Countries

Resource-rich economies, especially those in Africa, are plagued with the resource curse and Dutch Disease syndromes, which undermine the quest for effectively mobilizing domestic resources toward sustainable and inclusive development. Empirical evidence on the role illicit financial flow (IFF) plays in this regard is relatively scarce. Thus, this study evaluates the volume of IFF and its effect on tax revenue in seven resource-rich African countries. Panel data, sourced for the 2009-2021 period, were analysed using the fixed effect and random effect models while the Instrumental Variable Generalised Method of Moment (IV-GMM), a dynamic estimator, was used for robustness check. Findings revealed that IFF has been on the rise and has detrimental effects on the tax revenue of the sampled countries’ national governments. This is inimical to sustainable development. Thus, the governments and policymakers in these countries must develop pragmatic policy and institutional approaches toward tackling the IFF menace.

Mountain Jewish Community of Kabardino-Balkaria from 1944 to 1965

This article addresses the issue of state-religious relations through the lens of the registered religious community of Mountain Jews in the city of Nalchik, Kabardino-Balkaria. The selected period from 1944 to 1965 encompasses the operations of the Council for Religious Affairs and its regional representation. The aim of this study is to identify state policies regarding the Mountain Jewish believers based on archival documents and thematic analysis. The research reveals that from the early 1950s, bureaucratic pressure on the religious community intensified within a multi-tiered system of control. Protocols, cash receipts, and reports obtained from the Mountain Jewish community served as an informational basis for the regional representative of the Council for Religious Affairs when preparing documents for the central authority. The closure of the synagogue, restrictions on cooperation in preparing believers for holidays, and various bureaucratic maneuvers did not yield the desired results for the authorities. Despite the official closure of the synagogue in 1951, religious holidays resonated widely among believers beyond the registered group and official mandates. In the context of financial flows and material concerns, Mountain Jewish believers found ways to circumvent the constraints imposed by the state.

Trade Outwardness and International Financial Flows in Nigeria

This study used the Autoregressive Distributed Lag model to investigate the impact of international financial flows on trade outwardness in Nigeria. With dataset covering the period 1999 – 2023 drawn from the World Development Indicator, which is a repository of the World Bank, official development assistance (ODA), Foreign portfolio investment (FPI) and foreign direct investment (FDI) were used as proxies for international financial flows. The quotient of the sum of export and import over gross domestic product represented trade outward which found to positively and significantly respond to changes in ODA and FPI and insignificantly and negative respond to FDI. It is recommended that trade outwardness should be tailored in the direction of international financial flows while harnessing the benefits of trade and mitigating the adverse effects of trade relations. This can be done through protective import strategies and export promotion methods.

Climate policy regime change and mutual fund flows: Insights from the 2020 US election

President Biden campaigned and was elected on a bold “clean energy revolution,” a pledge that drastically reshaped expectations surrounding US climate policy. We study how mutual fund investors respond to this significant shift in environmental priorities. We find that low-carbon funds attract (or retain) $15 billion more investments than high-carbon funds during the three months after the 2020 election compared with the three months before. We also find that low-carbon funds underperform high-carbon funds by between 0.47 % and 0.89 % a month during the same period. These results indicate that Biden's election heightens climate transition risk awareness, prompting investors to hedge this risk by investing more in low-carbon funds and receiving lower returns. The flow effect is more pronounced among retail investors, emphasizing their increased recognition of climate transition risk. We also uncover an interesting clientele effect: investors in low-carbon funds consider continuous carbon risk measures, whereas investors in high-carbon funds do not. Furthermore, our analysis of a US-only fund sample reveals that sensitivity to climate risk is insignificant in 2018 after Morningstar first published low-carbon metrics (unlike Ceccarelli, Ramelli, & Wagner, 2024) but becomes particularly significant following the 2020 election.

DEFINING COMPONENTS OF THE METHODOLOGICAL PLATFORM FOR FORMING A BUSINESS PORTFOLIO OF A COMPANY IN THE UPDATED FORMAT OF MODERN DEVELOPMENT

The article is devoted to the analysis of the economic and operational imperatives of forming a business portfolio for a development company in the construction sector. A successful business portfolio management strategy requires the integration of financial, organizational, and technological aspects to ensure the sustainability and competitiveness of the business. In modern conditions, real estate development is one of the key factors that determines the dynamics of enterprise development, as it includes a comprehensive approach to asset management, from planning and financing to the construction and operation of objects. The theoretical and methodological foundations of the genesis of development at the current stage of the construction market's evolution have been analyzed.The methodological platform for forming a business portfolio should be based on the principles of rational resource management, risk analysis, and technological optimization. Changes in development activities require the active use of digital tools and a comprehensive approach to managing residential, commercial, and industrial properties, which allows for the maximization of profitability and minimization of risks.The article discusses the main stages of portfolio formation, such as strategic planning, selection of investment objects, and their integration into the overall structure of the enterprise. An economic and mathematical formalization of the process is also provided. For the successful operation of a development company, it is crucial to ensure coordinated work at all stages of the project — from planning and financing to construction and commissioning of the facilities.Particular attention is paid to the methods of economic and mathematical modelling (EMM) and quantitative risk analysis, which have become the basis for the development of the latest asset management strategies. The study analyses 35 different techniques. Each methodology offers unique tools for the effective management of development projects that allow forecasting financial flows, determining optimal investment strategies, and building the best plans for the development of a real estate portfolio. The specific methods used to value residential, commercial and industrial real estate are also discussed, taking into account their different levels of risk and return.It is important to note that the updated methodological platform is suitable for adaptation to the latest technologies and digital tools. This includes the introduction of a project management system, the use of artificial intelligence technologies to analyse large amounts of data, and the use of analytical tools to predict market trends. This approach helps to optimise asset management in a changing market environment. The analysis of the main components of the business portfolio formation platform also showed that important factors for the successful implementation of development projects are the speed of response to market changes, flexibility of management decisions, and the ability to minimise risks at all stages of the project.

Taking matters into their own hands: How Investors' stock preferences affect mutual fund flows in China

We examine the impact of investors' stock preferences in mutual funds' portfolios on fund flows in China. Our results indicate that mutual funds with an investment style consistent with individual investors' stock preferences have higher fund flow. We find that it affects only individual investors' fund flow, not institutional investors' fund flow. This impact is greater during periods of low economic policy uncertainty or high investor sentiment. Moreover, this impact is reduced with larger fund size or longer fund age. The reasonable explanation is that investors infer fund managers' skills by analyzing the stocks in the fund's portfolio. This explanation is further validated by the results using index funds as the control group. Our findings challenge the assumption that mutual fund investors fully delegate decisions to professionals. Further analysis reveals there is no significant correlation between these preferences and future returns. Our findings contribute to the study of mutual fund investor behavior from a fresh perspective.

Analysis of The Flow of Funds of Money Laundering Crime With Predicate Crime of Narcotics Crime by Foreign Nationals, A Case Study at the National Narcotics Agency of Bali Province

The flow of funds of foreign nationals at home and abroad can be used in proving money laundering crimes in Indonesia because based on Article 69 of Law Number 8 of 2010 concerning Prevention and Eradication of Money Laundering Crimes, which states that in order to be able to carry out investigations, prosecutions, and examinations in court against money laundering crimes, it is not mandatory to prove the original criminal act first, with this intention it does not mean that in conducting investigations, prosecutions, and examinations in court it is not mandatory to prove the original criminal act. This study aims to determine and analyze the analysis of the flow of funds of money laundering crime with predicate crime of narcotics crime by foreign nationals. This research method uses normative research supported by empirical research using various types of primary legal materials. The results show that the flow of funds of foreign nationals at home and abroad can be used in proving money laundering crimes in Indonesia because based on Article 69 of Law Number 8 of 2010 concerning Prevention and Eradication of Money Laundering Crimes, which states that in order to be able to carry out investigations, prosecutions, and examinations in court against money laundering crimes, it is not mandatory to prove the original criminal act first. This research has implications for the importance of strengthening international cooperation in tracing and tracking the flow of funds involving foreign nationals, as well as the need to strengthen regulations related to the supervision of cross-border financial transactions.

Urbanization and growth nexus: do international financial flows matter?

PurposeThis study examines the impact of urbanization on growth and the role of international financial flows in the urbanization-growth nexus.Design/methodology/approachThe study applies the panel least square estimation to examine the impact of urbanization on growth using panel data from 50 developing countries from 1980 to 2016. Further, addressing the endogeneity issues in panel estimations, the study applies the dynamic System-GMM approach to investigate the role of financial flows in urbanization and their impact on economic growth in developing countries.FindingsContrary to the conventional literature, we found a non-linear (U-shaped) relationship between urbanization and growth. Our findings demonstrate that growth is reduced at a lower level of urbanization due to less availability, concentration, and synchronization of production factors. The concentration of physical and human capital and technological advancement in urban areas help developing countries achieve economic growth at a higher level of urbanization. Robust estimations divulged that foreign aid spent on infrastructure development and expanding urban regions helps promote economic growth. Nevertheless, as a resilient factor, remittances buffer the rapid pace of urbanization and reduce growth by resisting the migration of labor and capital from rural to urban areas.Practical implicationsThe paper's findings suggest policymakers promote urban infrastructure and development using local and international funds since its increased level spurs economic growth. Further, the results advise policymakers to reduce aid dependency, attract FDI, and facilitate the easy and low-cost transfer of money to promote remittance inflows since both FDI and remittances positively contribute to economic growth.Originality/valueThe paper contributes significantly to the literature by determining the U-shaped relationship between urbanization and growth and highlighting the role of international flows in the urbanization-growth nexus.

Monetary policy and equity returns: The role of investor risk aversion

AbstractThis article examines the role of investor risk aversion in the transmission of monetary policy to stock returns based on U.S. data. Our results show that following an expansionary monetary policy shock, investor risk aversion falls, leading to a decrease in the equity risk premium and an increase in equity returns. Moreover, the returns of high‐beta stocks increase much more than those of low‐beta stocks. Finally, we investigate the mechanism through mutual fund flows. We find that high‐beta funds attract greater inflows in response to lower interest rates, and there is a positive relationship between fund returns and flows. Our findings have policy implications for financial stability.

The Instruments Used to Counter Illicit Financial Flows at the International Level and Their Application to Matters of Taxation

Tax-related illicit financial flows (TIFFs) deprive states of much-needed public resources and hinder revenue mobilization from achieving sustainable development efforts. Currently, there is no conceptual clarity on the phenomenon of TIFFs, with different definitions and approaches adopted within different regional and international settings. To address the existing gaps, this study starts by mapping the diverse qualifications of TIFFs with particular regard to the different legal statuses that can be attached to behaviour deemed illicit. This requires a clarification of the conceptual differences between tax evasion and tax avoidance, and more specifically, between criminal law and (criminal) tax law. While the international tax law agenda has prioritized countering tax avoidance, the issue of tax evasion remains inadequately addressed within the existing framework. In this regard, this study concludes that when it comes to aligning the notion of tax crimes as predicate offence for existing criminal law, countries should be allowed to keep their de minimis qualifying rules to ensure flexibility and respect national sovereignty, thus ensuring proportionality and the respect for taxpayers’ fundamental rights.

Carbon risk and equity prices

AbstractWe study the effects of carbon transition risk on equity prices in the United States and Europe using disclosed carbon intensity data and find a negative effect on the cross section of returns and a negative carbon premium for the period 2009–2019. Examining fund flows, we find that institutional investors had an aversion to carbon‐intensive stocks, which could help explain the outperformance of green stocks. We find that after the Paris Agreement this negative carbon premium disappears, and expect a positive premium in the future. We apply an asset‐pricing approach to quantify the carbon risk exposure of any given asset.

Transition finance facilitates lower-cost achievement of climate targets: A case study of China

Low-carbon transition in carbon-intensive industries is crucial for achieving climate targets. However, it's challenging for enterprises and projects in these industries to access the necessary funding for their transition within the existing financial system. In this context, transition finance supports the low-carbon transition of carbon-intensive industries, injecting momentum into achieving carbon neutrality goals. However, the precise impact of transition finance on the macroeconomy remains uncertain, and the effective strategies for its implementation to effectively advance national climate objectives are still unclear. This study integrates the stock-flow consistent method into a computable general equilibrium model to evaluate the macroeconomic impact of transition finance supporting China's climate goals. Results indicate that promoting investment in energy systems capital within carbon-intensive industries through transition finance can reduce the economic cost of achieving carbon reduction targets in China, with a reduction ranging from 0.02 % to 0.26 %. Additionally, transition finance optimizes the energy structure in the short term, mitigates the exit of high-carbon industries, and lessens the impact of climate targets on these enterprises. However, implementing transitional financing requires enhanced information disclosure and strict regulation of fund flows to mitigate potential credit risks. The research findings provide valuable insights into China's transition finance policy formulation and serve as a reference for other regions seeking financial support to achieve climate targets.

ORGANIZATIONAL AND ECONOMIC MECHANISMS FOR ADDRESSING WAR-INDUCED ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN EUROPEAN POST-WAR CONTEXTS

Abstract: The article focuses on the development of organizational and economic mechanisms for addressing environmental problems caused by war in European post-war contexts and the implementation of the germinative development concept in these conditions. The tools for mitigating the negative environmental impact on business entities are identified. Overall, the article employs innovative approaches to effective management of environmental, resource-based, and germinative factors of economic development. The strengths and weaknesses of each approach are identified, and the appropriateness of their application to specific factors is demonstrated. Methodology: The study employs logical and dialectical methods; methods of synthesis, comparison, grouping, generalization of the systemic approach, as well as expert evaluation, questionnaires, planning, forecasting, and mathematical modeling methods. Scientific Novelty: A mechanism for managing the factors of ecological and resource influence on business activities is proposed, which ensures the efficiency of implemented innovations and the coordination of both material resources and financial flows, based on modeling these processes. Scientific approaches to their formation and post-conflict management tools are proposed, based on process modeling to ensure the stable functioning of business entities in post-war conditions, in accordance with EU requirements and standards.

Gold, platinum, and mutual fund flows

Huang and Kilic (2019) demonstrate that gold to platinum price ratio (GP), which proxies for tail risk in the economy, is a priced risk factor in the cross-section of stock returns. We document that GP negatively affects the mutual fund flows of the active equity funds. In cross-sectional regressions, we find that funds with high betas with respect to the change in GP (βΔGP) have larger future fund flows, as such funds provide a hedge against economic distress. Further, βΔGP helps predict the future performance of the fund in the next few quarters. βΔGP also relates negatively to the downside risk of the fund, implying that funds could potentially reduce their left-tail risk by tilting towards securities with above average βΔGP. We also examine the flows to active corporate bond funds and passive funds. While these effects of GP are largely observable for passive funds, they are not as strongly observable for corporate bond funds.

Agility and Resilience in Supply Chains: Investigating Their Roles in Enhancing Financial Performance

Business sectors face disruptive challenges such as cash flow problems in finance and material flow problems in supply chain and logistics processes in today’s rapidly evolving and uncertain environment. Given these challenges, effective management of resource and material flows by managers has become increasingly complex. Supply chain management is crucial for businesses to sustain competitive market positioning. This study distinctively explores the interplay between supply chain management and the financial performance of manufacturing companies, highlighting the increasingly dynamic and competitive global markets. It scrutinizes the moderating roles of supply chain agility and flexibility in this relationship, offering diverse analytical perspectives. The research methodology involved surveying white-collar employees within these companies. Factor analysis was employed to affirm the scale’s validity, and the Hayes model 3 method was utilized to test hypotheses. Our research uncovered intricate interactions between supply chain management, agility, and resilience, underscoring their collective impact on financial performance. The thesis that supply chain management has a substantial impact on financial performance was corroborated by the study’s results. The study also emphasizes the moderating impact of supply chain agility in the relationship between financial performance and supply chain management. The results of the study that supply chain resilience moderates the moderating effect of supply chain agility indicate that the interaction between supply chain resilience and supply chain agility may affect the relationship between supply chain management and financial performance if supply chain resilience enhances the resilience of organizations to external challenges. These insights suggest organizations must integrate agility, management, and resilience considerations in their supply chains to optimize performance. This study contributes a novel viewpoint to the literature, providing strategic guidance for managerial decision making.

Global tax avoidance and evasion: A landscape through insights from a systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis

This research aims to comprehensively investigate contemporary practices and factors influencing global tax avoidance and evasion through a systematic literature review (SLR) and bibliometric analysis. This study methodology uses SLR with bibliometric analysis to map this research trend. Relevant literature was collected and systematically analyzed to identify key themes, methodologies, and findings regarding tax avoidance and evasion. The study’s findings identify various tax avoidance practices, including profit shifting, transfer pricing strategies, and the use of tax havens by multinational corporations. The report also highlights various forms of tax evasion, such as money laundering and illicit financial flows. Key factors influencing tax behavior are ethical considerations, government policies, economic factors, and corporate governance practices. This analysis highlights the complex interactions between these factors in shaping tax practices globally. The study’s conclusions show that effective tax governance requires a multifaceted approach integrating ethical standards, a strong regulatory framework, and international cooperation. Ethical corporate behavior and transparent reporting are essential in promoting tax compliance and fairness. This study emphasizes the critical role of policymakers in designing and enforcing tax policies that discourage aggressive tax planning while encouraging economic growth and equality. Recommendations from these findings are to increase transparency in multinational operations, strengthen international tax cooperation, and improve global tax administration capabilities. In addition, increasing taxpayer education and awareness can foster a culture of compliance and ethical tax practices. Future research should prioritize longitudinal studies and case-specific analyses to deepen understanding and develop targeted interventions to address tax avoidance and evasion challenges.

Techno-economic analysis of geothermal combined with direct and biomass-based carbon dioxide removal for high-temperature hydrothermal systems

Limiting global temperature rise to between 1.5 and 2 °C will likely require widespread deployment of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) to offset sectors with hard-to-abate emissions. As financial resources for decarbonization are finite, strategic deployment of CDR technologies is essential for maximizing atmospheric CO2 reductions. Carbon capture and sequestration (CCS), using either direct air capture (DACCS) or bioenergy (BECCS) technologies has a particular synergy with geothermal electricity generation. This is because expensive geothermal infrastructure can be leveraged to transport dissolved CO2 for storage in subsurface reservoirs.Here, we present a techno-economic comparison of renewable electricity generation coupled with either BECCS or DACCS at high-temperature, low-gas hydrothermal systems. We use a systems model that quantifies energy, carbon and financial flows through a generic hybrid power plant. At a CO2 market price of $100/tonne, the geothermal-BECCS system has a lower median cost of electricity generation ($88/MWh) than geothermal-DACCS ($181/MWh) and conventional geothermal ($89/MWh).Geothermal-BECCS also had the lowest costs of overall emissions abatement, $122/tCO2, accounting for carbon removal and assuming displacement of fossil-fuel generation. Abatement costs are even lower, $45/tCO2, for BECCS retrofit of existing geothermal plants, owing to discounted costs of pre-existing injection wells, steam fields, and plant equipment.For a case study based on a geothermal field in New Zealand's Taupō Volcanic Zone (TVZ), we determined that achieving CDR rates of 1 MtCO2/year via new geothermal-BECCS builds would require 62 standard geothermal wells and 790 kt/year of feedstock and result in 511 MWe in installed capacity. In contrast, geothermal-DACCS would need 49 wells and no external fuel source to achieve 1 MtCO2/year scale but result in only 190 MWe in installed capacity. Both pathways are calculated to require similar upfront investment costs at $2.2 billion and $2.3 billion for geothermal-BECCS and geothermal-DACCS respectively.Although geothermal-DACCS removes CO2 at high rates, its high parasitic load increases the overall decarbonization cost ($187/tCO2). In contrast, when biomass hybridization is considered, geothermal-BECCS has a lower cost of emissions abatement and produces 20 % more electricity than the benchmark geothermal plant. We conclude that this increase in electricity production makes geothermal-BECCS the more cost-effective geothermal-based CDR configuration. Finally, we argue that revenues from net-negative CO2 emissions and increased power production make geothermal-CDR a cost-competitive decarbonization technology.

Fund Flows and Fund Performance on Lottery Funds

This study introduces a new indicator to measure the lottery-like degree of financial products by considering their idiosyncratic volatility and skewness. The findings indicate that investors tend to purchase funds that hold lottery-like stocks, while investors prefer lottery-like funds when the market sentiment is high. However, funds holding lottery-like stocks and those exhibiting lottery traits experience relatively lower adjusted returns in the next quarter. Interestingly, when the market sentiment is high, investors can obtain better performance only from funds that hold lottery-like stocks, indicating that investors may be better off selecting lottery-holding funds rather than lottery-like funds during periods of high sentiment. Overall, our study sheds light on investor behavior and the impact of market sentiment on fund flows and performance in lottery-like funds.