Jordanian Industrial Firms Research Articles

The effect of tax avoidance on firm value with leverage as a moderating variable

This study investigated the effect of tax avoidance (TAV) on company value in Jordan, with a specific focus on the moderating role of leverage. The sample is 55 Jordanian industrial firms listed on the Amman Stock Exchange for the study period from 2005 to 2022. Given the evolving regulatory landscape and the importance of tax planning strategies for corporate performance, understanding these dynamics is critical. Employing panel data analysis spanning several years, the study examined the link between tax avoidance, leverage, and company value. The results indicated a significant negative association between TAV and firm value (the correlation between them is –29.3%), suggesting that firms engaging in higher levels of TAV experience lower market valuations. Additionally, the analysis reveals that leverage plays a crucial moderating role in this relationship, amplifying the negative impact of TAV on firm value. The study also found a strong correlation between firm value and size, and the relationship between firm value and ROA remains significant and positive. These findings provided valuable information for policymakers, corporate executives, and investors navigating the complexities of contemporary business environments in Jordan and beyond.

Technology factors and ERP system efficiency in the Jordanian industrial firms: does company size matter?

The study was structured to investigate the impact of technological factors on the effectiveness of enterprise resource planning (ERP) in Jordanian industrial firms, using a descriptive-analytical approach. This study also examines company size as a moderator variable, which has been measured using the logarithm of total assets extracted from each firm’s annual report. The study’s target population consisted of all Jordanian industrial firms listed on the Amman Stock Exchange, totaling 55 firms. Managers participated as respondents, with 220 questionnaires distributed electronically, averaging four questionnaires per company. After data collection, 92 valid questionnaires were used for statistical analysis. The findings indicate a significant and positive relationship between technological factors (such as ease of use, perceived usefulness, and digital proficiency) and ERP system effectiveness in Jordanian industrial firms. However, the study revealed that trust, as one of the technological factors, did not significantly impact ERP system efficiency. Additionally, it was found that the moderating role of company size moderates positively the relationship between two technological factors (i.e., perceived usefulness and digital proficiency), and ERP system efficiency. The research suggests that industrial firms in Jordan should take into account technological factors, including factors like ease of use, perceived usefulness, and digital proficiency, to remain current with advancements that can improve the efficiency of ERP systems. This is important due to the positive influence it can have on the operational effectiveness of Jordanian industrial companies, aiding them in their planning and decision-making processes.

Predicting Risk of and Motives behind Fraud in Financial Statements of Jordanian Industrial Firms Using Hexagon Theory

This study intends to identify the motives that lead to increasing or fighting the fraud risk in the Financial Statements (FSs) of industrial companies whose shares are traded in regulated and unregulated markets at the Amman Stock Exchange (ASE) based on the Hexagon theory, which divides the motives for fraud into six factors. The study relied on secondary data to collect and measure the study variables by extracting them from the annual reports that were published by those companies on the website of the ASE during the period of 2012–2017. The collected data were analyzed using the logistic regression model on the SPSS program. The results confirmed that the return on assets (ROA), percentage of independent members in audit committees, and tone-related party transactions had a statistically significant relationship with predicted fraudulent FSs, where these three variables belong to pressure, opportunity, and collusion fraud motives, respectively. Thus, it is worth mentioning that this study is distinguished from previous studies that examined the issue of fraud in Jordanian companies by detecting the motives of fraud according to the Fraud Hexagon theory. Moreover, some of the fraud motives were measured using new variables such as a change in inventory, the age of auditing committee’s members, and tone-related party transactions.

The relationship between sales growth, profitability, and tax avoidance

The study aims to examine the intricate interplay between sales growth, profitability, and tax avoidance strategies adopted by firms. Through an analysis of a diverse dataset spanning multiple industries and regions, this study investigates how sales growth influences a firm’s marketing approach to tax avoidance and its subsequent impact on profitability. The sample is Jordanian industrial firms listed on the Amman Stock Exchange for the study period between 2010 and 2020. Four critical variables used in the dataset are tax avoidance, return on assets, sales, and size. It employs a mixed-methods approach, including quantitative regression analysis and qualitative assessments of corporate tax strategies. The study results reveal a strong negative relationship between ROA and tax avoidance; for every unit increase in ROA, tax avoidance decreases by 0.198 units. Sales, however, do not exhibit a statistically significant association with tax avoidance. Firm size is an additional predictor with a marginally significant direct link with tax avoidance (β = 0.042, p = 0.049). This study highlights the central role of profitability in shaping tax avoidance strategies, with larger firms marginally more inclined toward tax planning.

The impact of environmental disclosure on value relevance: Moderating role of environmental performance

Existing research lacks to adequately examine how environmental performance moderates the influence of environmental disclosure on value relevance. This study pursues to investigate the direct influence of environmental disclosures on value relevance, measured by the fair value of common equity. Moreover, it tests how environmental performance moderates the influence of environmental disclosures on value relevance.Data were gathered from the annual reports of Jordanian industrial firms listed on the Amman Stock Exchange from 2018 to 2021. The study employed the Ohlson model to assess the value relevance. Furthermore, both earnings and the book value of equity were included as other independent variables, as required by the model.This study found that environmental disclosures positively impact the value relevance of industrial firms listed on the Amman Stock Exchange. Moreover, such disclosures positively influence the value relevance of industrial firms with greater environmental performance. Earnings and the book value of equity also positively influence the value relevance. The results were similar to those obtained by conducting panel regression after controlling for both the industry and year effects.It is therefore recommended that directors exploit environmental disclosures to increase the value relevance of the firm. At the same time, they should consider environmental disclosures as an essential component to integrate into future strategies. Hence, firm managers should consistently evaluate the environmental and financial performance, followed by developing well-designed strategies to increase the environmental performance and reliability of environmental disclosure due to their positive role in enhancing value relevance.

The Impact of Demographic Variables of Audit Committee on Earning Management in Listed Companies in Amman Stock Exchange

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to inspect the influence of demographic variables of the AC on EM in listed companies on the ASE. Specifically, the study aims to examine the effect of AC size, independence, expertise, and diversity on EM practices in Jordanian firms. Theoretical framework: The influence of demographic variables of the AC on EM is an important topic that has been studied by a significant number of researchers, as well as those who are interested in the accounting profession. This subject has gotten a lot of attention from academics, professionals, and other interested parties in recent years (Al-Thuneibat, Alsmadi, and Alsharairi (2017); Al-Khadash (2016); Srouji and Khamees (2021) and Al-Rawashdeh and Al Khattab (2020). Findings: In this study, demographic variables of the AC, such as gender diversity, age, education, and experience, are expected to affect the effectiveness of the committee in fulfilling its monitoring and control functions or its supportive functions. For instance, a more diverse AC may bring different perspectives and enhance the quality of decision-making, whereas an experienced committee may have a better understanding of the company's operations and risks. Research, practical & social implications: The study population comprised of all Jordanian industrial firms listed on the ASE for 5 years, from 2017 to 2021. Moreover, 55 industrial firms were included in the analyses. Analyses was used to analyze the panel data which was collected from the annual report were used to analyze the panel data. Originality/Value: The fact, our current study is the first to inspect the influence of demographic variables of the AC on EM in listed companies on the ASE. Specifically, the study aims to examine the effect of AC size, independence, expertise, and diversity on EM practices in Jordanian firms.

The effect of human capital and structural capital on leverage: Evidence from Jordan

This study investigates the effect of human capital and structural capital on leverage for Jordanian industrial firms from 2006 to 2020. The relevance of this topic lies in the importance of capital structure decisions for firm value and the limited research conducted on the topic in Jordan. The aim is to examine whether human capital efficiency and structural capital efficiency significantly affect leverage. The sample includes 77 industrial firms. The study employs multiple regression analysis to test the hypotheses, controlling for variables such as return on equity and firm size. The findings show that structural capital efficiency does not significantly affect leverage, but human capital efficiency and ROE have significant effects. Furthermore, the study finds that the relationship between these variables differs between large and small companies. This implies that firms with more efficient human capital tend to use less debt financing. The study concludes that human and structural capital efficiency should be considered when making capital structure decisions, as they can affect the optimal level of debt financing. The practical value is the insights for firms in Jordan and other emerging markets on optimizing their capital structure decisions by considering their human and structural capital efficiency. These results contribute to the literature on firm performance determinants in emerging economies and offer valuable information for practitioners and policymakers. AcknowledgmentI want to thank Amman Arab University for funding this study.

Application of Using the Activity-Based Costing System on Product Development in Jordan’s Manufacturing Listed Manufacturing Firms

Purpose: The aim of this research was to examine how the Activity-Based Costing system (ABC) affected product development in Jordanian manufacturing public shareholding companies. Design/methodology/approach: According to the monthly statistical bulletin of the Amman Stock Exchange and the Securities Depository Center, the study population for the year 2022 included (56) Jordanian industrial firms. The questionnaire was distributed to the financial manager, production manager, sales manager, and accountant. In comparison to the total number of circulated questionnaires, (132) were authorized for statistical analysis. Regression analysis and correlation were used to analyze the data and extract results related to the statistical methods used in the study, namely, descriptive statistics, Cronbach's alpha equation, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and linear regression analysis. Findings: The study revealed that there is a connection between the ABC system and product development in Jordanian industrial companies, where this approach contributes to the improvement and development of products by tracking the stages of production since its inception and concentrating on activities that add value to the company and eliminating activities that do not add any value, naturally improving the competitive position of the company. Research Practical implications: Hence, one of this study's main findings suggests developing strategies for methodically and practically gathering comprehensive data on the company's operations. The study advised that Jordan's industrial public shareholding companies stay up with recent advancements in the field of activity-based costing. Originality/value: This study recommends that for the company to stay up with the acceleration in advancement in the areas of activity costs and the employment of latent capabilities for the company's advantage, the study also recommended that the company train its employees to develop their capabilities to serve its strategies. As the findings also reveal that most of the manufacturing firms in Jordan have the infrastructure to adopt and implement the ABC system.

The effect of supply chain risk management on supply chain resilience: The intervening part of Internet-of-Things

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of supply chain risk management on supply chain resilience in the presence of Internet-of-Things as an intermediate variable. In other words, the study seeks to identify whether supply chain risk management completely affects supply chain resilience. Collecting data by a questionnaire from a sample composed of managers of Jordanian industrial firms, the results show that supply chain risk management has a direct and indirect effect on supply chain resilience through Internet-of-Things. These results do not support the hypothesis that supply chain risk management completely affects supply chain resilience and accepted the hypothesis that Internet-of-Things intervenes the effect of supply chain risk management on supply chain resilience. The study contributes to the literature through filling a research gap regarding the mediating role of Internet-of-Things in the relationship between supply chain risk management and supply chain resilience and contributes to the industry through instructing managers to adopt technologies such as Internet-of-Things to help their firms cope with supply chain risks.

The Effect of The Asset Management Efficiency on Financial Performance "Evidence From Jordanian Industrial Firms"

The effectiveness of asset management practices among industries listed on the Amman Stock Exchange (ASE) is examined in this study with regard to their effects on financial performance measured by return on assets throughout the 2015–2020 timeframe. Companies in the industrial sector make up the population of this study. Purposive sampling was the method that was employed to gather data for the study subjects from as many as 33 firms. Return on assets is the dependent variable in this study. However, the independent variables are Non-Current Asset Turnover, Total Asset Turnover and Working Capital Turnover. The test technique utilized to decide the effect of three independent variables on the return on assets is regression using panel data analysis, which is carried out using Eviews (12). However, based on the results of a contemporaneous investigation, the study's major results are that Non-Current Asset Turnover and Total Asset Turnover have a significant positive effect on Return on assets; it in turn has a positive effect on industrial firms' financial performance, and on the contrary, the study found that Working Capital Turnover has a negative effect on Return on assets; the study suggests applying the efficiency of asset management to include additional sectors in the Amman Stock Exchange, choosing other financial indicators such as solvency and liquidity ratios, and comparing the industrial sectors with the service and financial sectors.

The Association between Accounting Conservatism and Cash Holding, Dividends and Leverage

This paper examines the effect of accounting conservatism on several financial decisions in Jordan. In particular, it aims to expose the effect of accounting conservatism on cash holdings, dividends distributions, and leverage for a sample of 83 Jordanian industrial and service firms listed on the Amman Stock Exchange (ASE) for the period 2015-2019. The feasible generalised least squares (FGLS) regression technique is used to test the association between accounting conservatism and financial decisions. The findings of this paper reveal a negative and significant relationship between accounting conservatism and cash holding. However, positive but insignificant relationships are reported between accounting conservatism and both dividends distributions and leverage. These findings have important implications for investors, corporate managers, and policymakers. The study recommends that future research use different measures of leverage, such as debt-to-equity ratio and long-term debt to equity ratio, in order to compare the results of different measuring instruments. It also recommends incorporating other measures of conservatism, such as market to book ratio and timeliness asymmetric measure.
 
 Received: 23 March 2022 / Accepted: 20 June 2022 / Published: 5 July 2022

Intellectual capital components and industrial firm’s performance

The study aims to determine the connection between intellectual capital (IC) and financial performance of the Jordanian industrial listed companies. The methodology uses regression models, the IC will be measured using the VAIC model (value-added intellectual coefficient), on the other hand, company performance will be measured using return on equity (ROE). The main model includes financial leverage as a control variable to study the leverage role in the association between IC and return on equity. The study also investigates the incremental information content for intellectual capital components in explaining the change in firm performance. In addition, the size effect is studied to show if the company’s size affects the link between ROE and IC. The sample for this study is 77 Jordanian industrial firms and 788 company-year observations during the period 2006–2020. The study results are as follows: Intellectual capital has an important influence on industrial firm performance; Intellectual capital components have a significant impact on industrial firm performance. In particular, human capital efficiency (HCE) and capital employed efficiency (CEE) have a positive influence on ROE, and structural Capital efficiency (SCE) has a negative impact on firm performance. Lastly, firm size has an effect on the relationship between IC and industrial company performance.

Do Corporate Governance and Gender Diversity Matter in Firm Performance (ROE)? Empirical Evidence from Jordan

The aim of this paper was to examine the effect of managerial/board gender diversity and corporate governance structure on firm performance in a Jordanian business environment—a developing economy that has a distinct environment from that of developed economies. The current study focuses on the unique context of an emerging economy (i.e., Jordan). Data were collected from nonfinancial companies listed on the Amman Stock Exchange from 2018 to 2020. Data analysis was carried out using the random-effects estimator, which was considered as the most suitable for this study. The results disclose that female representation on the board of executives of Jordanian companies had a positive but insignificant effect on corporate performance, as measured by the return on equity, indicating that this variable has no effect on the performance of firms in Jordan. Both family ownership and board size had negative significant effects on performance, but for the moderating effect, corporate governance structure had no effect on the relationship among CEO duality, institution ownership, government ownership, independent directors, and firm performance. The current study only focused on Jordanian industrial firms listed on ASE, thus rendering the findings nongeneralizable to other sectors and nations. Further investigations are urged to broaden the context of the study to achieve more enriched findings. Managers can use the findings to achieve a deeper understanding of the way governance structure affects firm performance. Additionally, regulators at the Jordan Securities Commission can attain valuable insight about the adequacy of the current regulations regarding the role of gender diversity and corporate governance structure in Jordan. The current study contributes to the literature concerning the effect of managerial gender diversity and corporate governance structure on performance. Furthermore, this investigation aims to fill the current research gap in the context of Jordan, which is an emerging economy in the Arab region that is under-represented in this field of research.

The impact of CSR on the financing cost of Jordanian firms

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure on the firms’ weighted average cost of capital (WACC) of Jordanian industrial firms listed in the Amman Stock Exchange (ASE) over the 2009–2019 period. In particular, this paper examines whether stockholders and creditors value CSR information disclosure positively when they decide to provide financing to the firm.Design/methodology/approachTo investigate the relationship between the firm's disclosure of CSR and its WACC within Jordanian industrial firms, this study used the generalized method of moments. This study first describes the variables and then the model specification. The dependent variable is the WACC, calculated as the weighted average cost of debt and the cost of equity. For the main independent variable, this study used the CSR disclosure index developed by Abu Qa'adan and Suwaidan (2019), which includes 42 items of information classified into four categories: environmental information, human resources information, community involvement information and product/services to customer information. The sample includes 42 industrial firms listed in the ASE over the period 2009–2019.FindingsThis study finds find that there is no impact of total CSR disclosure on the WACC. However, firms that do not disclose enough information and engage in socially responsible activities related to the environment and the human resources are considered high risk to the market participants (i.e. creditors and equity holders) and consequently are penalized by being charged high financing costs. Furthermore, profitable firms that engage in CSR activities are seen to be highly risky.Research limitations/implicationsAs the period chosen for the study is considered a period of an economic slowdown in Jordan, it is highly likely that the impact of the economic slowdown increased the required return on investment by equity holders. The results of the study are consistent with the idea that managers regard CSR as philanthropy rather than as a necessary activity that leads to the sustainability of their businesses. On the other hand, it could be that investors do not give any attention to the CSR information provided by the firm, and hence, their required return is determined by other factors.Originality/valueThis research contributes to the literature on CSR in the following: first, contrary to previous research that examines the impact of CSR on a firm's value or its cost of equity capital, this study will examine the effect of CSR disclosures on the company’s WACC. Second, this research examines the CSR disclosure in a small market where information asymmetry is high, thus the authors suggest that their CSR disclosure is one channel through which firms can reduce this information asymmetry and improve their performance.

The impact of ownership structure on dividend policy of listed firms in Jordan

This study investigates the impact of ownership structure on the dividend policy in Jordan. In particular, it aims to uncover the effects of family ownership, institutional ownership, foreign ownership, and state ownership on dividend decisions for a sample of 66 Jordanian industrial and service firms listed on the Amman Stock Exchange (ASE) for the period 2014–2017. Tobit Panel Regression is used to test the hypotheses of the study. The results show a significant positive association between institutional ownership and dividend yield, while foreign ownership is associated with a less likelihood of paying dividends. No evidence is found to support that family ownership and state ownership have an impact on dividend yield. Hence, the study provides a clear evidence that high institutional ownership as an external control mechanism increases the need to pay dividends. The results also indicate that Jordanian listed firms have highly concentrated ownership structures and are mainly dominated by families followed by financial institutions, then foreign investors while the state shows relatively lower ownership. The study recommends that investors should take into account ownership structure when making investment decisions to help them choose the best investment opportunities.

Operating Cash Flow and Dividend Changes as a Management Tool for Planning and Making Decision

The main objective of this study was to examine whether operating cash flows have incremental information beyond operating net income in explaining dividend changes for a sample of Jordanian industrial firms listed on the Amman Stock Exchange (ASE) during the period 2010-2016 Arguments for operating cash flow information suggest that it is better than accrual net income in reflecting the firm performance and in measuring the firm liquidity. Both performance and liquidity are viewed as significant factors influencing a firm’s dividend policy. To examine this, operating cash flow, operating net income and lagged dividends were incorporated in a regression model. The results of this model indicated that the only significant variables explaining dividend changes were operating net income and lagged dividends with positive and negative coefficients, respectively. An attempt was also made to address the problem of nonlinearity in the relationship between cash flow and dividend changes. The sample of the industrial firms were divided into two groups (high growth and low growth firms) based on market to book value ratio. The results of the two regression models provided evidence consistent with the superiority of accrual operating net income over operating cash flow in explaining dividend changes. The results of this study suggest that Jordanian industrial firms base their dividend policies on accrual net income rather than on cash flows. One possible consequence of this suggestion is that cash dividends are not internally financed and as a result, this would deteriorate the liquidity and solvency position of a firm.

The Influence of the Trade-off between Profitability and Future Increases in Sales on Cost Stickiness: Evidence from Jordan

This study aims at analyzing cost stickiness under the dilemma between current profitability and future sales increase. The study population consisted of all Jordanian industrial companies listed on the Amman Stock Exchange (ASE) during the period (2007-2017). The study sample consisted of (30) industrial companies, were used in the analysis. Panel data regression was used to test the relationship between the variables in the study. Results supported the Anderson et al. (2003) argument in that selling, general and administrative expense for Jordanian industrial firms listed in Amman stock exchange (ASE) follow the sticky cost behaviour, they increased by (0.34%) for 1% increase in sales, however, they didn’t change by any sales decrease. During sales decline results showed that future sales growth did not have a stressing effect on cost stickiness and didn’t drive greater cost stickiness, however, changes in profitability was proved to have a significant positive relation to cost stickiness when sales decrease, meaning that managers apply greater adjustments in SGA (greater cost stickiness) in the case of the attainment of unfavourable changes in profitability. The study recommended a number of recommendations, including Companies should know the factors that affect the cost behavior and take into consideration when analyzing costs and making administrative decisions in companies which will, in turn, improve the process of making administrative decisions and investment decisions.

Intellectual capital and market value: evidence from Jordan

This research aims to apply the value-added intellectual coefficient (VAIC) model to test the impact of intellectual capital (IC) on market value of the Jordanian industrial firms. The research increases the awareness of the need for firms of all sizes to communicate and value their business beyond capturing numbers alone. The sample for this study is 73 Jordanian manufacturing shareholders companies during the period 2005–2017. The sample employed consists of 648 firm-year observations. Market value is measured using the market capitalization over the total assets. Valuation approaches are a challenging area created to enable the stakeholders, or outside parties, to put an economic value on a firm.The IC and its components: capital employed (CEE), structural capital (SCE), and human capital (HCE) of industrial firms have been analyzed, and their impact on market value has been estimated using regression models. The results show that there is no relationship between IC and the market value; HCE is associated with the market value, and SCE and CEE are not associated with the market value. This could be explained by the increase in employees’ training, as a regular training program is an essential factor in managers’ and employees’ performance. Practically, investors have a positive view of a firm that has higher employee expenditure than its investment in physical capital. Future research should be made on the empirical analysis of other sectors to determine whether different results and explanations can be obtained.

The impact of working capital management on cash holdings of large and small firms: evidence from Jordan

Liquidity is a firm’s ability to pay its current obligations as they come due and thus remain in business in the short run, which reflects the ease with which assets can be converted to cash. The objective of working capital management (WCM) is to minimize the cost of maintaining liquidity while guarding against the risk of insolvency, working capital policy applies to short-term decisions, and capital structure finance applies to long-term decisions.Several studies have been conducted on the impact of WCM on cash holding levels. The impact of WCM on liquidity and cash holding levels is analyzed in this study. The study also makes a comparison between large- and small-scale firms. Panel data for 62 Jordanian industrial firms covering an eleven-year period (2006–2016) have been analyzed. The descriptive analysis indicates that large firms hold more cash than small firms, as well as more debt, cash flow and growth.The findings of the data set indicate that WCM, as a variable (working capital net of cash), is a strong predictor of firm cash holding levels. When a firm has several cash substitutes, it will maintain low cash levels. The separate analysis shows that there are significant differences between small- and large-scale firms for determinates related to cash holding levels. Firm size and cash flow ratios were strong predictors of cash holding levels for both samples.

The Moderating Effects of Dividend Policy on the Impact of Financial Disclosure Towards Corporate Value: A Study of Listed Jordanian Industrial Firms

This study is primarily designed to examine the moderating effects of dividend policy on the impact of financial statement disclosure towards the corporate value of the Jordanian industrial companies listed in Amman Stock Exchange (ASE). In this study, the unit of analysis consist of 61 industrial firms, which is equivalent to 63% of the total number of Jordanian listed industries in ASE as at 2011. Therefore, secondary data was used, in which the data was collected from the annual financial reports disclosed by the selected industrial firms covering the period of 13 years from 2005 to 2017. Analysis was made through SPSS version 21 and SmartPLS version 3. Accordingly, findings of this study revealed that the total direct effects between the variables were positively significant at p-value 0.05. Moreover, the total contribution of the exogenous variables in the prediction of endogenous variable is 85%. Based on the findings, it is recommended that, Jordanian listed industrial firms should consider a full disclosure of their financial transaction since accountability and transparency attracts potential investors and creditors alike to pick interest in doing business with utmost financial security. It is recommended that the listed industrial firms of Jordanian should be given a maximum consideration to the indicators used in this study since the indicators were perfects to measure the variables under study for a better management decisions. Keywords: Dividend policy, Financial Disclosure, Corporate Value, Management Decisions DOI : 10.7176/RJFA/10-6-13 Publication date :March 31 st 2019