Vol. 17 No. 1(I) (2025)

This study investigates the impact of liquidity and leverage on the firm value of publicly listed service firms in Jordan, providing insights into financial management practices in emerging markets. Using secondary data from 38 service firms listed on the Amman Stock Exchange between 2011 and 2021, the study measures firm value through Tobin's Q, liquidity via the cash ratio (CHR) and quick ratio (QR), and leverage through short-term debt (SD) and long-term debt (LD). Employing Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), the findings reveal that the quick ratio positively influences Tobin's Q, suggesting that higher liquidity, excluding inventory, enhances market valuation, aligning with Pecking Order and Agency Cost Theories. However, the cash ratio negatively affects firm value, indicating inefficiencies from excessive cash reserves. Both short-term and long-term debt positively impact Tobin's Q, supporting the Trade-Off Theory by highlighting the strategic benefits of leverage. While the study is limited to the Jordanian service sector and data from 2011 to 2021, its findings offer valuable empirical evidence on the distinct effects of liquidity and leverage in emerging markets. These insights are relevant for managers, boards, policymakers, and government agencies aiming to enhance economic prosperity and firm performance.

This study aims to examine the factors affecting financial planning for retirement among gig workers in Peninsular Malaysia. To guarantee financial well-being during post-retirement life, people need to have proper financial planning for retirement. Using a systematic review of the literature, two main online databases, Scopus and Web of Science, were used to assess the literature on past studies based on the advanced search query and enriched keywords: (“FINANCIAL WELL-BEING*” OR “FWB” OR “FINANCIAL WELLBEING”) AND (“FINANC*” OR “RETIR*”) AND (“PLAN*”) from the beginning of 2020 till the end of 2024. As a result, four variables were incorporated, which are financial risk tolerance, financial behaviour, financial knowledge, and financial well-being. At the same time, financial well-being also acts as a mediator. The theory of life-cycle hypothesis and past empirical studies served as the underpinning theory to link the relationship between four variables and financial planning for retirement, resulting in a proposed conceptual framework for this study. This study is expected to contribute to the literature on financial well-being in the context of financial planning for retirement, specifically for gig workers.

Digital transformation is reshaping all sectors with the rapid emergence of new technologies that have garnered significant attention in recent years, and the accounting profession is no exception to this paradigm shift. The profession, however, has been slower in adopting emerging technologies due to practitioners' lack of awareness of the latest advancements, a shortage of technology-accounting experts, and concerns about the quality of financial reports generated using these technologies. Emphasizing the benefits and applications of these technologies is crucial for helping accountants and auditors understand better their potential to improve daily tasks and workflows. Therefore, this study aims to explore the evolution of digital usage in the accounting profession while investigating various technological advancements and their advantages and practical applications. The findings revealed the progression of digital usage in the accounting profession, tracing key milestones from the Pre-Computer Era to the introduction of computers, the emergence of the internet and ultimately to IR 4.0, which has driven the advancement of emerging technologies such as big data, AI, RPA, blockchain, XBRL and cloud-based software. The researcher also highlights the practical uses of these technologies, which include estimation and valuation, analysis and management, automation, integration and accessibility, control and updates and authentication. The results are hoped to inspire industry players to embrace new technologies and provide top management with valuable insights for making wellinformed decisions about technology selection and investment.

This study investigates the factors influencing non-Muslim consumers' intention to purchase halal products in Malaysia, focusing on halal awareness, halal certification, halal knowledge, and halal marketing. Using a quantitative approach, data were collected via surveys from 300 respondents at malls in Petaling Jaya and analyzed using SPSS version 29. The results reveal that halal certification and marketing strategies have a significant positive impact on purchase intention, while awareness and knowledge show moderate influences. These findings highlight the critical role of certification and targeted marketing in fostering non-Muslim consumer confidence in halal products. The study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on halal consumer behavior and offers practical insights for marketers and policymakers aiming to expand the halal market beyond the Muslim community.

Previous business crises have highlighted the shortcomings in the methodologies employed for risk management within organizations. In response to these problems, organizational risk management has gained importance recently for the oversight of corporate risk. Unlike solo-based risk management, Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) analyses the organization's whole risk exposure in an integrated and complete manner. The execution of such an integrated approach is essential for all organizations of size and types. Therefore, this study aims to investigate how the COSO ERM framework is considered a crucial framework that provides precise direction and guidance in enterprise risk management among manufacturing enterprises in Jordan and its impact on non-financial performance to enable organizations to mitigate risks and losses and exploit the opportunities. Furthermore, it highlights the prominent role of risk governance including boards of directors, risk committees, chief risk officers, and IT systems as moderators of this relation.

The fulfilment of Basic Psychological Needs (BPNS)—autonomy, competence, and relatedness—has become a crucial factor influencing employee well-being and corporate performance across all sectors. This study examines the influence of Basic Psychological Needs (BPNS) on employee motivation and performance in insurance companies based on Self-Determination Theory (SDT). Despite substantial research on BPNs in sectors including education and healthcare, their influence on the insurance industry, especially in Malaysia, remains inadequately investigated. The findings indicate that meeting these needs can cultivate a supportive work environment, alleviate workplace difficulties, and enhance employee engagement and organizational efficiency. This research fills the literature gap by contextualizing the significance of BPNS concerning the performance of insurance agencies, highlighting the relationship between psychological well-being and firm performance. This study systematically reviews current studies to highlight the possibility of utilizing BPNS satisfaction to improve staff retention, satisfaction, and productivity, fostering insurance companies' competitive growth.

The current business environment is characterized by significant volatility and unpredictability due to technological breakthroughs, political dynamics and societal changes. These dynamics significantly affect both large corporations and small and medium enterprises (SMEs). In the current dynamic business environment, SMEs face numerous issues requiring resilience for survival and success. Key challenges SMEs face include insufficient financial resources, lack of skilled personnel and inadequate technological infrastructure . For SMEs to remain resilient, employers and employees must reach a certain technological competence and expertise. Therefore, this study aims to explore the relationship between digital capabilities and resilience of Malaysian small and medium practices (SMPs) as the impact of digital skills on the survival of the accounting sector is rarely studied. A total of 255 owners and managers of accounting firms registered in the Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA) database participated in the online survey. The results show a positive and moderate correlation between small accounting firms' resilience and digital capabilities' characteristics (human, collaborative, innovative and technological skills). The existence of small accounting firms in Malaysia depends primarily on their innovation capabilities. The findings suggest that digital capabilities are essential for the resilience of small accounting firms as they not only facilitate survival but also encourage development and innovation in times of crisis. It also transforms accountants' workflows and improves their efficiency, cost-effectiveness, accuracy and competitiveness. This finding implies that it is crucial for SMEs, to invest in digital capabilities to survive but also to remain competitive and growth potential during periods of disruption.

The appointment of senior civil officials (SCO) to boards of directors of publicly traded firms, which distinguishes Malaysia from other countries, has prompted questions regarding SCO's credibility as the board of directors. The study's goal is to investigate the impact of network governance as depicted by senior civil officials from the audit committee (SCOAC) on audit prices. The theoretical foundation is based on social network theory and network governance. Quantitative methods will be used with data from publicly traded companies' annual reports in Bursa Malaysia. The study's findings are likely to add to the existing literature on network governance, SCOAC, and audit pricing. Furthermore, the study's findings are expected to serve as a useful reference for regulatory authorities as they draft and evaluate related policies. This will be the first study to present empirical evidence on the relationship between SCOAC and audit pricing in Malaysian public listed companies.

Corporate tax aggressiveness has become a major issue in the international business environment as they exploit the loopholes of legitimate tax avoidance. Although these techniques can increase revenues, they are viewed critically by regulators and society. Due to the reputational and fiscal impact associated with aggressive tax planning, effective measures are required to manage the risks and ensure compliance with tax laws. In addressing the issue of corporate tax aggressiveness, this paper examines the role played by risk management and the effectiveness of internal controls. Based on agency theory, tax aggressiveness often represents an agency problem between agent and principal. Therefore, effective risk management provides a systematic approach to recognizing and mitigating the potential pitfalls of aggressive tax strategies. Meanwhile, robust internal controls ensure compliance and align tax practices with governance standards. This study underscores the critical need for companies to view tax aggressiveness not just as a financial strategy, but as a governance challenge that requires robust risk mitigation and control systems. Although it can bring financial benefits and competitive advantages, it also carries financial, reputational, and regulatory risks that may jeopardize long-term value. Hence, companies should pursue a balanced approach to tax planning that harmonizes profitability targets with social expectations and regulatory standards.

Fraud is widely regarded as the most important corporate problem in today's economic environment, and it is only becoming worse, especially in a tight-budget situation. Fraud in financial reporting refers to the intentional falsification of financial facts to mislead financial statement users. It undermines investors' trust in published financial statements. This study aims to identify the factors influencing intention for fraud in financial reporting in Malaysian Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Hence, this study proposes a conceptual framework for financial reporting fraud intentions in Malaysian SMEs using the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) as an underlying theory and supplemented by Rest's four-component model. The proposed framework comprises four main variables – attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control and ethical judgment, while gender is treated as a control variable. This study enhances the current body of knowledge on unethical intention literature. It expands the applications of the TPB model in predicting intention for financial reporting fraud in the setting of small businesses. Additionally, the findings will contribute as a preventive safeguard against fraud in financial reporting.