Journal of Emerging Technologies in Accounting, Auditing and Finance (JETAAF)

Objectives: The main goal of this research is to explore the relationship between simultaneously maintaining debt and equity and corporate tax avoidance. The study focuses solely on this objective. Design/methodology/approach: Tax avoidance plays a crucial role in reducing a firm's payments to the government. Shareholders are incentivized to engage in tax avoidance practices, while financiers face the negative consequences of increased risks. However, when both debt and equity holders are present, financiers are less concerned about risk shifting as the risk is transferred between sectors. This can lead to a reduction in tax avoidance. Due to the lack of empirical studies in this area, this study examines the relationship between maintaining debt and equity simultaneously and corporate tax avoidance. A sample of 102 firms listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange from 2013 to 2014 was collected and analyzed using multiple regression. Results: The test of research hypotheses revealed a significant negative relationship between maintaining debt and equity simultaneously and a firm's tax avoidance. This relationship was found to be significant across all three measures of tax avoidance (effective cash tax rate, the difference between accounting profit and taxable profit, and the final effective tax rate). Innovation: This research is innovative as it explores the impact of maintaining debt and equity simultaneously on tax avoidance in Iran, a topic that has not been previously studied. Conducting such a study will help fill the existing research gap.

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of financial reporting quality on the relationship between stock price crash risk and litigation risk against auditors. Design/methodology/approach: This research utilizes multivariate regression to analyze the hypotheses. The statistical population of this study includes all firms listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange, with 131 firms selected using a systematic elimination sampling method. The study covers a period of 9 years, from 2014 to 2022. Results: The testing of the first hypothesis revealed a direct and significant relationship between stock price crash risk and litigation risk against auditors. The second hypothesis demonstrated that financial reporting quality has a significant and inverse relationship with stock price crash risk and litigation risk against auditors. Additionally, financial reporting quality was found to have a significant and inverse relationship with litigation risk against auditors. Innovation: This research provides evidence that stock price crash risk can increase auditors' litigation risk, and suggests that financial reporting quality can play a crucial role in this context.

Objectives: The present study aims to investigate the impact of political communication on the risk of lawsuits against auditors, considering the role of audit quality. Design/methodology/approach: This research is applied and, from a methodological standpoint, is causal correlation. The statistical population of the study consisted of all firms listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange. Using systematic sampling, 131 firms were selected as the study sample and studied over a 7-year period from 2016 to 2022. Results: The results of testing the research hypotheses showed a relationship between political communication and the risk of lawsuits against auditors in the first hypothesis. The second hypothesis demonstrated the effect of the interaction of audit quality and political communication on lawsuits against auditors. Innovation: This ongoing research provides evidence that political communication reduces the risk of lawsuits against auditors and improves the quality of auditing.

Objectives: This research examines the relationship between environmental, social, and governance scores and dividend distribution decisions of companies, taking into account the moderating role of financial audit quality to ensure sustainability. Design/methodology/approach: This research is applied, with a causal correlation methodology. Despite limitations, a sample of 152 firms was selected for the years 2018-2022. Multivariate linear regression based on panel data was used to test the research hypotheses. Results: Panel regression analyses reveal a positive and significant correlation between ESG scores and dividend payouts. This suggests that companies with strong environmental, social, and governance practices prioritize stakeholders and shareholders, maintaining dividend payments. However, companies that prioritize high-quality ESG practices experience slower dividend growth. Additionally, audit quality negatively moderates the relationship between ESG scores and dividend payouts, particularly for companies audited by A-rated firms. Quality assurance of ESG factors did not yield statistically significant results. Innovation: The findings have implications for investors, management, analysts, and policymakers, offering valuable insights for companies looking to enhance their sustainability practices.

Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between audit quality and business credibility while considering the role of internal control by the employer. Design/methodology/approach: To achieve the research objectives, a sample of 140 firms listed on the stock exchange was selected using a systematic exclusion pattern, and data was collected over 8 years from 2015 to 2022. A linear multivariate regression model was used to test the research hypotheses. Results: The results of testing the research hypotheses indicated that the quality of audits enhances the business reputation of firms. Additionally, the quality of internal controls can impact the relationship between audit quality and commercial credit. Innovation: This research provides evidence that improving the quality of auditing can increase access to business credit, and that internal controls play a significant role in this process.

Objectives: This research investigates the correlation between two approaches, aiming to propose a model for calculating the total cost of outsourced services using green activity-based costing with a sustainability perspective. Activity-based costing is a well-established accounting method that can easily trace direct and indirect costs of products based on activities and accurately track product costs resulting from different product combinations while also reducing environmental issues. The goal of this research is to propose a model for green activity-based costing in the gas industry to assist managers in addressing cost challenges and managing environmental issues in production decisions. Design/methodology/approach: This research is descriptive in nature. Descriptive statistics and histograms using SPSS 24 software will be utilized for statistical descriptions and frequencies of demographic and research variables. The research was conducted using a descriptive review method, with data gathered from reputable domestic and international sources such as books, articles, and websites. The research involves analyzing multiple criteria of activity-based costing, identifying environmental activities, and outlining the outsourcing of these activities using various tools. Results: The research results indicate that the identification of activities, environmental activities, and outsourcing significantly impact financial and operational performance. Innovation: To present the operating model and verify the research model, the structural equation method was used. The factor analysis method with PLS2 software was employed to assess the questionnaire's validity, followed by checking and analyzing the path coefficients and their significance.