Volume 24 Number 3, September – December 2022

MODELLING SECTORAL SENSITIVITY TO MACROECONOMIC SHOCKS: EVIDENCE FROM NIGERIA

Joshua Adeyemi Afolabi1, Blessing Ufuoma Olanrewaju1 and Wasiu Adekunle2

The Nigerian economy has been repeatedly hit by macroeconomic shocks, primarily owing to its over-reliance on crude oil and poor resource management. Given the limited resilience capacity of Nigeria’s economic sectors, this study examined the sensitivity of these sectors to macroeconomic shocks using the Vector Autoregression (VAR) and the Vector Error Correction (VEC) models in whose frameworks the study was carried out for the period between 2010Q1 and 2021Q4. The findings revealed the high responsiveness of the services and agricultural sectors to fiscal shocks, as well as the high sensitivity of the industrial sector to interest rate shocks. Also, the services sector was found to be more resilient to oil price shocks than the other sectors. Therefore, this study advocates for developing strategies to boost sectoral productivity and skillfully blend the fiscal and monetary policies so as to cushion the effects of macroeconomic shocks. Overall, this study provides the evidence of the sectoral effects of macroeconomic shocks in Nigeria.

Volume 24 Number 3, September – December 2022

THE EXPORT PERFORMANCE AND COMPETITIVENESS OF THE EURO AREA’S PERIPHERY

Radovan Kovačević

This paper examines the impact of the selected factors on the real exports of goods and services in the several euro area (the eurozone) peripheral economies. There are five countries in the sample (Italy, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, and Greece). The time period from 2000 to 2019 is considered. The research is aimed at providing robust estimates of the long-term relationship between the real exports of these countries and the selected explanatory variables using panel data analysis. The coefficients of the cointegration export equation were estimated using the FMOLS and DOLS estimators. Using the FMOLS estimator, the estimated coefficient of the real effective exchange rate is negative (-0.80) and of the variable foreign demand is positive (2.25). The coefficient of the real effective exchange rate confirms the fact that, from the point of view of the eurozone peripheral members, the overestimated real value of the euro has a disincentive effect on their real exports. The estimated coefficient of foreign demand suggests that the real export of goods and services (volumes) of the eurozone peripheral members increases by 2.25% when the real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the EU increases by 1%. The real export elasticity of the eurozone periphery countries is higher for foreign demand (income elasticity) than for relative price changes (price elasticity). Reductions in wages and prices in peripheral countries have led to redistributive effects in favor of the core.

Volume 24 Number 3, September – December 2022

THE CONTRIBUTION OF FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT TO ECONOMIC GROWTH IN THE SELECTED EMERGING EUROPEAN COUNTRIES: THE EVIDENCE BASED UPON THE PANEL COINTEGRATION MODEL

Vlatka Bilas and Sanja Franc

This paper is aimed at examining the fact whether foreign direct investment (FDI) and exports do contribute to economic growth in the thirteen European Union (EU) new member states (namely Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia) during the period from 2005 to 2020 or not. Various statistical tests were performed in order to examine the relationship and causality among the three observed series, including unit-root tests, the Kao and Pedroni cointegration tests, and finally the modified causality test. The obtained results are mixed. Although cointegration was established between FDI, exports and growth, the estimation of the long-term coefficients varied to such an extent that only ambiguous conclusions about the effect of FDI and exports on the growth of the real gross domestic product (GDP) could be reached. The research results imply the fact that positive effects of FDI and exports are neither automatic nor equal in all the countries, but the same rather depend on the many factors and conditions that the governments of the selected states should consider when designing policy measures for attracting FDI and promoting exports.

Volume 24 Number 2, May – August 2022

SUCCESS FACTORS, TOOLS AND CONTROLLERS’ TASKS IN CONDITIONS OF INTENSIVE DIGITALIZATION

Mirjana Todorović and Dragana Parč

The main goal set by this paper is to identify the position of controlling and controllers in the practice of companies operating in the Republic of Serbia in the conditions of intensive digitalization. This research study is focused on understanding and the critical success factors of controlling, tools and the controller’s tasks. The research study was conducted on a sample of 35 companies, and the respondents were employed in various controlling positions. In methodological terms, the analysis of the collected data included descriptive statistics, measuring the reliability and internal consistency of the variables (Cronbach’s alpha coefficient) and conducting a nonparametric test (Mann-Whitney’s U test). The results of the research study show that controlling is understood as multidimensional, most often professional support to management; that the controlling key success factor is the controller’s expertise and competence; that the most important controlling tools are the budget, variance analysis and the short-term calculation of the results, and finally that one of the controller’s basic tasks is reporting to management. The nonparametric test enabled the identification of statistically significant differences in the respondents’ attitudes.

Volume 24 Number 2, May – August 2022

HUMAN RESOURCE ACCOUNTING CONTRIBUTION TO THE PROFITABILITY OF NIGERIAN PUBLICLY TRADED CONGLOMERATE COMPANIES

Khadijat Adenola Yahaya, Ramat Titilayo Salman, Abubakar Kolapo Abdulsalam and Adesanmi Timothy Adegbayibi

This study is aimed at evaluating the impact of human resource accounting for the profitability of Nigerian listed conglomerate companies. The secondary data used in the study were collected from the audited annual reports of the six conglomerate companies quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange in the period from the year 2010 to 2019. The panel regression technique was adapted for the purpose of the analysis of the collected data. The results show that the cost of staff training and staff development, changes in employees’ salaries and post-employment benefits have a positive significant impact on the profitability of the Nigerian conglomerate companies. The study then concludes that human resource accounting positively contributes to the profitability of Nigerian conglomerate companies and provides the recommendations reading that Nigerian companies should invest more in their employee training and development.

Volume 24 Number 2, May – August 2022

ENERGY PRICES AS SIGNIFICANT SUPPLY-SIDE SHOCKS: THE CASE OF THE FORMER SFRY AND VIŠEGRAD GROUP MEMBER COUNTRIES

Aleksandra Praščević and Milutin Ješić

The influence of energy prices on macroeconomic stability is analyzed in this paper. Energy prices represent significant supply-side shocks, which have been leading cyclical fluctuation triggers through economic history. The analysis includes the countries that were the members of the former SFRY, as well as the countries the members of the Višegrad Group. The indicators under observation are presented for the EU27 for the purposes of comparison. In accordance with economic theory, the main conclusion of the paper is that supply-side shocks can be a significant source of cyclical fluctuations and an inflation trigger. Therefore, policymakers have a complex task to minimize the effects of these shocks. Nowadays, when energy prices are reaching historically high levels, the scientific contribution of supply-side shocks can be found in the deep analysis and well-grounded estimations of the role of those shocks in the preservation of macroeconomic stability and the economic policy measures necessary for the minimization of their negative effects.

Volume 24 Number 2, May – August 2022

THE MEASUREMENT AND ANALYSIS OF ECONOMIC GROWTH DYNAMICS IN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES

Mirjana Gligorić Matić and Biljana Jovanović Gavrilović

In this paper, the quantitative aspect of economic growth, i.e. its dynamics, is dealt with. Although it is common to observe the growth rate (intensity) when analyzing the growth dynamics of countries while neglecting growth variability, the fact that covering fluctuations in growth rates has clear motivation and practical significance is presented. On a sample of European countries, including Serbia, growth intensity and stability are analyzed in the paper in order to construct a growth dynamics indicator and an adjusted growth rate based upon these two components. Based upon the two constructed indicators, the position of each country in the sample and in the region (Western and Eastern Europe) which they belong to is analyzed. The detailed analysis and results indicate the importance of this approach when analyzing and comparing the economic growth of individual countries in the medium term and in the long term and when assessing effects on future economic growth and wellbeing.

Volume 24 Number 1, January – April 2022

DETERMINANTS OF ABNORMAL AUDIT FEES IN INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL REPORTING STANDARDS-BASED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Henry Emife Monye-Emina1 and Edirin Jeroh2

This study essentially examines the audit effort as a possible determinant of the abnormal audit fees evinced in International Financial Reporting Standards-based financial statements. Therefore, the secondary data were sourced from the audited annual reports and the relevant financial statements of the Nigerian listed banks for the period of observation (2010-2019). An analysis was performed using the relevant techniques that include descriptive statistics, the correlation matrix and panel regression. The findings showed that the IFRS, the client complexity (CPX) and the client size (SIZ) were negatively correlated with abnormal audit fees (ABFEE), whereas joint audit (JAD) recorded a positive correlation with such abnormal audit fees. Lucidly, joint audit showed a stronger relationship with abnormal audit fees, whereas the client size showed a significant, but negative relationship with abnormal audit fees. Similarly, the fact that, with a probability value 0.9494, the relationship between ABFEE and the client complexity was not significant was noticed. Given these research outcomes, it can be concluded that abnormal audit fees are primarily motivated by extra or unexplained audit efforts and the costs associated with them. It is, therefore, recommended that, proportionately with the service(s) rendered, accounting professional bodies should review, harmonize and tactically institute a limit for professional charges through the enforcement of regulated benchmarks for audit fees payable by clients.

Volume 24 Number 1, January – April 2022

ENHANCING PRODUCTION AND SALE BASED ON MATHEMATICAL STATISTICS AND THE GENETIC ALGORITHM

Snezana Nestic1, Aleksandar Aleksic1, Jaime Gil Lafuente2 and Nikolina Ljepava3

Enhancing production and sale has a very significant effect on the competitive advantage of any production enterprise. In practice, especially in companies with highly diversified production, products have a different impact on generating revenue. Therefore, operational management pay attention to the products of the utmost importance. The Pareto analysis is the most broadly used product classification method. It can be said that the results obtained by this analysis are still very burdened by decision-makers’ subjective attitudes. This paper proposes a model for selecting products with the biggest impact on generating revenue in an exact way. In the model’s first stage, whether there is a linear relationship between volume demand and a discounted amount is analyzed applying mathematical statistics methods. In the second stage, the Genetic Algorithm (GA) method is proposed so as to obtain a near-optimal set of the most important products. The proposed model is shown to be a useful and effective assessment tool for sales and operational management in a production enterprise.

Volume 24 Number 1, January – April 2022

MODELS OF WAGES AND INCENTIVES CONTRACTS IN THE CONDITIONS OF INFORMATION ASYMMETRY ON THE LABOR MARKET

Khushboo Gupta1, Venkata Ramana Thanikella2, Omkar Singh Deol3 and Kanishka Gupta4

The objective of the current paper is to study the relationship between company financial factors, macroeconomic factors and the market measures of risk of the Consumer Goods Sector of the Indian economy. Systematic, unsystematic and total risks are the measures of the risk used. Dynamic panel data regression techniques have been applied to the data of the companies comprising the S&P BSE FMCG index of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) of India. The time frame established for the study is the period from 2011 to 2020. The results show that on average 89.6 percent of total risk is attributable to the unsystematic portion, whereas the rest is attributable to the systematic portion. Furthermore, both the financial variables and macroeconomic variables can be used to gauge the risk related to investments. Moreover, marketing personnel may justify their expenditure that builds their brand value as these efforts will reduce the risk for investors and increase their wealth. The results of this study are especially useful for business managers, as well as investors, helping them to understand risk and the factors contributing to it, which may provide useful insights regarding cost-of-capital and value-of-firm calculations.