Preface to the Volume 5 Issue 1 of Indian Pacific Journal of Accounting and Finance

Abstract

It is great to introduce our journal's fifth volume first issue into the global community, yearning for high-quality and impactful papers. IPJAF continues to seek and provide readers globally with technology-supported peer-reviewed scholarly articles on a broad range of established and emergent areas of accounting, finance, business, economics, and social sciences.

I am resolute in maintaining the high-quality standard of research and publication that focuses on the exemplary service and dedication of our editorial board, editorial review and the editorial office. Volume 5 Issue 1 comprises three manuscripts dealing with corporate finance, taxation, and accounting.

The first article entitled “investigating the market interest rate on commercial banks financial performance in Bangladesh” by Debashis Saha (Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka), Prodip Chandra Bishwas (Bangladeshi Army University of Engineering and Technology, Qadirabad Dayanrampur, Natore), and Md. Mustofa Ahmed Sumon (Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka) investigates the relationship between the market interest rate and commercial banks' financial performance. The convenience sampling method is used to select the targeted sample. The study includes the time series data of eight years of fifteen commercial banks listed on the Dhaka Stock Exchange in Bangladesh. Multiple variable linear regression and correlation analysis are performed to examine the relationship of market interest rate with banks' profitability with statistical software, IBM SPSS version 25, and Microsoft excel. The study explored that the market interest rate has a significant positive impact on banks' profitability. It is also found that the lending rate and interest rate spread are significantly correlated with the banks' financial performance. The study recommends that banks invest in a higher profit margin to enhance their management and financial soundness efficiency.

The second article, titled “Relationship between orthodox finance and dividend policy: A literature review” by Dr Fakhrul Hasan (De Montfort University: Leicester, Leicestershire, Great Britain), concentrates on the relationship between orthodox (corporate) finance and dividend policy. Specifically, the paper examines the relationship between different dividend policy theories and dividend policy. In addition, it investigates the association between different corporate finance elements and dividend policy.  The paper sheds light on the dividend literature, which reveals how dividend literature developed over the year. However still, the dividend policy is a puzzle for researchers. The author observes that researchers still did not reach any conclusion after much constrictive research from the previous literature survey. The paper provides details about previous literature reviews in the area of dividend policy.  

The third article with a caption, “Examining Tax E-Filing Acceptance in Sarawak, Malaysia: An Adoption of UTAUT” by Masriah Alias (Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz School of Accountancy, College of Business, Universiti Utara Malaysia), and Dr. Idawati Ibrahim (Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz School of Accountancy, College of Business, Universiti Utara Malaysia) examine the level of tax e-filing acceptance in Sarawak, and investigate the relationships between performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating condition, and the intention to accept tax e-filing system in Sarawak, Malaysia. This study uses the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) as the underpinning theory. A total of 630 questionnaires was distributed to salaried taxpayers in Sarawak. The descriptive analysis and multiple regression analysis using IBM SPSS version 26 were utilised to achieve the objectives. The study agrees that taxpayers in Sarawak have a high level of intention to use tax e-filing. The findings also show that performance expectancy and facilitating conditions have a significant positive relationship, social influence has a significant negative relationship, and effort expectancy was insignificant. Since the IRBM is currently taking steps to enhance services delivery using the e-filing system, the results may assist them to plan a more effective strategy to provide a better tax e-filing system to Sarawak salaried taxpayers, specifically other states that have a similar background to Sarawak.

It is my opinion that in the coming year, the vision of IPJAF to publish high-quality manuscripts in the established and emergent areas of accounting and finance from academic and professional researchers can be sustained and well appreciated.

As you read throughout this Volume 5 Issue 1 of IPJAF, I would like to remind you that the success of our journal depends on you and other stakeholders through the submission of high-quality articles for review and publication.

Once again, I acknowledge with gratitude your continued support as we strive to make IPJAF the most authoritative journal on accounting and finance for the community of academic, professional, industry, society and government.