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Published Work

Published Works

2024

Enhancing Financial Efficiency and Receivable Collection in the Water Sector: Analyzing Insights from Structural Equation Modeling

April 2024

This research aimed to identify the factors influencing the water sector's financial efficiency and receivable collection. Financial efficiency is measured using the financial efficiency ratio (FER), which is obtained by dividing the operating cost of the water service by the revenue generated from it. The receivables collection ratio (RCR) is calculated by dividing the total fees collected from water customers by annual water billed sales. The study utilized secondary data from 260 water providers and employed structural equation modeling. The analysis revealed that using prepaid meters, ensuring water continuity, employing dunning actions, adhering to tariff compliance, and offering various payment methods positively influenced the receivables collection ratio. However, while all of these factors have a significant impact, the effect of payment discounts was not statistically significant. Additionally, the study uncovered that using prepaid meters, ensuring water continuity, employing dunning actions, and adhering to tariff compliance negatively impacted the financial efficiency ratio. This finding implies that these factors could improve water providers' financial position. The study suggests that using prepaid meters, ensuring water continuity, employing dunning actions, adhering to tariff compliance, and offering various payment methods can reduce costs relative to revenue and enhance the collection of receivables. Ultimately, these actions can strengthen water providers' overall financial performance.

Banking Sector and Economic Growth in the Digital Transformation Era: Insights from Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian Structural Equation Modeling

May 2024

In the digital era, the banking sector has transformed into a powerful intermediary, effectively connecting surplus and deficit units. This dynamic landscape empowers savers to secure their finances and generate returns, while simultaneously enabling businesses and individuals to access capital for investment and promoting economic growth. This study explores the relationships among banking development dimensions – represented by primary assets and liabilities, bank capital (core capital and required reserves) and economic growth as measured by components of gross domestic product (GDP).

Published Works

2024

Leverage, earnings management and audit industry specialization: the case of Palestinian-listed companies 

January 2024

This study explores the relationship between leverage and earnings management in the context of Palestinian-listed companies, while also investigating whether audit industry specialization influences this relationship.

Perceived customer value and willingness to pay: strategies for improving and sustaining water service quality

February 2024

Several studies have examined the relationship between service quality and willingness to pay in many industries. However, this relationship has not been explored through the lens of customer perceived value and their willingness to pay for improving and sustaining water service. This study aims to examine the impact of technical and functional service quality dimensions on customer perceived value and assess the influence of customer perceived value and socio-economic factors on customers' willingness to pay for improving and sustaining the water service.

Published Works

2023

Credit Risk Management & Profitability: Evidence from Palestinian Banks

July 2023

Credit risk has gained considerable attention in most countries of the world intending to manage the efficiency of credit portfolios. This study attempts to examine the impact of credit risk management on bank profitability. The local Bank of Palestine provided secondary data over a ten-year period (2010–2020) collected from financial annual reports. The statistical analysis is carried out using the SPSS and E-views software, and the study hypotheses are verified using descriptive statistics, multicollinearity tests, and regression. Palestinian banks’ profitability was evaluated using return on assets, along with bank-specific metrics such as capital adequacy ratio (CAR), loan-to-deposit ratio (LDR), non-performing loans (NPLs), loan loss provision ratio (LLPR), bank size, and bank age, as signs of credit risk management. The study’s findings indicate that there are differences in how credit risk management affects bank profitability in the context of Palestine. CAR NPLs have a positive but insignificant effect on profitability using ROA. The regression found a significant positive effect of LLPR on profitability using ROA. Finally, with respect to LDR as an indicator of credit risk management, the regression found its negative but insignificant effect on profitability using ROA. The results demonstrate how the board’s structure influences the performance of a company, which is regarded important knowledge for decision makers.

Published Works

2021

Employability of job applicants in skilful jobs: commonality in employer and employee perspectives

2021

The purpose of this research is to explore the employer and employee perspectives about the employability skills of skilful jobs. The research is conducted in a developing country (Palestine) which has a high percentage of university graduates, a high unemployment rate and intense job competition. This paper defines skilful jobs as those that require employees who have attended a college or university and have completed a two-year diploma or a four-year degree.

Kahoot! Gamification in an Accounting Classroom

2021

Published in the Journal of Higher Education Theory and Practice;  Vol. 20, Iss. 2,  (2020): 135-142.

Gamification presents an effective way to teach students in a college classroom as they enjoy the competition. Kahoot offers a fun and engaging environment where students can play a game to learn course materials. The Kahoot offers multiple-choice, true or false, or short answer questions along with a puzzle for students to complete. Tips for using Kahoot effectively include keeping it fun, using it to review test or class material, and using the results to find areas where more teaching may be necessary. 

2021

Using a Plant Tour to Teach Job Order Costing

August 2021

A plant tour offers accounting students the ability to see what they are studying in managerial or cost accounting in a real-world business setting. A tour of the Nissan plant in Smyrna, Tennessee is discussed in this paper. The students enjoy the field trip and expressed positive feelings about the experience of learning accounting material outside the classroom. While in the plant, students see many elements of managerial or cost accounting after discussing them in class, including job order costing and the aspects of the product cost. A virtual tour can take the place of a physical plant tour.

 

Do Core and Non-Core Cash Flows from Operations Persist Differentially in Predicting Future Cash Flows? Analyses Based Upon Industry Membership

May 2021

This paper replicates and extends Cheng and Hollie (2008; hereafter referred to CH) research by examining the influence of industry membership on the fit of the CH disaggregated future cash flow prediction model. This study is built upon Barth et al. (2001). CH provides empirical support that a disaggregated cash flow model can improve future cash flows’ predictability one year ahead. CH finds that core components of cash flows (i.e., cash flows related to sales, cost of goods sold, and operating expenses) have greater persistence than non-core cash flows (i.e., cash flows related to interest expenses, tax payments, etc.). The current research replicates and extends the CH study for an extended sample period 1988-2010. The replication findings suggest that different core and non-core components of cash flows have different persistence levels. However, they do not support that core cash flows have higher persistence than non-core cash flows in predicting one year ahead in sample cash flows. In addition, the findings suggest that industry membership significantly affects the fit of the disaggregated cash flow prediction model of CH. As such, industry membership plays an important role in predicting the fit of the CH model across different industries.

 

2021

Trap Doors and Trojan Horses: An Auditing Action Adventure

June 2021

ISBN    978-1-5310-2157-3

e-ISBN 978-1-5310-2158-0

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Trap Doors and Trojan Horses: An Auditing Action Adventure is an educational novel to be used in auditing classes, at the undergraduate and graduate levels. 

 

Computer Encryptions in Whispering Caves: An AIS Action Adventure

August 2021

ISBN    Forthcoming

e-ISBN Forthcoming

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Computer Encryptions in Whispering Caves: An AIS Action Adventure is an educational novel to be used in an Accounting Information Systems (AIS) course,  at the undergraduate and graduate courses.   

 

The Impossible Interview:  A Two-stage Interview Case for Auditing Students

2021

Professional skepticism is a critical component of the auditor's skill set.  Developing this component takes time for accounting students and new auditors.  Rather than waiting until they have an internship or a full-time auditing position, students can begin practicing this essential skill earlier in their academic careers.  The case presents students in their first undergraduate auditing course an introduction to the need for more complex thinking and professional skepticism in the auditing and forensic accounting areas.  The case's focus is on risk assessment and critical evaluation of audit evidence, primarily through audit interviews.  In addition, the case allows students to learn the value of preparation and strategy uniquely:  their first attempt at the case is almost impossible to solve.

Published Work

2019

Building Airplanes in an Accounting Class: An Interactive Exercise in Managerial or Cost Accounting 

Winter 2019

The process of building paper airplanes in an accounting classroom allows students to experience an interactive, engaging, problem-solving, and fun learning environment. This publication is in the Winter 2019 issue of Accounting Instructors' Report.

Using Movie Clips to Help Teach Accounting Principles

December 2019

Movie clips are a useful way to illustrate accounting principles in managerial or cost accounting along with auditing classes. They promote a fun learning environment and student engagement when faculty discuss how the clip illustrates a specific accounting concept.  Movie clips illustrate managerial or cost accounting concepts such as ethics, the balanced scorecard, budgeting, process re-engineering, selling or processing further, quantitative and qualitative analysis, internal controls, value, and non-value-added activities, continuous improvement and sustainability. Movie clips illustrate auditing concepts such as ethics, learning business operations, internal controls and collusion. 

Published Work

2020

10 Minute Training: Developing Critical Thinking Skills with Logic Games

2020

Published in the Journal of Higher Education Theory and Practice;  Vol. 20, Iss. 2,  (2020): 135-142.

Successful auditors must be adept at evaluating various types of evidence, determining reasonable responses to inquiries, and brainstorming possible means of verifying information.  Many students have had limited experience with developing critical reasoning and abstract deduction skills that are necessary to be successful.  We describe the use of logic games in undergraduate auditing courses to encourage critical thinking and problem solving as well as to increase student engagement.  By using brief, non-accounting related logic games, We introduce these concepts to students in an everyday setting that allows them to continue their development outside the classroom.  Overall, this is a tool that may be useful in other courses to encourage students to invest more fully into the development of reasoning skills.

Published Work

2018

Costly Reflections in a Midas Mirror

Fourth Edition

December 2018

ISBN    978-1-5310-1254-0

e-ISBN 978-1-53101-255-7

​

Costly Reflections in a Midas Mirror is an educational novel to be used in principles of managerial accounting class, MBA program or financial course.   The inverse of ledgers, margins, and units, the story contains dead bodies, a wealthy client, and a drug-money laundering scheme. This supplemental text mixes fraud, murder, art, ethics, terrorism, and managerial accounting together to get a better way of learning the accounting process.

 

Teaching Sustainability in the Accounting Classroom

May 2018

As accounting faculty members, it is important that we add aspects of sustainability into accounting classrooms to help prepare students for what they will see in the workplace. The methods of discussing sustainability in the classroom come from the teaching experiences of the authors. Cost, managerial, and intermediate accounting courses, as well as auditing at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, serve as conduits for sustainability concepts. Examples include discussing the triple bottom line, examining CSR reports and assurance services for them, talking about required environmental reporting and integrated reporting, and examining green balanced. scorecards. with a global perspective on sustainability.

Published Work

2017

Innovative New Apps and Uses for the Accounting Classroom

Spring 2017

New instructional technologies provide educators with opportunities for student engagement and collaboration. This instructional resource paper reviews several recent innovative technologies, including Doceri, DisplayNote, Poll Everywhere, Top Hat, nClass and Asana

Ask the Experts:  What is a Consequence of Retaining a Renegade Employee?

2017

This Non for Profit World article is a follow up article to the 2015 publication.

Teaching Corporate Social Responsibility in an MBA program

2017

This paper discusses  corporate social responsibility (CSR) and proposes that CSR should be taught in an MBA program and, more specifically, in a Managerial Accounting course of an MBA program. CSR aligns strongly with other managerial accounting topics typically taught in an MBA Program such as the balanced scorecard and triple-bottom line reporting. 

Academic Integrity in an Online Business Communication Environment

Summer 2017

This study uses qualitative research questions by Hofstra University as open-ended blog questions for students to use critical thinking skills to express their opinions. The students' feedback in this sample indicates that overwhelmingly (97%) of the responses mentioned one or more of the precepts of academic integrity (honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility).

Grade Distributions under Different Testing Environments-Evidence from an Upper Level Accounting Class

December 2017

With the spread of online education, as more and more courses are being offered online, the paper answers the important question of whether grade distributions in these online sections are comparable to in class sections of the same course.

Published Work

2015

The Impact of IFRS Adoption:  A Literature Review

Spring 2015

Globalization of capital markets has increased the need for harmonized accounting standards all over the world.  Regulators believe the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) developed by the International Accounting Standards Board provide harmonized financial statements. This paper reviews the extant literature, which deals with harmonization of accounting standards and presents the overall consequences of IFRS adoption.

What Can You Do with a Renegade Employee?

Oct/Nov/Dec 2015

What's the board responsibility when an employee takes unfair advantage of the organization?

Impact of the Size of Board of Directors on Earnings Quality when Stock Options are Expensed as per SFAS 123 (R)

January - June, 2015

The paper examines the association between the number of Board of Director (BOD) members and earnings quality when stock options are expensed under SFAS 123 (R) as part of CEO compensation. The paper analyzes the effect of expensing CEO Stock Options on earnings quality when the BOD size serves as a mitigating factor.

Published Work

2014

Granting Stock Options as Part of CEO Compensation and the Impact on Earnings Quality.

Spring 2014

The objective of this research is to test the granting of stock options as part of CEO compensation to earnings quality.  The study uses data from CompuStat and ExecuComp databases spanning the years of 2000 through 2009.  The Dechow and Dichev (2002) model provides the earnings quality model.

The Impact of CEO Stock Option Expensing as per SFAS 123 (R) on Earnings Quality

June 1, 2014

This paper examines the relationship between stock option expensing as per SFAS 123 (R) as a part of CEO compensation and earnings quality. We hypothesize the expensing of CEO stock options as per SFAS 123 (R) positively influences earnings quality. Estimating earnings quality using multiple regression, we find empirical support for our hypothesis.

Published Work

2012

DISSERTATION: The Impact of Stock Option Expensing as Part of CEO Compensation and Earning Quality

August 2012

The objective of this research is to test the expensing of stock options as part of CEO compensation to earnings quality. Agency theory posits a conflict between the CEO's own self-interest and that of the owners who seek to maximize the long term value of their investment.  To avoid this conflict compensation should align and bond these parties.

Published Work

2009

How the Agency and Shareholder Theory Affect the Financial Statements

Spring 2009

The purpose of this paper is to note how the Agency and Shareholder theory affects the financial reporting process.  The financial reporting process is defined by the level of service that the financial statements provide to shareholders and stakeholders.  By examining the Shareholder theory, and noting what impact the shareholders have on the financial statements, once can start to examine how shareholders, stakeholders and agents influence the financial reporting process in an organization and the agency conflicts that exist.

August 2009

The purpose of this research is to determine the impact of material differences in the conceptual framework of the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) and the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) on the financial statements.

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