Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Siphat Lim Author-Workplace-Name: CamEd Business School, Cambodia Title: An empirical study of pairs trading in Cambodia securities exchange Publication-Status: Published Abstract: A pair trading strategy of two shares works when there is a co-integration between the two equities. This paper uses the two-step Engle and Granger method to establish whether or not the two stock price series had a long-run relationship. Since the residual term predicted from the sample regression function between the dependent variable, PPSP, and the independent variable, PWSA, is stationary, as indicated by the ADF test, all listed stocks in CSX, a pair of equities, PPSP and PWSA, are co-integrated. During the research period, the price spread increased three times to two standard deviations. At any point, one unit of outperformance stock is short, and one unit of co-integrated ratio is long. Pair trading has an average investment return of 8.0264 percent, outperforming the weighted average return of 1.1651 percent. Keywords: Pair trading; CSX; Co-integration; ADF test Journal: Journal of Accounting, Finance, Economics, and Social Sciences Pages: 1-12 Volume: 8 Issue: 1 Year: 2023 Month: June DOI: 10.62458/jafess.160224.8(1)1-12 File-URL: https://jafess.com/index.php/home/article/view/55 File-Function: Abstract page File-Format: text/html File-URL: https://jafess.com/index.php/home/article/download/55/43 File-Function: Full text File-Format: application/pdf Handle: RePEc:euj:jafess:v:8:y:2023:i:1:id:55 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Edman Padilla Flores Author-Workplace-Name: CamEd Business School Title: Sustainability reporting in Cambodia: A tale of two companies Publication-Status: Published Abstract: This study examines the current state of sustainability reporting in Cambodia by conducting a qualitative content analysis of the sustainability reports of two prominent Cambodian companies, NagaCorp Ltd. and Smart Axiata Co., Ltd. The findings show that both companies are committed to sustainability in their sustainability reports by emphasizing environmental responsibility, social responsibility, and governance. NagaCorp prioritizes reducing emissions, conserving resources, and promoting employee well-being and good governance, whereas Smart Axiata prioritizes economic growth, inclusivity, and process improvements. Both companies adhere to recognized reporting frameworks and prioritize standard compliance. The recommendations include collaboration, strengthening governance reporting for Smart Axiata, and engaging with stakeholders. Implementing these recommendations will improve the case companies’ sustainability performance and create long-term value for stakeholders and communities. The main limitation of this study is that it relies solely on information provided in sustainability reports, which may not accurately represent the companies’ sustainability practices. Additionally, constraints associated with research instrument development, data collection, and data analysis must be acknowledged, as they may affect the validity and reliability of the research findings. Future studies should include a larger sample size, develop standardized coding schemes, incorporate additional data sources, conduct comparative analyses across industries or countries, and track sustainability practices over time to observe trends and evolution of sustainability practices by Cambodian companies. Keywords: Sustainability; Sustainability reporting; ESG; Cambodia Journal: Journal of Accounting, Finance, Economics, and Social Sciences Pages: 13-26 Volume: 8 Issue: 1 Year: 2023 Month: June DOI: 10.62458/jafess.160224.8(1)13-26 File-URL: https://jafess.com/index.php/home/article/view/56 File-Function: Abstract page File-Format: text/html File-URL: https://jafess.com/index.php/home/article/download/56/44 File-Function: Full text File-Format: application/pdf Handle: RePEc:euj:jafess:v:8:y:2023:i:1:id:56 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Parmindar Singh Author-Workplace-Name: Crescendo International College, Malaysia Title: International financial reporting standards (IFRS), corporate social responsibility, and sustainable development Publication-Status: Published Abstract: This paper describes a brief evolution of IFRS and its benefits. It then explains the organized hypocrisy of firms that, on the one hand, eulogized the importance of IFRS and quality financial reporting while, on the other hand, using corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainable development as a form of earnings management to depress profits, so that a firm’s share of fair tax is not paid to the State; as such there is some form of organized hypocrisy. This article also explains what can be done to address tax avoidance. Since the precursor of tax avoidance is earnings management, a simple cosmetic earnings management is analyzed using Benford’s Law for a public-listed Cambodian firm. This paper aims to illuminate that once cosmetic earnings management occurs, a grander scale of earnings management may occur for tax avoidance purposes, which, while legal, is unethical. This study sheds some light on the discourse of tax avoidance, which may become rampant among Cambodian firms in the future. Keywords: IFRS; CSR; Earnings management; Tax avoidance; Organisational culture; Benford’s Law Journal: Journal of Accounting, Finance, Economics, and Social Sciences Pages: 27-35 Volume: 8 Issue: 1 Year: 2023 Month: June DOI: 10.62458/jafess.160224.8(1)27-35 File-URL: https://jafess.com/index.php/home/article/view/57 File-Function: Abstract page File-Format: text/html File-URL: https://jafess.com/index.php/home/article/download/57/45 File-Function: Full text File-Format: application/pdf Handle: RePEc:euj:jafess:v:8:y:2023:i:1:id:57 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Zubir Azhar Author-Workplace-Name: Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia Title: The influence of intellectual capital on earnings quality: Evidence from firms listed on the Cambodia securities exchange Publication-Status: Published Abstract: This study aims to determine whether the efficiency of intellectual capital (IC) and each of its three constituents—human capital efficiency (HCE), capital employed efficiency (CEE), and structural capital efficiency (SCE)—can generate better earnings quality (EQ) in an emerging market. Drawing on the Pulic (2004) model for measuring the efficiency of IC and the absolute value of discretionary accruals as a proxy for EQ, the study analyzes the data of a sample of Cambodian nonfinancial firms listed on the Cambodian Securities Exchange (CSX) during the period from 2013 to 2021. The empirical results indicated that Cambodian firms active in utilizing IC has more tendency to provide reports of high quality. Besides, it is shown that each of the three elements of IC significantly and positively influences EQ. Meanwhile, SCE has the most significant impact among the three components. Those results offer an enhanced understanding of IC-utilizing and EQ practices that might be in favor of investors, regulatory bodies, and scholars. This study is among the first studies investigating Cambodian firms for IC and EQ topics. Keywords: Earnings quality; Value-added intellectual coefficient; Human capital efficiency; Employed capital efficiency; Structural capital efficiency Journal: Journal of Accounting, Finance, Economics, and Social Sciences Pages: 37-51 Volume: 8 Issue: 1 Year: 2023 Month: June DOI: 10.62458/jafess.160224.8(1)37-51 File-URL: https://jafess.com/index.php/home/article/view/58 File-Function: Abstract page File-Format: text/html File-URL: https://jafess.com/index.php/home/article/download/58/46 File-Function: Full text File-Format: application/pdf Handle: RePEc:euj:jafess:v:8:y:2023:i:1:id:58 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Adriaan Cornet Author-Workplace-Name: CamEd Business School, Cambodia Title: Coping with mental health when teaching online during the COVID-19 pandemic Publication-Status: Published Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic keeps taking hold of our daily lives in 2021. This study aims to analyze the effect of the pandemic on teachers from CamEd Business School. A literature review examined how levels of psychological distress are elevated during the pandemic. Teachers were highlighted as an at-risk group through various factors, and the paper discusses the effect of coping styles and resilience on psychological distress. The study measured psychological distress and deployed coping strategies of 17 respondents using the Perceived Stress Scale and Brief COPE, respectively. Statistical analysis showed similar levels of psychological distress in this sample as the pre-pandemic norm group of the PSS (M=14.23). Positive and Emotional Coping were used most often in this population and pre-pandemic norm groups (M=2.40, M=2.05). A significant positive correlation was found between Problem Solving and Psychological Distress, r(13) = .76, p = 0.01. There was no higher use of Avoidant coping styles than the pre-pandemic norm group (M=1.45). The study suggests that this population found resilience over time, helping to manage psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Keywords: COVID-19; Psychological distress; Coping; Teachers; Online teaching Journal: Journal of Accounting, Finance, Economics, and Social Sciences Pages: 53-63 Volume: 8 Issue: 1 Year: 2023 Month: June DOI: 10.62458/jafess.160224.8(1)53-63 File-URL: https://jafess.com/index.php/home/article/view/61 File-Function: Abstract page File-Format: text/html File-URL: https://jafess.com/index.php/home/article/download/61/47 File-Function: Full text File-Format: application/pdf Handle: RePEc:euj:jafess:v:8:y:2023:i:1:id:61