COVID-19 pandemic and firm performance in the insurance industry in developed and emerging markets

This study aims to analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on insurance companies` performance. Data spanning 2018 to 2022 from the Wall Street Journal Database was employed, encompassing 1,931 companies across 65 countries. The research distinguishes between developed (808 insurers) and emerging markets (1,123 insurers) to identify more real consequences of the pandemic. The random effects model was utilized for regressions, which run in three stages. The dependent variables (Return on Assets and Return on Equity) and the independent variables (the COVID-19 pandemic and four firm-specific factors such as claim expenses, company size, leverage, and liquidity) were analyzed. In developed markets, the study confirms the significant negative consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on insurance firms, resulting in a global decline in performance. Conversely, emerging markets reveal a different scenario where company size plays a substantial role in insurance company performance, particularly in return on assets, aligning with findings favoring larger insurance entities. However, when considering company size’s interaction with COVID-19, larger insurers in emerging markets experienced performance declines during the pandemic. While leverage significantly affects insurance firm performance in both market types, its interaction with the pandemic shows no substantial impact. Liquidity, as represented by cash holding does not significantly enhance performance, particularly in developed markets, but higher cash reserves during the pandemic negatively affect performance, primarily in emerging markets. These findings provide insights for insurance company managers to develop adaptive strategies amid evolving market conditions and potential crises, including pandemics like COVID-19

Pendampingan Pencatatan Informasi Keuangan Menggunakan Aplikasi Akuntansi Berbasis Android (SIAPIK) untuk Meningkatkan Administrasi Keuangan UMKM

This community service aims to transfer knowledge to the public regarding knowledge and skills for MSME actors in Balikpapan City to compile financial reports for Small, Micro and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) using the SIAPIK application issued by Bank Indonesia. The first steps of this service activity use tutorial and workshop methods to explain in theory and practice how to prepare financial statements using the SIAPIK application in recording financial transactions in accordance with SAK EMKM. Second, assistance was carried out regarding the recording of financial transactions through the use of the SIAPIK application to MSMEs in Balikpapan City.Pengabdian masyarakat ini bertujuan untuk mentransfer pengetahuan kepada masyarakat terkait pengetahuan dan keterampilan bagi pelaku UMKM di Kota Balikpapan dalam hal  menyusun laporan keuangan Usaha Kecil, Mikro dan Menengah (UMKM) menggunakan aplikasi SIAPIK yang dikeluarkan oleh Bank Indonesia. Langkah-langkah kegiatan pengabdian ini pertama menggunakan  metode tutorial dan workshop untuk menjelaskan secara teori dan praktek cara menyusun laporan keuangan menggunakan aplikasi SIAPIK dalam mencatat transaksi keuangan yang sesuai SAK EMKM. Kedua, dilakukan  pendampingan mengenai pencatatan transaksi keuangan melalui penggunaan aplikasi SIAPIK kepada UMKM di Kota Balikpapan

Pendampingan Pengisian SPT Tahunan Bagi Wajib Pajak Orang Pribadi

Community service (PKM) as a tenant of academic responsibility, especially lecturers in the Accounting Study Program at the Faculty of Economics, Balikpapan University, in order to help individual taxpayers improve their ability to calculate and report taxes online. This PKM also hopes to support government programs in increasing revenue from the tax sector. Individual Taxpayers (WPOP) who have a NPWP do not always understand taxation. It is hoped that this service activity can help and provide understanding to taxpayers about taxation, including their obligations, reporting limits and how to fill out their annual SPT. The taxpayer problem that will be resolved in this activity is that there are many taxpayers in the city of Balikpapan who have not reported their annual SPT because they do not understand how to fill out the SPT. So taxpayers cannot fill in the Annual Income Tax SPT and report it incorrectly or do not report the SPT. The method applied to overcome this taxpayer problem is by providing training through public lectures which are held in collaboration with several lecturers in the accounting study program, Faculty of Economics, Balikpapan University, DJP employees and students who are members of the tax volunteers of the FE Uniba accounting study program. This activity is divided into 2 stages, namely the first session is a public lecture to socialize taxation to training participants and the second session is assistance in filling out the annual SPT. This community service activity is carried out to help WPOP who experience difficulties in filling out their Annual Tax Returns online, either through e-filling or e-form. In community service activities, the participants reached 28 WPOP from various professions. The results of this activity show that the majority of participants agree and strongly agree that this assistance is needed to help them report their Annual Tax Returns and fulfill their tax obligations.Pengabdian kepada Masyarakat (PKM) sebagai perwujudan tanggung jawab akademisi khususnya dosen Program Studi Akuntansi Fakultas Ekonomi Universitas Balikpapan dalam rangka membantu wajib pajak orang pribadi meningkatkan kemampuan mereka dalam menghitung dan melaporakan pajak secara online. PKM ini juga berharap mendukung program pemerintah dalam meningkatkan pendapatan dari sektor pajak. Wajib Pajak Orang Pribadi (WPOP) yang memiliki NPWP tidak selalu mengerti tentang perpajakan. Kegiatan pengabdian ini diharpakan dapat membantu dan memberikan pemahaman kepada wajib pajak tentang perpajakan, baik itu kewajiban mereka, batas pelaporan, dan bagaimana cara mengisi SPT Tahunan mereka. Permasalahan wajib pajak yang akan diselesaikan dalam kegiatan ini adalah banyaknya wajib pajak di kota Balikpapan yang belum melaporakan SPT tahunan karena kurang paham bagaimana cara mengisi SPT. Sehingga, wajib pajak tidak bisa mengisi SPT Tahunan Pajak Penghasilan dan melaporkan secara keliru atau tidak melakukan lapor SPT. Metode yang diterapkan untuk mengatasi masalah wajib pajak ini adalah dengan memberikan pelatihan melalui kuliah umum yang diselenggaraakan melalui kerja sama dengan beberapa dosen Program Studi Akuntansi Fakultas Ekonomi Universitas Balikpapan, Pegawai DJP, dan mahasiswa yang tergabung dalam Relawan Pajak Program Studi Akuntansi Fakultas Ekonomi Universitas Balikpapan. Kegiatan ini dibagi menjadi 2 tahap, yaitu sesi pertama kuliah umum untuk menyosialisaikan perpajakan kepada peserta pelatihan dan sesi kedua pendampingan pengisian SPT tahunan. Kegiatan pengabdian masyarakat ini dilakukan untuk membantu WPOP yang mengalami kesulitan dalam mengisi SPT Tahunan secara online, baik melalui e-filling maupun e-form. Pada kegiatan pengabdian kepada masyarakat  dihadiri  peserta mencapai 28 WPOP dari berbagai profesi. Hasil kegiatan ini menunjukkan bahwa mayoritas peserta setuju dan sangat setuju bahwa pendampingan ini dibutuhkan untuk membantu mereka melaporkan SPT Tahunan serta memenuhi kewajiban perpajakan mereka.

The Impact of Board Structure on Voluntary Environmental and Energy Disclosure in an Emerging Market

This study aimed to investigate the effect of board structure on voluntary environmental and energy disclosure of listed firms in Indonesia. The study employed a one-step and two-step system generalized method of moments (GMM) using an unbalanced data panel of 356 non-finance companies. The findings showed that board size positively and significantly affected environmental and energy disclosure. Moreover, board independence negatively and significantly influenced environmental and energy disclosure, while women on board and CEO duality have an insignificant impact. The strategic implication showed that adding more members to the board of directors boosted voluntary environmental and energy disclosure