International transfer pricing restrictions: impact on corporate financial policy

Transfer pricing is a pervasive issue that presents significant tax savings potential concerning international enterprises. The authors discuss company incentives to manage transfer prices in an article appearing in the preceding issue of this journal. In response to these incentives, governments have increasingly enacted and enforced domestic restrictions on transfer prices. In this article, contemporary norms restricting transfer pricing are analyzed. The OEGO and US pricing standards are assessed and Brazil's recent application of these standards is considered. Transfer pricing methods are described and evidence of their use is presented. We conclude by describing an intercompany transfer pricing policy intended to facilitate internaI financiaI management and minimize externaI tax threats.

Designing competitive international compensation programs

Over the past 25 years, expatriate managers have voiced increased disenchantment with their compensation packages whíle abroad. This paper takes a prescriptive approach, outlíning severa I elements of a successful human resources strategy and stressing key ingredients of effective international compensation programs. Particular ettention is given to the adherence of cultural values and distrlbutive justice when working across nations and cultures.

Understanding local governance: an international perspective

Enormous change and innovation in governmental practices are occurring throughout the world. Local governance, in particular, has become a concern in many countries. Processes such as redemocratization and decentralization and imperatives of international lending agencies have focused attention on developing good governance practices. Improvement in local government remains a high priority in most countries, but unless the relationship between citizens and government is more fully developed the actions of local government will not necessarily lead to improvement in the conditions of people's lives. This paper will explore the concept of governance and propose an analytical framework for the study of local governance in an international context. The article concludes with recommendations on strategies to improve governance systems and government performance.

Is the International Business Environment the actual context for international business research?

The International Business Environment (IBE) has been argued to be the essential context for international business (IB) studies and the distinguishing factor from other management studies and studies of large enterprises. Two content analysis show that many papers published in top tier IB journals either lack reference to any dimension of the IBE or tend to be uni-or bi-dimensional when addressing the IBE; it is not a surprise that the cultural dimension is the most often used. We suggest that: (a) there is need to developed more uni-and multi-dimensional environmental constructs; (b) a more holistic view of the IBE provides richer insights on the actual complexity underlying IB research. Future studies that provide more comprehensive models of the IBE that overcome the usual broad classifications of the international environment as undefined and uncontrollable factors are warranted to advance conceptual and empirical research.

THE INTERNATIONAL GROWTH OF A SOCIAL BUSINESS: A CASE STUDY

ABSTRACTIn developing countries, initiatives have often been undertaken in order to fight social and environmental problems. Since the 1990s, an increase can be seen in corporate social responsibility actions, as well as increasingly strong activities by civil society organizations. Tweenty years ago, companies and civil society organizations stood wide apart from each other, with often conflicting agendas and resistance to mutual collaboration. This reality has changed significantly. Besides the phenomenon of cross-sector partnerships, we can also observe the expansion of a particular organization type, i.e., the social business, which combines two objectives that were previously seen as incompatible: financial sustainability and the generation of social value. This article aims to discuss the factors that influence the results of a social business operating in three countries: Botswana, Brazil and Jordan. The results allow understanding the challenges involved in constructing social businesses in developing countries as well as a better understanding of the very nature of those businesses, considering the social realities where they operate.

International Summer School of Museology

Cadernos de Sociomuseologia Centro de Estudos de Sociomuseologia

Climate strategies of firms in the automotive and pulp & paper industries in Brazil: insights from an international perspective

This article focuses on the results of the final stage of research into the climate strategies of firms in the automotive and pulp-and-paper industries in Brazil, a country that is becoming increasingly important also in terms of climate change issues. In the first stage, the Climate Strategy Model (CSM) was developed to assess whether firms were adopting the necessary practices to assure the successful implementation of climate strategies. In the second, the CSM was applied to firms in the above mentioned industries that were chosen because of their important role in the domestic economy. In the final stage, interviews with executives of these firms were conducted to identify root causes of climate strategy implementation deficiencies and obtain new insights from an international perspective.

The convergence of the Central American countries to International Accounting Standards

Abstract: In the last few decades, Central American countries are making a significant effort in order to modernize their governments' legislation both on financial management and systems of financial information. In this sense, these countries aim to enhance the quality of public financial information in order to improve decision-making processes, decrease the level of corruption, and keep citizens informed. In this context, the purpose of this paper is twofold. Firstly, to assess the degree of similarity of the financial information that is being developed by Central American governments with regard to the recommendations set up by Ipsas, and secondly, to analyse the efforts and the strategies that those countries are carrying out in the process of implementing those standards. To determine the differences in the information containing the annual financial statements issued by national public authorities and the recommendations set up by Ipsas we conducted a deductive content analysis. In view of the results we can say that the quality of annual financial statements presented by the countries in Central America, in comparison to the recommendations by the Ipsas concerning Ifac information, is not enough. Hence, in order to operate significant changes, it is still necessary to create new strategies for the implementation of the Ipsas.

A perspectiva dos professores sobre o alargamento da escolaridade obrigatória e a inclusão de alunos com necessidades educativas especiais no ensino seundário

O tema da dissertação prende-se com as consequências do alargamento da escolaridade obrigatória nas Escolas Secundárias, concretamente naquilo que se relaciona com o previsível aumento de casos de alunos com Necessidades Educativas Especiais decorrente desse alargamento. Este trabalho pretende conhecer o que os professores pensam sobre este tema no que se refere à sua concepção sobre inclusão e Necessidades Educativas Especiais, às suas experiências anteriores com este tipo de alunos, como encaram os professores o alargamento da escolaridade obrigatória no secundário, qual o nível de preparação que pensam ter para trabalhar com estes alunos, como encaram as adequações curriculares que serão necessárias e finalmente que tipo de necessidades pensam que podem surgir nas escolas para dar uma resposta adequada à nova situação. Para que todas as afirmações dos professores estivessem fundamentadas, fez-se uma abordagem teórica referente à evolução do ensino em Portugal e da Educação Especial numa perspectiva nacional e internacional, fazendo também um contraponto com a actualidade. Em termos metodológicos, optou-se por um estudo qualitativo, com características exploratórias e descritivas. Para a recolha de dados foi selecionada uma escola do centro de Lisboa, que se situa numa zona habitacional e de serviços. Realizaram-se seis entrevistas semi-dirigidas, construídas a partir de um guião, constituído por um conjunto de questões formuladas segundo objectivos e organizadas por temas. Para analisar os dados, foi utilizada a técnica de análise de conteúdo. A análise feita permitiu concluir que esta temática não é uma preocupação actual dos professores do ensino secundário. Apesar da aceitação genérica do conceito de inclusão, os professores sentem dificuldade na adequação de conteúdos e na adaptação do sistema de avaliação, embora todos os entrevistados tivessem experiências anteriores com alunos com Necessidades Educativas Especiais. Quanto às necessidades que podem surgir, os professores consideram que elas se vão relacionar sobretudo com equipamento informático, acessibilidades e formação de professores. - Abstract The subject approached in this paper relates to the consequences of the extent of mandatory school years in secondary schools, specifically with the increase in the number of students with special educational needs. Therefore it will be evaluated teacher’s opinions and ideas about the subject, how they define inclusion and special educational needs, their prior experiences with this kind of students and how they intend to face the extend of mandatory school years, their background to deal with this students, and the changes that, in school, they think would be necessary to give adequate answers to this new situation. In order to support teacher’s opinions, a theoretical approach was made, regarding the evolution of teaching and of Special Education in Portugal, in a national and international perspective, comparing it to our current reality. To achieve these goals, a qualitative research was designed, in order to obtain exploratory and descriptive data. To collect the data, a semi-structured interview was created from some preestablished guidelines, according to the objectives and organized by topics, these interviews took place in a school located in the center of Lisbon. To analyze the answers, a content analysis technique was used. The results observed allowed to conclude that this subject is not a current concern for the interviewed teachers. Despite the global acceptance of inclusion, as a concept, teachers still have some difficulties adapting contents and adapting the evaluation system, although all the teachers interviewed had prior experience with students with special educational needs. About the necessities that may emerge, teachers think they will be computer related, regarding accessibility and regarding teacher formation.

NCRF 21 – provisões, passivos contingentes e activos contingentes: suas implicações fiscais e de auditoria

Dissertação apresentada ao Instituto Superior de Contabilidade e Administração do Porto (ISCAP) para a obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Auditoria Docente orientador: Mestre Domingos da Silva Duarte