This paper summarizes the arguments and counterarguments within the scientific discussion on the issue of governance and taxation revenue performance. The main purpose of the research is to examine the influence of management on tax revenue performance in West African countries. Specifically, the study aimed to investigate the impact of regulatory quality (political stability) and (voice and accountability) on tax revenue performance in West African countries; and to assess the effect of governance efficiency (the rule of law and control of corruption) on the performance of tax generation of West African countries. Secondary data were sourced from Governance indicators which cover 2005 to 2017. Regression analysis was employed to test the research hypotheses: regulatory quality does not significantly influence tax revenue performance in West African countries; and government efficiency does significantly affect tax revenue in West African countries. Sixteen West African countries were purposively chosen because of governance issues such as political instability and government ineffectiveness. The paper presents the results of an empirical analysis, which showed that regulatory quality, political stability and absence of violence, and voice and accountability have insignificant impacts (p-value>5% level of significance) on tax revenue performance. Moreover, government effectiveness, the rule of law and control of corruption have positive and significant impacts (p-value<5% level of significance) on tax revenue performance in West African countries. The study concludes that governance affects tax revenue performance in West African Countries; thus, the study recommends, among others that government should come up with realistic policies that will increase public and civil service quality.

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Capital structure relationship with corporate performance as an unresolved issue became more complicated after the global crisis. This is because of liquidity problems that ensued and firms were looking for strategies of cost reduction and profit increment with a view to enhance performance. This paper examines the impact of capital structure choices (Equity or Debt) on performance of selected firms in US in the pre, during and post crisis periods (2003-2006), 2007-2008 and 2009-2012 respectively) with a view to determine whether or not the relationship between the two variables is period related. Statistically, multiple Regression Model was used to estimate the relationship as performance was measured using Return on Equity (ROE), Return on Assets (ROA), Price per Share (P/E Ratio), Earnings Per Share (EPS) and Tobin's Q (TQ) while capital structure is proxy by Debt to Equity ratio and Firm size was introduced as control variable using 200 selected listed companies from 10 sectors in the US Stock Exchange. The study finds mixed results such that impact of capital structure on corporate performance depends on the type of performance used and is period related. For instance, higher levels of gearing have negative significant relationship with ROA (-0.362) and (-1.13) before and after the crisis respectively or (-0391) using the pooled data, but a positive significant relationship exist between DE and ROA in the post crisis period other variables shows insignificant relationship. More precisely, a percentage increase in the level of debt brings 46% changes in ROA. Generally capital structure is not a major determinant of corporate performance as it has insignificant impact (15%) on corporate performance of US companies. The study recommends that companies should pay little attention to capital structure but look outwards to human capital development/ managerial efficiency in asset utilization for performance enhancement.

Financial sector liberalization in many African countries, set in a series of financial sector reforms, aimed at developing the system. Theoretically, reforms that develop the banking sector are expected to improve banks’ performance and reduce excessive bank-risk taking by enhancing bank capital ratio in addition to maintain the stability in the system. Nonetheless, literature also shows that the health of the financial system may be at risk following a liberalization process in the form of contagion effects of financial markets integration. A recent example is the global 2007/2008 global financial crisis. Against this background, this article examines the extent to which banking sector development in selected African countries affect the commercial banks’ capitalization ratio. Employing a dynamic panel regression technique for the examination while controlling for bank-specific and macroeconomic factors over the period 2000–2014, this article finds that banking sector development in the selected countries improves bank capital ratio consistent with the aims of banking sector reforms and the maintenance of stable financial system.

The inability of investors to predict future earnings of firms exposes them to further risk such that potential investors may be scared away while existing ones may be prompted to withdraw their investment. Thus, it becomes imperative to evaluate the earnings predictability of Nigerian quoted firms with a view to establish the ability or inability of earnings to predict itself. Also, the study examined the impact of volatility on earnings predictability of Nigerian quoted firms. The total number of seventy three (73) quoted Nigerian firms constitutes the population of this study and the entire 73 firms were studied. The causal relationship research design was adopted. The secondary data used were collected from the financial statements of the quoted firms for the period 1996 to 2015. The system generalized method of moment (GMM) was used to estimate the dynamic panel regression models of the study. The study found that earnings of firms are predictable. The study also found that volatility has adverse effect on earnings predictability. It was therefore recommended more interest/investment in Nigerian firms since earnings information is available and is predictable while managements of firms should reduce instability in reported earnings.