A Quantitative Model of Resistance Economy Using Accounting Metrics and Its Impact on Stock Returns

One of the key drivers in achieving the goals of the resistance economy is leveraging accounting and auditing in corporate reporting and operations.This requires transforming the components of the resistance economy into measurable and tangible accounting criteria and implementing oversight to achieve these objectives.This study aims to develop a quantitative model of the resistance economy using accounting metrics and examine its impact on stock returns as an indicator of market efficiency.To conceptualize the resistance economy, the study employs the following accounting metrics: disclosure quality (a direct measure of economic transparency), investment efficiency (an inverse measure of consumption management and productivity growth), research and development (R&D) and intellectual capital (direct measures for a knowledge-based economy), product market competition (a direct measure of economic competitiveness), opportunistic earnings manipulation control (a tool for combating corruption), and corporate governance (an executive arm of the resistance economy).The study utilizes data from 103 companies listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange from 1393 to 1401, employing multivariate regression and exploratory factor analysis.The results indicate that disclosure quality, R&D, intellectual capital, product market competition, and corporate governance have a significant positive impact on expected returns, while investment inefficiency and opportunistic earnings manipulation have a significant negative impact.By introducing a five-factor model using factor analysis, it was found that the second factor-investment efficiency (an inverse measure for consumption management and productivity growth) and earnings manipulation control (a tool for combating corruption)-exerts the strongest negative influence, whereas the fifth factor-R&D (a direct measure for a knowledge-based economy)-has the weakest positive impact on expected stock returns.