The Arm's Length Principle in Mitigating Tax Avoidance: A Systematic Literature Review
Abstract
This study examines the effectiveness of Transfer Pricing Documentation (TP Doc) in supporting the Arm’s Length Principle (ALP) to reduce tax avoidance through related-party transactions (RPTs), especially involving tax haven jurisdictions. Using a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) approach, 15 relevant studies published between 2015 and 2024 were analyzed. The literature was selected based on keywords such as “Profit Shifting,” “Tax Haven,” “Related Party Transaction,” “Tax Avoidance,” and “Transfer Pricing.” The findings indicate that TP Doc contributes significantly to enhancing transparency and providing accurate information that enables tax authorities to evaluate whether intercompany transactions reflect fair market values. However, its implementation faces several challenges, including limited access to reliable data, inconsistencies in international standards, low compliance levels, and exploitable loopholes. Additionally, multinational enterprises (MNEs) frequently use RPTs to shift profits to low-tax jurisdictions, reducing their overall tax obligations. The study highlights the need to strengthen regulations, enhance tax authority enforcement, and promote international cooperation to ensure TP Doc effectively supports Indonesia’s tax reform and compliance efforts.
Keywords
Full Text:
PDFReferences
Barokah, Z., & Sari, N. N. (2024). Cross-Border Related Party Sales, Tax Avoidance, and Tunneling: Regulatory Impacts on Indonesian Manufacturing Companies. The Indonesian Journal of Accounting Research, 27(2), 307-334. https://doi.org/10.33312/ijar.801
Choi, J. P., Furusawa, T., & Ishikawa, J. (2020). Transfer pricing regulation and tax competition. Journal of International Economics, 127, 103367. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinteco.2020.103367
Choi, J. P., Ishikawa, J., & Okoshi, H. (2024). Tax havens and cross-border licensing with transfer pricing regulation. In International Tax and Public Finance (Vol. 31, Issue 2). Springer US. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10797-022-09770-w
Cristea, A. D., & Nguyen, D. X. (2016). Transfer pricing by multinational firms: New evidence from foreign firm ownerships. American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 8(3), 170-202. https://doi.org/10.1257/pol.20130407
Elitzur, R., & Mintz, J. (1996). Transfer pricing rules and corporate tax competition. Journal of Public Economics, 60(3), 401-422. https://doi.org/10.1016/0047-2727(95)01558-2
Gravelle, J. G. (2009). Tax havens: International tax avoidance and evasion. National Tax Journal, 62(4), 727-753.
House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia (DPR RI). (2008). Undang-undang (UU) Nomor 36 Tahun 2008 tentang Perubahan Keempat Atas Undang-Undang Nomor 7 Tahun 1983 tentang Pajak Penghasilan. Database Peraturan BPK. https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/39704/uu-no-36-tahun-2008
Huda, M. K., Nugraheni, N., & Kamarudin, K. (2017). The problem of transfer pricing in indonesia taxation system. International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, 7(4), 139-143.
Jeandry, G., & Mokoginta, R. M. (2023). Perceptions of tax corruption, quality of fiscus service, organizational climate, attitude of fiscus, taxpayer’s motivation, and taxpayer compliance. International Journal of Accounting & Finance in Asia Pasific, 6(2), 120–132. https://doi.org/10.32535/ijafap.v6i2
Kalra, A., & Afzal, M. N. I. (2023). Transfer pricing practices in multinational corporations and their effects on developing countries' tax revenue: A systematic literature review. International Trade, Politics and Development, 7(3), 172-190. https://doi.org/10.1108/itpd-04-2023-0011
Keuschnigg, C., & Devereux, M. P. (2013). The arm's length principle and distortions to multinational firm organization. Journal of International Economics, 89(2), 432-440. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinteco.2012.08.007
Kumar, S., Pandey, N., Lim, W. M., Chatterjee, A. N., & Pandey, N. (2021). What do we know about transfer pricing? Insights from bibliometric analysis. Journal of Business Research, 134, 275-287. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.05.041
Kurniasih, L., Yusri, Y., Kamarudin, F., & Sheikh Hassan, A. F. (2023). The role of country by country reporting on corporate tax avoidance: Does it effective for the tax haven?. Cogent Business & Management, 10(1), 2159747. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2022.2159747
Lazuardi, A. (2022). Implementation of advance pricing agreement regulation as transfer pricing dispute prevention in Indonesia. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, 12(2), 260. https://doi.org/10.29322/ijsrp.12.02.2022.p12238
Naibaho, A., & Romdoni, A. (2021). Tax cases of transfer pricing among multinational companies in Indonesia. Journal of Research in Business and Management, 9(1), 26–30.
Nurdiansyah, R., & Masripah, M. (2023). Factors causing tax avoidance practices in multinational companies: Evidence from Indonesia. International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science, 12(3), 391-398. https://doi.org/10.20525/ijrbs.v12i3.2565
Pramesthi, R. D. F., Suprapti, E., & Kurniawati, E. T. (2019). Income shifting dan pemanfaatan negara tax haven. Jurnal Reviu Akuntansi Dan Keuangan, 9(3), 375-386. https://doi.org/10.22219/jrak.v9i3.8866
Rahmiati, A., & Sandi, R. (2016). Exploring the Arm's Length transfer pricing strategy for taxation purpose: An ethnographic study in a manufacturing enterprise. Asian Journal of Accounting Research, 1(1), 8-15. https://doi.org/10.1108/AJAR-2016-01-01-B002
Rathke, A. A., Rezende, A. J., & Watrin, C. (2021). The impact of countries' transfer pricing rules on profit shifting. Journal of Applied Accounting Research, 22(1), 22-49. https://doi.org/10.1108/JAAR-03-2020-0034
Rezeki, D. S., Widarjo, W., Sudaryono, E. A., & Syafiqurrahman, M. (2021). Related party transactions and tax avoidance: Study on mining company in Indonesia. Jurnal Akuntansi Dan Bisnis, 21(2), 283. http://dx.doi.org/10.20961/jab.v21i2.689
Rini, I. G. A. I. S., Dipa, M., & Yudha, C. K. (2022). Effects of transfer pricing, tax haven, and thin capitalization on tax avoidance. Jurnal Ekonomi dan Bisnis Jagaditha, 9(2), 193-198. https://doi.org/10.22225/jj.9.2.2022.193-198
Samuelson, L. (1982). The multinational firm with arm's length transfer price limits. Journal of International Economics, 13(3-4), 365-374. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-1996(82)90064-2
Santoso, M. R. (2021). Overseas parent company revenue becomes permanent establishment taxable income in Indonesia. International Journal of Applied Business and International Management, 6(3), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.32535/ijabim.v6i3.1324
Saptono, P. B., & Khozen, I. (2022). Abstracting the debate over fair value measurement and Arm's Length principle: Implications for tax purposes. Jurnal Dinamika Akuntansi, 14(2), 167-179. http://dx.doi.org/10.15294/jda.v14i2.39155
Saputra, A. D. (2023). Unraveling the effects of transfer pricing documentation regulation: Indonesia’ evidence. Jurnal Akuntansi Dan Keuangan Indonesia, 20(2), 186–205. https://doi.org/10.21002/jaki.2023.10
Saragi, D. E. H. (2024). Development of transfer pricing regulations in Indonesia. Jurnal Ilmu Ekonomi dan Pembangunan, 24(2), 77-98. https://doi.org/10.20961/jiep.v24i2.90934
Sari, N., & Hunar, R. S. (2015). Analysis method of transfer pricing used by multinational companies related to tax avoidance and its consistencies to the Arm’s Length principle (case study: Starbucks Corporation). Journal of Business Strategy and Execution, 8(1), 70-96.
Sebele-Mpofu, F., Mashiri, E., & Schwartz, S. C. (2021). An exposition of transfer pricing motives, strategies and their implementation in tax avoidance by MNEs in developing countries. Cogent Business & Management, 8(1), 1944007. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2021.1944007
Sepriana, R. (2021). Tax avoidance on poultry business owners in Blitar Regency, East Java Province. International Journal of Accounting & Finance in Asia Pasific, 4(1), 51–59. https://doi.org/10.32535/ijafap.v4i1.1032
Septiani, D. H., Prawira, I. F. A., & Kustiawan, M. (2021). Transfer pricing, a tax avoidance tool (a review of literature). Nusantara Science and Technology Proceedings, 395-403. https://doi.org/10.11594/nstp.2021.1044
Tambunan, M. R. (2022). How is the transfer pricing concept “Arm’s Length Principle” applied in Indonesia?. BISNIS & BIROKRASI: Jurnal Ilmu Administrasi dan Organisasi, 29(3), 1. https://doi.org/10.20476/jbb.v29i3.1317
Taylor, G., & Richardson, G. (2012). International corporate tax avoidance practices: Evidence from Australian firms. The International Journal of Accounting, 47(4), 469-496. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intacc.2012.10.004
Utama, S., & Hermawan, A. A. (2020). Family ownership and tax avoidance: An analysis of foreign related party transactions and dividend payments. International Journal of Business & Society, 21(2). https://doi.org/10.33736/ijbs.3280.2020
Wuryaningsih, H., & Nuryanah, S. (2024). Why Is It Challenging to Apply Arm’s Length Principle on Intragroup Financing in Indonesia? A Tax Officials Perspectives. Jati: Jurnal Akuntansi Terapan Indonesia, 151-166. https://doi.org/10.18196/jati.v7i2.22716
Yoo, J. S. (2022). The effects of transfer pricing regulations on multinational income shifting. Asia-Pacific Journal of Accounting & Economics, 29(3), 692-714. https://doi.org/10.1080/16081625.2020.1741277
DOI: https://doi.org/10.32535/ijabim.v10i1.3673
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
Copyright (c) 2025 I Kadek Agus Ardika, Putu Novia Hapsari Ardianti, Cokorda Istri Agung Evita Nindia Putri

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
International Journal of Applied Business and International Management (IJABIM)
ISSN 2614-7432 (Print) | ISSN 2621-2862 (Online)
DOI Prefix: 10.32535 by CrossRef
Published by AIBPM Publisher
JL. Kahuripan No. 9, Hotel Sahid Montana, Malang, Indonesia
Email: journal.ijabim@gmail.com
Phone: +62 341 366222
Website: https://aibpmpublisher.com/
Governed by
Association of International Business and Professional Management
Email: admin@aibpm.org
Website: https://www.aibpm.org/
Licensing Information
The International Journal of Applied Business and International Management (IJABIM) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License .