Within the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) disclosure–corporate sustainability performance (economic, environmental and social; EES) framework, our empirical analysis examined the impact of ESG information disclosure on EES sustainability performance among Asian firms from 2005 to 2017. The positive ESG disclosure–EES sustainability performance relationship found in this study provides evidence that disclosing the implementation of environment and social strategies within an effective system of corporate governance in the organization strengthens corporate sustainability performance. The results also show that environmental performance and social performance are significantly positively related to economic sustainable performance, indicating that the corporation’s economic value and creating value for society are interdependent. In line with the stakeholder theory and the shared value theory, ESG information disclosure to all stakeholders is an important factor in creating a competitive advantage for enhancing corporate sustainability performance.

This study examines the utilisation of the Internet for disseminating corporate information among 100 top companies listed on Bursa Malaysia in the year 2007. These companies were chosen based on market capitalisation and relied on website observation and content analysis. An Internet disclosure index of 61 content items was categorised into four major groups: accounting and financial information, corporate governance, corporate social responsibility (CSR), contact details of investor relations and related conveniences. In addition, 26 presentation format items categorised into two major groups: technological features and convenience and usability of website navigation support were used as benchmark. The results indicate that the highest disclosure by the companies accrued for accounting and financial information attributes. The lowest disclosures by companies accrued for technology features attributes. The results show that more than 59% of the Malaysian public listed companies published reasonably well-developed Internet-based reporting and achieved a quality score for Internet Corporate Reporting (ICR). On average, the frequency of the identified items disclosed by the companies for the content of the website was higher than for the presentation of information. Among the six categories identified, technological features theme was considered as a critical part that needs attention from the Malaysian companies. The results also show that most companies provided their full annual reports using Portable Document Format (PDF). However, none of the companies adopt Extensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL) format. Therefore, Malaysian companies are urged to seize more opportunities provided by the Internet technology in preparing their ICR.

Using an international setting consisting of 5410 corporations domiciled in 24 countries, we test the insurance-like effect of corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance in the era of the pandemic and confirm that CSR performance increases socially responsible companies’ resilience against the adverse effects of the crisis. Comparing stakeholders' responses to CSR activities during the pandemic and normal periods, we observe that the link between CSR performance and firm value is stronger during the crisis period. We also realize that the social aspect of CSR performance is the main driver for the mentioned effects. Finally, comparing the resilience of highly committed socially responsible companies with those with moderate and very low CSR ratings, we observe that best-in-class companies enjoy the greatest buffering effects, implying that the insurance-like effect of CSR performance is non-linear against systematic crises. Findings are robust to ceremonial CSR activities, extreme values of market-based instruments, endogeneity concern, etc.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to empirically examine capital structure determinants of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) during and after the global financial crisis. Design/methodology/approach Statistical methods, including ordinary least squares and the generalised method of moments, were used to analyse a sample of over 40,800 Swedish SMEs operating in four industries during the 2008–2015 period. Findings The results indicate that the independent variables – i.e. financial crisis, profitability, size, tangibility and industry affiliation – to various degrees explain changes in short-term debt (STD) and long-term debt (LTD) ratios. In particular, the empirical findings indicate that the sampled SMEs tended to rely more on STD and LTD during (2008–2009) than after (2010–2015) the financial crisis. Research limitations/implications Due to data availability, the current study is limited to a sample of Swedish SMEs in four industries covering eight years. Further research could examine the generalisability of these findings by investigating other firms operating in other industries and other countries. Originality/value This study is one of few examining determinants of short- and long-term SME debt during and after the global financial crisis, using data from a large-scale cross-sectional database.

PurposeEmploying a large sample consisting of 3,701 corporations domiciled in developed and emerging countries, this paper aims to analyze the mediating role of investment efficiency in the association between business sustainability performance and corporate financial performance.Design/methodology/approachFour different aspects of corporate sustainability offered by the ASSET4 database are used as proxies for business sustainability performance, including economic, corporate governance, social and environmental dimensions. In addition to these aspects, the aggregate measure of business sustainability performance is also employed. In order to test the association between business sustainability and corporate performance via investment efficiency, ordinary least squares, fixed-effect, random-effect and generalized method of moments statistical models were employed.FindingsThe results suggest that business sustainability performance is positively associated with corporate financial performance, indicating that sustainable corporations enjoy higher financial performance. Moreover, Sobel, Aroian and Goodman tests confirm that investment efficiency mediates the positive relationship between business sustainability performance and financial performance. Finally, further analyses show that the positive association between sustainability performance and investment efficiency is stronger for those firms headquartered in developed countries than in those located in emerging nations.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the literature by investigating how growth opportunities advance the influence of business sustainability to corporate financial performance using a large sample from 43 countries.

Purpose This study aims to analyze the literature on knowledge management on intellectual capital, social capital and its contribution to Iranian companies’ innovation. Design/methodology/approach To investigate knowledge management’s relationship on intellectual capital, social capital and innovation, using structural equation modeling based on data collected from 205 chief executive officers, production managers and marketing managers of Iranian companies. The research instrument is a standard questionnaire consisting of 109 questions in which 5 of them are demographic questions, 26 questions were asked to reveal the knowledge management process, 40 questions for intellectual capital, 21 for social capital and 17 for innovation. Findings The results show that knowledge management has a positive and significant relationship between intellectual capital and social capital. Knowledge management did not have a significant effect on innovation. However, intellectual capital and social capital have a significant effect on innovation. On the other hand, knowledge management mediated by intellectual capital and social capital has a positive and significant indirect effect on innovation. Originality/value The paper includes the implications for developing knowledge management and intellectual, social capital leading to innovation in manufacturing companies. Knowledge management can improve the innovation performance of a company if it is shared and applied effectively. This study addresses an important subject and the findings may be used by professionals and managers or another person interested in advancing knowledge management that leads to innovation.

The novel COVID‐19 has created an exogenous shock to capital markets and, hence, an ideal opportunity for researchers to assess whether CSR‐related activities provide an insurance‐like mechanism to protect firms against the shock. Using a large sample of 4361 firms domiciled in 40 countries, we investigate the roles of CSR reporting and assurance in the negative consequences of COVID‐19 on firm value. The results confirm that prior CSR reporting experience buffers firms against the adverse effects of the health crisis. The results also support that not only does the assurance on CSR reports create a buffering effect against the health crisis, but it also intensifies the buffering effects of prior CSR reporting experience against the pandemic. Moreover, using difference‐in‐difference method for testing the link between CSR reporting and firm value, we show that the positive association of reporting and assurance with firm value is more pronounced during the pandemic as compared with the years preceding it. The results of this study are robust to various analyses. Replicating the analyses to the context of the global financial crisis, we find that prior CSR reporting experience and assurance provide similar buffering effects when a market is exposed to various exogenous shocks. The results also hold for the mandatory disclosure regimes. By distinguishing first and subsequent reports and assurance, we show that, unlike subsequent CSR reports and assurance, the initial ones cannot mitigate the negative effects of the crisis on firm value, indicating that stakeholders take into account longer‐term CSR reporting experiences. Aside from reporting and assurance aspects of CSR, we analyze the role of CSR report's quality and accuracy and show that the adoption of Global Reporting Initiatives (GRI) frameworks can enhance socially responsible firms' resilience against systematic shocks.

Purpose This study aims to assess the relationship between intellectual and social capital and financial statement fraud and money laundering of Iraqi firms before and after the emergence of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). In other words, this paper seeks to answer the question of “whether the intellectual and social capital can contribute favourably to fraud in financial statements and money laundering or not.” Design/methodology/approach For the study, the multivariate regression model is used for hypothesis testing. Research hypotheses have also been examined using a sample of 35 listed firms on the Iraqi Stock Exchange during 2012–2018, using the panel data technique-based multivariate regression pattern and fixed-effect model. Findings The results show a negative and significant relationship between social capital and intellectual capital, fraud in financial statements and money laundering. Besides, the results indicate a positive and significant effect of the interactive variable of ISIS on the relationship between social and intellectual capital and fraud in financial statements and money laundering. Originality/value Since this paper is the first study on such a topic in the emergent markets, it provides helpful information for the users, analysts and legal institutions about intellectual capital and social capital that contributes significantly to fraud and money laundering of business units. Moreover, the study results help the development of science and knowledge in this field and fill the existing gap in the literature.