Search Results (2,582)

As a critical external mechanism driving green innovation, institutional and competitive pressure often coexist and jointly shape firms’ strategic responses. However, existing studies primarily focus on the individual effects of these pressures, with limited attention to their interactive impacts on green innovation. Drawing on optimal distinctiveness theory, this study proposes a “pressure–response” analytical framework that classifies institutional and competitive pressure combinations into congruent (i.e., high–high or low–low) and incongruent (i.e., high–low or low–high) pressure contexts based on their relative intensities. It further examines how these distinct configurations affect two types of green innovation: strategic green innovation (StrGI) and substantive green innovation (SubGI). Using panel data from Chinese A-share listed firms between 2010 and 2022, the empirical results reveal that under congruent pressure contexts, the alignment of institutional and competitive pressures tends to suppress green innovation. In contrast, under incongruent contexts, the misalignment between the two pressures significantly promotes green innovation. Regarding innovation motivation, the high institutional–low competitive pressure context more significantly promotes StrGI, while the low institutional–high competitive pressure context has a more prominent effect on SubGI. In addition, this study also investigates the mediating roles of StrGI and SubGI on ESG performance. The findings provide theoretical support and policy implications for improving green transition policies and institutional frameworks, as well as promoting sustainable corporate development. Full article

This study uses financial data from 872 Chinese listed companies (2018–2022). It tests the triple dividend effect and threshold effect of China’s environmental protection tax (EPT) using high-dimensional fixed effects models and panel threshold models. We document that (1) EPT creates an environmental dividend for Chinese listed companies. It significantly reduces pollution emissions. A 1-unit tax increase reduces LnTPPE by 2.5%. (2) EPT creates a significant innovation dividend. It forces enterprises to improve the quality of authorized patents. A 1-unit tax increase raises patent technological complexity by 0.79%. (3) EPT creates an economic dividend. It significantly improves firm performance. A 1-unit tax increase raises relative corporate revenue by 38.1%. (4) EPT exerts significant threshold effects on micro-level triple dividend outcomes among Chinese listed companies. A heterogeneity analysis shows significant differences in threshold effects between non-heavily polluting and heavily polluting industries. This study confirms that China’s EPT generates a micro-level triple dividend effect alongside coexisting threshold effects for listed companies. This provides literature references for China to design and implement differentiated policies and offers a quantitative empirical case for implementing globally sustainable EPT strategies. Full article

Maintaining well integrity is essential in the oil and gas industry to prevent environmental hazards, operational risks, and economic losses. Cement bond log (CBL) tools are essential in evaluating cement bonding and ensuring wellbore stability. This study presents a patent landscape review of CBL technologies, based on 3473 patent documents from the Lens.org database. After eliminating duplicates and irrelevant entries, 167 granted patents were selected for in-depth analysis. These were categorized by technology type (wave, electrical, radiation, neutron, and other tools) and by material focus (formation, casing, cement, and borehole fluid). The findings reveal a dominant focus on formation evaluation (59.9%) and a growing reliance on wave-based (22.2%) and other advanced tools (25.1%), indicating a shift toward high-precision diagnostics. Geographically, 75% of granted patents were filed through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and 97.6% were held by companies, underscoring the dominance of corporate innovation and the minimal presence of academia and individuals. The review also identifies notable patents that reflect significant technical innovations and discusses their role in advancing diagnostic capabilities. These insights emphasize the need for broader collaboration and targeted research to advance well integrity technologies in line with industry goals for operational performance and safety. Full article

In this study, we examine the impact of mergers and acquisitions (M&As) on firm environmental performance, aiming to address the gap in research and guide firms, investors, and policymakers toward more environmentally conscious decision-making in M&A. Using panel data from Chinese A-share listed firms (2008–2022), we estimate a two-way fixed effect model. The Propensity Score Matching and the instrumental variable method address potential endogeneity concerns, and robustness checks validate the findings. We found that M&As have a significantly positive effect on firm environmental performance, with heterogeneous impacts across regions, industries, and M&A types. The environmental benefits are most pronounced in heavily polluting industries and hybrid M&A deals. Eastern China shows more modest improvements. The results of mechanism tests revealed that M&As enhance environmental performance primarily by boosting total factor productivity and fostering innovation. This study offers a novel perspective by linking M&A activities to environmental sustainability, enriching the literature on both M&As and corporate environmental performance. We show that even conventional M&A deals (not sustainability-focused) can improve environmental performance through operational synergies. Expanding beyond polluting industries, we reveal how sector characteristics shape M&A’s environmental impacts. We identify practical mechanisms through which standard M&A activities can advance sustainability goals, helping firms balance economic and environmental objectives. It provides empirical evidence from China, an emerging market with distinct institutional and regulatory contexts. The findings offer guidance for firms engaging in M&A to strategically improve sustainability performance. Policymakers can leverage these insights to design incentives for M&A in pollution-intensive industries, aligning economic growth with environmental goals. By demonstrating that M&As can enhance environmental outcomes, this study supports the potential for market-driven mechanisms to contribute to broader societal sustainability objectives, such as reduced industrial pollution and greener production practices. Full article

This paper explores the intervening role in SEP performance of corporate environmental, cultural, and ethnic activities (ECEAs) and diversity, equity, inclusion, and social initiatives (DEISIs) on blockchain adoption (BCA) strategy, particularly useful in the Western Balkans (WB), which demands transparency due to extended fraud and ethnic complexities. In this domain, a question has been raised: In BCA strategies, is there any correlation between SEP performance and ECEAs and DEISIs in a mediating role? A serial mediation model was tested on a dataset of 630 WB and EU companies, and the research conceptual model was validated by CFA (Confirmation Factor Analysis), and the SEM (Structural Equation Model) fit was assessed. We found a statistically sound (significant, positive) correlation between BCA and ESG success performance, especially in the innovation and integrity ESG performance success indicators, when DEISIs mediate. The findings confirmed the influence of technology, and environmental, cultural, ethnic, and social factors on BCA strategy. The findings revealed some important issues of BCA that are of worth to WB companies’ managers to address BCA for better performance. This study adds to the literature on corporate blockchain transformation, especially for organizations seeking investment opportunities in new international markets to diversify their assets and skill pool. Furthermore, it contributes to a deeper understanding of how DEI initiatives impact the correlation between business transformation and socioeconomic performance, which is referred to as the “social impact”. Full article

Recent theoretical and empirical studies highlight that information asymmetry and owner–manager conflict of interest can distort corporate investment decisions. Building on this premise, we hypothesize that superior environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance mitigates these frictions by (H1) alleviating financing constraints and (H2) intensifying external analyst scrutiny. To test these hypotheses, we examine all Shanghai and Shenzhen A-share non-financial firms from 2009 to 2023. Using panel fixed-effects and two-stage least squares with an industry–province–year instrument, we find that higher ESG performance significantly reduces investment inefficiency; the effect operates through both lower financing constraints and greater analyst coverage. Heterogeneity analyses reveal that the improvement is pronounced in small non-state-owned, non-high-carbon firms but absent in large state-owned high-carbon emitters. These findings enrich the literature on ESG and corporate performance and offer actionable insights for regulators and investors seeking high-quality development. Full article

Based on firm-level data of Japanese listed companies for the period of 2013–2022, this study conducts an empirical analysis to investigate how the issuance of green bonds influences corporate environmental and financial performance. The results show that the green bond issuance demonstrates a reduction in corporate greenhouse gas emission intensity and energy consumption intensity in the long term. Moreover, the issuance of green bonds enhances the financial performance of firms in the long run. However, the positive effect of green bond issuance on corporate environmental and financial performance is significant only among firms that have set specific quantitative environmental targets. In addition, for manufacturing and transportation green bond issuers that have set specific quantitative environmental targets, the improvement in environmental performance is evident in both the long and short term. Full article

Amid intensifying global ESG regulations and the expanding influence of green finance, China’s digital economy policies have emerged as key institutional instruments for promoting corporate sustainability. Leveraging the implementation of the National Big Data Comprehensive Pilot Zone as a quasi-natural experiment, this study utilizes panel data of Chinese listed firms from 2009 to 2023 and applies multi-period Difference-in-Differences (DID) and Spatial DID models to rigorously identify the policy’s effects on corporate ESG performance. Empirical results indicate that the impact of digital economy policy is not exerted through a direct linear pathway but operates via three institutional mechanisms, enhanced information transparency, eased financing constraints, and expanded fiscal support, collectively constructing a logic of “institutional embedding–governance restructuring.” Moreover, disruptive technological innovation significantly amplifies the effects of the transparency and fiscal mechanisms, but exhibits no statistically significant moderating effect on the financing constraint pathway, suggesting a misalignment between innovation heterogeneity and financial responsiveness. Further heterogeneity analysis confirms that the policy effect is concentrated among firms characterized by robust governance structures, high levels of property rights marketization, and greater digital maturity. This study contributes to the literature by developing an integrated moderated mediation framework rooted in institutional theory, agency theory, and dynamic capabilities theory. The findings advance the theoretical understanding of ESG policy transmission by unpacking the micro-foundations of institutional response under digital policy regimes, while offering actionable insights into the strategic alignment of digital transformation and sustainability-oriented governance. Full article

Due to globalization, companies are exposed to a culturally diversified workforce; therefore, great emphasis is placed on identifying the most effective leadership style that would be able to manage such a workforce. Although numerous studies have attempted to identify successful leadership styles in different cultural settings, none have focused on the perceptions of top managers who work in multinational corporations (MNCs) in culturally diversified surroundings. Thus, our research attempts to identify the most preferred leadership style and characteristics from the perspective of top managers in MNCs in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The 13 leadership characteristics analyzed in this study were generated from the 21 characteristics found by Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness (GLOBE) research. The participants, top managers in MNCs, needed to evaluate leadership styles by considering leadership characteristics. To ensure the objectiveness of the study, we analyzed their answers by applying the Fuzzy Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) method. The results indicated that the most preferred leadership characteristics were visionary, inspirational, collaborative team-oriented, and performance-oriented. Moreover, the transformational leadership style emerged as the most preferred leadership style. The study’s findings show that top managers believe that employees in MNCs in the UAE seek a leader with a vision who will inspire, motivate, and help them fulfill their true potential. Full article

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology is widely applied in various scenarios, including logistics tracking, supply chain management, and target monitoring. In these contexts, the malicious cloning of legitimate tag information can lead to sensitive data leakage and disrupt the normal acquisition of tag information by readers, thereby threatening personal privacy and corporate security and incurring significant economic losses. Although some efforts have been made to detect cloning attacks, the presence of missing tags in RFID systems can obscure cloned ones, resulting in a significant reduction in identification efficiency and accuracy. To address these problems, we propose the block-based cloned tag identification (BCTI) protocol for identifying cloning attacks in the presence of missing tags. First, we introduce a block indicator to sort all tags systematically and design a block mechanism that enables tags to respond repeatedly within a block with minimal time overhead. Then, we design a superposition strategy to further reduce the number of verification times, thereby decreasing the execution overhead. Through an in-depth analysis of potential tag response patterns, we develop a precise method to identify cloning attacks and mitigate interference from missing tags in probabilistic cloning attack scenarios. Moreover, we perform parameter optimization of the BCTI protocol and validate its performance across diverse operational scenarios. Extensive simulation results demonstrate that the BCTI protocol meets the required identification reliability threshold and achieves an average improvement of $24.01\%$ in identification efficiency compared to state-of-the-art solutions. Full article

Green innovation is a key driver of sustainable development, yet Chinese firms, as major innovators, still underperform in this area. While directors play a central role in corporate governance, the influence of their green backgrounds on green innovation remains underexplored. This study investigates how directors with green backgrounds impact corporate green innovation. We consider both the appointment and the power of green-background directors. At the same time, we use the manually collected data from China’s heavily polluting listed firms between 2014 and 2020. We also conduct regulatory effect and mediation effect analyses. We found the following: (1) Green-background directors significantly promote corporate green innovation. Appointing directors with environmental expertise enhances firms’ green innovation performance, and this positive effect strengthens as these directors’ power increases. (2) Mechanistically, green-background directors facilitate green innovation by raising firms’ environmental awareness and helping secure government environmental subsidies. (3) Contextual influences matter. Moderating effect tests reveal that the impact of green-background directors is strengthened in firms with diligent boards, firm size, and green investors, but weakened in regions with higher marketization levels. (4) Further analysis shows that green-background directors enhance both strategic and substantive green innovation while also ensuring the long-term continuity of green innovation efforts. Full article

The digital business environment is rapidly evolving with advancements in information technology (IT), increasing the risk of information security incidents. Grounded in the resource-based view and in contingency theory, this study adopts a different approach from prior research by conceptualizing security management activities not as mere risk control mechanisms, but as strategic innovation drivers that can enhance corporate performance (sales revenue and operating profit). The authors develop a research model with six independent variables, including internal and external security management activities, CISO role configuration (independent or dual-role with CIO), and investment levels in IT and information security. The dependent variables include sales revenue and operating profit, with ISMS or ISO certification as a moderating variable. Using information security (IS) disclosures and financial data from 545 Korean firms that have reported their security management activities to the Ministry of Science and ICT, multiple regression and moderation analyses reveal that high IT investment negatively impacts performance, but this effect is mitigated when formal security systems, like ISMS or ISO, are in place. The results suggest that integrating recognized security frameworks into management strategies can enhance both innovation and financial outcomes, encouraging a proactive approach to security management. Full article

In the context of pursuing the goal of strategic imperatives of sustainable development, the ESG performance of enterprises has become a key yardstick for measuring their comprehensive environmental contribution and economic efficiency. Enhancing ESG performance has far-reaching significance in promoting green and sustainable development of enterprises and society. Drawing on the upper echelons theory, this paper investigates the impact of the chief executive officer’s (CEO’s) green experience on corporate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance, utilizing a sample of publicly listed Chinese companies from 2011 to 2023. The study demonstrates that CEOs with green experience significantly enhance corporate ESG performance, a conclusion that remains consistent following a series of rigorous robustness checks. Mechanistic analysis reveals that CEOs’ green experience primarily facilitates corporate ESG performance enhancement through green innovation initiatives. Furthermore, CEO discretion amplifies the positive influence of green experience on ESG performance. Heterogeneity analysis demonstrates that the influence of the CEOs’ green experience on ESG performance is more pronounced in high-tech enterprises, in markets characterized by lower levels of competition, and in firms situated in regions exhibiting higher degrees of social trust. These findings impart both theoretical and practical implications for enhancing corporate ESG performance and offer novel strategic perspective to advance environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and corporate governance frameworks. Full article

Background: Sustainability in supply chain management (SCM) practices is becoming increasingly important as environmental responsibility and social concerns, as well as enterprises’ competitiveness in terms of innovation, risk, and economic performance, become increasingly urgent. This paper aims to identify and prioritize concepts for implementing sustainable supply chains, drawing on sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) and green supply chain management (GSCM) techniques. Corporate supply chain managers across various industries, markets, and supply chain segments brainstormed management practices to enhance the sustainability of their supply chains. Four industry sectors were surveyed across five different value chain segments. Methods: A group concept mapping (GCM) approach incorporating multi-dimensional scaling (MDS) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) was used. A hierarchy of practices is proposed, and hypotheses are developed about achievability and impact. Results: A decision-making matrix prioritizes eight solution concepts based on two axes: impact (I) and ease of implementation (EoI). Conclusions: Eight concepts are prioritized based on the optimal effectiveness of implementing the solutions. Pattern matching reveals differences between emerging and developed markets, as well as supply chain segments, that decision-makers should be aware of. By analyzing supply chains from a multi-part perspective, this research goes beyond empirical studies based on a single industry, geographic region, or example case. Full article

Social network platforms have a big impact on the development of companies by influencing clients’ behaviors and sentiments, which directly affect corporate reputations. Analyzing this feedback has become an essential component of business intelligence, supporting the improvement of long-term marketing strategies on a larger scale. The implementation of powerful sentiment analysis models requires a comprehensive and in-depth examination of each stage of the process. In this study, we present a new comparative approach for several feature extraction techniques, including TF-IDF, Word2Vec, FastText, and BERT embeddings. These methods are applied to three multilingual datasets collected from hotel review platforms in the tourism sector in English, French, and Arabic languages. Those datasets were preprocessed through cleaning, normalization, labeling, and balancing before being trained on various machine learning and deep learning algorithms. The effectiveness of each feature extraction method was evaluated using metrics such as accuracy, F1-score, precision, recall, ROC AUC curve, and a new metric that measures the execution time for generating word representations. Our extensive experiments demonstrate significant and excellent results, achieving accuracy rates of approximately 99% for the English dataset, 94% for the Arabic dataset, and 89% for the French dataset. These findings confirm the important impact of vectorization techniques on the performance of sentiment analysis models. They also highlight the important relationship between balanced datasets, effective feature extraction methods, and the choice of classification algorithms. So, this study aims to simplify the selection of feature extraction methods and appropriate classifiers for each language, thereby contributing to advancements in sentiment analysis. Full article