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The implementation of the digital economy has had a considerable influence on the manufacturing industry, and this paper aims to address the important issues of how to capture the opportunities presented by digital innovation and promote the transformation and upgrading of the manufacturing industry, as well as the improvement of quality and efficiency.

Using panel data from 30 Chinese provinces and cities between 2010 and 2021, this study establishes the panel vector autoregression (PVAR) model and uses impulse response function analysis to evaluate the influence of the digital economy on the high-quality transformation and upgrading of China's small home appliance industry across five dimensions under the digital economy.

The development of digital infrastructure has not demonstrated a noteworthy capacity for advancing the transformation and upgrading of the small home appliance industry. Furthermore, digital industrialization has exerted a minimal restraining influence on this process. Nevertheless, digital governance has consistently exhibited a substantial impact on facilitating the transformation and upgrading of the small home appliance industry. While both industrial digitization and digital innovation hold significant potential for promoting the transformation and upgrading of the small home appliance industry, their sustainability remains limited.

The organization should logically join independent innovation and open innovation, construct an industrial ecosystem for the profound convergence of the digital economy and compact household appliances, use digital-wise science and technology to empower the establishment of brand effects, strengthen the portrayal of the digital standard framework for the intelligent compact household appliance industry, advance the development of a public stage for computerized administrations in the compact household appliance industry and develop a strategy ecosystem for computerized assets in the compact household appliance industry.

This study offers systematic evidence of the relationship between the digital economy and the development of the small home appliance industry. The results of this research contribute to the literature on the impact of the digital economy on the manufacturing sector and provide a logical explanation for the transformation and upgrading of the small home appliance industry within the context of the digital economy.

This study aims to investigate the structural characteristics, spatial evolution paths and internal driving mechanisms of the knowledge transfer (KT) network in China’s patent-intensive industries (PIIs). The authors' goal is to provide valuable insights to inform policy-making that fosters the development of relevant industries. The authors also aim to offer a fresh perspective for future spatiotemporal studies on industrial KT and innovation networks.

In this study, the authors analyze the patent transfer (PT) data of listed companies in China’s information and communication technology (ICT) industry, spanning from 2010 to 2021. The authors use social network analysis and the quadratic assignment procedure (QAP) method to explore the problem of China’s PIIs KT from the perspectives of technical characteristics evolution, network and spatial evolution and internal driving mechanisms.

The results indicate that the knowledge fields involved in the PT of China’s ICT industry primarily focus on digital information transmission technology. From 2010 to 2021, the scale of the ICT industry’s KT network expanded rapidly. However, the polarization of industrial knowledge distribution is becoming more serious. QAP regression analysis shows that economic proximity and geographical proximity do not affect KT activities. The similarity of knowledge application capacity, innovation capacity and technology demand categories in various regions has a certain degree of impact on KT in the ICT industry.

The current research on PIIs mainly focuses on measuring economic contributions and innovation efficiency, but less on KT in PIIs. This study explores KT in PIIs from the perspectives of technological characteristics, network and spatial evolution. The authors propose a theoretical framework to understand the internal driving mechanisms of industrial KT networks.

The purpose of this study is to scrutinize the extent of forward-looking (FL) disclosures and explore the impact of corporate governance (CG) on FL disclosures in integrated reporting (IR) in the context of the banking industry in Bangladesh.

Twenty-two listed banks in the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) are selected as a sample from 2018 to 2022. For content analysis purposes, the study has developed an unweighted self-constructed disclosure index with 58 items and extracted data manually from the integrated annual report. Furthermore, descriptive statistics is conducted to analyze the extent of FL disclosures, and a pooled ordinary least squares regression model is used to examine the impact of CG (directors’ ownership, institutional ownership, foreign ownership, board of directors, independent directors, female directors and audit quality) on the FL disclosures.

This study reveals that the banking industry’s average FL disclosure score is only approximately 43%, indicating a meager degree of disclosures in Bangladesh’s well-structured sector. This study also finds that directors’ ownership, foreign ownership, female directors and audit quality have a statistically significant and positive relationship with FL disclosures at a 5% significance level. By contrast, institutional directors and the board of directors have a substantial but negative impact on FL disclosures. However, the other exponential variable, independent directors, has no impact on FL disclosures.

This study has some limitations, such as: i) the sample size is restricted to 22 banks, whereas nearly 36 banks are listed in the DSE. The sample size should be increased for better results. ii) The study only considers the banking sector with a small sample, but other sectors have been omitted from the sample. iii) The data have been extracted from the annual report, but other relevant sources such as banks’ websites, prospectuses, press releases, and media releases are not considered. iv) Finally, the self-constructed unweighted disclosure index is affected by subjective judgment. For depth analysis, a weighted method for content analysis purposes will be applicable.

Since there is no specific guideline for FL disclosures, this study suggests that the practical implication is for the regulatory body and policymakers to take the initiative to design a framework for FL disclosures that will improve disclosure quality. Second, they can investigate the independent director’s role in the banking sector to discover the existence of old-boy network problems.

Investors will benefit from the proper judgment about the firm’s forward-looking disclosures, hence making effective decisions.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no particular study has been conducted on CG mechanisms and FL disclosures in the IR perspective of the banking sector in Bangladesh. So, this study may contribute to the existing literature.

The impact of digitalisation on smaller firms remains sparsely studied across emerging economies. The paper aims to examine the relationship between digital adoption and multiple performance parameters of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) in a prominent emerging economy.

The study employs data from the World Bank Enterprise Survey (WBES) 2022, capturing 9,024 Indian MSME firms spread across the country. Performance indicators are derived from growth in sales, employment and labour productivity (LPROD). Multiple regression estimates are derived that also correct for sample selection bias using Heckman’s two-step process.

Digital proliferation is found to increase as firms mature up in terms of age, size and constitution. A significant difference could also be observed in business performance across digital and non-digital businesses, with sales growth (SG) and productivity higher for digital firms. Digital financial variables are found to have a significant impact on SG but not as much in the case of employment growth and LPROD. The results are robust to correction for sample selection bias in digital adoption using inverse mills ratio (IMR).

The study highlights digital adoption gaps across various strata of MSMEs, highlighting lower adoption when firms are younger, smaller and lacking formal constitutional setup. Digital variables indicating positive association with SG highlight the need for concerted efforts at the public policy level for building appropriate skills and infrastructure for micro and small enterprises to boost their digital adoption to promote growth.

There is a lack of micro-level empirical evidence measuring the impact of advanced digital technology usage on multiple aspects of enterprise performance amongst micro and small firms. The study deploys unique digital variables including TReDS and use of online credit applications to assess the impact on business performance. The findings provide insights for practice and public policy, besides making the case for a higher focus on launching digital initiatives for smaller enterprises.

This study aims to explore the challenges and opportunities of adopting Industry 4.0 technologies in Africa, specifically focusing on the automotive industries in Morocco and Nigeria. By comparing these two leading African countries in Industry 4.0 adoption, the research seeks to identify key factors influencing the implementation of smart manufacturing technologies and to provide insights into the potential benefits and challenges faced.

The research uses a multiple case study design with a quantitative approach, collecting data through structured questionnaires from 167 participants across five automotive companies in Morocco and Nigeria. Regression analysis assessed the impact of opportunities and challenges. Statistical analysis identified significant differences between the two countries.

The study reveals significant differences in the perceived challenges and benefits of Industry 4.0 adoption between Morocco and Nigeria. In Morocco, key challenges include high implementation costs and resistance to change, whereas, in Nigeria, lack of skilled workforce and high implementation costs are predominant barriers. Both countries recognize the benefits of improved productivity, better product quality and enhanced supply chain agility.

While focused on two countries and the automotive industry, the study provides valuable insights into Industry 4.0 adoption in Africa, with potential for expanded future research.

The insights provided by this study can guide policymakers in developing tailored strategies to support Industry 4.0 adoption in Africa. For organizations, understanding the specific challenges and benefits can aid in designing effective Industry 4.0 implementation plans, enhancing competitiveness and achieving sustainable growth.

By providing a comparative analysis of Morocco and Nigeria, the study offers unique insights into the specific factors influencing Industry 4.0 implementation in different African contexts with differences between North and West of Africa.

This study investigates if and how the board size, the board independence, the CEO duality and the board-specific skills are associated with higher-quality Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) disclosure in European State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs).

We measured SDGs disclosure through a content analysis of SOE's reports from 2017 to 2022. The characteristics of the boards analyzed are board size, board independence, CEO duality and board-specific skills. We performed multiple regression models to test the association between the SDGs disclosure and the characteristics of the boards.

The results show that board size, independent directors and board-specific skills are positively associated with higher-quality SDGs disclosure, while CEO duality is negatively associated with higher-quality SDGs disclosure.

This study provides several practical implications. Shareholders could equip their firms with larger boards, more independent and highly skilled directors, while avoiding a CEO duality for improving the SDGs disclosure; capital providers could examine the characteristics of a firm's board before allocating financial resources to verify which firms are accountable in reaching the SDGs. Also, standard-setters and policymakers could use the results of this research to define new standards or regulatory pathways to push firms to put more efforts in preparing a comprehensive and high-quality SDGs disclosure.

While prior studies mostly focused on sustainability reporting overall, this study adds a specific insight about SDGs disclosure employing an investigation which has not been previously analyzed.

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between supply chain resilience and organizational performance with innovation as a mediator and information sharing as a moderator.

The study thoroughly explored how supply chain resilience, organizational performance, innovation and information sharing are connected. It used an exploratory approach and quantitative methods. Data were collected from large manufacturing firms through online questionnaire surveys using Google Forms, emails and WhatsApp.

The findings demonstrated that supply chain resilience positively impacts sustainability efforts. Furthermore, leveraging innovation and effective information sharing mediated and moderated the relationship, playing pivotal roles in enhancing sustainability within the supply chain.

The study provided actionable insights for businesses to strengthen their sustainability efforts. Managers could utilize these findings to implement strategies that enhance supply chain resilience, drive innovation and promote effective information sharing, ultimately leading to a more sustainable supply chain.

This study contributed to the existing body of knowledge by examining the complex relationships between supply chain resilience, organizational performance, innovation and information sharing in the context of achieving sustainability. The exploration of these components in a holistic manner added originality to the research and shed light on effective strategies for sustainable supply chain management.

This study aimed to explore the relationship between supply chain resilience (SCR) and organizational performance (OP), with innovation (INN) serving as a mediator and information sharing (IS) acting as a moderator.

The study comprehensively examined the connections between SCR, OP, INN and IS. An exploratory approach and quantitative methods were employed. The data were collected from small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises of three cities Xian, Hainan and Guangzhou of China via online questionnaire surveys conducted through Emails and WeChat. SmartPLS-4 was used for data analysis.

The findings indicated that SCR has a positive effect on sustainability efforts. Additionally, INN and effective IS both mediated and moderated this relationship, playing crucial roles in improving sustainability within the supply chain.

The study offered practical insights for businesses to enhance their sustainability efforts. Managers can use these findings to develop strategies that improve SCR, foster INN and encourage effective IS, ultimately resulting in a more sustainable supply chain.

This study enriched the existing knowledge base by investigating the intricate relationships among SCR, OP, INN and IS, all within the context of achieving sustainability. By exploring these elements holistically, the research introduced originality and highlighted effective strategies for sustainable supply chain management.

This paper aims to explore the role of ownership structure on integrated reporting quality (IRQ) in an emerging market.

This study includes a sample consisting of 64 firms from Bursa Malaysia, with 173 firm-year observations from 2017 to 2020. Feasible Generalised Least Square model has been used to test the hypotheses.

The findings show that government ownership has a positive effect on IRQ and that the integrated reports and <IR> framework are well aligned. Foreign ownership influences IRQ positively. However, the results did not support the effect of family ownership on IRQ as hypothesised.

The findings of this research hold practical implications for companies and regulators in Malaysia. The results demonstrate to investors that both government and foreign ownership have a positive impact on IRQ. Therefore, investors can make well-informed investment decisions regarding companies with a high level of government or foreign ownership.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper to explore the effect of ownership structure on IRQ in the Malaysian context.

Innovation is necessary to ensure consistent economic growth and to meet the global competition. In view of this, the purpose of this study to check the effect of governance quality as a tool for fostering innovation performance.

The empirical analysis was arranged on 20 year’s (2000–2019) data from South Asian economies. Subject to the existence of cointegration, the authors use the fully modified ordinary least square model for regression analysis and check the robustness through robust least square model.

The empirical findings infer that all dimensions of governance have a positive significant impact on both research and development expenditures and trademark applications jointly known as innovation performance. In addition, the empirical analysis discloses the positive effect of all control variables, including FDI inflow, banking sector development, economic growth, ease of doing business index and government subsidies on innovation activities. The analysis confirms the “grease the wheel” role of governance in fostering innovation.

It is apparently recommended to strengthen the exercise of better governance to harvest better innovation scores.

This study advocates the positive role of individual dimensions of governance recommended by existing literature and complements the literature by jointly exploring the impact of all governance dimensions on overall innovation performance.