Simone Terzani and Teresa Turzo
This paper aims to investigate whether religiosity and religious diversity affect the adoption of sustainability reporting assurance (SRA) by companies based in predominantly…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate whether religiosity and religious diversity affect the adoption of sustainability reporting assurance (SRA) by companies based in predominantly Roman Catholic and Protestant countries. To this aim, a theoretical framework is developed using the social norm, signalling and agency theories.
Design/methodology/approach
A pooled logit regression model is applied on a sample of 2,541 firm-year observations collected from the most sustainable companies in Europe in the period between 2004 and 2015 to test the effect of religiosity on SRA adoption. Different analyses are used to check for the robustness of the findings and a generalized method of moments (GMM) is used to address potential endogeneity issues.
Findings
The results of this study show that companies based in highly religious countries are more likely to adopt SRA practices to show compliance with the religious social norms of their stakeholders. The results also show that companies based in predominantly Roman Catholic countries are more likely to adopt SRA practices than those operating in Protestant countries. This may be due to the fact that the structural organization of Catholicism is based on a vertical, top-down control system, which does not foster trust and requires constant assurance. This explains the emphasis placed on SRA by stakeholders adhering to Catholicism. Stakeholders from Protestant countries, on the other hand, tend to rely more on the principles of social ethics and social mutual control that characterize their doctrine and, therefore, do not need any additional, external assurance of corporate commitment to sustainability.
Originality/value
This paper provides new insights into the influence that religiosity and religious diversity have on SRA. This study also provides evidence on the usefulness of social norm theory for conducting empirical research into corporate practices and could set an example for future studies in this field.
Details
Keywords
Francesca Picciaia, Simone Terzani and Libero Mario Mari
This paper aims to analyse the role of a network in the development of female business experiences through the study of the Industrie Femminili Italiane (I.F.I.) (Italian Women’s…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to analyse the role of a network in the development of female business experiences through the study of the Industrie Femminili Italiane (I.F.I.) (Italian Women’s Cooperative Enterprise), founded in 1903 in Rome to promote women’s work and their economic conditions.
Design/methodology/approach
This study applies the embeddedness theory for women’s empowerment that provides a valuable lens to explore the interactions between female entrepreneurs and their social, cultural and economic contexts.
Findings
With this study, the authors found that the network structure was used at the beginning of the past century in Italy as a useful instrument for female emancipation and empowerment, extending to common/not exceptional women entrepreneurial opportunities otherwise reserved for rich and noble women. In the interplay among the different “contexts” (political, social, cultural and cognitive), it seems to emerge the incidence of female social relationships in facing an unfavourable political and cultural context, breaking out the norms and allowing the business to exist and influencing, with the activity of the high social standing women, the cognitive structure of the other female workers, make them active participants in this entrepreneurial activity.
Research limitations/implications
This is a single case study that has shed light on a specific female network, and the authors’ findings and considerations are influenced by the shortage of data and sources available. Demonstrating that I.F.I. is the result of the collaboration of women from different social classes involved at different organisational levels, this work shows, from a historical perspective, the importance of female mutual support for their emancipation and the role played by the network structure as an amplifier of possibilities otherwise limited to rich women, the emancipation of women and minorities in countries characterised by important barriers to entrepreneurship.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper analysing a female entrepreneurial network from a historical point of view and its role in overcoming gender barriers within the analysis of the interplaying contexts.
Details
Keywords
This research aims to determine the influence of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors on market performance. The study shows the perspective of ESG on market…
Abstract
Purpose
This research aims to determine the influence of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors on market performance. The study shows the perspective of ESG on market performance. The study attempted to test the relationship between ESG and Tobin’s Q and the effect of control variables.
Design/methodology/approach
The study used panel data from a sample covering 720 firms and ran a fixed-effects model regression during the 2007–2019 period for eight European countries’ listed companies.
Findings
The findings reveal that ESG positively impacts Tobin’s Q. According to the findings, high company ESG performance boosts market performance via the moderator effect of competitive advantage. The results indicate that all control variables are significant. The firm’s leverage has a negative relationship with ESG. The size of the firm impacts ESG positively. Also, the results prove that the firm’s size and industry positively affect Tobin’s Q.
Research limitations/implications
The findings of this study suggest that managers, practitioners and authorities interested in learning about ESG scores (ESGSs), market performance and competitive advantage might draw intriguing conclusions from the data. Managers can identify the appropriate levels of competitive advantage that improve market performance. Practitioners must determine whether fit, size, growth, leverage and industry could enhance market performance. The findings also give authorities and the board of directors information on future growth opportunities for the company and the country.
Originality/value
The research presents a vision of how ESG factors affect market performance. This study aims to identify the positive link between ESGSs and European market performance.
Details
Keywords
Zijun Lin, Chaoqun Ma, Olaf Weber and Yi-Shuai Ren
The purpose of this study is to map the intellectual structure of sustainable finance and accounting (SFA) literature by identifying the influential aspects, main research streams…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to map the intellectual structure of sustainable finance and accounting (SFA) literature by identifying the influential aspects, main research streams and future research directions in SFA.
Design/methodology/approach
The results are obtained using bibliometric citation analysis and content analysis to conduct a bibliometric review of the intersection of sustainable finance and sustainable accounting using a sample of 795 articles published between 1991 and November 2023.
Findings
The most influential factors in the SFA literature are identified, highlighting three primary areas of research: corporate social responsibility and environmental disclosure; financial and economic performance; and regulations and standards.
Practical implications
SFA has experienced rapid development in recent years. The results identify the current research domain, guide potential future research directions, serve as a reference for SFA and provide inspiration to policymakers.
Social implications
SFA typically encompasses sustainable corporate business practices and investments. This study contributes to broader social impacts by promoting improved corporate practices and sustainability.
Originality/value
This study expands on previous research on SFA. The authors identify significant aspects of the SFA literature, such as the most studied nations, leading journals, authors and trending publications. In addition, the authors provide an overview of the three major streams of the SFA literature and propose various potential future research directions, inspiring both academic research and policymaking.
Details
Keywords
Raffaela Casciello, Marco Maffei and Fiorenza Meucci
The aim of this paper is to investigate if and how conditional conservatism influences capital management practices in the context of European listed banks.
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this paper is to investigate if and how conditional conservatism influences capital management practices in the context of European listed banks.
Design/methodology/approach
We use multiple fixed effects regression models with robust standard errors to test the research hypotheses on a sample of 2,883 bank-year observations for EU-listed banks from 2010 to 2020.
Findings
The study provides evidence that the adoption of conditional conservatism policies constrains upward capital management. In addition, this study shows that such influence is mediated by two channels: earnings management and loan portfolio quality. Regarding the first channel, this study shows that the adoption of conditional conservatism hinders upward earning management which, in turn, negatively impacts upward capital management, all else being equal. For the second channel, this study shows that the adoption of conditional conservatism improves the quality of the loan portfolio, which hinders upward capital management because of less risky assets in the portfolio.
Research limitations/implications
This study contributes to banking literature by shedding light on the factors that may favor or obstruct capital management.
Practical implications
This study can be useful for bank regulators and standard setters to define new regulatory policies and standards that can hinder the use of manipulative accounting practices.
Originality/value
This is the first study exploring the association between bank accounting conservatism and capital management, thus asking whether some factors like earnings management and loan portfolio quality may act as mediating channels in this relationship.