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This study examines the effect of female representation on audit fees in listed UK companies, concentrating on the demographic characteristics of female directors, specifically age and nationality. Using a sample of 165 FTSE 350 companies from 2011 to 2021, generalized least squares regression models are employed to test the link between female audit committee members and audit fees from both the demand and supply sides. The results show a negative relationship between the proportion of females on audit committees and audit fees with a coefficient of –0.2273 (p < 0.05). Thus, higher female representation tends to lower audit costs. However, when considering demographic characteristics, the age and nationality of female members have a positive effect on audit costs, with coefficients of 0.0145 (p < 0.01) and 0.5546 (p < 0.01), respectively. Thus, while gender diversity reduces audit costs overall, experienced (older) female directors and those from diverse national backgrounds may add to audit complexity and, therefore, increase fees. The implications of these findings are relevant to policymakers and corporate governance bodies. Diversity policies should go beyond simple gender quotas. Instead, they should include a broader set of demographic attributes when promoting female representation on audit committees to achieve audit quality and cost efficiency. AcknowledgmentThis study received full funding from the Middle East University, Amman, Jordan.

This study aims to explore the impact of coronavirus pandemic-related variables and non-pharmaceutical interventions on fluctuations in the Malaysian stock market during the period from January 7, 2020, to March 31, 2021. By employing GARCH-M (1,1) family models (GARCH-M, EGARCH-M, and PGARCH-M), the study seeks to understand the intricate dynamics of market volatility amidst the pandemic and associated interventions. The findings suggest that while past market volatility and conditional variance continue to influence current market fluctuations, their effects have diminished over time during the study period. Additionally, the EGARCH-M (1,1) model reveals a leverage effect, indicating increased market volatility following negative news compared to positive news. Interestingly, the EGARCH-M (1,1) model emerges as the optimal choice for accurately capturing data dynamics. Conversely, the PGARCH-M (1,1) model does not exhibit a statistically significant leverage effect. These insights contribute to a better understanding of market behavior during crises, informing future research and risk management strategies. AcknowledgmentThe authors are grateful to the Middle East University, Amman, Jordan, for the full financial support granted to this research paper.

The impact of advertising and sales promotion on firm value and sales performance within the Jordanian manufacturing sector was examined, recognizing the significant role of advertising in enhancing competitive market outcomes. The study aimed to investigate the effect of advertising and sales promotion on firm value within the manufacturing Jordanian firms that holds a benefit for deciphering several challenges and opportunities that firms face within an emerging market context. Data from 64 Jordanian manufacturing firms listed on Amman Stock Exchange between 2014 and 2022 were analyzed. Regression analysis was applied across two models: one focused on the relationship between advertising expenditures and firm value, while the other assessed sales performance. Firm size and return on equity served as control variables across both models.The results revealed that advertising and sales promotion expenses had a significant and positive effect on both firm value and sales performance. Specifically, advertising’s impact on firm value was characterized by a coefficient of 0.107 and a t-value of 3.640, while its effect on sales performance yielded a coefficient of 0.321 and a t-value of 9.372, both with p-values of 0.00, highlighting a strong statistical significance. Additionally, firm size demonstrated a robust positive effect on both outcomes, underscoring its role as a critical control factor. Return on equity, however, did not yield a significant effect. These findings underscore the importance of advertising as a driver of firm growth and market position, particularly in larger firms. Investment in advertising appears to foster sustainable value and performance enhancements, offering firms in competitive sectors a strategic path for growth. AcknowledgmentThis research was funded through the annual funding track by the Deanship of Scientific Research, from the vice presidency for graduate studies and scientific research, King Faisal University, Saudi Arabia [Grant no. KFU250963].

Type of the article: Research Article AbstractIn emerging markets, understanding the dynamics of share price volatility is essential for corporate financial management and investor decision-making. The industrial sector often experiences price movements that may be influenced by companies’ financial policies. This research investigates the impact of dividend policy on share price volatility, with a focus on the moderating role of the debt ratio. The research draws on a balanced panel dataset of 64 Jordanian industrial firms listed on the Amman Stock Exchange during the period 2015–2023.Using panel regression models, the findings reveal a statistically significant negative association between both dividend yield and payout ratio with share price volatility. Specifically, a 1% increase in dividend yield is associated with a 0.42% reduction in volatility (p < 0.01), while a 1-point increase in the payout ratio reduces volatility by approximately 0.31% (p < 0.05). In addition, the debt ratio significantly moderates these relationships, which reduces the stabilizing impact of dividends in highly leveraged firms. The high interaction term between dividend yield and debt ratio was confirmed by the positive interaction term between dividend yield and debt ratio. These findings highlight the importance of balanced dividend and leverage strategies in reducing stock market risk, which may improve market stability. Acknowledgment(s)This research was funded through the annual funding track by the Deanship of Scientific Research, from the vice presidency for graduate studies and scientific research, King Faisal University, Saudi Arabia [Grant No. KFU253003].

Type of the article: Research Article AbstractThis study examines the effect of disclosure of Key Audit Matters (KAM) on accounting and market performance of Jordanian banks listed on the Amman Stock Exchange over the period 2017–2024. The research is relevant because disclosure of audits is at the heart of winning the confidence of investors and corporate governance. The 13-bank panel data are used over the period of eight years, and fixed effects regression with robust clustered standard errors is employed. Two regressions are estimated: accounting performance in the form of return on assets (ROA) and market valuation in the form of Tobin’s Q. These results are suggestive of the fact that more disclosure of KAM has been negatively and significantly connected with ROA (β = –0.176, p < 0.05), implying short-term profitability constraints, but positively and significantly connected with Tobin’s Q (β = 0.285, p < 0.05), implying greater investor optimism and reduced information asymmetry. These results suggest that although KAM disclosures are not expected to directly improve profitability, they enhance market valuation through enhanced disclosure and governance. The results have policy implications for improving disclosure standards to enhance transparency and stability, and for banks to further work on strengthening the independence and qualifications of audit committees to drive performance improvements. AcknowledgmentThe authors would like to thank Middle East University, Amman, Jordan, for the full funding of this research.

This study investigates the mediating role of knowledge sharing in the relationship between business intelligence and strategic ambidexterity within Jordanian telecommunication companies. Utilizing a descriptive analytical approach, data were collected through an electronic questionnaire distributed to 350 managers, yielding 269 valid responses analysed via Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) with Smart PLS 4.1. The methodological rigor of employing SEM allows for a nuanced examination of the complex interplay among latent variables, which include business intelligence (with constructs such as Data Mining, Data Warehousing, OLAP, and Reporting) and strategic ambidexterity (focusing on Exploration and Exploitation).Findings reveal that all latent variables exhibit significant importance, with business intelligence positively impacting strategic ambidexterity, mediated by knowledge sharing. These results advocate enhanced knowledge sharing practices within organizations, enabling internal experts to leverage insights into external opportunities through well-structured business intelligence reports. Overall, this research contributes to the advancement of methodology in business and management by establishing a robust framework for analysing the mediating effects of knowledge sharing, while providing actionable insights for enhancing strategic decision-making in the telecommunications sector. Future studies may further explore the dynamics of these relationships across different industries, thereby enriching the field of business management research.

This study aims to analyze trends, pioneers, emerging issues, and potential future research in the field of digital technologies such as blockchain, artificial intelligence, big data, fintech, and digital transformation for corporate sustainability. Using VOSviewer, R-studio, and BiblioMagika, this bibliometric review analyses 1251 articles published between 1995 and 2024 from the Scopus database. It highlights gaps in the knowledge and possible areas for further research in digital technologies and sustainability. Based on the findings, it can be determined that recent scholarly work has focused on topics such as digitalisation and sustainability, AI and sustainable development, blockchain and environmental technology, financial technology and green innovation, and energy policy and carbon emissions. This study is useful in helping emerging scholars identify and understand current trends in digital technologies and sustainability.

Purpose This study aims to examine the impact of corporate governance (CG) effectiveness measured by board and audit committee index on firm performance of nonfinancial listed firms in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, pre- and during the global crisis of COVID-19. Design/methodology/approach The analysis used 2,238 observations from nonfinancial firms listed on GCC countries' stock exchange, covering the period from 2017 to 2022, using a fixed effect panel regression model. The data for this study were manually collected from the annual reports of 373 GCC-listed firms. Findings The results demonstrate that the board's effectiveness index has a positive influence solely on accounting-based performance (return on assets) pre- and during the COVID-19 crisis. However, in terms of audit committee effectiveness, the results show a positive impact on market-based performance (Tobin’s Q) both pre- and during the COVID-19 crisis. Additional analysis indicates that the effectiveness of both the board and audit committee is more notable in larger firms compared to smaller firms. Practical implications This study is crucial for investors, regulators, managers and governments tackling the financial impacts of global crises like COVID-19. Its comprehensive evaluation of board and audit committee effectiveness guides policymakers and practitioners in enhancing CG for profit and wealth maximization. Originality/value This study offers novel evidence detailing the impact of CG effectiveness on firm performance over an extended period, encompassing the COVID-19 period and using a comprehensive index. In addition, this study was conducted in a unique CG setting, focusing on six emerging GCC countries.

This study examines the moderating role of female audit committee chairs on the relationship between audit quality (measured by audit fees) and corporate tax avoidance. The analysis is based on 165 UK firms between 2011 and 2021 using static panel data regression models and Lewbel’s heteroscedastic identification method to check robustness. The findings highlight the significant role of audit quality in reducing corporate tax avoidance. In addition, the female audit committee chair strengthens the negative relationship between audit quality and tax avoidance. This study has many implications. For corporate governance, it shows the value of female leadership in audit committees, especially in curbing aggressive tax strategies. Firms should increase female representation in key roles, like audit committee chairs, to improve oversight and ethical financial practices. For regulators and policymakers, it supports the case for strengthening gender diversity mandates to improve corporate transparency and accountability. Tax authorities can use the fact that firms with strong audit quality and female-led audit committees are less likely to engage in tax avoidance to focus their audits on companies with weaker governance structures.

This study investigates how corporate board governance attributes influence carbon emission disclosure (CED) across ASEAN-5 countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand) from 2015 to 2022. Using panel data regressions and a composite Board Effectiveness Score, the analysis evaluates both individual board characteristics—gender diversity, size, independence, meeting frequency, and environmental committees—and their collective impact on CED as measured by CDP scores. Grounded in agency, resource dependence, stakeholder, legitimacy, signaling, and voluntary disclosure theories, the findings reveal that gender diversity and the presence of an environmental committee significantly enhance CED, supporting the notion that board diversity and specialized structures improve sustainability oversight. In contrast, board size and meeting frequency show no consistent influence, challenging conventional assumptions within agency and stakeholder theories. Notably, board independence has a negative impact on disclosure, highlighting contextual governance challenges in the ASEAN region. The Board Effectiveness Score emerges as a stronger predictor of CED than individual attributes, confirming that integrated governance mechanisms better explain corporate transparency. Additional robustness tests—including quantile regression, logit analysis, and dynamic GMM—confirm the consistency of results. Control variables such as green innovation, firm size, age, and profitability also positively affect disclosure. As one of the first region-wide governance studies in Southeast Asia, this research provides important implications for policymakers, investors, and sustainability advocates, underscoring the need for enhanced governance frameworks and regulatory mandates to bridge ASEAN’s sustainability disclosure gap and align corporate practices with global climate goals.