Purpose This study aims to examine how familiarity with artificial intelligence (AI), motivation and organizational support for AI, and demographic characteristics influence the perceived AI effectiveness among a sample of European auditors, as well as the moderating role of education on these relationships. Design/methodology/approach Data collected from a developed survey were analyzed using multiple and moderated hierarchical regressions. Findings The results reveal a positive association between auditors’ familiarity with AI and their perception of AI effectiveness. Similarly, auditors’ motivation and organizational support enhance their perception of AI effectiveness. Female auditors perceive AI as less effective than males. Education is negatively associated with perceived effectiveness but positively moderates the relationship between auditors’ familiarity with AI and their perception of AI effectiveness. Research limitations/implications The study is limited by its sample size and focus on the European context, which may restrict the generalizability of findings to regions with different resource constraints. Practical implications The findings suggest that audit firms should enhance AI adoption by investing in targeted training programs that build familiarity, emphasize benefits and improve auditors’ confidence and perceptions toward AI. In addition, fostering organizational support, motivation, inclusive initiatives and long-term strategic integration of AI further strengthen the effective utilization of AI in auditing. Originality/value This study contributes to literature by providing insight into how familiarity, motivation and organizational support, gender and education are associated with the perceived AI effectiveness of a sample of European auditors.
PurposeThis study aims to provide an updated systematic review on the relationship between environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance and firm risk. It addresses key gaps in previous reviews by providing an in-depth, theoretical and thematic analysis of empirical studies, identifying patterns, contradictions and areas for future exploration. Design/methodology/approachThis study conducts a structured and systematic literature review focused exclusively on ESG and firm risk. This study selected 75 peer-reviewed articles using a rigorous protocol, incorporating Scopus indexing and ABDC journal rankings to ensure quality and relevance. FindingsThe results reveal that most studies report a negative association between ESG practices and financial and market risks. However, results vary according to ESG dimensions, risk types and contextual factors such as company size, region, macroeconomic factors and industry sector. The literature also shows significant inconsistencies in ESG measurement and theoretical framing, which contribute to the ongoing debate. Originality/valueThis review offers a more focused and analytical contribution to the ESG literature by moving beyond general overviews. It adds value by incorporating a theoretical framework, summarizing key empirical studies and proposing a structured agenda for future research on ESG and firm risk. In addition, in response to the pressing need to integrate ESG into risk management, this study has developed a thorough and detailed framework that identifies clear and sequential steps for integrating ESG-related risks into the core of the corporate risk management process.
Purpose This study aims to investigate whether board gender diversity (BGD) influences environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance, while also examining the moderating role of institutional ownership on this relationship. Design/methodology/approach A sample of 504 firm-year observations was obtained across 63 nonfinancial firms publicly traded within the Egyptian Exchange during 2015–2022. The empirical analysis was performed employing Pooled Ordinary Least Squares, while two-stage least squares regression was applied for alleviating possible issues of endogeneity. Findings The study findings demonstrate a significant and positive effect of women in boardrooms on ESG outcomes. Furthermore, institutional ownership weakens this positive effect as a moderating variable. Remarkably, the COVID-19 outbreak led to enhanced ESG performance. The robustness of the study results is further reinforced by additional tests using different metrics for the key variables. Moreover, the findings reinforce critical mass theory. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, it is the first empirical analysis to investigate how institutional ownership moderates the relationship between women directors and ESG ratings in Egypt and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. It also represents the first empirical attempt to examine COVID-19 as a moderating variable in this relationship and to apply the perspective of critical mass theory to explore the BGD–ESG nexus in Egypt.
Purpose Climate change risk is among the severe complexities that human society is facing, which also poses serious challenges to enterprise operations. This study aims to assess the extent of military culture’s imprint by providing empirical evidence on whether CEOs’ military experience improves or reduces firms’ climate-change risk. Design/methodology/approach This study employs pooled ordinary least squares (OLS) to investigate the relationship between CEOs’ military experience and firm-level climate change exposure. The study sample comprises mainland A-share listed enterprises from 2007 to 2022. Findings The outcomes of the given study provide evidence that CEOs with military experience mitigate the firm-level climate change exposure. Board gender diversity strengthens the nexus between CEO military experience and firm-level climate-change exposure. Furthermore, the channel analysis findings indicate that external monitoring partially amplifies the negative relationship between CEO military experience and firm-level climate change exposure. The cross-sectional analysis results indicate that the underlying nexus is more pronounced among enterprises with low competition intensity, political connections, located in low-carbon city pilot areas, and without CEO duality. Practical implications Overall, these outcomes underscore the need for accurate assessment of climate change exposure to inform strategic decisions. This study has several implications for corporations, governments, policymakers and other regulatory authorities. Originality/value The study contributes to the literature by identifying CEO military experience as a novel driver of firm-level climate risk, an area that has received scant attention in prior research. This study provides empirical support for the upper-echelon theory and the resource-based view by documenting how military background CEOs shape corporate strategic decisions in contexts of external environmental uncertainty. Furthermore, enrich the literature on the resource dependence theory by exploring the moderating role of board gender diversity.
Purpose Over recent decades, an increasing number of studies have examined the intersections among digitalization, auditing and corporate performance. However, an integrated and systematic analysis of the literature simultaneously addressing digitalization, auditing and performance remains scarce. This study aims to fill this gap by proposing a bibliometric review of the existing literature and identifying the main research themes likely to advance the field. Design/methodology/approach This research was conducted in accordance with a rigorous dual methodological protocol based on the SPAR-4-SLR framework (Scientific Procedures and Rationales for Systematic Literature Reviews) and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses reporting guidelines, ensuring transparency, reproducibility and full traceability of the literature selection process. Bibliometric methods were then used to analyze the scientific evolution and to map the intellectual structure of research on digitalization, auditing and performance over the period 2016–2025. The bibliographic data were extracted from the Scopus and Web of Science databases, which provided comprehensive and representative coverage of the field under study. Findings The results highlight the main trends and dynamics of research related to digitalization, auditing and performance. Three major thematic clusters emerge: the conceptual foundations of digital transformation and its consequences for auditing practices; organizational capabilities, audit quality and performance; and the integration of digital technologies and management practices. These findings help structure the field and outline future research avenues, particularly those related to emerging technologies, organizational transformations and managerial strategies. Research limitations/implications By identifying dominant, emerging and fragmented research streams, this study structures the literature on digitalization, auditing and performance and thus contributes to a better understanding of the intellectual dynamics of the field. It also highlights key managerial and regulatory implications, emphasizing the need to strengthen auditors’ digital skills, integrate digitalization into sustainable performance strategies and adapt regulatory frameworks to digital transformation. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature by proposing an in-depth bibliometric mapping of research on digitalization, auditing and performance. It systematically identifies and analyzes the main thematic clusters while highlighting persistent theoretical and empirical gaps.
