PurposeThis study aims to examine how coordinated state-led institutional reforms, Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 and the Corporate Governance Regulations (CGR) 2017, have influenced corporate social responsibility disclosure (CSRD) by listed companies, distinguishing between direct reform effects and indirect effects operating through firm-level governance characteristics.Design/methodology/approachUsing structural equation modeling and panel data from 440 observations of Saudi-listed companies (2014-2019), the study analyzes the early phase of reform implementation. Drawing on the institutional theory, it evaluates how macro-level institutional change shapes CSRD directly and indirectly through selected governance characteristics.FindingsThe results indicate a strong and statistically significant direct increase in CSRD following the introduction of Vision 2030 and CGR 2017, even after controlling for firm characteristics. Indirect effects are selective: governance characteristics explicitly targeted or strongly encouraged by the reform agenda, particularly female employment, are associated with higher CSRD, while more deeply embedded board characteristics exhibit limited or insignificant change during the sample period.Research limitations/implicationsThis study contributes to the broader CSR literature by demonstrating how established Western-origin theories, particularly institutional theory, can be applied to non-Western settings through careful contextual interpretation rather than theoretical replacement.Practical implicationsThe findings offer insights for policymakers on how strategic reform agendas and regulatory coordination can promote CSRD while also highlighting the limits of short-term governance change in contexts characterized by persistent informal institutions.Social implicationsThis study highlights the role of employment-based reforms in supporting CSR objectives during periods of institutional transition.Originality/valueThis study provides one of the first large-sample empirical examinations of how coordinated, state-led institutional reforms influence CSRD through both direct and indirect channels. By distinguishing between immediate disclosure responses and slower-moving governance adjustments, the study contributes to the CSR and institutional literature by clarifying how reform intensity, sequencing and institutional persistence shape corporate behavior in emerging economies. Beyond Saudi Arabia, the findings contribute to the CSR literature by demonstrating how coordinated state-led reform agendas influence disclosure through signaling and legitimacy mechanisms rather than immediate structural change.

This study examines the moderating effect of firm attributes on the value relevance of accounting information in Saudi Arabia. Using a sample of 630 firm-year observations from 126 Saudi listed firms over 2018–2022, the research evaluates whether audit quality, size, leverage, growth potential, board diversity, and profitability complement the valuation role of earnings per share (EPS) and book value per share (BVPS) and if so then which direction of the attribute gave greater value relevance. Results reveal that all the firm attributes tested have a significant moderating effect on value relevance. Lower leverage, higher growth potential, greater board diversity, and profitability all lead to higher predicted market value for given EPS and BVPS. Big 4 audit quality and larger firm size are found to moderate the value relevance of accounting information rather than to influence share price directly. Both attributes strengthen the value relevance of earnings per share (EPS)—the EPS coefficient is significantly higher for firms audited by a Big 4 firm and for larger firms—while weakening the value relevance of book value per share (BVPS), with the BVPS coefficient being significantly lower in both cases. The combined effect is that earnings carry greater pricing weight, and book values carry lesser pricing weight, when audit quality is high and when firms are larger. Results also reveal that cohorts with Big 4 auditor, larger size, lower leverage, higher growth potential, more diverse boards, and profitability all have greater value relevance (higher R2) than cohorts with the alternative for each attribute. Hence, tests provide evidence that these attributes strengthen the association between selective accounting figures (EPS and BVPS) and share prices. The findings contribute to agency, information asymmetry, and value-relevance theory by showing that firm attributes condition the EPS and BVPS pricing weights rather than affecting price directly. The results have implications for regulators and firms seeking to improve financial reporting credibility and usefulness amid concentrated ownership. This study contributes timely empirical evidence on the multifaceted drivers of value relevance in an under-researched Middle Eastern emerging market.

Purpose This study examines how China’s first and only nation-wide institutional reforms, Open Government Information (OGI) and Open Environment Information (OEI), both effective in 2008, influence the change in corporate climate-related environmental reporting (CER). It explores the role of institutional pressures in moderating the relationship between company characteristics and information disclosure. Design/methodology/approach The study uses multivariate regression analysis with general estimating equations to analyse 471 annual and CSR reports from 100 Chinese companies. Data were collected for three key years: 2006 (pre-reform), 2008 (immediate post reform-implementation), and 2010 (extended post reform-implementation). The study assesses the impact of regulatory reforms on overall reporting and category-specific reporting on climate-related environmental information in the short and medium term. Findings The findings reveal a significant increase in environmental reporting post-reform. Coercive institutional pressures from OGI and OEI moderate the relationship between Chinese company characteristics, such as political connections, ownership structure, and international operations, and reporting practices. Distinct drivers were identified for category and overall disclosures, highlighting the role of even voluntary regulatory reforms in shaping reporting behaviour. Practical implications The study offers policymakers insights into designing effective regulatory frameworks to enhance corporate transparency. Originality/value This study uniquely evaluates the moderating effects of OGI and OEI on the relationship between Chinese company characteristics and CER across overall and six category-specific disclosures. By addressing critical gaps, it captures the nuanced variability of factors influencing disclosure practices. The study also contributes a dynamic empirical model, resolving a long-standing issue of a “stable” functional relationship between company characteristics and CER. These insights deepen understanding of regulatory impacts on the change in corporate behaviour.

This study examines the impact of intercultural learning, from the perspective of home versus host country, on the academic performance of Chinese students in an Australian university's transnational education program. It integrates transformative learning theory and cognitive load theory as the conceptual framework and compares the academic performance of students who remained in China with those who went to Australia to complete the same Australian university degree. Using a difference-in-differences approach, our analysis revealed a significant performance difference between the Australia-based and China-based groups by year level after controlling for academic ability. The findings have practical and policy implications for student support and transnational education program management in Australian universities. The study highlights the need for tailored support to help Chinese (and possibly other international) students during their first year of arrival in Australia. It also calls for embedding intercultural learning into discipline-specific programs.

We examined the joint and relative value relevance of book value of equity (BVE) and earnings before (2015–2016), after (2017–2018) and during the comparative year (2016) of mandatory adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in Saudi Arabia. Results show that the accounting information is jointly value relevant ( R 2 ), with no significant change between accounting information prepared under Saudi GAAP and IFRS. However, we found a positive change in the relative value relevance of the BVE after IFRS implementation, mainly related to the introduction of fair value measurement. Differences in value relevance were found across variances in company characteristics.

The intention of this paper is to discuss the rationale for Malaysian public universities to implement Performance Based Funding (PBF) mechanism. Here, the funding mechanisms are systems based on allocating a proportion of education budgets relative to specific performance measures such as course completion, credit attainment, and degree completion, instead of allocating funding entirely based on enrolment alone. The implementation of PBF mechanisms has recently become a topic of heated debate in the education sector worldwide which has also increased the interest of researchers and policymakers to work on it. Since almost no study has looked into the applicability of PBF in Malaysia with the aims to contribute knowledge and fill the gap in the current research. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to answer the objective of this study. The positive functions of qualitative research methodology are to show that it can assist the researcher in obtaining in-depth information and to understand the subjective experience of the respondents. Thus, in this procedure, semi-structured interviews were adopted and targeted to obtain information regarding the applicability of the PBF mechanism from the budgeting and financial aspects. Participants who encompassed in semi-structured interviews were the senior officer from the Bursar Office of selected universities. The findings from the qualitative data showed that PBF mechanism is suitable to be implemented at Malaysian public universities. However, there were several issues that the government needs to be addressed before the PBF mechanism can be successfully implemented.

ABSTRACTThis is the first empirical study to examine the comparative predictive power of Chinese national college English language program (CEP), a Western university's English for academic purpose (EAP) language program, a standardised English language proficiency (SELP) test, and business diploma for the academic performance of Chinese students in transnational business degree programs. The study analysed the academic results of 759 Chinese students who studied in the programs between 2006 and 2014. Crossover repeated measures design and multivariate regressions were used for analysis. Findings revealed that both CEP and EAP were good predictors of the performance in the first-year pathway diploma program. However, neither of them added any predictive power in later year degree subjects beyond the performance in the diploma program. There was a weak link between SELP and either CEP or EAP. This study also found that every student who failed the SELP test but had passed the diploma and the CEP and EAP programs successfully completed the degree. The study raises questions about English-speaking universities using SELP alone as an admission criteria. The study has implications for the admission policy of English-speaking universities.

Today's the implement of Industry Revolution 4.0 has given big effect towards learning institutions for sustaining and increasing the quality education system with usage of automation technologies. A successfully learning institutions was depended on academic staffs' readiness on skills and knowledge required for IR 4.0. It is showed that the academic staffs were played very important role in learning institutions to achieve the competitive advantage thereby increasing access towards higher tertiary education level. The purposed of this study is to explore the factors learning, knowledge management and innovation capability influence the readiness of academic staffs for Industrial Revolution 4.0. The quantitative research method has been used to collect the data among the respondents through the questionnaire. The respondents for this research are academic staffs those were Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Associate Professor and Professor from three faculties at one of the public university in Malaysia. Besides, there is a total of 124 academic staffs with 89 per cent rate from three faculties were answered in this survey. Besides, the finding of research is shown that overall mean score value academic staffs' readiness and learning. Meanwhile, the knowledge management and innovation capability factors are showed average mean score values. Moreover, all the variables' hypothesis is accepted. There is a significant positive relationship between factors which is learning, knowledge management and innovation capability with academic staffs' readiness on IR4.0. Furthermore, the discussion, limitation of study, recommendation is critically discussed follow by conclusion in this study.

This study offers timely empirical evidence of the magnitude of the language effect on the performance of different language user groups, namely English as a Foreign Language (EFL), English as a Second Language (ESL), and English as a Native Language (ENL) in an accounting program instructed in English, an area that has been under researched. Informed by Cognitive Load Theory (CLT), this study develops an innovative research methodology (crossover repeated measures design), drawing on a large data analysis (n = 2912) of students' academic results in six accounting specialisation subjects between 2007 and 2014 in an Australian university's undergraduate accounting program. Results show that while all language user groups perform worse in more conceptually (MC) oriented subjects compared to less conceptually (LC) oriented subjects, the relative performance between MC and LC is strongly related to English language user groups. For the first time the magnitude of the impact is derived. The study has implications for the instructional design of accounting programs in English-speaking universities and their offshore programs in non-English speaking countries. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

This is the first study that examines the comparative validity of the Chinese National College Entrance Exam (known as Gaokao) to a Western end-of-secondary-school performance measure, Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR), as admission criteria to an Australian undergraduate degree programme. The study offers a strong warning about using just an aggregate Gaokao score as a sole admission criterion. However, the findings suggest that with adjustments for gender and time, Gaokao is found to be as good an admission criterion as ATAR, hence justifying its use for selection purposes if such adjustments are made. Supplementing selection criteria by also using the Gaokao English result is found to be a further improvement. The findings can help inform the admission policy relevant to Chinese international students into undergraduate degree programmes globally.

This study provides insights from accounting practitioners on China's convergence with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). Through a survey of 33 senior financial executives of Chinese listed companies in 2014, the study reports their perceptions on the following issues: first, the degree of convergence between IFRS and Chinese Accounting Standards (CAS); second, the choice between fair value and historical cost accounting, and the usefulness of fair value accounting for Chinese companies’ financial reporting; third, challenges in the process of China's harmonisation with IFRS; and finally, essential capabilities of Chinese accounting professionals in the process of China's harmonisation with IFRS. Multivariate regression was used for further analysis. The survey findings reveal that in general CAS have converged with IFRS, with a few exceptions that reflect the unique Chinese context. Historical cost accounting is the preferred measurement base to fair value accounting. Exercising professional judgement was identified as a challenge for China's full convergence with IFRS. Ownership structure and the expertise of accounting practitioners were found to affect respondents’ judgements on China's convergence with IFRS. This study has policy implications for international accounting standard setters and accounting educators to consider the contextual issues of implementing IFRS in an emerging economy.

Research environment in higher education institutions has undergo some changes in recent years and performance-based research funding system (PBRF) is one of the system that have been introduced in few countries. Methods of the system that introduced in each countries were different eventually, however the research funding system's nature is same that it will be based on performance basis. In Malaysia, the government plans to introduce performance-based research funding with purpose to make public universities to become more competitive in order to get external funds as a benchmark of quality in their research programs. In line with enhancement of R&D in Malaysia and trends shown in academic system internationally, the shift toward the system in funding to the HEls could be more focus on performance of quality research outputs.

The funding practice of research today is allocated based on the real performance where it has become one of the major components of the funding mechanism in order to encourage R&D excellent. Research and development (R&D) is the basis of technology advancement for future developments in any field. The goal of research funding is clearly to finance the development of new ideas and technologies which include a wide spectrum of any research areas. The range covers all the research areas from the basic research in natural sciences, new technologies, information and communication technologies, environmentally friendly sustainable development, and research funding at Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to support the transfer of the latest and recent innovation and technology.

Purpose - This paper aims to investigate the extent international and domestic guidelines have influenced the content of corporate environmental reporting (CER) in the context of China’s radical institutional transition from bureaucratic secrecy to openness, marked by the first nationwide guidelines on Open Government Information (OGI) and Open Environment Information (OEI), effective in 2008. Design/methodology/approach - The study develops a research instrument that captures international and Chinese national guidelines pertaining to environmental information disclosure. This instrument is used to analyse 471 reports of leading 100 listed Chinese companies for the critical period between 2006 and 2010. Chi-square test statistics are used to analyse the significance of differences in reporting items supported by Chinese guidelines versus those supported by international reporting guidelines only. Findings - Partial convergence in climate-change reporting co-exists with divergent China specific interpretation of climate change. The coercive institutional influences of the Chinese government’s guidance in OGI and OEI led to the rapid growth of CER in 2008 compared to 2006, despite compliance being voluntary. Originality/value - The study is innovative in explicitly measuring any changes in reporting relative to the potential for additional reporting. Such a method more accurately evaluates the effect of institutional influences on reporting. The study provides a fresh profile of the content and the reporting medium of CER, with a particular focus on climate change in the Chinese context. The findings highlight research into CER based on annual reports risks results being incomplete and misleading. Findings have practical implications for policy makers in other emerging economies.

We review theoretical arguments, research methods and empirical findings of 57 Chinese and English language studies of corporate environmental reporting (CER) in China. The studies reviewed highlight the influential role of the Chinese government in driving change in CER, especially since 2008. They reveal that few of the associations reported in Western capital markets research between company characteristics and CER (other than size and industry) were found in studies of CER in China. Agency theory prevailed in Chinese language studies of CER in China whereas institutional theory was more popular in English language studies.Theoretical foundation of CER research relating to China needs to be more sensitive to the efficacy of transporting Western-based theories to the Chinese context. We draw attention to the potential of using institutional theory to frame analysis of Chinese CER. We call for future research into CER in China to adopt a more flexible theoretical perspective, to be more conscious of distinctive Chinese company characteristics, and to integrate macro and micro contextual factors more strongly. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Malaysian Federal Government through Ministry of Higher Education has come out with the initiative to implement the National Higher Education Strategic Plan beyond 2020. This strategic plan focuses on the sustainability of the higher education system in Malaysia. The overall planning included improving the teaching and learning, research and development, engagement and internationalisation of higher education in Malaysia. A part from the strategic planning, the government has also introduce the funding reforms. In order to develop sustainability in today competitive environment, universities must have strong strategic plans. This concept paper discussed the challenge faces the public universities in Malaysia to achieve the government objectives as stated in the Federal Government blue prints.

The main objective of this study is to assess whether the reforms in funding for public universities have facilitated the prioritization of government objectives within the sector. This question is examined through the lens of agency theory, which examines the relationship between agent and principal to facilitate a reduction in goal conflict and/or information asymmetry. This theory is used to examine the government-university relationship on changes in Malaysian Federal Government funding through reductions in goal conflict and/or information asymmetry in Malaysian public universities. This paper presents the findings from the questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistic to answer the research question. The final section ends with presentation of summary and conclusion of the study with a review of overall key findings.

This paper aims to investigate the impact of Federal Government policy on the categorisation of Malaysian public universities. The results of a quantitative survey questionnaire for major data collection and qualitative focus group interviews confirm that the initiative have an impact on research and teaching activities in Malaysian public universities. It can be concluded that the categorisation of Malaysian public universities play an important role in the development of research and teaching with greater focus on the university core functions. By utilising the results, the most important implications of this research relate to the practical aspects of the administration of public universities in Malaysia particularly during the government funding reforms. Finally, the researchers believe that the categorisation of Malaysian public universities is a rich and complex subject that offers many opportunities for future research including the comparative edge of Research/Apex Universities over other universities.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the shift in funding reforms currently facing at Malaysian public universities focusing on issues and challenges experienced by the Focused Universities in particular. Previous research has shown that shifts in funding mechanisms to public universities are more likely to result in behavioural changes at such institutions. Under the National Higher Education Strategic Plan beyond 2020, the Federal Government has launched a strategic plan of government objectives for public universities in order for them to become more dynamic, competitive and productive. Public universities must follow these plans through closely coordinated actions aimed to achieve specific strategic outcomes in teaching and research. It is the most comprehensive plan launched to date, and intends to transform the Malaysian higher education system. It aims to help these institutions achieve world class standards and make Malaysia a hub for higher education in Southeast Asia. Indeed, the government has also introduced a system of categorisations of the Malaysian public universities including research university, comprehensive university, and focused university. These categories determine the area and level of fund allocation according to specialisation of the university and the extent of its operations. Moreover, this paper will discuss the strategies needed for the focused universities in order to enhance educational research and teaching to align with the Federal Government objectives.