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Article
Publication date: 4 August 2021

Emna Mnif, Isabelle Lacombe and Anis Jarboui

Nowadays, Bitcoin is facing many environmental problems arising from the proof of work based on blockchain. For this reason, Bitcoin Green (BITG) has been created and would solve…

Abstract

Purpose

Nowadays, Bitcoin is facing many environmental problems arising from the proof of work based on blockchain. For this reason, Bitcoin Green (BITG) has been created and would solve these issues. The purpose of this paper is to visualize the users’ perception toward BITG through Twitter text analysis.

Design/methodology/approach

The big data used in this study includes two sources. The first data were extracted from the “Google Trends” engine during the period between 20 September 2015 and 15 September 2020. The second data were extracted from the Twitter application. This research explores the perceived ease of use, the perceived usefulness, the social influence, the perceived control and the user attitudes toward BITG. Therefore, lexicon-based sentiment analysis techniques combined with different dictionaries are built to visualize the drivers of investor attitudes toward the BITG using Twitter text messages. Besides, this study has checked the validity of two main assumptions using the normality (Jarque-Bera) and Kruskal-Wallis rank sum tests capable to conclude whether users mostly perceive BITG as a sustainable technology.

Findings

This empirical work affords insights into users’ intentions by exploring the drivers of BITG perception. The results show that users positively perceive the use of BITG as a sustainable blockchain. Besides, its usefulness is more appreciated from its ethical and technological characteristics, and its perceived application is mainly based on investment and coin offering use. Similarly, users are mostly showing positive emotions toward BITG.

Research limitations/implications

Tweets related to “BITG” are not as voluminous as the other cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum, which make it difficult to extract all the characteristics and use cases.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this work is the first one that uses the theory of planned behavior and the theory of acceptance model to explore cognitive factors in understanding investor intentions in adopting BITG.

Details

Society and Business Review, vol. 16 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-5680

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 25 December 2023

Amel Kouaib, Isabelle Lacombe and Anis Jarboui

The study of the relationship between external auditing services and investment deviation in a French setting has received relatively little research attention thus far. There are…

Abstract

Purpose

The study of the relationship between external auditing services and investment deviation in a French setting has received relatively little research attention thus far. There are insufficient indicators to measure audit quality and then have a measurable link to investment efficiency. This study is motivated by such a research gap as well as the important role of auditing services in assuring investment efficiency. The purpose of this study is to test whether a good audit quality service improves corporate investment awareness in French-listed companies and contributes to establishing a comprehensive analysis framework for inefficient investment and how audit services have become an important tool to reduce the investment deviation of listed companies in France.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a sample of 89 non-financial French firms listed on the Stoxx 600 Index from 2015 to 2021, this study uses feasible generalised least squares (FGLS) regressions to study the relationship between investment deviation and auditing service quality.

Findings

After running an FGLS regression model for two firm groups (overinvestment and overinvestment groups) and testing for a set of control variables, especially COVID-19, the findings show a non-linear correlation between audit service and corporate investment deviation. Both underinvestment and overinvestment decisions are negatively and statistically significantly impacted by audit indicators. Furthermore, involving a high-quality specialised auditor may enhance overall monitoring and lead to a lower investment deviation level. Overall, the empirical results show that a high-quality audit service enhances the investment efficiency of French-indexed companies.

Practical implications

This study offers crucial information that audit regulators can use to better appreciate the advantages of high audit quality and to take seriously the policy issues that affect it. Board members are urged to provide excellent audit quality that improves investment efficiency with careful consideration.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the existing audit literature by illuminating the effect of audit quality services on investment deviation to show a deeper understanding of the factors that contribute to the differences in prior studies’ findings in the field of audit quality impacts.

Details

Journal of Financial Reporting and Accounting, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1985-2517

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 28 November 2023

Hanen Khaireddine, Isabelle Lacombe and Anis Jarboui

Although the association between sustainability assurance (SA) quality and firm value has been examined in previous studies, the moderating relationship is novel in this study and…

Abstract

Purpose

Although the association between sustainability assurance (SA) quality and firm value has been examined in previous studies, the moderating relationship is novel in this study and highlights the effect of corporate environmental sustainability performance (CESP) on the relationship between SA quality and firm value. This study aims to examine whether such an effect is strengthened or weakened by eco-efficiency, as measured by ISO 14001 certification, aggregate CESP score and each individual dimension of CESP (emission reduction [ER], resource reduction [RR] and product innovation [PI]).

Design/methodology/approach

The sample includes 40 companies in Euronext Paris with the largest market capitalisations (the Cotation Assistée en Continu 40 [CAC 40] index) from 2010 to 2020. The authors apply the feasible generalised least squares regression technique to estimate all the regression models. Because observed associations may be biased by reverse causation or self-selection, the authors use the instrumental variable approach and Heckman two-stage estimation.

Findings

The results show that SA quality had a positive and significant effect on firm value. Second, the authors demonstrate that CESP, as assessed by ISO 14001 certification, has a stronger interaction with assurance quality and acting as a moderator variable. Using the ASSET4 scores, an alternative proxy for CESP, the authors find inconsistent evidence regarding the impact of CESP attributes. The CESP and ER scores are homogeneous and have a positive effect on firm value. However, the PI and RR CESP attributes are not homogenous and do not have the same interactive effect on firm value. The results are robust to the use of an instrumental variable approach and the Heckman two-stage estimation procedure.

Research limitations/implications

Policy implications: Regulators may be interested in the findings when considering current and future assurance requirements for sustainability reporting, and shareholders when considering SA as an investment choice criterion. The insights into and enhanced understanding of the incentives for obtaining high SA quality can help policymakers develop effective policies and initiatives for SA. Considering the possible improvements in sustainability performance when obtaining a high level of sustainability verification, governments need to consider mandating SA.

Practical implications

Firms receive clear confirmation of the importance of investing in SA quality. Financial markets do not evaluate SA dichotomously but reward companies with higher SA quality because of the greater credibility it provides. Firms should allocate a significant percentage of their annual budgets and other relevant resources to environmental training and development programmes to improve and maintain environmental performance. If they care about environmental issues, they must announce this by issuing sustainability reports and seeking assurance of the information disclosed. High-quality assurance not only has a significant effect on investors’ investment reliability judgements but also the perceived credibility of environmental performance fully moderates the effect of assurance on these judgements.

Social implications

This study has social implications; the authors find that the French market rewards firms that provide a high-quality assurance to guarantee the integrity of their sustainability reports. Therefore, by incorporating environmental sustainability into their financial goals, a better assurance ultimately will urge firms to move from green washing to strategic goals, which is beneficial for society. Further, firms that focus on sustainability as part of their business strategy may attract employees who engage in green behaviours at work and create a friendlier and productive environment because it gives meaning to the work they do and keeps them engaged to the level needed to perform their jobs capably.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature by re-examining the relationship between SA quality and firm value. It also provides new evidence on the moderating effect of CESP on the SA quality–firm value nexus. Specifically, it explores the joint effect of credibility and eco-efficiency on market confidence in sustainability information.

Details

Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal, vol. 15 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-8021

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 November 2023

Hanene Kheireddine, Isabelle Lacombe and Anis Jarboui

This study elucidates the interactive relationship of sustainability assurance (SA) quality with corporate environmental sustainability performance (CESP) and firm value and…

Abstract

Purpose

This study elucidates the interactive relationship of sustainability assurance (SA) quality with corporate environmental sustainability performance (CESP) and firm value and explores the moderating impact of CESP on the SA quality–firm value relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample comprises 320 firm-year observations of 40 companies listed on the Cotation Assistée en Continu (CAC 40) from 2010 to 2019. The authors use the simultaneous equations model to capture the CESP and SA quality–firm value relationship and apply the three-stage regression and generalised method of moments approaches to address possible endogeneity.

Findings

The results show that CESP, as assessed by International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) 14001 certification, has a significant positive effect on firm value, the relevance of which implies that in the case of good environmental performance, society's perception of a firm is much more favourable; consequently, the firm is likely to be rewarded with a premium value in capital markets. In addition, environmental performance has a stronger interaction with SA quality, acting as a moderator variable; thus, greater SA quality signals credibility owing to increased eco-efficiency. The authors interpret their findings within a multi-theoretical framework that draws insights from legitimacy, stakeholders and signalling theoretical perspectives.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature by re-examining the relationship between SA quality and firm value. It also provides new evidence of the moderating effect of CESP on the SA quality–firm value nexus. Specifically, this study explores the joint effects of credibility and eco-efficiency on market confidence in sustainability information. The authors use a simultaneous equation model to capture the reciprocal association between SA quality and firm value, whereas prior studies on SA quality and market performance have frequently used single-equation regression. The authors also find that CESP positively moderates the relationship between SA quality and firm value. Including CESP and exploring the moderating impact of eco-efficiency on the SA quality–firm value relationship is a novel approach.

Details

Benchmarking: An International Journal, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-5771

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 27 September 2022

Isabelle Lacombe and Anis Jarboui

This paper aims to study the impact of the digital transformation on the role and governance of Information Technology departements. The study focuses on banks and insurance…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to study the impact of the digital transformation on the role and governance of Information Technology departements. The study focuses on banks and insurance companies because they have been allocating significant resources to managing their digital transformation.

Design/methodology/approach

Inductive qualitative research of an exploratory type based on the Gioia method involved face-to-face interviews at the IT departments of seven financial sector companies in France. Axial encoding of the answers, recommended by Gioia, was used to classify the raw data and structure the analysis using a graphical presentation.

Findings

Four IT governance maturity situations were determined within the financial steering and performance analysis modes of digital transformation projects. This research aimed to enable companies to position their practices within the analysis framework defined through modelled maturity situations and to help them steer their digital transformation.

Originality/value

A panel was composed with most of the banks in France and some insurance companies. The link was done between Digital Maturity, and Digital and IT Governance, and with the use of the graphical qualitative research using the Gioia method.

Details

International Journal of Innovation Science, vol. 15 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1757-2223

Keywords

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