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In response to growing pressure on companies to manage and improve their reputation regarding environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues, the audit is regarded as a vital resource for ensuring ESG risk management, improving transparency, mitigating opportunistic constraints, and guaranteeing accurate reporting. The objective of this paper was to investigate the role of audit quality in improving ESG performance, as well as to examine the role of media coverage represented by ESG controversy score in moderating these relationships. We analyzed 303 Chinese companies with 2,121 observations covering the period from 2017 to 2023. The results suggest that the effects of audit quality as measured by the Big 4 and audit fee on improving ESG performance are positive but not significant. On the other hand, the results reveal that media coverage serves as a positive, albeit non-significant, moderating variable between audit quality measured by the Big 4 and ESG performance, while it has a significant negative effect when audit quality is evaluated based on audit fees. The results indicate that improving ESG performance is significantly linked to auditors intensifying their practices and implementing their work more stringently. More importantly, media coverage is an important additional driver and economic incentive that encourages companies to steer clear of poor ESG-related practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study utilizes data from Chinese A-share listed companies from 2014 to 2022 to theoretically analyze and empirically test the governance effect of ESG assurance on corporate greenwashing behavior, as well as the role played by the legal environment and management shareholding in this context. The impacts of ownership and the governance mechanism of ESG assurance on corporate greenwashing behavior are also explored. This study employs text mining, OLS, PSM, IV-LIML, treatment effect models, feasible generalized least squares, placebo tests, bootstrap methods, etc., to conduct empirical analysis and conclude the following results: ESG assurance has a significant inhibitory effect on corporate greenwashing behavior, playing a crucial role in resource allocation, particularly in non-state-owned enterprises. The legal environment has a certain substitution effect on ESG assurance in inhibiting corporate greenwashing behavior, meaning that when the legal environment is weak, ESG assurance is more effective in curbing such behavior. Management shareholding also has a certain substitution effect on ESG assurance in inhibiting corporate greenwashing behavior, indicating that when management shareholding is low, ESG assurance is better at curbing such behavior. Further research reveals that corporate ESG performance plays a mediating role between ESG assurance and corporate greenwashing governance. This article provides policy references and empirical evidence for strengthening ESG assurance and enhancing corporate ESG performance and greenwashing governance to promote high-quality corporate development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased interest in sustainability and related issues has led to the development of disclosed corporate information on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues. Additionally, questions have arisen about whether these disclosures affect the firm's value. Therefore, we conducted a bibliometric analysis coupled with a systematic literature review (SLR) of the current literature in the Scopus database from 2001 to 2023. We utilized VOS viewer, Site Space, and R Studio tools for this analysis. Our findings indicate that the relationship between ESG disclosures and the firm's value has different effects and that disclosure impacts through various channels, such as increasing stakeholder trust. Moreover, the keyword analysis results before and after 2015 demonstrate significant advancement in the utilization of a theoretical foundation in the literature. Furthermore, China (Country), "Universidad de Salamanca" (University), "Uyar, Ali and García-Sánchez, Isabel-María" (Authors), and "Sustainability" and "Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management" (Journals) were the most contributing and influential in this field. On the other hand, the results revealed six thematic clusters: society, sustainable development, ESG, organization, innovation, and stakeholders. We found promising research paths and emerging themes through content analysis of these clusters, such as sustainability assurance, green innovation, and sustainable development goals (SDGs). This review concludes by providing a roadmap that includes emerging lines of research that can be explored in depth in future studies to promote better and more comprehensive integration to achieve sustainability and maximize firm value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provides a systematic review of the literature on internal auditing (IA) research in 17 Arab countries. It focuses on four key aspects, namely the quality and effectiveness of IA, the objectivity and independence of IA, the consequences of IA, and the challenges facing IA in Arab countries in order to provide insights and avenues for future research in this field. Ninety-one (91) articles collected from the Scopus database between 1996 and April 2022 were analyzed in this study. The results show that there has been an increase in the number of studies that discussed IA, especially in the last 6 years. Most of these studies have focused on the quality of IA and its functions. It also shows that Jordan and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia dominate the literature published so far in terms of the number of studies. Also, most of the studies were based on agency and institutional theory evaluating the various aspect of IA. This study highlights the lack of in-depth qualitative research that allows researchers to challenge the theories developed in the auditing field, add nuances to the existing theoretical framework, and unpack new theoretical directions. Furthermore, the results also show that the IA literature did not contribute significantly to the knowledge of internal audit functions (IAFs) as specified by the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA). This study contributes to the body of knowledge by determining future research directions and surveys by interested researchers and regulators, including IIA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, certain areas of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) are assessed in order to map potential geothermal energy zones. To evaluate high-resolution aerial magnetic data, spectral depth analysis using a modified centroid approach was used. The calculated geothermal parameters were gridded in order to delineate the regions characterised by a shallow Curie point depth (CPD) and a high geothermal gradient (GG) as well as a high heat flow (HF). The CPD, GG and HF calculated from the analysed data varied in the ranges of 6.0–15.0 km, 40.0–100.0 °C/km and 90.0–270.0 mW/m2, respectively. The obtained results show the concurrence of the positions of shallow CPD (<8.0 km), high GG (>83.5 °C/km) and high HF (>211.0 mW/m2). The geothermal systems that are oriented in the E–W direction are related to the Red Sea tectonics, the tectonic opening of the Red Sea/Gulf of the Suez Rift, hot subterranean anomalies and high enthalpy from radioactive granites. Likewise, the geologic structures (fractures and faults) related to the Red Sea tectonics serve as channels for the movement of hydrothermal fluids and the deposition of associated minerals. All in all, another geophysical study involving deep boreholes, and seismic, magnetotelluric, electromagnetic and geochemical data should be conducted to evaluate and estimate precisely the economic reserves of geothermal resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, Nigeria is witnessing increasing frequency of flood occurrence with devastating impact translating into significant loss of lives (in Nigeria, over 300 people died in September 2022) and properties. Addressing flood disaster requires holistic approach from policy and governance perspectives, integration of policies and programs and synergies between institutions. Using synergies and eliminating trade-offs, flood governance and policy coherence integrate all relevant policy fields and institutions to achieve common policy outcomes. The objective of this study is to examine and understand how flood governance and policy coherence are approached, as well as institutional design and implementation for coherence in Nigeria. The findings revealed that there is no single flood policy in Nigeria. Due to this, there is no focus and no defined objectives for flood governance, prevention, control, and management, and no imperative for the government to seek both short-term and long-term flood solutions. There is no synergy and coordination among institutions for flood governance in the country. Since the country established the federal ministry of environment in 1999, the environment, floods, and climate-related hazards were given less priority. State and local governments handle most flood disasters and emergencies. Federal assistance is provided, however, when flood disasters exceed the capabilities of local and state governments. This study recommends that across the country, flood policy needs to be designed, formulated, and implemented while assigning governance responsibility and decentralizing policy to state and local governments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the top methods generally utilized by the administration to verify internal control function is internal audit and, in this study, the primary objective is to examine the direct internal audit determinants that influence the financial sector of Saudi listed firms. The study sample comprised of financial sector firms including banks and insurance companies for a span of 4 years, using a panel data approach to test the independent-dependent variables relationships. The study combined data from the listed companies' data with the information provided by their annual reports and corporate annual reports. This paper revealed that internal audit size and internal audit professional certificate has a positive and significant association with performance. In sum, this paper provides descriptive information concerning internal audit usage. Finally, this study provided some implication and suggestion for future researchers as provided at the end of this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, discussions on green purchasing have increased; most studies were concentrated in developed countries, with limited studies conducted in developing countries. This study aims to systematically analyze studies that have discussed green purchasing. Using the Scopus database, 142 studies from 61 journals published during the period 1998 to 2021 were analyzed. Our analysis focused on three fundamental aspects: the determinants, the effect of green purchasing, and exploring the theoretical foundations and the most common theories that the studies relied on. The analysis results focused on researchers' demographic and physiological determinants based on the theory of planned behavior. There has been a development in discussing the determinants related to products and marketing and social and environmental determinants in recent years. The analysis results of the studies that addressed green purchasing show that green purchasing contributes to sustainable development. This study contributes to decision-makers by identifying the mechanisms of persuasion that motivate consumers to buy green products and provides a clear picture of the contribution of green purchasing to improving company performance and thus achieving sustainability, which encourages stakeholders to devise policies, promotional, and marketing strategies through which they can attract consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focused on studying the determinants of foreign investment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between 1979 and 2019. The context of the study is unique in that it targeted KSA, a developing nation, and its 41-year market starting in 1979 through 2019. This study uses some technique such as, cointegration by unit roots test (ADF, PP and KPSS), Johansen's cointegration test (trace and maximum-eigenvalue) and Granger causality tests for short-run and long-run in order to confirm causal relationship between variables. moreover, this study uses ARDL regression to test the short-run and long-run relationship between determinants of FDI. The study revealed that FDI has cointegrating with some variables as tested by Johansen's cointegration test. Moreover, Granger causality tests. The results of Granger causality tests show that FDI does not Granger cause with all variables during the short-run but GDP Granger cause with FDI. Moreover, GDP, inflation and external balance have causality with FDI during long-run. in addition, the results of ARDL (short-run) found that external balance has effect positively significant with FDI. the outcomes are expected to boost the flow of foreign investment, which is the paper's goal that has been central from the start. The report confirms all recent and existing studies and is considered to be a comprehensive contribution to the Saudi economy, since the report selected a 41-year period - one not previously studied by previous researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of this paper is to evaluate the impact of working capital policies on firms' profitability. The study uses a panel data set of 829 manufacturing firms for the period from 2011 to 2017. Data is extracted from Prowess IQ database. An empirical model is used for testing research hypotheses. The results show that all firms across Indian states follow conservative financing and investment policy. The conservative investment policy positively affects return on assets, whereas the conservative financing policy negatively affects return on assets and therefore firms' financial sustainability. Regulators, policymakers, investors, and financial managers in Indian manufacturing companies are advised to follow a conservative investment and financing policy, which is effective and efficient in boosting firms' profitability for attaining financial sustainability. Therefore, manufacturing firms should invest more in current assets, because they need to expand both inventories and trade credit to their customers. Moreover, financial managers are advised to favor a low level of debt in financing assets. Apart from previous literature, which was either descriptive or based on a small sample size, the present study makes a novel and significant contribution by bridging an existing gap through applying a panel fixed- and random-effect model for a large sample: 829 firms. Furthermore, the business environment in India is somewhat different from that of other countries around the globe, which makes investigating working capital policies in the Indian contexts an interesting endeavor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]