A plethora of studies have examined the emerging technology of blockchain and its applications in accounting, management, and enterprise resource planning systems (ERPs). Blockchain technology (BT) can change the architecture of today’s ERPs and overcome the limitations of these centralized systems. The aim of this study is twofold. First, this paper defines and analyzes the deployment of an innovative architecture of a Blockchain as an Ecosystem (BaaE) platform proposing a conceptual model of the Triple Entry Accounting (TEA) transforming the current accounting practices. Second, the paper explores the integration of cost management, supply chain, and inventory management on BT providing the significant challenges and benefits and suggesting an agenda for future research. The authors conduct an exploratory qualitative analysis of an extensive body of literature, from 81 journals. The paper’s innovative contribution and primary objective is to explore, address, and employ this emerging BaaE platform technology that could potentially be integrated with TEA. Further, the study examines the theoretical, technical, and business aspects regarding TEA, since there is limited research evidence in this field. Additionally, the study tries to identify the implications of BaaE in the area of cost management, supply chain, and inventory management from an ecosystem perspective. This effort can assist organizations and practitioners in understanding and further examining this emerging technology.
This research examines the relationship between environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria and tax behavior, with a particular focus on tax avoidance (TA). Despite the extensive literature on ESG and tax behavior, there remains a research gap concerning their interaction in the financial sector. The study is based on a dataset of 125 observations from 33 articles covering the period 2012–2023. The results of the meta-regression suggest that both ESG and TA indicators account for the different findings of the primary studies. Part of the observed heterogeneity can also be explained by the diversity of data samples and econometric approaches. Using the results of the meta-regression, we attempt to predict the association between ESG and TA in hypothetical and plausible study designs. The findings show no or small-to-moderate association between the two, suggesting that companies tend to separate ESG strategies from TA and underscoring the need for more consistent measurement practices. Notably, the link between the main variables appears to be strengthened in environments with extreme behaviors, both in terms of ESG and tax strategy. Distinct from prior meta-studies that centered on CSR and taxation, our analysis isolates the ESG/TA nexus by accounting for measurement heterogeneity (different ESG and TA proxies) and demonstrates that extreme behaviors largely drive the observed association. By examining the determinants of the heterogeneity of primary research into the ESG/TA relationship, this meta-analysis provides valuable insights that can guide future research, practical implementation, and regulatory policies. In particular, researchers should rely on long-run measures of TA (e.g., multi-year ETRs) and harmonized ESG indicators to reduce bias and enhance comparability across studies, thereby providing policymakers with more robust and consistent evidence.
An increasing number of articles published on the nexus between corporate sustainability disclosure (CSD) and tax behaviour (TB) have enriched the academic research landscape. However, they have provided inconclusive results as to the nature of the connection and have not yet adequately examined the sources of variation that might moderate the effect sizes under investigation. This study performs a standard meta-analysis and synthesises the empirical-quantitative results regarding the CSD-TB connection, following Hunter & Schmidt's (1990) research design. Several criteria were employed to collect documents with methodological and content relevance. The selection process resulted in a final dataset that includes 50 articles covering the period from 2012 to 2022. The findings reveal that the CSD-TB link is not significant enough for practical purposes, while an investigation of moderator variables that can explain the different findings of earlier studies shows either no or little connection. The benefit of such a no-results analysis for the research community is to redirect future researchers, especially PhD candidates, to examine other factors impacting corporations' TB. In terms of limitations, the meta-analysis is based on the availability of the existing corpus of knowledge and consists only of empirical studies with Pearson correlation coefficients and standardised beta coefficients. Implications for Central European audience: The present study provides evidence that may influence policy-making processes at the European and international level, particularly with regard to corporate tax transparency. The findings suggest that the implementation of CSD has not proven to be effective in terms of tax behaviour. A meta-analysis of the available data showed no statistically significant correlation between CSD and the tax behaviour of businesses, thus challenging the assumption that CSD obligations can act as an effective tool to enhance tax compliance, which implies that other means of enhancing tax compliance need to be explored.