Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) can be used to represent ownership of digital art or any other unique digital item where ownership is recorded in smart contracts on a blockchain. NFTs have recently received enormous attention from both cryptocurrency investors and the media. We examine why NFTs have gotten so much attention. Using vector autoregressive models, we show that Bitcoin returns significantly predict next week’s NFT growth in popularity, measured by Google search queries. Moreover, wavelet coherence analysis suggests that Bitcoin and Ether returns are significant drivers of next week’s attention to NFTs. These results indicate that the remarkable increases in prices of major cryptocurrencies can explain the hype around NFTs.

En el presente estudio se analiza si la actividad de fusiones y adquisiciones (M&A, por su sigla en inglés) transnacionales está influenciada por los estándares de gobierno corporativo de los países. Para lograrlo, se recurre al modelo gravitacional. Se toma la actividad proveniente de países de la Organización para la Cooperación y el Desarrollo Económicos (OECD, por su sigla en inglés) y dirigida hacia seis países latinoamericanos y, como medida de gobierno corporativo, se usan los indicadores de Kaufmann, entre otros. Se encontró que el modelo gravitacional es explicativo del fenómeno y que a mejores estándares de gobierno corporativo en el país de origen y en el país de destino, mayor es la actividad de M&A

This article examines the impact of industrial productivity in the country of origin on transnationals M&As, directed from OECD countries toward Latin America in the period 1996–2010. It also analyzes the relationship between external mechanisms of corporate governance and transnational M&As. Employing a gravitational model at the industry level, we find that industry productivity in the country of origin promotes transnational M&A activity, although capital productivity affects it negatively. We also find evidence that higher standards of corporate governance in both origin and destination countries increase the likelihood of transnational M&As taking place.

Purpose: Examine the relationship between corporate governance (CG) and corporate sustainability (SC), measured though Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) variables.Methodology: The study is explanatory in scope, and we used the feasible generalized least squares (FGLS) methodology to analyze the results.Findings:The results show that some aspects of the board of directors such as size, committees and gender diversity significantly explain corporate sustainability, while CEO duality, independence, and tenure on the board do not. Practical implications: to offer a perspective for institutions to promote companies to advance in matters pertaining corporate governance and sustainability to guarantee long-term viability of organizations, society, and the environment.Value: The results contribute to academic knowledge about the relationship between CG and SC in Latin America by offering a better understanding of the topic and enabling new areas of research in the region. Most studies have focused on the relationship between ESG and performance, portfolio analysis, corporate disclosure, or asymmetric information. Unlike these studies, this work extends the field of research in CG by identifying the variables of the board of directors that are related to corporate sustainability.Limitations: One of the limitations of the study lies in possible selection, information, and reporting biases as the ESG metrics may not fully reflect corporate sustainability. It is essential to address this gap through better adaptation of the measures and deeper theoretical exploration to better understand corporate sustainability in Latin America.