This study seeks to meticulously analyze the scholarly discussion on the integration of blockchain technology into accounting and auditing. Based on a total of 67 articles from the Web of Science (WoS) database, this study adopts a bibliometrics and content analysis approach which uses both numerical and visualization techniques to examine the extant literature. It spans the timeframe between 2016 and 2022. Bibliometrix R-package (Biblioshiny, version 4 is employed to analyze the descriptive analysis, which includes publication trends, the most trustworthy sources of scientific publications, prominent scientific authors, prominent documents, and country collaborations. VOSviewer software Version 1.6.20, is used for a network visualization of keywords and bibliographic coupling. Leveraging the content analysis, this research reveals three fundamental themes: first, the use of blockchain technology to strengthen financial reporting systems; second, blockchain technology and the future of auditing; and third, the valuation of cryptocurrencies. Research gaps in the current literature include a lack of comprehensive studies on blockchain’s regulatory and governance aspects in accounting, insufficient exploration of risks and challenges in adopting new technologies in auditing, and a limited understanding of tax consequences, disclosure requirements, and regulatory frameworks for cryptocurrencies, necessitating future research endeavors. Thus, this study extends existing theoretical insights by exploring blockchain’s role in financial reporting, its transformative impact on auditing, and the possible adaptation or development of new valuation methods for cryptocurrencies. It further identifies and discusses future research directions, contributing to potential novel frameworks for addressing regulatory, governance, and socio-economic dimensions of blockchain integration into accounting and auditing practices.

This research is motivated by the increasing importance of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) economies within the world economy and the lack of research on corporate governance mechanisms in these countries. This study examines the relationship between corporate governance mechanisms and firm performance in GCC countries, focusing on the uniqueness of royal family ownership. We further investigate whether corporate governance mechanisms affect the royal family ownership-firm performance relationship. The data sample of the study includes 266 company-year observations over the period of 2009-2017. Results demonstrate that board size with less than nine members on board and audit quality (AUQ) are effective corporate governance mechanisms because their monitoring functions can enhance firm performance. However, our result demonstrates that firm performance significantly deteriorates with institutional ownership, chief executive officer duality (CEODU) and local auditors (AUQL). The result also shows that royal ownership has a significant positive effect on firm performance. In line with the resource dependency theory, this finding indicates that royal members who have a link with the external environment are more likely to have easy access to vital resources to aid in business performance improvement. Further analysis found that the big four international audit firms (AUQ) and AUQL positively moderate the relationship between royal ownership and firm performance. The finding suggests that AUQL and the big four international auditors play a complementary role in the governance system by strategising with royal members who own shares in the firm to further enhance firm performance. With the existence of royal family ownership, which is common amongst corporations in monarchy countries, the results of our study should help corporations in the GCC region to establish the best governance mechanisms to enhance firm performance.

This study conducts a comprehensive meta-synthesis of review-based research on environmental accounting, spanning from 1995 to 2024. Environmental accounting, also known as green accounting, has evolved as a critical tool for integrating sustainability into corporate financial practices. Using bibliometric methods via Bibliometrix R-package (Biblioshiny—Version 4.2.0) and VOSviewer (Version 1.6.20), the research mainly examines scholarly discussion in review-based studies and identifies dominant themes. The main clusters identified are (1) environmental audits and management, (2) green accounting, financial reporting and sustainable development, (3) CSR, stakeholder engagement, and accountability, and (4) environmental accounting and protection. On the descriptive end, publication trends, prominent authors, articles, and sources are identified. The findings highlight a significant increase in review-based studies since 2022, coinciding with the growing global awareness and importance of sustainability. This study contributes to the field by consolidating fragmented research on environmental accounting, offering a framework for future academic exploration. Practically, it informs policymakers and business leaders on the importance of unified reporting standards across regions; integrating environmental considerations into financial decision-making; promoting transparency, accountability, and sustainability accounting; and disclosure across industries and regions.

Purpose: This study examines the relationship between the accounting information quality, tax avoidance, and political connection in all Jordanian companies listed on Amman Stock Exchange. The current study also investigates the moderating effect of political connections on accounting information quality and company performance relationships. Further, the study examines the moderating effect of political connection on tax avoidance and company performance relationship. Theoretical framework: Political connections, tax avoidance, and the quality of accounting information affect a company's performance. According to the agency theory, reliable accounting information improves business performance and resources’ allocation efficiency by reducing information asymmetry. Additionally, the adverse effects of politics on companies are mitigated by accounting information quality. As a result, the cash flow is allocated effectively, improving the business's overall performance. Design/methodology/approach: The study uses the ordinary least squares (OLS) and applied moderated multiple regression (MMR). The sample data of this study includes 2266 company-years observations over the period 2008-2018 for all Jordanian companies listed on Amman Stock Exchange. The study compares accounting and market-based measurements of companies' performance (ROE, Tobin's Q). Findings: The study reveals consistent results among the measure. The results support the agency theory and found that accounting information quality reduces information asymmetry and positively affects companies' performance. Also, tax avoidance helps the companies to have more cash, and the results indicate a significant positive effect on companies' performance. In addition, the results support the agency theory argument and found that politics increase agency costs and negatively affect companies' performance. However, further analysis found that political connections sustain the positive effect of accounting information quality, which is a robust governance mechanism in Jordanian listed companies. Finally, the results found that tax avoidance with more political connections harms companies' performance. Research, Practical & Social implications: This study helps policymakers increase the governance mechanisms function in Jordanian listed companies. Also, the higher political relationship with the companies could be affected negatively on the Jordanian companies' achievement. Originality/value: The findings suggest several consequences for the fields of accounting and corporate governance. Additionally, the Middle East nations, including the Jordanian market, have had numerous economic difficulties that this study aids in resolving. For example, antagonistic political ties, information asymmetry, and insufficient allocation of financial resources.

The motivation of this research is to investigate the important factors that affect Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) economies and increase the investment opportunities to avoid the threats of limited oil resources in the future. This study examines the relationship between tax avoidance, accounting information quality, and other control variables on investment opportunities in six Arabian GCC countries, namely Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Moreover, this research investigates whether the accounting information quality affects the tax avoidance investment opportunities relationship. The data sample of the study includes 191 companies over the period of 2011 to 2017 (1337 company-year observations). This study used ordinary least squares (OLS) and moderated multiple regression (MMR) models for direct and moderation effects of accounting information quality, respectively. This study demonstrates that tax avoidance has a significant negative effect on investment opportunities, while the accounting information quality has a significant positive effect on investment opportunities. In line with the agency theory perspective, the high accounting information quality mechanism leads to the control of the managers’ opportunist behaviour, mitigates information asymmetry in managers and increases investment opportunities. Moreover, further analysis found that accounting information quality positively moderates the relationship between the tax avoidance and investment opportunities. Thus, higher quality of accounting information is strongly recommended to companies and policymakers, where tax planning is used as an alternative source of cash to achieve higher investment opportunities in GCC countries.

This study examines the relationship between the earning management and audit quality on sustainable investment opportunities in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, including, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and United Arab Emirates. Further, moderating relationship of audit quality between earnings management and sustainable investment is also investigated in the present study. This study includes the data of 1337 companies and their-year observations from the period of 2011 to 2017. This study used the Panel Data Ordinary Least Squares with correlated random effect to examine the direct relationship and the moderated multiple regression to examine the moderating effects of audit quality on the earnings management and sustainable investment opportunities relationship. The results demonstrate that the earnings’ management encompasses a significant negative relationship with sustainable investment opportunities but on the other side, it also displays a positive relationship between audit quality and sustainable investment opportunities. Furthermore, the study investigates the moderating effect of audit quality on the relationship of earning management and sustainable in-vestment opportunities. Empirical evidence suggests that the audit quality plays a vital role in mitigating the agency theory problem and reducing the information asymmetry. These findings suggest that the big audit firms act as a good governance representatives for the management and it further enhances the credibility of accounting information for the new investors. This research has several usages for policymakers and investors in the GCC. The investors should assess their choice when they are investing in firms. The big auditing firms mitigates earnings management, which may raise sustainable investment opportunities. Thus, listed firms in the GCC should implement governance and disclosure practices that strengthen the credibility of financial earnings and reduce the danger for investors who later discovers poor investment decisions.