The task of reducing carbon emission intensity is difficult for manufacturing firms in China under the national goal of “carbon peaking and carbon neutrality”. Numerous studies have confirmed the inhibitory impact of ESG performance on carbon emission intensity; nevertheless, the significance of ESG rating divergence as a derivative of ESG ratings has been neglected. Therefore, this study selects Chinese A-share listed manufacturing firms from 2011–2022 as a research sample and empirically examines the impact of ESG rating divergence on the carbon emission intensity of Chinese manufacturing firms via a higher-order fixed effects model. The study revealed that (1) ESG rating divergence creates disincentives for manufacturing firms to increase carbon emission intensity; (2) ESG rating divergence leads to an increase in corporate carbon emissions by inhibiting incentives for green innovation; and (3) mitigating financial constraints and enhancing digital transformation in enterprises diminishes the impact of ESG rating divergence on the carbon emissions of manufacturing firms. Furthermore, enterprise digital transformation can exert a moderating influence on both the initial and subsequent stages of the “ESG performance → green innovation → carbon emission intensity” pathway, predominantly in the initial phase. (4) The impact of ESG rating divergence on carbon emission intensity varies depending on the ownership, industry, geography, and level of competitiveness of manufacturing enterprises. The findings not only provide empirical evidence on the feasibility of expanding the standardization of ESG ratings within China’s regulatory framework but also provide useful inspiration for Chinese firms to reduce their carbon emission intensity and achieve sustainable development.

Purpose: In order to analyze the role of positive humor in the current market environment, this paper investigates the path of the brand’s self-enhancing humor on consumers' brand attitude. The brands are further divided by different genders and different popularity to make the results of the study more relevant and accurate. Design/methodology/approach: This study uses an experimental approach to analyze the impact of brand’s self-enhancing humor on consumer brand attitude. This study was conducted on Credamo (https://www.credamo.com/#/), the largest data collection website in China with a database of over 3 million participants with a wide range of demographic variables. Findings: The study found that: (1) the brand’s self-enhancing low humor (vs self-enhancing high humor) can significantly enhance consumers' brand attitude; (2) consumers’ brand confidence mediates the influence of self-enhancing humor on consumers' brand attitude; (3) brand gender plays a moderating role, and brand awareness mediates consumer brand confidence. Research limitations/implications: This study conducted experiments only on cell phone and shampoo (two types of product brands). Practical implications: This study helps brands to avoid the blind use of self-enhancing humor, and helps brands to appropriately apply positive humor in marketing. Social implications: The influence of brand humor marketing in the context of social media is analyzed in depth, which helps brands to improve their marketing methods and further enhance consumers' consumption experience and happiness. Originality/value: The study breaks the stereotype of “humor first”, explores the mechanism of the influence of self-enhancing humor on consumer brand attitude.

Innovation and entrepreneurship vitality, as a key factors in the development of the digital economy, significantly affects both regional economic development and residents’ consumption capacity. On the basis of the panel data of 31 provinces and cities in China from 2010 to 2022, this paper explores the impact of regional innovation and entrepreneurship vitality on residents’ leisure consumption potential and its internal mechanism. Research has shown that innovation and entrepreneurship vitality drives leisure consumption potential. Furthermore, regional innovation and entrepreneurship vitality can effectively increase educational investment, which in turn increases residents’ leisure consumption potential. Although scientific and technological investment can significantly increase innovation and entrepreneurship vitality, it curtails the development of residents’ leisure consumption potential. In addition, there are significant differences in the effect of regional innovation and entrepreneurial vitality on residents’ leisure consumption potential in different policy environments and demographic structure. Diverse policies help to better stimulate regional innovation and entrepreneurship influence on residents’ leisure consumption. The development of innovation and entrepreneurship vitality can effectively stimulate the leisure consumption potential of residents in areas with low population mobility, which compensate for the decrease of leisure consumption due to the lack of external population. On the basis of the inconsistency between economic development and residents’ spiritual needs in China’s major contradictions, this study further explores the coordination between scientific and technological development and individuals’ needs for a better life, and further complements and justifies the literature in the field of innovation and consumption.