This study delves into the interconnections among corporate social responsibility, green intellectual capital, green ambidextrous innovation, and sustainable performance, particularly in the context of Industry 4.0 and sustainability. A questionnaire-based survey was conducted, and a sample of 317 small and medium enterprises was collected. Using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling in Smart-PLS v4, the findings reveal a significant relationship between corporate social responsibility and sustainable performance, with green intellectual capital and green ambidextrous innovation serving as mediating factors. Moreover, the study highlights the moderating role of Industry 4.0 among green intellectual capital and green ambidextrous innovation with sustainable performance. These findings may guide the managers in designing and implementing CSR strategies beyond compliance and contributing to competitive advantage through green intellectual capital and green ambidextrous innovation for business success in the era of Industry 4.0.

This study corroborates the asymmetric and heterogeneous associations between clean energy intensity (CEI) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions among the world's top ten renewable energy consumer countries using quarterly data from 1970Q1 to 2018Q4. We quantify the complete dependence structure between CEI and CO₂ at quantile distributions using a novel quantile-on-quantile (QQ) method proposed by Sim and Zhou (2015). Compared to classic approaches such as quantile regression and ordinary least squares, the QQ technique can provide more information on the overall relationship between CEI and CO₂. Furthermore, we also seek to determine causal relationships between CEI and CO₂ using a quantile Granger causality approach suggested by Troster. According to our empirical evidence, the link between the two variables is predominantly negative. Moreover, there are significant disparities across countries in the quantile ranges of CEI and CO₂. In particular, there is a weak positive link between CEI and CO₂ in the case of Sweden, Italy, Japan, and Australia, which may be because CEI has a minimal direct influence on CO₂ in these countries. The empirical findings clarify that policymakers should fund renewable energy industries to minimize carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions and achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This study explores the relationship between board diversity and firm performance, with a focus on the moderating role of CEO duality in Chinese manufacturing firms. This study applies panel fixed-effect regression models for the period 2008–2022, and findings show that board diversity is positively associated with firm performance, and CEO duality negatively moderates the relationship. However, the findings also show that a highly diversified board can minimize the negative effect of CEO duality and increase the firm’s performance. Furthermore, the findings broaden the understanding of board attributes, showing that the education index is more evident among other board attributes for firm performance. This study verifies its results using the two-step system generalized method of moments approach and different board attributes in robust tests. The findings suggest that strategic efforts to promote board diversity may increase the board’s monitoring function and control managerial opportunism, ultimately improving firm performance in the Chinese business landscape. JEL CLASSIFICATIONS: G30; G34; L25

Achieving environmental sustainability has become a global priority, with energy efficiency (EE) emerging as a critical pathway. This study examines the influence of information and communication technology service exports (ICT) on EE by integrating the moderating role of regulatory quality. We employ a super-slack-based measure (Super-SBM) and generalized least squares models in G20 economies throughout 2001–2023. The findings show that the average EE is 0.855, which indicates a potential for further improvement of 14.50%. The findings further show that ICT is positively related to EE, and regulatory quality delivers a conducive environment for the adoption of technologies to optimize energy usage. The findings also indicate a synergistic effect between ICT and regulatory quality, which can lead to substantial improvements in EE, emphasizing the importance of governance in facilitating technological advancements. The findings highlight the role of renewable energy and economic openness in shaping EE. Furthermore, Argentina and South Africa achieved the highest EE, reflecting their proximity to the efficient frontier. In robust tests, this study verifies its results using the generalized method of moments, panel-corrected standard error, and feasible generalized least squares models. The findings suggest that ICT and governance perspectives can provide valuable insights for policymakers aiming to enhance energy sustainability through digital transformation and institutional reforms.