Valeria Naciti

Purpose: This study aims to investigate whether intellectual capital (IC) can support firms in meeting the EU Taxonomy for Sustainable Activities reporting requirements. Building on resource-based view and resource orchestration theory, it examines whether mature, business-integrated sustainability reporting acts as an orchestration mechanism that transforms IC into a strategic lever for regulatory compliance and competitive advantage. Design/methodology/approach: This study uses a fixed-effects model applied to a panel of large European firms that reported KPIs relating to the EU Taxonomy over the period 2018–2024. A mediation framework is applied to examine both the direct and indirect effects of IC and its components (human, structural and relational capital) on the ability to meet the disclosure requirements imposed by the Taxonomy. To address potential endogeneity issues and capture temporal dynamics, the analysis also employs the generalized method of moments (GMM) and a dynamic lagged-variables model. Furthermore, a moderated mediation model is developed to test whether the assurance of sustainability reports by a Big 4 firm moderates the strength of the mediation effect. Findings: The results suggest that IC exerts a significant impact on the EU Taxonomy compliance through the mechanism of structured sustainability reporting systems. A detailed analysis of the individual components indicates that human capital exerts a positive indirect effect, whilst relational capital appears to act primarily as a direct driver. Conversely, structural capital does not show a statistically significant effect in most specifications. These results indicate that IC alone does not necessarily guarantee superior compliance capacity. Instead, its effectiveness depends on managerial coordination mechanisms. Mature sustainability reporting systems can translate intangible capabilities into standardized and transparent disclosures, in line with regulatory expectations, particularly in data-intensive contexts such as the EU Taxonomy. The findings carry significant implications for both sustainability policy development and managerial practice. Practical implications: The study offers valuable insights for companies seeking to leverage their internal capabilities to meet new regulatory requirements, highlighting the role of reporting maturity as a key enabler of sustainable performance and long-term sustainable development. It also provides policy-relevant indications by emphasizing the importance of fostering organizational practices that enhance the effective use of IC within structured reporting systems. Social implications: This study contributes to a deeper understanding of how intangible resources, when effectively integrated into mature sustainability reporting processes, can support firms in aligning with evolving sustainability policy frameworks by linking the management of intangible assets to measurable environmental outcomes, as defined by the EU Taxonomy framework. These findings also generate important policy implications for regulators and policymakers, who should recognize that a company’s ability to adapt depends not only on its size, but also on how its underlying intangible resources are structured and on the presence of robust reporting infrastructures capable of supporting sustainable development objectives. Originality/value: Despite the growing interest in the EU Taxonomy, the firm’s internal determinants related to the new regulatory requirements remain unexplored. Therefore, this study aims to fill this gap by exploring the interplay between IC, sustainability reporting and EU Taxonomy compliance. Findings suggest a new theoretical perspective whereby IC is not a direct antecedent of sustainability, but rather a set of potential resources that require organizational capabilities to be effectively mobilized and to produce advantage.

This study investigates the relationship between European utility companies' compliance with the EU Taxonomy for Sustainable Activities and their overall performance. The EU Taxonomy is a new regulation proposed by the European Commission to promote sustainable finance by 2050. The literature shows that nonfinancial disclosures have a favorable impact on financial performance. However, no research has been conducted to assess the implementation of the EU Taxonomy and its effect on firm performance. Using a sample of European utilities from 2012 to 2022, a difference‐in‐differences (DiD) model was applied to analyze the causal relationship between compliance and performance. Based on institutional and signaling theories, the results show that companies reporting alignment with the Taxonomy exhibit higher market value, profitability, and efficiency than those that do not. This study contributes to firms' transparency and enriches academic discussions by offering insights for policymakers and by improving industry practices.

Purpose: This paper aims to explore how the accounting and management practices of monastic institutions were shaped by their surrounding social, political, geographical and economic environments, as well as religious ideologies, during critical historical periods. Design/methodology/approach: By applying institutional theory and the comparative international accounting history perspective, this study conducts a comparative analysis of archival records from two monasteries, examining how their accounting and managerial practices were influenced by differing institutional logics. The research relies on systematic archival data collection, complemented by secondary sources, to analyze how religious beliefs shaped the accounting and management practices of these institutions and the degree of convergence between the two. Findings: This study found that both monasteries adapted their accounting and management practices to their external environments. San Placido demonstrated resilience amidst disruptions such as wars and earthquakes, while Silos showed financial sophistication through diverse income streams. The resilience of these institutions was driven by their ability to align internal operations with external political, economic and social factors. This adaptability, coupled with strategic management, enhanced their capacity to maintain financial stability, illustrating the direct link between external changes, organizational resilience and improved financial health. Research limitations/implications: This study highlights the historical interplay between religious principles and accounting management practices in Benedictine monasteries by comparing two monasteries. It reveals how external environments shape internal operations, showcasing the resilience and adaptability of these institutions in maintaining financial sustainability through the alignment of external pressures with internal resilience mechanisms, which in turn bolster their financial health. Originality/value: This research contributes valuable insights to historical managerial and accounting literature, shedding light on the financial resilience and strategies used by Benedictine monasteries. It underscores the enduring respectful legacy of their accounting practices and the unique interplay between spiritual devotion and organizational structure within these institutions.

Purpose: The use of digital technologies in the financial service industry has brought new complexities to the corporate governance in banks. Relying on the agency perspective of the shareholder, debtholder and societal governance in banks, this research examines the impact of financial technology innovation (FinTech) on banks' performance by enlightening the monitoring role of female independent directors.Design/methodology/approach: Relying on a sample of Italian banks observed during the period 2016–2020, the authors hand-collected data on the use of FinTech by considering (1) the in-house provisions of FinTech solutions, (2) the collaboration with external FinTech firms and (3) a combination of both measures. The authors run a panel data regression analysis with fixed effects, measuring bank performance through bank competitiveness and bank riskiness.Findings: The authors find that FinTech increases bank competitiveness in gathering money from depositors and that independent women on board mitigate the negative relationship between FinTech and the riskiness of banks' assets, ameliorating the conflicting interests among shareholders, debtholder and societal governance.Originality/value: This study emphasizes the complexities of bank governance when dealing with FinTech in the wider perspective of equity governance, debt governance and the societal governance spotlighting the importance of appointing female directors in independent positions to enhance the bright sides of financial innovation. The authors enrich the literature on FinTech with a finer understanding of the drivers and implications of in-house provisions of FinTech solutions versus the collaboration with external FinTech firms.

Purpose: The study aims to investigate the impact of technological innovation, such as blockchain, in the music field from a value co-creation perspective, highlighting how it is determining a radical change in the business model and value creation process.Design/methodology/approach: To shed light on how blockchain adoption is reconfiguring the music industry, the authors adopted a qualitative-based approach based on a case study, allowing us to investigate value co-creation at three levels (macro, meso and micro) through exchange and integration of multi-actor resources.Findings: The authors found that blockchain adoption in the music industry can singularly shape the business model, representing a powerful tool to enhance inter-organizational cooperation in value creation. It effectively deals with operational and business issues, besides financial transactions, profoundly impacting both the creation and distribution of value within the supply chain.Research limitations/implications: The research contributes to a better understanding of innovation adoption in a specific setting, the music industry, giving support and guidance for players working in this ecosystem. The blockchain-music link helps close the gap between music and society through technology, thus providing a foundation for future research.Originality/value: The paper provides new insights into the antecedents and mechanisms of value co-creation, spanning macro-, meso-, and micro-levels of context. It also illustrates the factors underpinning Bitsong viability to embed the value co-creation perspective in designing the business model within a value network.

The paper investigates the current state of studies on double-entry bookkeeping and ledgers in accounting through a bibliometrics analysis from 1990 to 2021. The study allows for interpretation of ...

Purpose: Recently, the relationship between gender representation and organizational performance has been the focus of various studies. However, some research gaps still exist. First, in the healthcare sector, this relationship has been poorly explored. Moreover, in public management studies, researchers focusing on performance tend to focus exclusively on gender differences at the top and/or middle management level. This research aims at exploring the relationship between women's representation and performance in public hospitals at all organizational levels.Design/methodology/approach: To achieve the research objective, 63 healthcare organisations were analysed through ordinary least squares regressions on panel data from 2012 to 2018.Findings: Results show that, in the hospital setting, gender diversity and financial performance are related at every organizational level.Originality/value: To the authors' knowledge, this is one of the first studies focusing on the link between gender and performance at every level of professional and employment category; avoiding focusing exclusively on top management, which was the case in previous studies on the topic. Moreover, it contributes to a poorly explored literature which is gender studies in public healthcare management.

This study analyses the impact of female directors and managers on sustainability performance in the banking industry. Drawing on prior studies, we attempt to frame gender diversity, its determinants, and its consequences with respect to financial, social, and environmental performance. Our sample includes 880 bank‐year observations from 48 countries over the period 2011–2019. We conduct OLS and probit regressions on the panel data sample. The results show that increasing the proportion of female directors also improves the financial and environmental performance; female managers are keener on the social dimension and in engaging with stakeholders, than female directors. This study extends the current literature in the context of the banking industry, suggesting that banks should focus their efforts on establishing the right combination of female directors and managers. Furthermore, practical implications that encourage gender diversity among policy makers and regulators arise from this research.

Objective: The objective of this study is to provide an overview of female careers in Italian academia and to present the implications related to the adoption of Gender Budgeting at universities.Research Design & Methods: A theoretical framework was developed based on the role of Gender Budgeting and the role of the Central Guarantee Committee for equal opportunities in Italian Universities (CUG). Female careers in Italian Universities were analysed in order to provide a state of the art about gender equality in academia.Findings: Overall, the findings suggest that Gender Budgeting is a key tool to measure and monitor the level of gender mainstreaming. It can be used to assess the implications not only for women but in general for the least represented gender in each area and at every level. It helps promote the efficiency and transparency of the University’s activities and to understand those elements useful in improving measures that have been taken.Implications / Recommendations: The analysis highlights that Gender Budgeting is a key tool for measuring and monitoring the level of gender mainstreaming within universities. The adoption of Gender Budgeting attests to governing bodies’ assumption of responsibility in eliminating discrimination based on gender and thereby protect and promote the well-being for universities employees.Contribution: In examining female careers in academia in Italian Universities and the role of Gender Budgeting, this paper seeks to contribute to the scholarly conversation on the role of Gender Budgeting in shaping gender inequality and improving the overall performance of universities.