IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/corsem/v29y2022i5p1757-1767.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Digital transformation and corporate environmental performance: The moderating role of board characteristics

Author

Listed:
  • Pengyu Chen
  • Yuanyuan Hao

Abstract

Digital transformation, board characteristics, and environmental performance are increasingly important in the field of corporate sustainability. However, despite the growing literature on digital transformation, there is a paucity of literature that considers board characteristics. This paper aims to fill this gap by exploring the relationship between digital transformation and environmental performance from the perspective of board characteristics. Chinese listed companies from 2010 to 2019 were taken as the original data, the moderating effect of the board characteristics was tested by using the moderating effect model. We find that digital transformation can significantly improve corporate environmental performance. A low willingness to digital transformation was showed in the board of directors with age diversity, nationality diversity, shareholding concentration, and political connections. In contrast, digital transformation strategies were preferred in the boards with more female directors and higher educational backgrounds. Our study is of significant value for companies undergoing digital transformation.

Suggested Citation

  • Pengyu Chen & Yuanyuan Hao, 2022. "Digital transformation and corporate environmental performance: The moderating role of board characteristics," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(5), pages 1757-1767, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:corsem:v:29:y:2022:i:5:p:1757-1767
    DOI: 10.1002/csr.2324
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/csr.2324
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/csr.2324?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sandra González-Bailon & Will Jennings & Martin Lodge, 2013. "Politics in the Boardroom: Corporate Pay, Networks and Recruitment of Former Parliamentarians, Ministers and Civil Servants in Britain," Political Studies, Political Studies Association, vol. 61(4), pages 850-873, December.
    2. Azlan Amran & Roszaini Haniffa, 2011. "Evidence in development of sustainability reporting: a case of a developing country," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 20(3), pages 141-156, March.
    3. Joshua Gans & Andrew Leigh & Martin Schmalz & Adam Triggs, 2019. "Inequality and market concentration, when shareholding is more skewed than consumption," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 35(3), pages 550-563.
    4. Nurlan Orazalin & Mady Baydauletov, 2020. "Corporate social responsibility strategy and corporate environmental and social performance: The moderating role of board gender diversity," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(4), pages 1664-1676, July.
    5. Raymond Fisman & Yongxiang Wang, 2015. "The Mortality Cost of Political Connections," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 82(4), pages 1346-1382.
    6. Ranjita Islam & Erica French & Muhammad Ali, 2022. "Evaluating board diversity and its importance in the environmental and social performance of organizations," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(5), pages 1134-1145, September.
    7. Justin Yifu Lin, 2011. "China and the global economy," Proceedings, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, issue Nov, pages 213-229.
    8. Hess, Thomas & Matt, Christian & Benlian, Alexander & Wiesböck, Florian, 2016. "Options for Formulating a Digital Transformation Strategy," Publications of Darmstadt Technical University, Institute for Business Studies (BWL) 81032, Darmstadt Technical University, Department of Business Administration, Economics and Law, Institute for Business Studies (BWL).
    9. Saleh F. A. Khatib & Dewi Fariha Abdullah & Ahmed A. Elamer & Raed Abueid, 2021. "Nudging toward diversity in the boardroom: A systematic literature review of board diversity of financial institutions," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(2), pages 985-1002, February.
    10. Ali M. Shahzad & Matthew A. Rutherford & Mark P. Sharfman, 2016. "Stakeholder‐Centric Governance and Corporate Social Performance: A Cross‐National Study," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 23(2), pages 100-112, March.
    11. Jun Xie & Wataru Nozawa & Shunsuke Managi, 2020. "The role of women on boards in corporate environmental strategy and financial performance: A global outlook," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(5), pages 2044-2059, September.
    12. Abdul Waheed & Qingyu Zhang & Yasir Rashid & Sher Zaman Khan, 2020. "The impact of corporate social responsibility on buying tendencies from the perspective of stakeholder theory and practices," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(3), pages 1307-1315, May.
    13. Nick Wilson & Mike Wright & Louise Scholes, 2013. "Family Business Survival and the Role of Boards," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 37(6), pages 1369-1389, November.
    14. Khine Kyaw & Mojisola Olugbode & Barbara Petracci, 2022. "Stakeholder engagement: Investors' environmental risk aversion and corporate earnings," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(3), pages 1220-1231, March.
    15. Zhang, Chi & Liu, Qiang & Ge, Guoqing & Hao, Ying & Hao, Han, 2021. "The impact of government intervention on corporate environmental performance: Evidence from China's national civilized city award," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 39(C).
    16. Sonia Boukattaya & Abdelwahed Omri, 2021. "Impact of Board Gender Diversity on Corporate Social Responsibility and Irresponsibility: Empirical Evidence from France," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-14, April.
    17. Zhai, Huayun & Yang, Min & Chan, Kam C., 2022. "Does digital transformation enhance a firm's performance? Evidence from China," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    18. Sklyar, Alexey & Kowalkowski, Christian & Tronvoll, Bård & Sörhammar, David, 2019. "Organizing for digital servitization: A service ecosystem perspective," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 450-460.
    19. Wincent, Joakim & Anokhin, Sergey & Örtqvist, Daniel, 2010. "Does network board capital matter? A study of innovative performance in strategic SME networks," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 63(3), pages 265-275, March.
    20. Arifur Khan & Mohammad Muttakin & Javed Siddiqui, 2013. "Corporate Governance and Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosures: Evidence from an Emerging Economy," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 114(2), pages 207-223, May.
    21. Talavera, Oleksandr & Yin, Shuxing & Zhang, Mao, 2018. "Age diversity, directors' personal values, and bank performance," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 60-79.
    22. Wu, Keping & Fu, Yumei & Kong, Dongmin, 2022. "Does the digital transformation of enterprises affect stock price crash risk?," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 48(C).
    23. Adriana Barbeito‐Caamaño & Ricardo Chalmeta, 2020. "Using big data to evaluate corporate social responsibility and sustainable development practices," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(6), pages 2831-2848, November.
    24. Corinne Post & Noushi Rahman & Cathleen McQuillen, 2015. "From Board Composition to Corporate Environmental Performance Through Sustainability-Themed Alliances," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 130(2), pages 423-435, August.
    25. Nicholas van der Walt & Coral Ingley, 2003. "Board Dynamics and the Influence of Professional Background, Gender and Ethnic Diversity of Directors," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 11(3), pages 218-234, July.
    26. Filippo Bertani & Marco Raberto & Andrea Teglio, 2020. "The productivity and unemployment effects of the digital transformation: an empirical and modelling assessment," Review of Evolutionary Political Economy, Springer, vol. 1(3), pages 329-355, November.
    27. Helen Kang & Mandy Cheng & Sidney J. Gray, 2007. "Corporate Governance and Board Composition: diversity and independence of Australian boards," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(2), pages 194-207, March.
    28. Rania Beji & Ouidad Yousfi & Nadia Loukil & Abdelwahed Omri, 2021. "Board Diversity and Corporate Social Responsibility: Empirical Evidence from France," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 173(1), pages 133-155, September.
    29. Hess, Thomas & Matt, Christian & Benlian, Alexander & Wiesböck, Florian, 2016. "Options for Formulating a Digital Transformation Strategy," Publications of Darmstadt Technical University, Institute for Business Studies (BWL) 82423, Darmstadt Technical University, Department of Business Administration, Economics and Law, Institute for Business Studies (BWL).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Lin, Boqiang & Xie, Yongjing, 2023. "Positive or negative? R&D subsidies and green technology innovation: Evidence from China's renewable energy industry," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 213(C), pages 148-156.
    2. Changling Sun & Zixi Zhang & Marek Vochozka & Iveta Vozòáková, 2022. "Enterprise digital transformation and debt financing cost in China’s A-share listed companies," Oeconomia Copernicana, Institute of Economic Research, vol. 13(3), pages 783-829, September.
    3. Chaohong Na & Xue Chen & Xiaojun Li & Yuting Li & Xiaolan Wang, 2022. "Digital Transformation of Value Chains and CSR Performance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-24, August.
    4. Tiantian Meng & Danni Yu & Ludi Ye & M. H. Yahya & M. A. Zariyawati, 2023. "Impact of digital city competitiveness on total factor productivity in the commercial circulation industry: evidence from China’s emerging first-tier cities," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-10, December.
    5. Zhou, Zhongsheng & Li, Zhuo, 2023. "Corporate digital transformation and trade credit financing," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    6. Shuangcheng Luo & Yangli Yuan, 2023. "The Path to Low Carbon: The Impact of Network Infrastructure Construction on Energy Conservation and Emission Reduction," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-20, February.
    7. Hai Huang & Shengbin Hao & Yu Chen, 2023. "The more the better? Service transition for shaping sustainable development in manufacturing firms and the role of top management team attributes," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(6), pages 3255-3270, November.
    8. Lin, Boqiang & Xie, Yongjing, 2023. "Does digital transformation improve the operational efficiency of Chinese power enterprises?," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    9. Kejing Chen & Qiaoshuang Meng & Yutao Sun & Qingqing Wan, 2024. "How does industrial policy experimentation influence innovation performance? A case of Made in China 2025," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-17, December.
    10. Boqiang Lin & Qianxiang Zhang, 2023. "Corporate environmental responsibility in polluting firms: Does digital transformation matter?," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(5), pages 2234-2246, September.
    11. Lei Wang & Shibo Liu & Wanfang Xiong, 2022. "The Impact of Digital Transformation on Corporate Environment Performance: Evidence from China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-19, October.
    12. Wang, Qian & Du, Zhuo-Ya, 2022. "Changing the impact of banking concentration on corporate innovation: The moderating effect of digital transformation," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    13. Yang Yang & Jinmian Han, 2023. "Digital transformation, financing constraints, and corporate environmental, social, and governance performance," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(6), pages 3189-3202, November.
    14. Jin Wang & Zihan Hong & Hai Long, 2023. "Digital Transformation Empowers ESG Performance in the Manufacturing Industry: From ESG to DESG," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(4), pages 21582440231, October.
    15. Andrea Lippi & Riccardo Torelli & Andrea Caccialanza, 2024. "Relationship between governance diversity and company growth: Evidence from the FT 1000 Europe's fastest growing companies," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(1), pages 650-658, January.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Giovanna Gavana & Pietro Gottardo & Anna Maria Moisello, 2023. "Board diversity and corporate social performance in family firms. The moderating effect of the institutional and business environment," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(5), pages 2194-2218, September.
    2. Pochara Arayakarnkul & Pattanaporn Chatjuthamard & Sirimon Treepongkaruna, 2022. "Board gender diversity, corporate social commitment and sustainability," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(5), pages 1706-1721, September.
    3. Lucrezia Songini & Anna Pistoni & Patrizia Tettamanzi & Fabrizio Fratini & Valentina Minutiello, 2022. "Integrated reporting quality and BoD characteristics: an empirical analysis," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 26(2), pages 579-620, June.
    4. Ge Zhang & Yuxiang Gao & Gaoyong Li, 2023. "Research on Digital Transformation and Green Technology Innovation—Evidence from China’s Listed Manufacturing Enterprises," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-23, April.
    5. Asad, Muhammad & Akbar, Saeed & Li, Jing & Shah, Syed Zulfiqar Ali, 2023. "Board diversity and corporate propensity to R&D spending," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    6. Nicola Cucari & Salvatore Esposito De Falco & Beatrice Orlando, 2018. "Diversity of Board of Directors and Environmental Social Governance: Evidence from Italian Listed Companies," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 25(3), pages 250-266, May.
    7. Francesco Paolone & Matteo Pozzoli & Nicola Cucari & Rosario Bianco, 2023. "Longer board tenure and audit committee tenure. How do they impact environmental performance? A European study," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(1), pages 358-368, January.
    8. Stefania Veltri & Romilda Mazzotta & Franco Ernesto Rubino, 2021. "Board diversity and corporate social performance: Does the family firm status matter?," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(6), pages 1664-1679, November.
    9. Chaohong Na & Xue Chen & Xiaojun Li & Yuting Li & Xiaolan Wang, 2022. "Digital Transformation of Value Chains and CSR Performance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-24, August.
    10. Samuel Benjamin & Mansi Mansi & Rakesh Pandey, 2020. "Board gender composition, board independence and sustainable supply chain responsibility," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 60(4), pages 3305-3339, December.
    11. Ding, Qiaoying & He, Wensheng, 2023. "Digital transformation, monetary policy and risk-taking of banks," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 55(PB).
    12. Isabel Gallego‐Álvarez & María Consuelo Pucheta‐Martínez, 2022. "Sustainable development through the effect of board diversity and CEO duality on corporate risk: Does the state‐owned enterprises matter?," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(6), pages 1462-1476, December.
    13. Ishwar Khatri, 2023. "Board gender diversity and sustainability performance: Nordic evidence," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(3), pages 1495-1507, May.
    14. David Soto Setzke & Tobias Riasanow & Markus Böhm & Helmut Krcmar, 2023. "Pathways to Digital Service Innovation: The Role of Digital Transformation Strategies in Established Organizations," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 25(3), pages 1017-1037, June.
    15. Ranjita Islam & Erica French & Muhammad Ali, 2022. "Evaluating board diversity and its importance in the environmental and social performance of organizations," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(5), pages 1134-1145, September.
    16. Adam Jabłoński & Marek Jabłoński, 2020. "Social Perspectives in Digital Business Models of Railway Enterprises," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-20, December.
    17. Kylie de Klerk & Favil Singh, 2023. "Does Gender and Cultural Diversity Matter for Sustainability in Healthcare? Evidence from Global Organizations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-17, July.
    18. María‐Florencia Amorelli & Isabel‐María García‐Sánchez, 2023. "Leadership in heels: Women on boards and sustainability in times of COVID‐19," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(4), pages 1987-2010, July.
    19. Hua Feng & Fengyan Wang & Guomin Song & Lanlan Liu, 2022. "Digital Transformation on Enterprise Green Innovation: Effect and Transmission Mechanism," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-31, August.
    20. Michaela Wrede & Vivek K. Velamuri & Tobias Dauth, 2020. "Top managers in the digital age: Exploring the role and practices of top managers in firms' digital transformation," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 41(8), pages 1549-1567, December.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:wly:corsem:v:29:y:2022:i:5:p:1757-1767. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://doi.org/10.1002/(ISSN)1535-3966 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.