IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/finlet/v84y2025ics1544612325010712.html

Executive misconduct and corporate operational risk

Author

Listed:
  • Zhu, Chenyu
  • Liu, Liwen
  • Zhou, Shoujie
  • Han, Lifeng

Abstract

This study examines the moderating roles of digital transformation and organizational resilience and investigates the impact of executive misconduct on corporate operational risk. Based on 19,346 observations spanning 2010–2022, the findings confirm that misconduct increases risk. Digital transformation improves governance by monitoring, while resilience fosters adaptability. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that state-owned enterprises have higher risk effects, whereas stricter regulations mitigate this effect in heavy-polluting industries. Grounded in agency theory and a resource-based perspective, this study underscores the integration of governance reforms and technological advancements to reduce risks, providing policymakers and enterprises with insights into maintaining corporate stability and performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhu, Chenyu & Liu, Liwen & Zhou, Shoujie & Han, Lifeng, 2025. "Executive misconduct and corporate operational risk," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:finlet:v:84:y:2025:i:c:s1544612325010712
    DOI: 10.1016/j.frl.2025.107813
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1544612325010712
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.frl.2025.107813?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
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Song, Yuegang & Du, Chongmiao & Du, Peiliang & Liu, Rong & Lu, Zhou, 2024. "Digital transformation and corporate environmental performance: Evidence from Chinese listed companies," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 201(C).
    2. Song, Yuchen & Zhu, Mingqi & Wang, Ye, 2025. "Corporate financialization, digital transformation, and industrial supply chain resilience: Mechanisms based on R&D investment and financial regulation," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    3. Junaid, Muhammad & Zhang, Qingyu & Cao, Mei & Luqman, Adeel, 2023. "Nexus between technology enabled supply chain dynamic capabilities, integration, resilience, and sustainable performance: An empirical examination of healthcare organizations," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 196(C).
    4. Wang, Haibo, 2024. "Assessing resilience to systemic risks across interbank credit networks using linkage-leverage analysis: Evidence from Japan," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    5. Zhang, Shan & Wang, Yu, 2024. "Executive legal background and quality of corporate accounting disclosure," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 96(PA).
    6. Wang, Baoyi & Khan, Inayat & Ge, Chenlu & Naz, Huma, 2024. "Digital transformation of enterprises promotes green technology innovation – The regulated mediation model," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 209(C).
    7. Zhang, WenXue & Tian, Yuhao & Zhu, Zeyu, 2025. "Corporate excess cash, economic policy uncertainty and stock price crash risk," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    8. Jin, Shaorong & Xiong, Ruoyu & Peng, Huan & Tang, Shiyu, 2025. "ESG performance and private enterprise resilience: Evidence from Chinese financial markets," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    9. Song, Yingjie & Dong, Jie, 2024. "Executives’ green experience and corporate ESG performance: Do government subsidies matter?," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 69(PA).
    10. Dai, Jiapeng & Mehmood, Usman & Nassani, Abdelmohsen A., 2025. "Empowering sustainability through energy efficiency, green innovations, and the sharing economy: Insights from G7 economies," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 318(C).
    11. Zhao, Qifeng & Kong, Dongmin & Luo, Qianfeng, 2024. "Scientific disclosure and corporate misconduct," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    12. Wang, Lei & Qu, Xinyi & Wang, Yunquan & Lu, Jun & Wang, Qi, 2025. "Economic policy uncertainty, related-party transactions and corporate liquidity," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    13. Dai, Jiapeng, 2025. "Is policy pilot a viable path to sustainable development? Attention allocation perspective," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    14. Khanna, Poonam & Khan, Sarfraz A. & Krasikova, Dina & Miller, Stewart R., 2021. "Repeated engagement in misconduct by executives involved with financial restatements," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 166(C), pages 194-203.
    15. Zhang, Liyuan & Luo, Zhenqing & Yu, Xiaoyuan & Yang, Qiming & Wang, Jiancong, 2025. "Economic policy uncertainty and corporate green innovation," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    16. Yan, Fangxu & Jia, Fu & Chen, Lujie & Nazrul, Asif, 2025. "Nexus of sustainability and organizational resilience: The role of operational slack," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    17. Eugster, Nicolas & Kowalewski, Oskar & Śpiewanowski, Piotr, 2024. "Internal governance mechanisms and corporate misconduct," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    18. Xu, Shuai & Zhang, Suge & Cheng, Chen, 2025. "How does top management team recomposition affect corporate trade credit financing," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Zou, Siqi & Long, Yang, 2025. "The nonlinear impact of economic policy uncertainty on corporate green total factor productivity," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    2. Zhang, Qiang & Lou, Mingyu, 2025. "Executive team faultlines, business diversification, and corporate substantive innovation," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    3. Liu, Sihan, 2025. "Digital transformation–productivity nexus: Platform integration and enterprise performance," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    4. Xu, Wenjie & Xie, Wenqiang, 2025. "Supply chain finance and tourism enterprise resilience in the context of economic policy uncertainty," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 86(PA).
    5. Sun, Wenjie & Mei, Jianhua & Chen, Kecun & Li, Zhaoqi, 2025. "Biodiversity risk and value creation in emerging markets," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 85(PC).
    6. Li, Yi & Liu, Tong & Wang, Zhaohua, 2025. "Do ESG-conscious fund managers drive green innovation? An LLM-based textual analysis of fund manager narratives," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 77(PB).
    7. Zhou, Jingyi & Xie, Mengyuan, 2025. "Chain leader policy and corporate green innovation—Perspectives of financing constraints and risk-taking," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 106(C).
    8. Liu, Qiong & Wang, Hairong, 2025. "Digital transformation, innovation capability, and ESG performance," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    9. Wu, Bei & Ma, Wenxia & Zhao, Qi, 2025. "Digital economy and urban green transformation," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 104(PA).
    10. Zhou, Jingyi & Xie, Mengyuan, 2025. "Supply chain risk perception and corporate green innovation bubbles," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 85(PC).
    11. Xie, Xiaoyu & Guo, Kaige & Han, Zhongya, 2025. "Digital technology application and green technological innovation under economic policy uncertainty: Empirical evidence from China's manufacturing industry," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 108(PA).
    12. Zheng, Ye & Bao, Xuhan & Zhao, Shijie, 2025. "Renewable energy policy and environmental governance performance," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    13. Xiaoqing Dong & Guangshun Cheng & Yuan Ren, 2025. "Going Green on the Government’s Dime: Unpacking the Subsidy Boost in Family Firms," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-25, May.
    14. Ruanzhou, Yilong & Guo, Rengui, 2025. "New quality productivity and intellectual property protection," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    15. Lan, Bo & Li, Nan & Liu, Tong, 2025. "How do economic growth and unemployment affect green development in Latin America nations?," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    16. Wu, Jianan & Guo, Cheng & Liu, Xiaojing & Dai, Jiapeng, 2025. "Policy-driven employment structure transformation: The role of innovation and education investment," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    17. Xing, Manjiang & Gong, Chi & Moon, Gyu-Hyen & Ge, Xiaohong, 2025. "Digital economy, dual innovation capability and enterprise labor productivity," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    18. He, Jiale & Xue, Haozhong & Yang, Wei & Zhong, Yanyi & Fan, Bingyu, 2025. "Green credit policy and corporate green innovation," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    19. Miozza, Mario & Brunetta, Federica & Appio, Francesco Paolo, 2024. "Digital transformation of the Pharmaceutical Industry: A future research agenda for management studies," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 207(C).
    20. Bu, Wei & Yan, Zhongyi & Yang, Shuning, 2025. "Digital economy and corporate sustainability: Mediating roles of green innovation and risk-taking," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    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:eee:finlet:v:84:y:2025:i:c:s1544612325010712. 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: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/frl .

    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.