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This study aims to thoroughly examine and understand the relationship between working capital management (WCM) and the sustainable financial performance (FP) in the context of the New Zealand companies listed on stock exchange.

This study has applied various regression techniques to examine WCM and the sustainable FP relationship. The data set period is from 2009 to 2019. The results are robust upon various layers of robustness parameters. The system-generalized method of moments is applied for managing endogeneity issue.

The research reveals compelling evidence of a meaningful connection between WCM and sustainable FP indicators. The study specifically highlights the significant negative associations between the cash conversion cycle, average collection period and average age of inventory with the firm’s sustainable FP. Through robust analyses and various parameter adjustments, the study ensures the credibility and reliability of its conclusions, further reinforcing the impact of WCM on the financial health of New Zealand-listed firms.

This study provides future directions for researchers to explore the dynamic relationship between WCM and a firm sustainable FP because it is still a demanding and challenging area. Future research may care to explore the optimal way to reduce the cash conversion cycle, average collection period and average age of inventory for New Zealand firms. The current study does provide insights to NZ financial managers, which is useful for improving sustainable FP by efficiently managing WCM.

WCM is problematic and constitutes a notable challenge; it requires further research, especially in small economies such as New Zealand. Hence, it is an updated and fresh attempt based on a larger data set to measure the empirical relationship between WCM and the sustainable performance of New Zealand-listed firms. Furthermore, the current study uses dynamic panel data estimation techniques in addition to multiple regression techniques.

This study aims to examine the relationship between bank capital and bank risk during COVID-19.

The study covers 20 countries during the period from Q4:2018 to Q4:2020, using different measurements of risk with consideration for the interrelationship between bank risk and bank capital and the impact of COVID-19.

The findings show that higher bank capital mitigates bank market risk and default risk; banks incur higher market risk during the COVID-19 period, and these risks are greater if banks have higher capital levels; and low-capitalized banks reduce risks more than well-capitalized banks, and moderately low-capitalized banks behave the most prudentially. These results are robust to different capital measures and model settings.

The research results are important in proving the motivation and practicality of capital regulation as well as the impact of COVID-19 as an exogenous shock to the bank’s operations.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the relationship between bank capital and bank risk. In addition, while most of the studies on this nexus are based on the US data and the conclusions are inclusive; our results provide empirical cross-country evidences on the relationship between bank capital and bank risk.

The paper aims to investigate the empirical impact of working capital management (WCM) on firm performance (FP) in the emerging markets of Africa. This paper also aims to investigate this relationship during the global financial crisis of 2008 (GFC, 2008).

The sample of this study comprises two leading emerging markets in Africa (Egypt and South Africa) based on the MSCI world market classification list for the period 2007–2020. The study employs various regression techniques such as fixed effect and system generalized method of moments. In addition to baseline regressions, the authors applied various preliminary tests and, finally robustness measures. Besides the dependent, independent variables, the study uses firm-level and country macroeconomic-level explanatory variables.

The study's results indicate that (1) WCM and FP exhibit a direct relationship and (2) the WCM components such as cash conversion cycle, average collection period and the average age of inventory, have a significant inverse relationship, whereas the average payment period has a direct relationship with FP. The robustness results are assessed based on the selection of an alternative proxy for FP measurement, controlling for industry, country, year effect and the exclusion of the GFC 2008.

This study has various implications in terms of theoretical, societal and practical application for practitioners, managers, investors and regulators. In terms of theoretical implications, this is the first study that contributes to the existing body of knowledge in corporate finance and managerial accounting in relation to the examination of this relationship in the African region. Finally, practitioners, including regulators, can benefit from the study's findings while devising investment policies for investors in the region. More specifically, the financial sector conduct authority (FSCA) in South Africa and the financial regulatory authority (FRA) in Egypt can consider these findings to devise financial policies that aim to foster the FP.

Society benefits from the study's findings too. The efficient management of the WCM components will raise firm profits and investment opportunities for the society in Egypt and South Africa. A firm with good performance levels will increase salaries and will provide compensation to their employees in terms of bonuses. These compensations are one of the sources for achieving FP, which is evident from existing literature as well in the case of corporate governance studies. These compensations have psychological impacts as well. As society has its basic needs and goods, compensation levels will be tilted less toward societal ethical issues.

This study has various distinguishing features, which prior studies mostly lack, as most of these studies are on an individual country dataset, shorter periods, mixed results, lesser explanatory variables and no country-related control variables. The authors addressed all these challenges and provided robust results based on various measurement alternatives for the African markets. The study's results confirm a direct relationship between WCM and FP for South Africa and Egypt reflecting the emerging markets in Africa.

This study analyses climate change vulnerability and adaptation in a northern province in Vietnam from the gender perspective.

A survey questionnaire was used to collect data for the study. The Livelihood Vulnerability Index (LVI) was calculated for 134 female and 239 male-headed households. Descriptive statistics were synthesized to investigate climate change adaptation from the gender perspective.

The results show that the LVI of female-headed households is higher than male-headed households, but the variation is negligible. In addition, female and male farmers in the study area use different methods to adapt to climate change. Female farmers have critically contributed to the family workforce and climate change adaptation. Nevertheless, female farmers have less accessibility to agricultural services such as training and credit.

The study suggests that gendered interventions for improvement of livelihood to adapt to climate change should be developed for each aspect of the livelihood. Furthermore, enhancement of services for women and recognition of women's roles in responding to climate change would contribute to more active adaptation to climate change.

Studies on climate change from the gender perspective in Vietnam have been conducted on a limited scale. Particularly, there are very limited studies on climate change in association with gender issue in North Vietnam. Thus, this study will provide more insights into the gender dimension of climate change vulnerability and adaptation so that gender-based adaptation strategies can be developed.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of chief executive officer (CEO) vega on firm policies in the Australian share market based on a panel data set drawn from the 137 Australian public firms for the period 2003-2012.

To allow mutual causation between our variables, the authors use the two-stage least squares estimation method, controlling for firm fixed effects. The authors use the difference-in-differences model to test whether the 2009 Australian tax reforms may discourage high-vega CEOs to take value-enhancing risks.

The authors find the evidence that vega induces CEOs to adopt the riskier financial policy in the Australian capital market. This evidence is further supported by the negative association between vega and firm conservative activities including cash and hedging policies. Further, the result shows that the 2009 tax reforms reduce the CEOs’ willingness to engage in risky financial policy. This finding implies that regulators may restore the 2009 reforms’ “deferred tax point” back to its pre-2009 form.

Based on the study’s results, firms should grant CEOs more out-of-the money options with a longer time to expiration to offset the 2009 tax reforms’ negative impact on the CEO’s incentive to take value-enhancing risks.

Maturity transformation risk is one of the leading causes of the global financial crisis. While endorsing the new Basel III liquidity reforms, the Islamic Financial Services Board has suggested a modified NSFR ratio as a structural measure for the maturity transformation function of Islamic banks, allowing for their unique balance sheet structure. The purpose of this paper is to analyze various firm-specific and macroeconomic factors that may significantly affect the maturity transformation risk of these banks.

Using an annual data set of 55 full-fledged Islamic banks from 11 different countries over a period from 2006-2015, this study utilizes a two-step system generalized method of moments estimation technique on an unbalanced panel data.

The empirical results reveal bank size, capital, less-risky liquid assets, risky liquid assets, external funding dependence and market power as significant bank-specific factors in determining maturity transformation risk. However, the authors find no evidence for the effect of bank credit risk on maturity transformation risk in Islamic banking system.

This is the first study that focuses on the measurement of maturity transformation risk and its determinants in Islamic banks in a cross-country context, with regards to new liquidity regulatory requirements as proposed by Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB) in conjunction with Basel III.

This paper aims to investigate the relationship between boardroom gender diversity and intellectual capital (IC) efficiency in China – while the previous literature focuses only on traditional accounting-based performance measures such as return on assets or Tobin’s Q.

A well-developed Arrelano–Bond generalised method of moment (GMM) is applied to account for endogeneity – mainly because of simultaneity and unobserved heterogeneity. Moreover, this study uses an adjusted-value added intellectual coefficient (VAIC) model to measure the IC efficiency of 906 Chinese listed firms for 2010-2014.

The empirical analysis shows a significant relationship between gender diversity and IC efficiency, in static ordinary least square estimation, but this disappears when endogeneity is accounted for using dynamic GMM. This insignificant relationship remains consistent, even when two alternative proxies of gender diversity, i.e. the Blau index and the women dummy, are used.

This study provides some useful insights into the traditional Chinese corporate structure where females cannot use their powers to bring corporate changes in firms. The findings show that gender-related stereotypical attitudes continue to exist in China. The regulators, therefore, should look into strengthening gender related regulations – which are currently non-existent in China.

This is the first study of its kind to investigate the relationship between gender diversity and IC efficiency in China using the A-VAIC model and GMM to mitigate endogeneity.

This paper aims to provide a review of the existing literature available on working capital (WC) and working capital management (WCM).

A systematic literature review (SLR) methodology is used to review 187 articles selected from referred journals, books and international conferences for the period 1980-2017.

This comprehensive review reveals that much of the focus in the existing literature is paid on investigating the empirical relationship between WCM and firm performance. Furthermore, the attention has been paid towards studying the WC practices. The behavioural aspects, qualitative studies, survey studies and systematic theory development have been ignored in most of the prior studies. These areas have a broader scope for future research.

This study is based on literature review and theoretical in nature. Therefore, it does not have any empirical results.

So far, a limited literature review studies have been conducted in WCM perspective. This review provides various emerging trends, which may be considered in future research for providing a deep understanding of WCM.

This is the first time a detailed review of WCM literature has been conducted by using SLR for the period of 1980-2017. This review will be useful for researchers, business policymaker, finance professionals and all other having direct or indirect concerns with WCM study.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact that several of these factors have on a consumer’s decision to hold a credit card, as well as those involved in determining the level of credit card limit.

Potential explanatory variables were identified in the literature, then used to build a binary logit model to test the impact of the card and consumer characteristics on credit card ownership. Data were collected via a structured interview of 409 consumers living in Hebei Province, China.

The results indicate that convenience in use, level of credit card interest rates, the application process, number of people in the household, a rewards programme, marital status, credit limit and age influence the likelihood of the respondent holding a credit card. Further, an anaylsis shows that the number of credit cards held, duration of holding a credit card, monthly credit card purchasing volume and having a degree at the tertiary level, are significantly and positively related to different levels of credit limit.

In summary, in order to attract more consumers to credit card use, the banks and credit card companies should consider making it more convenient for consumers to use their credit cards. Moreover, banks can increase their networking and degree of cooperation with merchants to increase the acceptance of payment by credit card. The most heavily used businesses such as supermarkets and smaller retailers, where consumers purchase goods frequently, would be good targets for banks’ attention. In addition, banks might also improve credit card reward programmes to make these more efficient and perhaps increase the size of the rewards customers can earn through card use.

Motivated by the enactment of non-financial reporting regulations by the European Parliament, this paper aims to investigate the impact of European Union (EU) directive 2014/95/EU on the quantity of environmental, social and governance (ESG) disclosures by the S&P Europe 350 index firms. This study also investigates whether the implementation of the non-financial information (NFI) reporting regulations influences the association between ESG disclosures and firms’ earnings risk.

To measure the impact of mandatory regulations on the quantity of ESG disclosures, this study estimates the average treatment effects using a propensity weighted sample. Then this study uses the difference-in-differences method to estimate the differences in the association between ESG disclosures and earning risk before and after implementation of the EU directive.

The results show a significant positive impact of the EU directive on the quantity of ESG disclosures for the sample European public-interest entities, which indicates that the mandatory NFI reporting requirements could boost the availability of increasingly demanded ESG related information. The enhanced association between the ESG disclosures and firms’ earnings risk during the post-directive period reveals that mandating NFI reporting also increases the quality of ESG disclosures.

Using the legitimacy and decision-usefulness theories, this study provides novel evidence concerning the impact of the EU directive on the quantity and quality of ESG disclosures.