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This study aims to contribute to the existing literature on corporate social responsibility (CSR) by examining the influence of national media environments on the economic consequences of CSR. Drawing on signaling theory, this study distinguishes between two country-level media environments − digital media accessibility and media freedom − of which the prior research has often implied their value in cultivating the stakeholders’ awareness about the firms’ socially responsible behavior, suggesting that they amplify the benefits of CSR actions.

This study conducts multilevel analysis with a sample of 44,222 firm-year observations representing 6,726 companies from 57 countries over the period 2003–2019.

This study finds supportive evidence that CSR is more positively related to financial gains in countries with greater digital media accessibility. This study concludes that digital media accessibility affects a firm’s reputation and legitimacy benefits derived from CSR actions, resulting in better financial performance (FP).

The findings of this paper contribute to the existing literature on the CSR–FP relationship by demonstrating the relevance of considering the media environment to better explain the link between CSR and FP. In doing so, this study enriches our understanding of the importance of the media at macro-level institutions by examining how and why these media environments cultivate a culture of CSR as a strategic tool for firms.

The media is described as a fourth estate of the realm due to its ability to frame and shape discussions on governance and provide a stimulus for fighting corruption. But is the media really an effective tool for fighting corruption? This question arises due to the possibility of the media being used for propaganda, biased reporting and media owners’ and journalists’ engagement in corruption. The current study addresses the question by exploring the relationship between the media and corruption from the perspectives of Ghanaian justice and anti-corruption officials.

The study adopts a qualitative approach by interviewing justice and anti-corruption officials across three administrative regions in Ghana.

The results show that while justice officials describe the media as a medium for accusing officials unjustifiably and exaggerating the scale of corruption, anti-corruption officials believe the media helps to fight corruption. In addition to uncovering and exposing public officials’ corruption, the media is also a double-edged sword characterised by intra-vigilance: the media hold “their own” (i.e. journalists fighting corruption) accountable through criticism and exposure of wrongdoings.

The double-edged nature of the media can strengthen and enhance the fight against corruption because anti-corruption actors and journalists will be cautious as misjudgements or errors committed will not be overlooked or concealed by the media. Therefore, anti-corruption agencies in Ghana can collaborate with the media to uncover and expose corruption committed by public officials and even journalists or media owners.

This study is the first in Ghana to explore the relationship between the media and corruption from the perspectives of justice and anti-corruption officials. The approach, frameworks and methodology adopted in this study can be applied in similar studies in other countries on the African continent and beyond.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in countries reacting differently to an ongoing crisis. Latent to this reaction mechanism is the inherent cultural characteristics of each society resulting in differential responses to the epidemic spread. In this study, the moderated moderation role of culture, on information dissemination by media during epidemic recovery-phase has been investigated.

Hofstede’s cultural factors are hypothesized to moderate the moderating effect of free-liberal media on the relationship of COVID-19 recovery rate and human mobility. Panel regression model, using mobility data and recovery rate across 95 countries for a period of 170 days has been preferred to test the hypotheses. The results are further substantiated using factor wise interaction plots and slope difference analysis.

The findings suggest that societies with high power distance and masculinity scores strengthen the impact of media on the relationship between COVID-19 recovery rate and mobility whereas, high individualistic and long-term orientation societies weaken the same effect. However, similar conclusions were not confirmed for uncertainty avoidance. Cross-cultural impact, as elucidated by this study, forms a crucial element in policy formulation on epidemic control by indigenous Governing bodies.

While most of the studies emphasizing on cultural characteristics of a society in an epidemic situation covers the growth phase of infection, This research talks about the recovery-phase of the epidemic and the effect of culture.

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-04-2023-0314

This paper aims to examine how technological media accelerates sustainable development. Further, the mediating role of good governance and society empowerment would be investigated.

A questionnaire survey was conducted among 450 students at the level of higher education using stratified sampling plan. Following a two-step approach, a measurement model was estimated and then a structural model was analyzed to evaluate five proposed hypotheses.

The research results indicate that technological media has a direct and positive effect on good governance, empowerment and sustainable development; technological media has an indirect and positive influence on sustainable development via good governance and empowerment as mediating variables; good governance and empowerment are significant antecedents of sustainable development.

The research examines the relationship among technological media, good governance, empowerment and sustainable development, thus contributing to sustainable development literature theoretically. In addition, relevant implications are provided for policymakers as to how to accelerate development sustainably across their countries.

This study investigated the moderating role of democracy in the relationship between corruption and foreign direct investment. The purpose of this study is to understand whether corruption has different effects on the location decisions of multinational enterprises (MNEs) depending on the regime type.

This study explored how institutional context influenced the impacts of corruption on the location decisions of MNEs, specifically using a sample of Chinese cross-border mergers and acquisitions between 2000 and 2020.

This study assessed the role of democracy in the relationship between corruption and the location decisions of Chinese MNEs. In general, this study found that Chinese MNEs were hindered by host country corruption, but that these detrimental effects were weaker in the presence of more effective democratic institutions.

This study contributes to the literature on institutional factors in international business through its simultaneous investigation of the effects of both democracy and corruption on the location decisions of MNEs. Moreover, there is a prevailing view that Chinese MNEs are willing to enter countries with high corruption, but the results of this study indicate that they are risk-averse in ways similar to their Western counterparts.

This paper aims to explore how the expansion in cryptocurrency users affects the country's research and development (R&D) investments.

The analysis covers 53 countries over the period 2019–2022. The empirical methodology implements an instrumental variable approach to overcome endogeneity and omitted variable bias issues. In particular, this study introduces novel instruments developed from Google data, specifically related to trends observed in the cryptocurrency markets.

The results show that macroeconomic and institutional factors, as well as technology infrastructure affect the country's R&D expenditure, as previously noted in the literature. The country's R&D spending significantly responds to cryptocurrency expansions. Conspicuously, each 10% increase in cryptocurrency market users boosts the ratio of R&D to GDP by 1.35%. The countries that have imposed an adequate taxation policy on cryptocurrency gains experienced more improvement in their R&D budget, in contrast to those that forced aggressive tax brackets or did not apply adequate policies. Cryptocurrency dynamics affect both religiously regulated and nonreligious countries.

This study has three main contributions. First, it introduces the role of the cryptocurrency market as one of the leading global trends to affect the countries’ R&D budget. Second, this paper documents the importance of forcing an adequate tax policy on cryptocurrency capital gains. Third, the results of this paper serve as guidelines for governments to face the challenges raised by the cryptocurrency market.

The purpose of this research is to examine the dynamics of news coverage within Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) nations, aiming to uncover patterns and critical factors influencing political and economic development policies. By providing a comprehensive overview of macro-level and sector-level economic trends reported by member country newspapers, the study seeks to understand problem-driven analysis schemes and proposed solutions to challenges. Additionally, it aims to evaluate the economic implications of political decisions as portrayed in news coverage, scrutinize the promotion of meaningful dialog and assess the role of news in encouraging coherence among stakeholders for effective pursuit of economic development goals within the BRICS nations.

This qualitative research involves conducting a content analysis on 11 newspapers, each published by a BRICS member country, including established and recent members. The current study analyzes the national interests, economic implications of media frames, leaders’ statements and geopolitical contexts in light of the coverage of the newspapers under study and the BRICS' inclusion of new members from a political economy perspective.

All eleven newspapers emphasize the significance of the BRICS Summit and its role in shaping economic and geopolitical dynamics. They consistently highlight the cooperative and multilateral nature of BRICS, focusing on collaboration among member nations. All newspapers emphasize the importance of the BRICS Summit as a key event in global geopolitics. For instance, they discuss the 2023 BRICS Summit in South Africa as a focal point for member countries to discuss various global issues. Each newspaper discusses BRICS' role in advocating for equitable global governance and challenging Western dominance in international affairs. Economic aspects, such as trade, financial cooperation and economic growth within BRICS, are mentioned in the coverage of all eleven newspapers, underlining the economic dimension of the group. All eleven newspapers explore the expansion of BRICS and its implications, including differing member opinions and the introduction of new member countries. However, The Buenos Aires Times (Argentina) provides an in-depth focus on Argentina’s admission to BRICS and its significance, reflecting its unique perspective as a potential member. All newspapers recognize the media’s role in shaping awareness and discourse related to BRICS, but The Buenos Aires Times specifically focuses on Argentina’s perspective and how it informs its readers about global developments. Also, unlike other newspapers, The Buenos Aires Times mentions domestic political factors, including presidential elections in Argentina and opposition to Argentina’s BRICS membership, which impact the country’s stance. The newspapers' coverage of BRICS reflects their national interests, priorities and perspectives. While geopolitical and economic aspects are prominent, the depth of analysis, the emphasis on specific economic trends and the extent of problem-driven analysis vary. These diverse viewpoints provide readers with a comprehensive understanding of BRICS and its global impact. When comparing the 11 newspapers' coverage of BRICS-related topics, it’s evident that each publication brings its unique perspective and priorities to the forefront.

While this research provides valuable insights into news patterns and their influence on political and economic development in BRICS nations, certain limitations should be acknowledged. The study’s scope primarily relies on newspaper coverage, potentially omitting perspectives from other media sources.

The practical implications of this research are profound. Policymakers can leverage insights to craft informed strategies, and businesses and investors can gain a nuanced understanding of economic trends and media practitioners refine their coverage. The findings promote cross-cultural understanding within BRICS nations, encouraging cooperation. Global stakeholders can navigate the political-economic landscape more adeptly. Ultimately, the research provides actionable knowledge, facilitating effective decision-making, enhancing collaboration and contributing to the sustainable development and stability of the BRICS countries and the broader international community.

This research carries significant social implications by encouraging a deeper comprehension of the interplay between news media, politics and economics in BRICS nations. It promotes informed civic discourse, enabling citizens to critically engage with socio-political issues. By uncovering the media’s influence, the study contributes to media literacy, empowering the public to make informed decisions. Additionally, the research enhances cross-cultural understanding, potentially mitigating biases and stereotypes. Ultimately, it strengthens the social fabric by encouraging a more informed and engaged citizenry, capable of contributing positively to the political and economic development of their respective nations within the BRICS framework.

This research contributes originality and value by offering a nuanced exploration of news patterns in BRICS nations, going beyond surface-level analysis. By focusing on macro- and sector-level economic trends, the study provides a unique perspective on the interplay between media narratives and economic development. The examination of problem-driven analysis and proposed solutions adds depth, offering insights into policy implications. Evaluating the economic implications of political decisions through news coverage enhances understanding. Furthermore, the research’s emphasis on promoting meaningful dialog and assessing the role of news in stakeholder coherence contributes distinctive insights, enhancing the broader understanding of the interconnections between media, politics and economic development in the BRICS context.

This article explores the synergy between journalism studies and computer science in the context of observing online news. By establishing web applications of online media observatories as research tools, researchers can employ various analytical approaches to gain valuable insights into online news discourse and production.

Drawing eight months of data (01.08.2022–30.04.2023) from the Labservatory’s web application, i.e. over 250,000 news items, the article demonstrates how some of this web application’s main functionalities may be useful in implementing (1) news flow analysis, (2) news topic distribution analysis and (3) media discourse analysis.

The capabilities provided by this web application, (1) to simultaneously analyse the daily news production of ten media outlets with varying features, (2) to rapidly collect a large volume of news items, (3) to identify the news categories as classified by the media themselves, (4) to present the results of the search in relevance order and (5) to automatically generate a search report, highlight the significance of this interdisciplinary collaboration for implementing comprehensive analyses of online news.

The article concludes by emphasising the importance of continuing this joint effort, as it opens new avenues for further research and provides a deeper grasp of the intricate relationship between journalism, technology and society in the digital era. The Labservatory also contributes to society since it may be used by the broader public for immediate access to more pluralistic information and thus for promoting both news media literacy and news media accountability.

This interview study examines Hungarian journalists' and copywriters' expectations of generative AI’s impact on their professions and factors influencing these views during a period of hype.

While acknowledging the specialized knowledge of journalists and copywriters relative to the general public, the study employs the sociology of expectations framework to interpret their anticipations not as objective forecasts of the future, but rather as phenomena shaped by diverse influences. The research comprises 30 semi-structured interviews conducted in spring 2023 to explore these expectations and their contributing factors.

Results reveal ChatGPT’s media coverage as pivotal, encouraging the professionals interviewed to experiment with AI, reassess their roles, and cause a shift in their job expectations. At the same time, this shift was limited. Skepticism about hyperbolic media formulations, their own experiences with ChatGPT and projecting its constraints into the future, contextual factors, and optimism bias contributed to moderating their expectations. They perceived AI as an enhancer of efficiency and quality, not as a radical disruptor. Copywriters were more open to integrating AI in their work, than journalists.

The results underscore the importance of further research to explore subjective experiences associated with technological change, particularly considering their complex social, psychological, and cultural influences.

The study uniquely contributes to the sociology of expectations by highlighting how a complex interplay of factors can shape professionals' anticipation of the impact of AI on their careers, including optimism bias and media hype.