Governance Structures and Technological Change in Industry Economies: Rethinking the Management of Environmental, Social, and Governance Factors

Dear Colleagues,

In the new business and corporate environment, government structures play a crucial role in managing the digital transformation and data-driven processes within organizations. The integration of groundbreaking technologies such as big data, cloud computing, the Internet of things, and, more recently, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and blockchain has posed significant challenges for firms and organizations across all industries, requiring new forms of governance, both internally and externally, to effectively optimize operations and innovation processes. Digital transformation restructures the distribution of company resources both internally and externally, giving them a competitive edge in terms of products and services, business tactics, and environmental management, simultaneously facilitating the rational modernization and enhancement of traditional industries. Digital transformation and its governance offer numerous advantages for firms and organizations to utilize the digital technologies of Industry 4.0. Social, economic, and environmental developments regarding the evolution and sustainability of business models used by firms and organizations across industries are growing for academics, practitioners and policy makers alike.

Industry 4.0 technologies are being leveraged to enhance the management of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors. Companies are increasingly adopting sustainable business models, resilient organizational capabilities, and responsible innovation cultures that prioritize green and low-carbon practices, energy saving, environmental preservation, and the adoption of responsible social and economic policies, focusing on accountability and sustainability to assure their long-term viability, growth, and equitable prosperity. Consequently, more and more companies are allocating resources towards ESG initiatives and enhancing the transparency of their ESG reporting. This strategic move aims to enhance the overall worth and reputation of businesses by addressing the non-financial information requirements of stakeholders, enhancing their ESG performance.

The existing literature mostly focuses on analyzing the influence of digital transformation and new digital technologies, as well as on financial performance, company value, and corporate governance structure. Consequently, the non-monetary worth of digital transformation and technologies, including their influence on environmental, social, and governance factors, as well as the ways in which these factors are managed, has been largely overlooked.

This Special Issue aims to thoroughly examine the governance structures that will enhance the management and efficiency of ESG factors and their relationship with digital transformation at various levels. This will be achieved by either empirically testing existing theories or by developing new analytical frameworks to address the practical challenges of corporate ESG performance under the spotlight of the technological developments of Industry 4.0. This Special Issue invites submissions that use qualitative or quantitative approaches to undertake rigorous academic research focused on governance structures, digital transformation, and ESG practices.

Areas of focus include, but are not limited to, the following:

• The challenges and opportunities posed by new technologies and digital transformation in the governance structures of firms and organizations.
• Corporate innovation, technological change, and digital transformation.
• The co-creation of corporate value and ESG governance.
• The influence of internal versus external information requirements on ESG reporting and the digitization and digital transformation of systems and processes.
• The effect that recent modifications to ESG regulations have had on the data collection and IT strategies of organizations.
• ESG assessment systems within the framework of digital transformation.
• Strategic transformation of corporations against the backdrop of the digital economy and ESG.
• Corporate ESG and digital transformation in relation to carbon depletion and carbon neutrality objectives.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Vaggelis Saprikis
Dr. Ioannis Antoniadis
Dr. Konstantina Ragazou
Guest Editors

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• governance structures
• Industry 4.0
• artificial intelligence
• blockchain
• ESG
• sustainable business continuity
• efficiency
• digital transformation
• corporate governance
• management information systems