Interdisciplinary Journal of Management Studies

Interdisciplinary Journal of Management Studies

Managerial Knowledge Heterogeneity and Sustainability Reporting: The Moderating Role of Internal and External Corporate Governance Forces

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
1 Department of Accounting, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran
2 Department of Accounting, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Ilam University, Ilam, Iran
Abstract
This study examines the relationship between managerial knowledge heterogeneity and sustainability reporting as well as the moderating role of internal and external corporate governance mechanisms. Using panel data from 147 companies listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange over a ten-year period (2014–2023), the study employs multivariate regression analysis to test the research hypotheses. The findings indicate that managerial knowledge heterogeneity positively influences sustainability reporting. Moreover, internal corporate governance mechanisms, such as board structure and managerial ownership, positively moderate this relationship. In contrast, external governance mechanisms, including institutional ownership, auditor size, and free float, do not exhibit a significant moderating effect. These results suggest that sustainability disclosure is shaped more strongly by internal corporate factors than by external ones. The findings provide new insights into the role of executive leadership and underscore the importance of strategic management team composition in enhancing sustainability disclosure. Attention to internal governance mechanisms and top management diversity can therefore help organizations strengthen their environmental, social, and economic disclosures.
Keywords
Subjects

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