A blockchain and IoT-based lightweight framework for enabling information transparency in supply chain finance

Supply Chain Finance(SCF)refers to the financial service in which banks rely on core enterprises to manage the capital flow and logistics of upstream and downstream enterprises.SCF adopts a self-testing and closed-loop credit model to control funds and risks.The key factor in a successful SCF service is the deployment of SCF businessoriented information systems that allow businesses to form partnerships efficiently and expedite cash flows throughout the supply chain.Blockchain Technology(BCT),featuring decentralization,tamper-proofing,traceability,which is usually paired with the Internet of Things(IoT)in real-world contexts,has been widely adopted in the field of finance and is perfectly positioned to facilitate innovative collaborations among participants in supply chain networks.In this paper,we propose a BCT and IoT-based information management framework(named BC4Regu),which works as the regulatory to improve the information transparency in the business process of SCF.With BC4Regu,the operation cost of the whole supply chain can be significantly reduced through the coordination and integration of capital flow,information flow,logistics and trade flow in the supply chain.The contributions in this paper include:(1)proposing a novel information management framework which leverages Blockchain and IoT to solve the problem of information asymmetry in the trade of SCF;(2)proposing the technical design of BC4Regu,including the Blockchain infrastructure,distributed ledger-based integrated data flow service,and reshaped SCF process;and(3)applying BC4Regu to a group of scenarios and conducting theoretical analysis by introducing the principal-agent model to validate the BC4Regu.

Does International Financial Reporting Standards （IFRS） Adoption Matter？ The Effects on Financial Transparency and Earnings Management

This paper aims to examine whether or not the adoption of fair value accounting （FVA） has an effect on the level of information transparency and the degree of earnings management, to identify whether the legal institutions have powers to explain those effects of the adoption of FVA, and to explore the relationship between the effects of the adoption of FVA and several specific characteristics of the banking industry. By investigating the banking sectors of four Asian countries/regions including China, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and Singapore which have adopted International Financial Reporting Standards （IFRS）, this paper finds that after the application of FVA, the estimated cost of equity of the sampled banks significantly decreases and the relationship between banks＇ loan loss provisions （LLP） and earnings before provisions and tax （EBPT） becomes irrelevant. The evidence supports the effects of FVA adoption on the enhancement of accounting quality. In addition, sound legal/extra-legal systems are closely linked to the degree of accounting quality and still have a strong influence on FVA.

Corporate Digital Transformation and Green Technoiogy Innovation: Evidence from China's Listed Companies in the Manufacturing Industry

Digital transformation has brought new vitality into enterprises'innovative development.Traditional manufacturing industries have leveraged digitalization to drive technological advancements,thereby promoting corporate green technology innovation and achieving the goal of coordinated transformation toward digital and green development.This paper employs annual data of China's A-share listed manufacturing companies from 2007 to 2020 to examine the impact of digital transformation on corporate green technology innovation and the underlying mechanism of this impact.The results indicate that digital transformation significantly enhances corporate green technology innovation,and this enhancing effect is even more significant in state-owned enterprises and high-tech enterprises.The mechanism test reveals that enhancing digital transformation can not only improve enterprises'information transparency and strengthen positive market expectations,but also encourage enterprises to increase R&D investment,ultimately enhancing the level of their green technology innovation.The empirical findings of this paper can provide valuable insights for government departments to formulate strategies that can promote green innovation in the manufacturing industry,drive high-quality development,and contribute to the achievement of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality targets.

Promoting Economic Recovery Through Taxation

The role of taxation in promoting economic recovery has attracted great-er attention in recent years,with economic dislocation following the Global Financial Crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic.While taxation is only one of the factors impacting economic recovery,both economic literature and practical experience show that tax policy can contribute to enhanced growth and therefore greater economic activity.Tax instruments used as a means for promoting economic recovery include tax holidays,preferential tax rates,investment allowances,tax credits and special economic zones.However,there are a range of constraints over tax incentive design imposed by bodies such as the OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting,the Forum on Harmful Tax Practices of the OECD and the Code of Conduct on Business Taxation of the European Union.Given the above,this paper sets out practical issues to inform governments seeking to promote economic activity through taxation.