Technology and Corporate Ethical Standards

Overview & Synopsis

Using data from the World Bank Enterprise Surveys from 2006 to 2023, this paper studies the corporate ethical standards of technological digital oriented firms. The findings indicate that technology and digitalization positively impact the adoption of environmental and social standards. However, digital oriented technological firms show lower governance standards. These results are influenced by country culture, the burden of business regulation, and the perception of the courts as an obstacle to business activity. This underscores the importance of the broader society and the quality of the business environment in shaping how digital oriented technological firms adopt ethical standards.