Corporate narrative reporting on Industry 4.0 technologies: do the COVID-19 pandemic and governance structure matter?

PurposeThis research examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and governance structure on corporate narrative reporting (CNR) concerning Industry 4.0 (I4.0) technologies in Jordanian commercial banks. The study aims to explore how these factors influence the extent and nature of disclosures in annual reports.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses a comprehensive manual content analysis method to investigate the annual reports from all 15 Jordanian commercial banks from 2010 to 2022. This approach allows for the detailed examination of I4.0 disclosures, using a specially developed index to measure various disclosure dimensions. An ordinary least squares model is used to assess the determinants of CNR on I4.0, considering factors such as the pandemic's impact and various governance attributes.FindingsThe findings indicate that both the COVID-19 pandemic and specific governance factors (e.g. board size and audit committee size) significantly enhance the disclosure of I4.0 technologies. The study reveals that during the pandemic, banks significantly increased their level of detailed disclosures about I4.0 strategies, challenges and benefits, reflecting a strategic response to the pandemic's disruption.Originality/valueThis study introduces a novel I4.0 Reporting Index for banks, measuring disclosures across strategy implementation, business model transformation, challenges and benefits. It adds to the existing literature by offering insights into narrative reporting practices concerning I4.0 technologies within the banking sector and illuminates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on these practices.