Main Article Content
Abstract
This study examines the role of social accounting in addressing income inequality and managing environmental impacts, highlighting its adaptability across diverse socio-economic contexts and its contribution to corporate social responsibility (CSR). Utilizing a systematic literature review, this study synthesizes insights from recent research to explore how flexible social accounting frameworks align with different regulatory and socio-economic environments. It assesses both theoretical foundations and practical applications. Legitimacy theory serves as a conceptual basis, framing social accounting as a tool for building public trust and enhancing corporate accountability. The findings suggest that social accounting effectively promotes economic and environmental transparency. Social accounting fosters greater public trust and aligns corporate actions with societal expectations by enabling companies to record and report wage distribution, employment practices, and environmental metrics. The study also underscores the importance of flexible social accounting frameworks that allow companies to adapt to local socio-economic conditions, especially in regions with resource constraints or unique regulatory environments. This study advances the understanding of social accounting’s dual role as a reporting and strategic tool for sustainable development. Practically, it suggests that companies adopting adaptable social accounting frameworks can improve stakeholder relations, build credibility, and support long-term sustainability goals. These findings are relevant for corporate managers, policymakers, and future researchers interested in the impact of socially responsible practices on corporate reputation and public trust.
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References
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- Andersson, F. N. G. (2024). Economic inequality and the ecological footprint: Time-varying estimates for four developed economies, 1962–2021. Ecological Economics, 220, 108185. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2024.108185
- Baker, M., Gray, R., & Schaltegger, S. (2023). Debating accounting and sustainability: from incompatibility to rapprochement in the pursuit of corporate sustainability. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 36(2), 591–619. https://doi.org/10.1108/AAAJ-04-2022-5773
- Bart Aswain, I. E., Ahmad Ludin, N., Jarimi, H., Purvis-Robert, K. L., Hamid, N. H., Mohd Shariff, M. Z., & Burke, J. (2024). Harmonizing business practices of events and convention industry through sustainability assessment framework development. Cleaner and Responsible Consumption, 15, 100226. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clrc.2024.100226
- Bebbington, J., Larrinaga, C., O’Dwyer, B., & Thomson, I. (2021). Routledge handbook of environmental accounting. Routledge London.
- Bowen, K. J., Cradock-Henry, N. A., Koch, F., Patterson, J., Häyhä, T., Vogt, J., & Barbi, F. (2017). Implementing the “Sustainable Development Goals”: towards addressing three key governance challenges—collective action, trade-offs, and accountability. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 26–27, 90–96. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cosust.2017.05.002
- Brown, L. D. (2008). Creating credibility: Legitimacy and accountability for transnational civil society. Kumarian Press.
- Camilleri, M. A. (2017). Corporate sustainability, social responsibility and environmental management. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-46849-5
- Castelo Branco, M. C., Gomes, D., & Martins, A. (2024). An institutionalist political-economy perspective on social and environmental accounting. Meditari Accountancy Research, 32(5), 1641–1661. https://doi.org/10.1108/MEDAR-12-2023-2248
- Cerciello, M., Busato, F., & Taddeo, S. (2023). The effect of sustainable business practices on profitability. Accounting for strategic disclosure. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 30(2), 802–819. https://doi.org/10.1002/csr.2389
- Chancel, L. (2020). Towards distributional national and environmental accounts. Statistical Journal of the IAOS, 36(3), 597–605. https://doi.org/10.3233/SJI-200689
- Chelli, M., Durocher, S., & Fortin, A. (2019). Substantive and symbolic strategies sustaining the environmentally friendly ideology. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 32(4), 1013–1042. https://doi.org/10.1108/AAAJ-02-2018-3343
- Chopra, S. S., Senadheera, S. S., Dissanayake, P. D., Withana, P. A., Chib, R., Rhee, J. H., & Ok, Y. S. (2024). Navigating the Challenges of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Reporting: The Path to Broader Sustainable Development. Sustainability, 16(2), 606. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16020606
- Christensen, H. B., Hail, L., & Leuz, C. (2019). Adoption of CSR and sustainability reporting standards: Economic analysis and review (Vol. 623). National Bureau of Economic Research Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Chu, L. K., & Hoang, D. P. (2023). The interaction of income inequality and urbanization in affecting environmental quality: International evidence. Australasian Journal of Environmental Management, 30(2), 215–241. https://doi.org/10.1080/14486563.2023.2224749
- Chung, J., & Cho, C. H. (2018). Current trends within social and environmental accounting research: A literature review. Accounting Perspectives, 17(2), 207–239. https://doi.org/10.1111/1911-3838.12171
- Clune, C., & O’Dwyer, B. (2020). Framing Engagement that Resonates: Organizing Advocacy for Corporate Social and Environmental Accountability. European Accounting Review, 29(5), 851–875. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638180.2020.1746374
- de Villiers, C., & Sharma, U. (2020). A critical reflection on the future of financial, intellectual capital, sustainability and integrated reporting. Critical Perspectives on Accounting, 70, 101999. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpa.2017.05.003
- Deegan, C. M. (2019). Legitimacy theory: Despite its enduring popularity and contribution, time is right for a necessary makeover. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 32(8), 2307–2329. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1108/AAAJ-08-2018-3638
- Dong, Y., & Hauschild, M. Z. (2017). Indicators for Environmental Sustainability. Procedia CIRP, 61, 697–702. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procir.2016.11.173
- Ehigiamusoe, K. U., Majeed, M. T., & Dogan, E. (2022). The nexus between poverty, inequality and environmental pollution: evidence across different income groups of countries. Journal of Cleaner Production, 341, 130863. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.130863
- Freeman, R. E., Phillips, R., & Sisodia, R. (2020). Tensions in stakeholder theory. Business & Society, 59(2), 213–231. https://doi.org/10.1177/0007650318773
- Gray, R. (2006). Social, environmental and sustainability reporting and organisational value creation? Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 19(6), 793–819. https://doi.org/10.1108/09513570610709872
- Gray, R. (2019). Towards an ecological accounting: Tensions and possibilities in social and environmental accounting. Intrinsic Capability, 53–69.
- Huang, X. ‘“Beryl,”’ & Watson, L. (2015). Corporate social responsibility research in accounting. Journal of Accounting Literature, 34(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acclit.2015.03.001
- Jamali, D., & Karam, C. (2018). Corporate social responsibility in developing countries as an emerging field of study. International Journal of Management Reviews, 20(1), 32–61. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijmr.12112
- Keuning, S. J. (1996). Accounting for economic development and social change. IOS Press.
- Kopp, T., & Nabernegg, M. (2022). Inequality and Environmental Impact – Can the Two Be Reduced Jointly? Ecological Economics, 201, 107589. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2022.107589
- La Torre, M., Bernardi, C., Guthrie, J., & Dumay, J. (2019). Integrated Reporting and Integrating Thinking: Practical Challenges BT - Challenges in Managing Sustainable Business: Reporting, Taxation, Ethics and Governance (S. Arvidsson (ed.); pp. 25–54). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93266-8_2
- La Torre, M., Sabelfeld, S., Blomkvist, M., & Dumay, J. (2020). Rebuilding trust: sustainability and non-financial reporting and the European Union regulation. Meditari Accountancy Research, 28(5), 701–725. https://doi.org/10.1108/MEDAR-06-2020-0914
- Leal Filho, W., Tripathi, S. K., Andrade Guerra, J. B. S. O. D., Giné-Garriga, R., Orlovic Lovren, V., & Willats, J. (2019). Using the sustainable development goals towards a better understanding of sustainability challenges. International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology, 26(2), 179–190. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504509.2018.1505674
- Martínez‐Ferrero, J., & García‐Sánchez, I. (2017). Sustainability assurance and cost of capital: Does assurance impact on credibility of corporate social responsibility information? Business Ethics: A European Review, 26(3), 223–239. https://doi.org/10.1111/beer.12152
- Michelon, G., Pilonato, S., & Ricceri, F. (2015). CSR reporting practices and the quality of disclosure: An empirical analysis. Critical Perspectives on Accounting, 33, 59–78. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpa.2014.10.003
- Paehlke, R. (2003). Democracy’s dilemma: environment, social equity, and the global economy. MIT Press.
- Parris, D. L., Dapko, J. L., Arnold, R. W., & Arnold, D. (2016). Exploring transparency: a new framework for responsible business management. Management Decision, 54(1), 222–247. https://doi.org/10.1108/MD-07-2015-0279
- Pata, U. K., Yilanci, V., Hussain, B., & Naqvi, S. A. A. (2022). Analyzing the role of income inequality and political stability in environmental degradation: evidence from South Asia. Gondwana Research, 107, 13–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gr.2022.02.009
- Peifer, J. L., & Newman, D. T. (2020). Making the business case for corporate social responsibility and perceived trustworthiness: A cross‐stakeholder analysis. Business and Society Review, 125(2), 161–181. https://doi.org/10.1111/basr.12210
- Qian, W., Tilt, C., & Belal, A. (2021). Social and environmental accounting in developing countries: contextual challenges and insights. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 34(5), 1021–1050. https://doi.org/10.1108/AAAJ-03-2021-5172
- Rodrigues, M., do Céu Alves, M., Oliveira, C., Vale, V., Vale, J., & Silva, R. (2021). Dissemination of social accounting information: A bibliometric review. Economies, 9(1), 41. https://doi.org/10.3390/economies9010041
- Schaltegger, S., Hörisch, J., & Freeman, R. E. (2019). Business cases for sustainability: A stakeholder theory perspective. Organization & Environment, 32(3), 191–212. https://doi.org/10.1177/1086026617722882
- Soltani, M., Moradi Kashkooli, F., Souri, M., Rafiei, B., Jabarifar, M., Gharali, K., & Nathwani, J. S. (2021). Environmental, economic, and social impacts of geothermal energy systems. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 140, 110750. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2021.110750
- Stubbs, W., Higgins, C., & Higgins, C. (2018). Stakeholders ’ Perspectives on the Role of Regulatory Reform in Integrated Reporting. Journal of Business Ethics, 147(3), 489–508. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-015-2954-0
- Suchman, M. C. (1995). Managing Legitimacy: Strategic and Institutional Approaches. Academy of Management Review, 20(3), 571–610. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.1995.9508080331
- Tiwari, K., & Khan, M. S. (2020). Sustainability accounting and reporting in the industry 4.0. Journal of Cleaner Production, 258, 120783. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.120783
- Torras, M., & Boyce, J. K. (1998). Income, inequality, and pollution: a reassessment of the environmental Kuznets Curve. Ecological Economics, 25(2), 147–160. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/S0921-8009(97)00177-8
- Ullah, A., & Ali, A. (2024). Investigating Corruption, Income Inequality, and Environmental Degradation in Pakistan: A Time Series Analysis. Journal of Energy and Environmental Policy Options , 7(1 SE-Articles), 9–18. http://resdojournals.com/index.php/JEEPO/article/view/344
- Wang, J. (2024). Renewable energy, inequality and environmental degradation. Journal of Environmental Management, 356, 120563. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120563
- Zighan, S., Dwaikat, N. Y., Alkalha, Z., & Abualqumboz, M. (2024). Knowledge management for supply chain resilience in pharmaceutical industry: evidence from the Middle East region. The International Journal of Logistics Management, 35(4), 1142–1167. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJLM-05-2022-0215
References
Adams, C. A. (2022). Accounting and sustainability: an introduction. In Handbook of accounting and sustainability (pp. 1–8). Edward Elgar Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781800373518.00006
Adams, C. A., Potter, B., Singh, P. J., & York, J. (2016). Exploring the implications of integrated reporting for social investment (disclosures). The British Accounting Review, 48(3), 283–296. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bar.2016.05.002
Andersson, F. N. G. (2024). Economic inequality and the ecological footprint: Time-varying estimates for four developed economies, 1962–2021. Ecological Economics, 220, 108185. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2024.108185
Baker, M., Gray, R., & Schaltegger, S. (2023). Debating accounting and sustainability: from incompatibility to rapprochement in the pursuit of corporate sustainability. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 36(2), 591–619. https://doi.org/10.1108/AAAJ-04-2022-5773
Bart Aswain, I. E., Ahmad Ludin, N., Jarimi, H., Purvis-Robert, K. L., Hamid, N. H., Mohd Shariff, M. Z., & Burke, J. (2024). Harmonizing business practices of events and convention industry through sustainability assessment framework development. Cleaner and Responsible Consumption, 15, 100226. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clrc.2024.100226
Bebbington, J., Larrinaga, C., O’Dwyer, B., & Thomson, I. (2021). Routledge handbook of environmental accounting. Routledge London.
Bowen, K. J., Cradock-Henry, N. A., Koch, F., Patterson, J., Häyhä, T., Vogt, J., & Barbi, F. (2017). Implementing the “Sustainable Development Goals”: towards addressing three key governance challenges—collective action, trade-offs, and accountability. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 26–27, 90–96. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cosust.2017.05.002
Brown, L. D. (2008). Creating credibility: Legitimacy and accountability for transnational civil society. Kumarian Press.
Camilleri, M. A. (2017). Corporate sustainability, social responsibility and environmental management. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-46849-5
Castelo Branco, M. C., Gomes, D., & Martins, A. (2024). An institutionalist political-economy perspective on social and environmental accounting. Meditari Accountancy Research, 32(5), 1641–1661. https://doi.org/10.1108/MEDAR-12-2023-2248
Cerciello, M., Busato, F., & Taddeo, S. (2023). The effect of sustainable business practices on profitability. Accounting for strategic disclosure. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 30(2), 802–819. https://doi.org/10.1002/csr.2389
Chancel, L. (2020). Towards distributional national and environmental accounts. Statistical Journal of the IAOS, 36(3), 597–605. https://doi.org/10.3233/SJI-200689
Chelli, M., Durocher, S., & Fortin, A. (2019). Substantive and symbolic strategies sustaining the environmentally friendly ideology. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 32(4), 1013–1042. https://doi.org/10.1108/AAAJ-02-2018-3343
Chopra, S. S., Senadheera, S. S., Dissanayake, P. D., Withana, P. A., Chib, R., Rhee, J. H., & Ok, Y. S. (2024). Navigating the Challenges of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Reporting: The Path to Broader Sustainable Development. Sustainability, 16(2), 606. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16020606
Christensen, H. B., Hail, L., & Leuz, C. (2019). Adoption of CSR and sustainability reporting standards: Economic analysis and review (Vol. 623). National Bureau of Economic Research Cambridge, MA, USA.
Chu, L. K., & Hoang, D. P. (2023). The interaction of income inequality and urbanization in affecting environmental quality: International evidence. Australasian Journal of Environmental Management, 30(2), 215–241. https://doi.org/10.1080/14486563.2023.2224749
Chung, J., & Cho, C. H. (2018). Current trends within social and environmental accounting research: A literature review. Accounting Perspectives, 17(2), 207–239. https://doi.org/10.1111/1911-3838.12171
Clune, C., & O’Dwyer, B. (2020). Framing Engagement that Resonates: Organizing Advocacy for Corporate Social and Environmental Accountability. European Accounting Review, 29(5), 851–875. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638180.2020.1746374
de Villiers, C., & Sharma, U. (2020). A critical reflection on the future of financial, intellectual capital, sustainability and integrated reporting. Critical Perspectives on Accounting, 70, 101999. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpa.2017.05.003
Deegan, C. M. (2019). Legitimacy theory: Despite its enduring popularity and contribution, time is right for a necessary makeover. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 32(8), 2307–2329. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1108/AAAJ-08-2018-3638
Dong, Y., & Hauschild, M. Z. (2017). Indicators for Environmental Sustainability. Procedia CIRP, 61, 697–702. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procir.2016.11.173
Ehigiamusoe, K. U., Majeed, M. T., & Dogan, E. (2022). The nexus between poverty, inequality and environmental pollution: evidence across different income groups of countries. Journal of Cleaner Production, 341, 130863. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.130863
Freeman, R. E., Phillips, R., & Sisodia, R. (2020). Tensions in stakeholder theory. Business & Society, 59(2), 213–231. https://doi.org/10.1177/0007650318773
Gray, R. (2006). Social, environmental and sustainability reporting and organisational value creation? Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 19(6), 793–819. https://doi.org/10.1108/09513570610709872
Gray, R. (2019). Towards an ecological accounting: Tensions and possibilities in social and environmental accounting. Intrinsic Capability, 53–69.
Huang, X. ‘“Beryl,”’ & Watson, L. (2015). Corporate social responsibility research in accounting. Journal of Accounting Literature, 34(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acclit.2015.03.001
Jamali, D., & Karam, C. (2018). Corporate social responsibility in developing countries as an emerging field of study. International Journal of Management Reviews, 20(1), 32–61. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijmr.12112
Keuning, S. J. (1996). Accounting for economic development and social change. IOS Press.
Kopp, T., & Nabernegg, M. (2022). Inequality and Environmental Impact – Can the Two Be Reduced Jointly? Ecological Economics, 201, 107589. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2022.107589
La Torre, M., Bernardi, C., Guthrie, J., & Dumay, J. (2019). Integrated Reporting and Integrating Thinking: Practical Challenges BT - Challenges in Managing Sustainable Business: Reporting, Taxation, Ethics and Governance (S. Arvidsson (ed.); pp. 25–54). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93266-8_2
La Torre, M., Sabelfeld, S., Blomkvist, M., & Dumay, J. (2020). Rebuilding trust: sustainability and non-financial reporting and the European Union regulation. Meditari Accountancy Research, 28(5), 701–725. https://doi.org/10.1108/MEDAR-06-2020-0914
Leal Filho, W., Tripathi, S. K., Andrade Guerra, J. B. S. O. D., Giné-Garriga, R., Orlovic Lovren, V., & Willats, J. (2019). Using the sustainable development goals towards a better understanding of sustainability challenges. International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology, 26(2), 179–190. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504509.2018.1505674
Martínez‐Ferrero, J., & García‐Sánchez, I. (2017). Sustainability assurance and cost of capital: Does assurance impact on credibility of corporate social responsibility information? Business Ethics: A European Review, 26(3), 223–239. https://doi.org/10.1111/beer.12152
Michelon, G., Pilonato, S., & Ricceri, F. (2015). CSR reporting practices and the quality of disclosure: An empirical analysis. Critical Perspectives on Accounting, 33, 59–78. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpa.2014.10.003
Paehlke, R. (2003). Democracy’s dilemma: environment, social equity, and the global economy. MIT Press.
Parris, D. L., Dapko, J. L., Arnold, R. W., & Arnold, D. (2016). Exploring transparency: a new framework for responsible business management. Management Decision, 54(1), 222–247. https://doi.org/10.1108/MD-07-2015-0279
Pata, U. K., Yilanci, V., Hussain, B., & Naqvi, S. A. A. (2022). Analyzing the role of income inequality and political stability in environmental degradation: evidence from South Asia. Gondwana Research, 107, 13–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gr.2022.02.009
Peifer, J. L., & Newman, D. T. (2020). Making the business case for corporate social responsibility and perceived trustworthiness: A cross‐stakeholder analysis. Business and Society Review, 125(2), 161–181. https://doi.org/10.1111/basr.12210
Qian, W., Tilt, C., & Belal, A. (2021). Social and environmental accounting in developing countries: contextual challenges and insights. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, 34(5), 1021–1050. https://doi.org/10.1108/AAAJ-03-2021-5172
Rodrigues, M., do Céu Alves, M., Oliveira, C., Vale, V., Vale, J., & Silva, R. (2021). Dissemination of social accounting information: A bibliometric review. Economies, 9(1), 41. https://doi.org/10.3390/economies9010041
Schaltegger, S., Hörisch, J., & Freeman, R. E. (2019). Business cases for sustainability: A stakeholder theory perspective. Organization & Environment, 32(3), 191–212. https://doi.org/10.1177/1086026617722882
Soltani, M., Moradi Kashkooli, F., Souri, M., Rafiei, B., Jabarifar, M., Gharali, K., & Nathwani, J. S. (2021). Environmental, economic, and social impacts of geothermal energy systems. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 140, 110750. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2021.110750
Stubbs, W., Higgins, C., & Higgins, C. (2018). Stakeholders ’ Perspectives on the Role of Regulatory Reform in Integrated Reporting. Journal of Business Ethics, 147(3), 489–508. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-015-2954-0
Suchman, M. C. (1995). Managing Legitimacy: Strategic and Institutional Approaches. Academy of Management Review, 20(3), 571–610. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.1995.9508080331
Tiwari, K., & Khan, M. S. (2020). Sustainability accounting and reporting in the industry 4.0. Journal of Cleaner Production, 258, 120783. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.120783
Torras, M., & Boyce, J. K. (1998). Income, inequality, and pollution: a reassessment of the environmental Kuznets Curve. Ecological Economics, 25(2), 147–160. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/S0921-8009(97)00177-8
Ullah, A., & Ali, A. (2024). Investigating Corruption, Income Inequality, and Environmental Degradation in Pakistan: A Time Series Analysis. Journal of Energy and Environmental Policy Options , 7(1 SE-Articles), 9–18. http://resdojournals.com/index.php/JEEPO/article/view/344
Wang, J. (2024). Renewable energy, inequality and environmental degradation. Journal of Environmental Management, 356, 120563. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120563
Zighan, S., Dwaikat, N. Y., Alkalha, Z., & Abualqumboz, M. (2024). Knowledge management for supply chain resilience in pharmaceutical industry: evidence from the Middle East region. The International Journal of Logistics Management, 35(4), 1142–1167. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJLM-05-2022-0215