Unlocking sustainable value through intelligent information systems: the interplay of AI, governance, and reporting quality in ASEAN

Purpose This study aims to introduce and empirically validate a novel moderated-mediation model to explain how integrating AI and blockchain as an intelligent information system for accounting transforms organizational knowledge into a strategic asset, ultimately enhancing sustainable value and competitive advantage within the ASEAN region. The authors propose a comprehensive framework where this technological system improves sustainability reporting quality (SRQ; a critical knowledge output), contingent upon the firm’s internal governance and the external environment. Specifically, the authors pioneer a contingent governance perspective, arguing that the amplifying role of internal governance is itself conditional on external pressures. Design/methodology/approach Adopting a quantitative approach, this study analyzes a panel data set of 3,300 firm-year observations from listed companies across major ASEAN economies. Structural equation modeling is used to test a sophisticated moderated-mediation framework. This methodology allows for a robust examination of the complex, conditional pathways linking AI and blockchain adoption to sustainable value while simultaneously assessing the contingent effects of enterprise risk management (ERM) and environmental uncertainty. Findings Results reveal that the AI and blockchain-powered system significantly improves the quality of sustainability reporting (a key knowledge output), which in turn drives sustainable value. Critically, the effectiveness of this system is amplified by robust ERM. However, the study uncovers a nuanced conditional effect: the strategic value of ERM is itself contingent on the level of external environmental uncertainty, highlighting how internal knowledge systems must adapt to external pressures to remain effective. Practical implications This research provides a practical roadmap for managers on how to build and govern information systems that translate technological investment into tangible, sustainable performance. It offers a new lens for investors to evaluate a firm’s knowledge management capabilities alongside its technological infrastructure. For policymakers, it underscores the need for policies that foster not just technology adoption but also the development of resilient organizational systems capable of navigating a highly interdependent world. Originality/value First, it is among the first study, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, to empirically model the complete pathway from a specific technological system to sustainable value via the mediating mechanism of SRQ. Second, and most significantly, it pioneers the concept of “contingent governance” by demonstrating that the moderating effect of ERM is not universal but is itself moderated by environmental uncertainty. This multi-level interaction offers a far more nuanced view than previously understood. Third, by situating this complex model within the under-researched, high-growth context of the ASEAN region, the authors provide crucial insights for emerging markets on leveraging information as a predominant asset.