The Influence of the Knowledge Economy on the Quality of Non-Financial Information Disclosures in Saudi Arabia
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: The transition toward a knowledge-based economy has elevated the strategic importance of non-financial information disclosure (NFID). Although Saudi Arabia places knowledge, innovation, and transparency at the centre of its Vision 2030 agenda, evidence on how the pillars of the knowledge economy shape the perceived quality of disclosure in Saudi organizations remains limited. This study examines the association between four knowledge-economy dimensions—human capital, information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure, innovation systems, and the institutional environment—and the perceived quality of NFID, operationalized through transparency, relevance, reliability, timeliness, and comparability. Primary data from 368 managers, financial managers, sustainability officers, and accountants in Saudi organizations were analysed using descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, exploratory factor analysis, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression. Each organization is represented by a single informed respondent, so the outcome variable is the perceived quality of disclosure reported by knowledgeable insiders rather than quality verified in published reports. The measurement model showed strong reliability and validity (Cronbach’s alpha 0.84–0.89; composite reliability above 0.90; AVE above 0.65). The four dimensions jointly explained 55.9% of the variance in perceived disclosure quality (R2 = 0.559; F = 114.99; p < 0.001). All four hypotheses were supported, with human capital the strongest correlate (β = 0.341), followed by ICT infrastructure (β = 0.270), institutional environment (β = 0.237), and innovation systems (β = 0.194). Stronger knowledge-economy capabilities in people, digital infrastructure, supportive institutions, and innovation capacity are therefore jointly associated with higher perceived quality of non-financial reporting under Vision 2030. Because the design is cross-sectional and perception-based, the findings are interpreted as associations rather than causal effects.
Source: Sustainability
DOI: 10.3390/su18178806
Institution: Jouf University
Language: English
Subfield: Strategy and Management
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,896
OpenAlex ID: W7204448252