Balancing Ethics and Earnings: Corporate Digital Responsibility and Jordanian Banks’ Performance Mediating for Bank Size

Abstract

This study aims to explore how Corporate Digital Responsibility (CDR) influences Jordanian banks’ performance. It focuses on four CDR dimensions—“social, technological, economic, and environmental”—and examines the mediating role of firm size in these relationships. This study is the first to empirically test the mediating effect of firm size in the relationship between CDR and firm performance in the Jordanian banking sector, providing a novel perspective on how digital ethics shape organizational success. Data were collected through a structured survey from 299 bank employees in Jordan. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to assess the direct and indirect effects of CDR dimensions on firm performance, with firm size tested as a mediating variable. All four dimensions of CDR significantly and positively affect firm performance. Additionally, firm size plays a partial mediating role in the relationship between CDR and firm performance, indicating that larger banks may better leverage digital responsibility initiatives to enhance performance. The study relies on self-reported data from a single country (Jordan), which may limit generalizability. Future studies could adopt a longitudinal design or expand to other MENA countries for comparative analysis and broader insights. The findings suggest that Jordanian banks should invest in and prioritize CDR strategies, especially in economic and technological domains, to improve their organizational outcomes and stakeholder relationships. Enhancing firm size may amplify the positive impact of CDR. The findings of this study are robust, as validated by further analysis utilizing data from a customer survey. The results derived from customer viewpoints correspond with staff data, substantiating the beneficial influence of Corporate Digital Responsibility (CDR) on banking performance and affirming the substantial mediating effect of company size.