A 7-acyl-3-substituted carbamoyloxy cephem compound represented by the following formula (1): ##STR1## wherein A means a --CH.dbd. or --N.dbd. group; R.sup.1 denotes a hydroxyl, lower alkoxyl or protected hydroxyl group; R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are the same or different and individually represent a lower alkyl, hydroxyl-substituted lower alkyl, a carbamoyl-substituted lower alkyl group or cyano-substituted lower alkyl group, R.sup.2 is a hydrogen atom and R.sup.3 is a lower alkoxyl or alkyl group optionally substituted by one or more halogen atoms, or the group ##STR2## means a 4-6 membered heterocyclic group, which contains one nitrogen atom, or a morpholino group, said heterocyclic group or morpholino group being optionally substituted by one or more lower alkyl, hydroxyl and/or hydroxyl-substituted lower alkyl groups; and R.sup.4 denotes a carboxyl or protected carboxyl group; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof; and a process for the preparation thereof; as well as an antibacterial composition containing the above cephem compound.