Strategic CSR: A Concept Building Meta-Analysis

This study develops the concept of Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility (Strategic CSR) by meta-analyzing the available empirical evidence on the relationship between CSR and corporate financial performance (CFP). Using meta-analytic structural equation modeling on effect size data from 344 primary studies, our study documents four empirical mechanisms explaining how CSR positively affects CFP: by 1) enhancing firm reputation, 2) increasing stakeholder reciprocation, 3) mitigating firm risk, and 4) strengthening innovation capacity. We propose these four mechanisms to identify four causally relevant attributes that allow us to conceptually distinguish Strategic CSR from CSR more generally. Our findings indicate that the four mechanisms combined explain 20 per cent of the CSR-CFP relationship, suggesting that considerable room remains for future empirical research. The development of an empirically informed, causal conceptualization of Strategic CSR responds to a long-heard call for better-specified concepts in empirical CSR research.     

Idiosyncratic risk,market risk and correlation dynamics in the US real estate investment trusts

This study examines total, market and idiosyncratic risk and correlation dynamics using weekly return data on two US REIT firm samples from 1988 to 2008. We find that both market and idiosyncratic variance are time-varying and that idiosyncratic variance represents a dominant component of a REIT firm’s total variance. We find a decline in idiosyncratic risk as well as a rise in average REIT correlation during the new REIT era, from 1993 to 2008. This recent downward trend of idiosyncratic risk among REITs is different to the stylized upward trend of idiosyncratic risk among stocks. There is bi-lateral Granger causality between the market and idiosyncratic risks. Finally, we detect a positive relationship between the idiosyncratic risk and expected returns, implying that the risk premium of REITs is positively related to the idiosyncratic risk during the period new REIT era, 1993–2008. Our results have important asset-pricing implications for under-diversified investors.     

Corporate tax behaviour and environmental disclosure: Strategic trade-offs across elements of CSR?

This study explores strategic trade-offs between corporate tax behaviour and environmental performance disclosure, both important elements of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Tax finances public goods and reduces investor wealth. Corporate strategies may balance such incompatible stakeholder interests through trade-offs across CSR elements. In this empirical study of Norwegian companies, there are no indications of trade-offs between corporate tax aggressiveness (TAG) and mandatory disclosure, in line with stick-to-the-rules/compliant behaviour for both. However, the positive relationship between TAG and voluntary disclosure indicates that strategic trade-offs exist and ensure an acceptable level of legitimacy from different stakeholders overall. Hence, corporate strategies differ for mandatory and voluntary actions, in line with a multidimensional legitimacy risk and legitimation strategy framework.     

Effect of green innovation strategy on firm‐idiosyncratic risk: A competitive action perspective

Despite increasing concern for corporate environmental responsibility in numerous industries, the relationship between green innovation strategy (GIS) and idiosyncratic risk is a rarely scrutinised topic, particularly in the automotive domain. In this study, we empirically explore the association between GIS and idiosyncratic risk and analyse the moderating role played by the firm's competitive action. We rely on the secondary information sourced for 132 top automotive firms, in the period ranging from 2011 to 2017 by applying the system generalised methods of moments estimator to the dynamic panel data model. Our findings indicate that GIS significantly reduces the idiosyncratic risk of all firms, and this relationship strengthens with the increase in the competitive action of the firms. Our evidence supports “it pays to be green” firm heterogeneity argument. This study highlights the academic and managerial implications and focuses on the environmental issues published in environmental management literature.     

Corporate Governance Berichterstattung als Instrument wertorientierter Unternehmensführung: Empirische Erkenntnisse für den deutschen Kapitalmarkt

This paper tests a simultaneous equation system on the relationship between corporate governance disclosure and firm performance for 113 German listed firms underlying the highest standards of transparency & disclosure of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and receiving strongest analyst coverage. Capturing both mechanisms endogeneity and reverse causation, we provide evidence that there is a significantly positive relationship between voluntary corporate governance disclosure and market-to-book value and total shareholder return. Against theoretical assumptions, we couldn’t find evidence for reverse causation between firm performance and corporate governance disclosure. Surprisingly, we could not longer find evidence on a positive impact of declared compliance with the German Code of Corporate Governance on firm performance.     

Do Board's Corporate Social Responsibility Strategy and Orientation Influence Environmental Sustainability Disclosure? UK Evidence

The environmental implications of corporate economic activities have led to growing demands for firms and their boards to adopt sustainable strategies and to disseminate more useful information about their activities and impacts on environment. This paper investigates the impact of board's corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy and orientation on the quantity and quality of environmental sustainability disclosure in UK listed firms. We find that effective board CSR strategy and CSR‐oriented directors have a positive and significant impact on the quality of environmental sustainability disclosure, but not on the quantity. Our findings also suggest that the existence of a CSR committee and issuance of a stand‐alone CSR report are positively and significantly related to environmental sustainability disclosure. When we distinguish between firms with high and low environmental risk, we find that the board CSR/sustainability practices that affect the quantity (quality) of environmental sustainability disclosure appear to be driven more by highly (lowly) environmentally sensitive firms. These results suggest that the board CSR/sustainability practices play an important role in ensuring a firm's legitimacy and accountability towards stakeholders. Our findings shed new light on this under‐researched area and could be of interest to companies, policy‐makers and other stakeholders. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment     

Corporate carbon risk exposure,voluntary disclosure,and financial reporting quality

The study examines whether corporate carbon risk exposure is associated with financial reporting quality and whether voluntary carbon disclosure mediates the relationship. We analyze data drawn from firms traded on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), for the period 2011 to 2015. We document robust evidence that firms with higher carbon risk exposure tend to provide financial statements of poorer quality (i.e., direct effect) and this association is partially mediated through voluntary carbon disclosure (i.e., indirect effect). The overall negative association between corporate carbon risk exposure and the firm's financial reporting quality is partly explained by the quality of voluntary carbon disclosure.     

Are CSR Disclosures Value Relevant? Cross-Country Evidence

Using proprietary data that rate corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosures of firms in 21 countries, this study examines how the strength of nation-level institutions affects the extent of CSR disclosures. We then examine the valuation implications of CSR disclosures and consider how the relation between CSR disclosures and firm value varies across countries. In contrast to prior studies, we separate CSR disclosures into an expected and unexpected portion where the unexpected portion is a proxy for the incremental information contained in CSR disclosures. We observe a positive relation between unexpected CSR disclosure and firm value measured by Tobin's Q. We also find that, while countries with strong nation-level institutions promote more CSR disclosures, the valuation of a unit increase in unexpected CSR disclosures is higher when nation-level institutions are weak.     

Management for Sustainable Development and Its Impact on Firm Value in the SME Context: Does Size Matter?

With the increasing demands from society towards sustainable and social responsible business practices, management for sustainable development has become a cornerstone to understand the success of many firms in the current competitive context. This article investigates corporate social responsibility (CSR) and examines the links between CSR practices and business outcomes – both financial and non‐financial (i.e. image and corporate reputation) – for small‐to‐medium sized enterprises (SMEs). In addition, we also attempt to determine whether the impact of such relationships is moderated by firm size. To this end, we carry out a quantitative study using PLS techniques to analyze a sample of SME owners and managers, with a view to test the proposed model in the light of social capital theory. In this sense, our study is pioneering in that it aims to determine – from a quantitative viewpoint – the degree to which firm size has a moderating impact on a series of relevant CSR‐driven outcomes. The data suggest that, in SME contexts, CSR impacts corporate reputation, brand image and financial value of the company. Importantly, we find that the larger the firm, the greater the intensity of the relationships linking CSR and business outcomes. Hence, our findings have important implications for CSR implementation in SME contexts. Finally, we provide a series of guidelines aimed at maximizing the effectiveness of CSR‐based business practices. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment     

Reputation and Corporate Social Responsibility Aberrations,Trends, and Hypocrisy: Reactions to Firm Choices in the Stock Option Backdating Scandal

Drawing on strategic corporate social responsibility (CSR) and reputation theory, this paper examines the market reaction to firm disclosures of involvement in the US stock option backdating scandal. We examine how a firm's prior signals regarding ethical behaviour and values, as demonstrated through CSR initiatives, may both ameliorate and exacerbate market reactions. CSR initiatives may buffer a firm against general wrong‐doing but expose it to greater scrutiny and sanction for related wrong‐doing. Our results show that firms with enhanced overall reputations for CSR are partially buffered from scandal revelations. However, we find that when firms possess an enhanced reputation for CSR associated with corporate governance, violations pertaining specifically to governance are viewed as hypocritical and more harshly sanctioned. We also find lower and negative market reactions for firms that delay but self‐disclose their involvement in the scandal. The study extends the emergent, related literatures on strategic CSR and reputation management, and documents dynamics in the relationship between corporate social and financial performance.     

Small & medium-sized enterprises and Corporate Social Responsibility: a systematic review of the literature

Most business management research to date has either failed to look at firm size as a factor or focused its attention on large companies. The fact is, however, that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are unique, making general assumptions applicable to other types of firms of little use. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is no exception. Recent decades have seen a plethora of studies which debate definitions, consider content and scope, and study causal relationships with antecedents and implications of applying CSR. Yet only a small percentage of the literature has delved into SME realities. Through a systematic review of the literature, the present study aims to analyze the state of the question and identify the theoretical framework of reference, and CSR antecedents and consequences in SME contexts in order to provide a jumping off point for future empirical studies. Hence, after consulting a cross-section of internationally renowned experts and the SSCI/JCR Index, we have reviewed articles in the foremost management journals (Academy of Management Review, Academy of Management Journal, Journal of Management Studies, Journal of Management, Strategic Management Journal), SME management journals (Journal of Small Business Management, International Small Business Journal, Small Business Economics) and CSR-related journals (Business Ethics Quarterly, Corporate Governance: An International Review, Journal of Business Ethics, Business Ethics: an European Review and Business & Society). Our findings shed light on key themes including idiosyncrasies of CSR management, aspects such as terminology and language, the recommended theoretical framework, and antecedents, barriers and potential impact of CSR in the SME context.     

Corporate social and environmental disclosure as a sustainable development tool provided by board sub-committees: Do women directors play a relevant moderating role?

The aim of this research is to examine the impact of three audit committee characteristics on corporate social and environmental responsibility (CSR) disclosure: the existence of an audit committee, audit committee independence, and audit committee financial expertise. Moreover, this research analyzes the moderating effect of board gender diversity between these audit committees' attributes and CSR reporting. The results of analyzing 13,178 firm-year observations of non-financial companies show that the presence of an audit committee and audit committee financial expertise are positively associated with CSR disclosure. However, a higher proportion of non-executive directors in audit committees has a negative effect on the disclosure of CSR information. These findings suggest that some audit committees' features play an important role in ensuring the reporting of environmental, social, and economic information. Our evidence also indicates that the presence of female directors on boards increases the positive impact of financial expert membership of audit committees on CSR disclosure, while women directors moderate any negative effect of the percentage of independent directors on audit committees on CSR reporting by increasing the latter. In addition, female directors moderate the positive impact of the existence of an audit committee on the disclosure of CSR information by reducing the latter.     

企业社会责任信息披露能缓解融资约束吗？——基于A股上市公司的实证分析

目前,国内对于企业社会责任信息披露实施后果的研究还为数不多。本文从融资约束这一视角进行实证研究,以2010~2011年Ａ股上市公司为样本,考察了企业社会责任信息披露缓解融资约束的能力。研究结果显示,企业社会责任信息披露质量越高,面临的融资约束程度越低,并且企业社会责任信息披露缓解融资约束程度还受所有权性质和所在区域的影响。     

Interactive information disclosure and non-penalty regulatory review risk

Using monthly data from the Shenzhen Stock Exchange's ‘Hudongyi’ platform and comment letters from December 2014 to December 2018, this study investigates the influence of interactive information disclosure on non-penalty regulatory review risk. The findings reveal that the richness and activeness of interactive information disclosure are positively associated with regulatory review risk. Moreover, the non-penalty regulatory review is effective as it significantly reduces the probability of receiving a comment letter in the subsequent three periods. The timeliness of interactive information disclosure is negatively associated with regulatory review risks. Additionally, we find that newspaper media coverage partially mediates the relationship between interactive information disclosure and regulatory review risk. For companies with low levels of internal governance, in low-competitive industries, and state-owned companies, the positive relationship between the number of investor questions and regulatory review risk is strengthened. These findings enrich the literature on the determinants of regulatory review risk and the economic consequences of interactive information disclosure in emerging markets.     

Donating Money to Get Money: The Role of Corporate Philanthropy in Stakeholder Reactions to IPOs

This study examines how stakeholders' investment time horizons interact with information about corporate giving in initial public offering (IPO) firms. Specifically, we build a model that explains how corporate philanthropy affects IPO performance. We find that at the IPO‐preparation stage, corporate giving is negatively related to underwriter prestige, venture capital investment, and IPO financing costs. We also find that at the IPO‐issuance stage, negative media coverage of IPOs moderates the U‐shaped relationship between corporate giving and market premiums. At the IPO‐trading stage, we find that corporate giving only positively influences the market premiums for IPO firms that are the subject of negative media reports. Our findings contribute to the signalling theory by showing how various stakeholders interpret the same signals differently, and they have implications for understanding how the relationship between corporate philanthropy and corporate financial performance materializes in the IPO markets.     

The Impact of Corporate Environmental Violation on Shareholders' Wealth: a Perspective Taken from Media Coverage

This study provides empirical evidence of the way in which media coverage of corporate environmental violation events affects shareholders' wealth due to stock market reactions. Data relating to the media coverage of the environmental violations of 173 publically traded companies in China, gathered using web crawler technology, were analyzed through multi‐dimensional variables with the purpose of examining the impact of media coverage on stock market reactions in terms of cumulative abnormal return (CAR) under different event windows based on the methodology of event study. The variables include the intensity of media coverage, media information sources, disclosure mode, media newsworthiness, violation entity, whether the company is punished by the government, whether the company makes a clarification and whether the company is ISO 14001 certified. The results obtained reveal that media coverage affects the market values of the event companies to some extent, and that those companies that attract high levels of media attention generally see greater losses in their shareholders' wealth. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.     

社会责任的契约分析:基于蒙牛和伊利的案例启示

以企业的契约分析为起点,通过三聚氰胺事件中的蒙牛和伊利两家公司的案例,首先对社会责任的性质进行解读,指出企业组织、市场和政府管制作为社会责任契约的履行机制存在互补性,并探讨了社会责任缺失的不利经济后果。其次,通过社会责任与业绩的关系分析,指出二者之间并不存在单一的正向或负向关系——业绩为社会责任提供动力但不能成为企业应否履行社会责任的行动标准,社会责任的履行需要企业、市场、政府管制多方面的互补与契合。继而构建了一个基本的模型,分析行业自律和政府监管在践行社会责任方面的各自特点。最后,分析了三聚氰胺事件中企业社会责任缺失的原因及建议,并进行理论反思。     

Is corporate environmental disclosure associated with firm value? A multicountry study of Gulf Cooperation Council firms

Several studies have found a relationship between corporate social and environmental disclosure and firm value (FV) or accounting profitability. Where environmental disclosure has been the focus, though, only single-country studies have been published, and most of the previous research concerns the developed world. This study examines the association between corporate environmental disclosure (CED) and FV in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, where CED has been increasing from its previous low base. Findings from a multicountry sample of 500 firm-year observations using a 55-item unweighted environmental disclosure index suggest that CED is significantly and positively related to FV as measured by Tobin's Q (TBQ). The relationship is robust to using a weighted version of the disclosure index, individual countries and environmental disclosure subindices. Some evidence of a positive relationship between CED and return on assets is also found, but even where statistically significant, the relationship is much weaker than in the case of TBQ. For empirical and theoretical reasons, we recommend that future studies pay greater attention to market-based proxies, if possible, when investigating the value relevance of CED in both developed and developing countries. Our results suggest that both managers and policymakers in GCC countries should take a positive view of expanded CED.     

Ownership structure and returns to defensive stock repurchase

This study investigates the wealth effect of defensive common stock repurchase (CSR) on outside shareholders. It is found that the impact varies with the type of corporate control activity that precipitates the repurchase. Outside shareholders suffer wealth losses when a CSR announcement follows an unsolicited bid for the firm. The impact of the CSR announcement following a partial acquisition is negative but not as strong. However, outside shareholders benefit from CSR following antitakeover charter amendments. This study also documents a nonlinear relationship between managerial equity ownership and changes in the value of the firm at the announcement of a defensive CSR.     

Relationship between Corporate Climate Change Disclosures and Firm Factors

As carbon regulation evolves and becomes specialized in addressing carbon reduction issues, stakeholders will demand that firms provide increased information regarding corporate climate change practices. This paper contributes to the international research that examines the relationship between environmental information disclosures and additional firm factors. To do so, we have conducted an empirical analysis of the relationship between the corporate climate change disclosure practices of firms listed in the Athens Stock Exchange and firm factors, such as size, profitability, leverage and activity sector. Our results indicate there is a significant positive relationship between size and increased corporate disclosures regarding climate change practices. However, no significant relationship is detected between profitability or leverage and corporate climate change disclosures. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment