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Corporate social responsibility in a game-theoretic context

Author

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  • Luciano Fanti

    (University of Pisa)

  • Domenico Buccella

    (Kozminski University)

Abstract

Using a simple Cournot duopoly model with differentiated products, this work studies the firms’ strategic choice of whether to adopt Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) rules. The proposed game-theoretic approach shows that, depending on the degree of product differentiation and firms’ social concern, different equilibria arise: (1) all firms in the industry follow CSR rules, (2) all firms are profit-maximising (PM), (3) asymmetric equilibria are present (one CSR firm, one PM firm), and (4) multiple symmetric equilibria are present. Under Bertrand competition, universal PM is the unique equilibrium in which the social welfare is the least desirable: this implies that, in contrast to the conventional wisdom, Bertrand may appear as welfare dominated by Cournot. This work can help to explain the widely observed phenomenon, in the real world, of different industries in which firms’ CSR behaviours are more or less commonly widespread.

Suggested Citation

  • Luciano Fanti & Domenico Buccella, 2017. "Corporate social responsibility in a game-theoretic context," Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, Springer;Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale, vol. 44(3), pages 371-390, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:epolin:v:44:y:2017:i:3:d:10.1007_s40812-016-0064-3
    DOI: 10.1007/s40812-016-0064-3
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Luciano Fanti & Domenico Buccella, 2020. "Social Responsibility in a Bilateral Monopoly with Downstream Convex Technology," Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade, Springer, vol. 20(4), pages 761-776, December.
    2. Xu Lili & Lee Sang-Ho, 2022. "Corporate Profit Tax and Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility Under Foreign Acquisition," The B.E. Journal of Theoretical Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 22(1), pages 123-151, January.
    3. Fanti, Luciano & Buccella, Domenico, 2018. "A note on the social responsibility in a bilateral monopoly," MPRA Paper 88162, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Xingtang Wang & Leonard F. S. Wang, 2022. "Corporate social responsibility, vertical product differentiation, and privatization policy," The Japanese Economic Review, Springer, vol. 73(2), pages 403-425, April.
    5. Fanti, Luciano & Buccella, Domenico, 2018. "Corporate social responsibility and the choice of price versus quantities," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 71-78.
    6. Bárcena-Ruiz, Juan Carlos & Garzón, María Begoña & Sagasta, Amagoia, 2023. "Environmental corporate social responsibility, R&D and disclosure of “green” innovation knowledge," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    7. Junlong Chen & Chaoqun Sun & Jiali Liu & Yan Huo, 2021. "The optimal level of corporate social responsibility based on the duopoly model," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 42(1), pages 177-184, January.
    8. Domenico Buccella & Luciano Fanti & Luca Gori, 2023. "Tax evasion in a Cournot duopoly with unions," Discussion Papers 2023/293, Dipartimento di Economia e Management (DEM), University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
    9. Luciano Fanti & Domenico Buccella, 2017. "Profit raising entry effects in network industries with Corporate Social Responsibility," Economics and Business Letters, Oviedo University Press, vol. 6(3), pages 59-68.
    10. Vrankić Ilko, 2022. "Conflict and Corporate Social Responsibility in Duopoly," Business Systems Research, Sciendo, vol. 13(3), pages 36-46, October.
    11. Xu, Lili & Lee, Sang-Ho, 2021. "Strategic corporate social responsibility and tariff policies: The timing of commitments and policy implications," MPRA Paper 108499, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    12. Luciano Fanti & Domenico Buccella, 2018. "Corporate Social Responsibility and Managerial Bonus Systems," Italian Economic Journal: A Continuation of Rivista Italiana degli Economisti and Giornale degli Economisti, Springer;Società Italiana degli Economisti (Italian Economic Association), vol. 4(2), pages 349-365, July.
    13. Buccella, Domenico & Fanti, Luciano & Gori, Luca, 2024. "Corporate Social Responsibility: A theory of the firm revisited with environmental issues," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1421, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    14. Quan Dong & Juan Carlos Bárcena-Ruiz, 2021. "Corporate social responsibility and partial privatisation of state holding corporations," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 132(3), pages 223-250, April.
    15. Luciano Fanti & Domenico Buccella, 2018. "Profitability of corporate social responsibility in network industries," International Review of Economics, Springer;Happiness Economics and Interpersonal Relations (HEIRS), vol. 65(3), pages 271-289, September.
    16. Luciano Fanti & Domenico Buccella, 2017. "The effects of corporate social responsibility on entry," Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, Springer;Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale, vol. 44(2), pages 259-266, June.
    17. Arturo Garcia & Mariel Leal & Sang-Ho Lee, 2018. "Social responsibility in a bilateral monopoly with R&D," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 38(3), pages 1467-1475.
    18. Zhang, Qidi & Wang, Leonard F.S., 2022. "Corporate social responsibility, entry and optimal privatization in an international mixed market," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 14-24.
    19. Andaluz, J. & Elsadany, A.A. & Jarne, G., 2023. "Dynamic behavior in a Cournot duopoly with social responsibility," Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    20. Luciano Fanti & Domenico Buccella, 2020. "Pareto-Superiority of Corporate Social Responsibility in Unionised Industries," Arthaniti: Journal of Economic Theory and Practice, , vol. 19(2), pages 131-150, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    CSR; Cournot duopoly; Profitability;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D21 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Theory
    • L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets
    • L14 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Transactional Relationships; Contracts and Reputation
    • M14 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - Corporate Culture; Diversity; Social Responsibility

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