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Political connections, corporate innovation and entrepreneurship: Evidence from the China Employer-Employee Survey (CEES)

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  • Cheng, Lei
  • Cheng, Hong
  • Zhuang, Ziyin

Abstract

In this paper, we attempt to reconcile the mixed effects of political connections on corporate innovation. Using the China Employer-Employee Survey (CEES), we find political connections contribute to innovative activities for those firms with innovative entrepreneurs but impedes innovative activities for those without innovative entrepreneurs. After solving the endogeneity problems and correcting the sample selection bias, the baseline results do not change much. Moreover, we find political connections can help firms obtain economic benefits such as tax preference and government subsidies which, however, are utilized by firms to increase fixed asset investment. But such positive effect of political connections on fixed asset investment greatly reduces when the firm's entrepreneur has a strong spirit of innovation. These results provide a reasonable explanation for the change in the direction of the effect of political connections on corporate innovation. This paper succeeds in reconciling the mixed effects of political connections on corporate innovation by taking the entrepreneur's innovative spirit into account.

Suggested Citation

  • Cheng, Lei & Cheng, Hong & Zhuang, Ziyin, 2019. "Political connections, corporate innovation and entrepreneurship: Evidence from the China Employer-Employee Survey (CEES)," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 286-305.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:chieco:v:54:y:2019:i:c:p:286-305
    DOI: 10.1016/j.chieco.2018.12.002
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    3. Trifonov, Dmitri, 2021. "Political connections of Russian corporations: Blessing or curse?," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 29(C).
    4. Yuanyang Wang & Yanlin Yang & Chenyu Fu & Zengzeng Fan & Xiaoping Zhou, 2021. "Environmental regulation, environmental responsibility, and green technology innovation: Empirical research from China," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(9), pages 1-21, September.
    5. Shi, Xing & Zhang, Ya & Wu, Yanrui & Wu, Huaqing, 2023. "Political turnover and firm innovation in China: The moderating role of innovation and entrepreneurship environment," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    6. Zhao, Hongjun & Ni, Jinlan & Liu, Xiaomin, 2024. "Political connections and corporate innovation: A stepping stone or stumbling block?," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 89(PA), pages 310-326.
    7. Hongjun Cao & Yuxin Fang & Jihui Sun, 2022. "A Study on the Impact of Institutional Support on the Servitization Transformation Performance of Manufacturing Firms—Based on a Dual Mediation Model of Business Model Innovation and Technological Inn," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-18, November.
    8. Xing Shi & Ya Zhang & Yanrui Wu & Huaqing Wu, 2023. "Political Turnover and Firm Innovation in China: The Moderating Role of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Environment," Economics Discussion / Working Papers 23-08, The University of Western Australia, Department of Economics.
    9. Zhang, Mao & Wang, Yiming & Zhao, Qifeng, 2020. "Does participating in the standards-setting process promote innovation? Evidence from China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    10. Li, Qing & Hu, Dezhuang & Li, Tang, 2022. "The innovation of family firms in China: New evidence from the China employer-employee survey," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    11. Zhang, Cheng & Zhou, Bo & Tian, Xuan, 2022. "Political connections and green innovation: The role of a corporate entrepreneurship strategy in state-owned enterprises," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 375-384.
    12. Liu, Dongwang, 2023. "Credit corruption, government relation and corporate innovation," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 58(PB).
    13. Zhang, Yi & Liu, Chun & Wang, Ting, 2020. "Direct or indirect? The impact of political connections on export mode of Chinese private enterprises," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Political connections; Corporate innovation; Innovative spirit; Economic benefits; Fixed asset investment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • E10 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General Aggregative Models - - - General
    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • O38 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Government Policy
    • P16 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Capitalist Economies - - - Capitalist Institutions; Welfare State

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