IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/ecofin/v74y2024ics1062940824001803.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The threshold effect of political connection on the green innovation of businesses: Evidence from China

Author

Listed:
  • Chen, Doudou
  • Bu, Tao

Abstract

It is increasingly accepted that green innovation plays a crucial role in the new development pattern. Despite the government’s efforts to promote green innovation in China, the efficiency of such initiatives is still inadequate. Therefore, it is essential to investigate how political connection affect the green innovation process of businesses, so as to better guide the government’s role, stimulate green innovation in businesses, and ultimately support sustainable economic and social progress. Drawing on the data of A-share listed companies in China from 2010 to 2020, this article empirically examines the influence and mechanism of political connection on green innovation of enterprises. The findings indicate that political connection can reduce the financing constraints for businesses, however, it can also stimulate the motivation for rent-seeking, which means that resources are used to meet government expectations or satisfy management’s private desires, thus crowding out innovation resources and eventually having a negative effect on innovation. Evidence suggests that the influence of political connection on green innovation in companies has a limit based on resource investment and allocation decisions. When resource investment reaches a certain point, green innovation can be significantly enhanced; however, if the resources allocated for social responsibility reach a particular threshold, political connection can adversely affect green innovation. This article proposes that strengthening both internal and external governance can mitigate the agency problems of executives and reduce the negative impact of political connections on green innovation within businesses. By delving deeper into the relationship between political connections and green innovation, this article offers new insights and policy recommendations aimed at fostering green innovation in enterprises.

Suggested Citation

  • Chen, Doudou & Bu, Tao, 2024. "The threshold effect of political connection on the green innovation of businesses: Evidence from China," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecofin:v:74:y:2024:i:c:s1062940824001803
    DOI: 10.1016/j.najef.2024.102255
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1062940824001803
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.najef.2024.102255?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hansen, Bruce E., 1999. "Threshold effects in non-dynamic panels: Estimation, testing, and inference," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 93(2), pages 345-368, December.
    2. Charlotta Groth & Hashmat Khan, 2010. "Investment Adjustment Costs: An Empirical Assessment," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 42(8), pages 1469-1494, December.
    3. Katherine A. Gunny, 2010. "The Relation Between Earnings Management Using Real Activities Manipulation and Future Performance: Evidence from Meeting Earnings Benchmarks," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(3), pages 855-888, September.
    4. Nan Zhang & Qiaozhuan Liang & Huiying Li & Xiao Wang, 2022. "The organizational relationship–based political connection and debt financing: Evidence from Chinese private firms," Bulletin of Economic Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 74(1), pages 69-105, January.
    5. Charles J. Hadlock & Joshua R. Pierce, 2010. "New Evidence on Measuring Financial Constraints: Moving Beyond the KZ Index," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 23(5), pages 1909-1940.
    6. Oliver, Matthew E., 2019. "Pricing flexibility under rate-of-return regulation: Effects on network infrastructure investment," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 150-161.
    7. Zhang, Dongyang & Guo, Yumei, 2019. "Financing R&D in Chinese private firms: Business associations or political connection?," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 247-261.
    8. Jianjun Zhang & Christopher Marquis & Kunyuan Qiao, 2016. "Do Political Connections Buffer Firms from or Bind Firms to the Government? A Study of Corporate Charitable Donations of Chinese Firms," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 27(5), pages 1307-1324, October.
    9. Dang, Vinh Q.T. & Otchere, Isaac & So, Erin P.K., 2022. "Does the nature of political connection matter for corporate social responsibility engagement? Evidence from China," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).
    10. Hall, Bronwyn H. & Helmers, Christian, 2013. "Innovation and diffusion of clean/green technology: Can patent commons help?," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 66(1), pages 33-51.
    11. Mayra Rebolledo & Joel Sandonís, 2012. "The effectiveness of R&D subsidies," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(8), pages 815-825, November.
    12. Wang, Delu & Sutherland, Dylan & Ning, Lutao & Wang, Yuandi & Pan, Xin, 2018. "Exploring the influence of political connections and managerial overconfidence on R&D intensity in China's large-scale private sector firms," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 40-53.
    13. Yu-Hong Ai & Di-Yun Peng & Huan-Huan Xiong, 2021. "Impact of Environmental Regulation Intensity on Green Technology Innovation: From the Perspective of Political and Business Connections," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-23, April.
    14. Cumming, Douglas & Rui, Oliver & Wu, Yiping, 2016. "Political instability, access to private debt, and innovation investment in China," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 68-81.
    15. Rouine, Ibtissem & Ammari, Aymen & Bruna, Maria Giuseppina, 2022. "Nonlinear impacts of CSR performance on firm risk: New evidence using a panel smooth threshold regression," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 47(PB).
    16. Scott J. Wallsten, 2000. "The Effects of Government-Industry R&D Programs on Private R&D: The Case of the Small Business Innovation Research Program," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 31(1), pages 82-100, Spring.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Yu-Hong Ai & Di-Yun Peng & Huan-Huan Xiong, 2021. "Impact of Environmental Regulation Intensity on Green Technology Innovation: From the Perspective of Political and Business Connections," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-23, April.
    2. Liu, Jingjing & Zhao, Min & Wang, Yanbo, 2020. "Impacts of government subsidies and environmental regulations on green process innovation: A nonlinear approach," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    3. Dang, Viet Anh & Kim, Minjoo & Shin, Yongcheol, 2014. "Asymmetric adjustment toward optimal capital structure: Evidence from a crisis," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 226-242.
    4. He, Yiqing & Ding, Xin & Yang, Chuchu, 2021. "Do environmental regulations and financial constraints stimulate corporate technological innovation? Evidence from China," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    5. Yuan Qiu & Di Zhou, 2024. "De‐politicization and corporate social responsibility: Empirical evidence from China," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(4), pages 3668-3684, July.
    6. Wang, Yizhong & Chen, Lifang & Huang, Ying Sophie & Li, Yong, 2018. "How does credit market distortion affect corporate investment efficiency? The role of managerial forecast," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 25(C), pages 266-273.
    7. Cui, Xin & Wang, Chunfeng & Sensoy, Ahmet & Liao, Jing & Xie, Xiaochen, 2023. "Economic policy uncertainty and green innovation: Evidence from China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    8. Liu, Duan & Qiu, Qi & Chen, Shou, 2023. "Timeliness of technological innovation and decisions of IPO timing and pricing," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 498-519.
    9. Li, Zhimin & Cheng, Lei, 2020. "What do private firms do after losing political capital? Evidence from China," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    10. Tan, Xiujie & Xiao, Ziwei & Liu, Yishuang & Taghizadeh-Hesary, Farhad & Wang, Banban & Dong, Hanmin, 2022. "The effect of green credit policy on energy efficiency: Evidence from China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    11. Kong, Dongmin & Xiong, Mengxu & Qin, Ni, 2022. "Business Tax reform and CSR engagement: Evidence from China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    12. Liu, Yuandan & Tang, Tingfeng & Li, Haiyang & Luo, Limin, 2024. "How do government subsidies affect OFDI of private enterprises? Evidence from China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 241-251.
    13. Andrea Nocera & M. Hashem Pesaran, 2022. "Causal Effects of the Fed's Large-Scale Asset Purchases on Firms' Capital Structure," CESifo Working Paper Series 9695, CESifo.
    14. Yan, Huanmin & Liu, Zhenyu & Wang, Haoyu & Zhang, Xuehua & Zheng, Xilei, 2022. "How does the COVID-19 affect earnings management: Empirical evidence from China," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    15. Xin Jiang & Guanglong Li & Xianxian Fan, 2023. "Environmental Protection Fee-to-Tax and Corporate Environmental Social Responsibility: A Test Based on Corporate Life Cycle Theory," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-21, January.
    16. Wanshu Wu & Kai Zhao & Lei Li, 2021. "Can government subsidy strategies and strategy combinations effectively stimulate enterprise innovation? Theory and evidence," Economia Politica: Journal of Analytical and Institutional Economics, Springer;Fondazione Edison, vol. 38(2), pages 423-446, July.
    17. Attig, Najah & Chen, Ruiyuan & El Ghoul, Sadok & Guedhami, Omrane & Kwok, Chuck & Pittman, Jeffrey, 2020. "Are insiders equal? Evidence from earnings management in closely held East Asian firms," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    18. Ramon Moreno & José María Serena Garralda, 2018. "Firms' credit risk and the onshore transmission of the global financial cycle," BIS Working Papers 712, Bank for International Settlements.
    19. Trang Hoai Phan & Rainer Stachuletz & Hai Thi Hong Nguyen, 2022. "Export Decision and Credit Constraints under Institution Obstacles," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-27, May.
    20. Qiao, Lu & Fei, Junjun, 2022. "Government subsidies, enterprise operating efficiency, and “stiff but deathless” zombie firms," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:ecofin:v:74:y:2024:i:c:s1062940824001803. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/inca/620163 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.