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Does empathy matter in corporate social responsibility? Evidence from emerging markets

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  • Chourou, Lamia
  • Grira, Jocelyn
  • Saadi, Samir

Abstract

This paper explores how cross-country differences in empathy can explain variations in corporate social responsibility (CSR). We show that empathy is positively associated with overall CSR, as well as with its social and environmental components. Our results are robust to using the two components of empathy, empathic concern and perspective taking. Our findings are further corroborated by evidence from a quasi-natural experiment based on the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. We find that during the year of the disaster and the following year, firms located in countries with high levels of empathy donated more money than firms located in countries with less empathy.

Suggested Citation

  • Chourou, Lamia & Grira, Jocelyn & Saadi, Samir, 2021. "Does empathy matter in corporate social responsibility? Evidence from emerging markets," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 46(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ememar:v:46:y:2021:i:c:s1566014120305859
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ememar.2020.100776
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    Cited by:

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    3. Chourou, Lamia & Elmawazini, Khaled & Hossain, Ashrafee, 2022. "Does empathy induce higher corporate prosocial behavior? Evidence from corporate giving," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    4. Chourou, Lamia & Himick, Darlene & Saadi, Samir, 2023. "Regulatory uncertainty and corporate social responsibility," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 55(PB).
    5. Efrain Boom-Cárcamo & Rita Peñabaena-Niebles, 2022. "Analysis of the Development of Industrial Symbiosis in Emerging and Frontier Market Countries: Barriers and Drivers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-32, April.

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