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The value of corporate social responsibility during the crisis: Chinese evidence

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  • Zhang, Jing
  • Zi, Shuang
  • Shao, Pei
  • Xiao, Yuchao

Abstract

This study examines whether a firm's trust and social capital, built up through corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities, pays off during the crisis period. We first use the US sample to replicate Lins et al.'s. (2017) baseline analyses and show consistent results. We then conduct the same analyses using the Chinese sample. Unlike the US evidence, Chinese firms' CSR attributes do not appear to enhance their stock returns during the crisis period, indicating that trust and social capital might not play the same role in a relatively underdeveloped market subject to considerable political influence, and that the effectiveness of a CSR-associated insurance-like function might thus be highly dependent on institutional environments.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhang, Jing & Zi, Shuang & Shao, Pei & Xiao, Yuchao, 2020. "The value of corporate social responsibility during the crisis: Chinese evidence," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:pacfin:v:64:y:2020:i:c:s0927538x20304431
    DOI: 10.1016/j.pacfin.2020.101432
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Hao Liang & Luc Renneboog, 2017. "On the Foundations of Corporate Social Responsibility," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 72(2), pages 853-910, April.
    2. Wenjing Li & Ran Zhang, 2010. "Corporate Social Responsibility, Ownership Structure, and Political Interference: Evidence from China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 96(4), pages 631-645, November.
    3. Allen, Franklin & Qian, Jun & Qian, Meijun, 2005. "Law, finance, and economic growth in China," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 77(1), pages 57-116, July.
    4. Luigi Guiso & Paola Sapienza & Luigi Zingales, 2004. "The Role of Social Capital in Financial Development," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 94(3), pages 526-556, June.
    5. Karl V. Lins & Henri Servaes & Ane Tamayo, 2017. "Social Capital, Trust, and Firm Performance: The Value of Corporate Social Responsibility during the Financial Crisis," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 72(4), pages 1785-1824, August.
    6. Luigi Guiso & Paola Sapienza & Luigi Zingales, 2008. "Trusting the Stock Market," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 63(6), pages 2557-2600, December.
    7. Maobin Wang & Chun Qiu & Dongmin Kong, 2011. "Corporate Social Responsibility, Investor Behaviors, and Stock Market Returns: Evidence from a Natural Experiment in China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 101(1), pages 127-141, June.
    8. Lucian Bebchuk & Alma Cohen & Allen Ferrell, 2009. "What Matters in Corporate Governance?," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 22(2), pages 783-827, February.
    9. Li, Xiaorong & Wang, Steven Shuye & Wang, Xue, 2017. "Trust and stock price crash risk: Evidence from China," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 74-91.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Yi, Yuyang & Zhang, Zongyi & Xiang, Cheng, 2022. "The value of CSR during the COVID-19 crisis: Evidence from Chinese firms," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    2. Shah, Syed Faisal & Albaity, Mohamed, 2022. "The role of trust, investor sentiment, and uncertainty on bank stock return performance: Evidence from the MENA region," The Journal of Economic Asymmetries, Elsevier, vol. 26(C).
    3. Yin, Zihan & Yan, Chao & Li, Zai, 2024. "Can CSR mitigate negative regional public sentiment? Evidence from major violent crimes in China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 332-347.
    4. Hu, Yuanyuan & Fang, Jiali, 2022. "Peer Effects in Directors’ and Officers’ Liability Insurance: Evidence from China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 47(PB).
    5. Lu, Jun & Li, Wengui & Huang, Wei, 2024. "Corporate social responsibility and stock resilience to COVID-19: A contract theory perspective," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 89(PB), pages 12-29.
    6. Adil Garohe & Rachid Zammar, 2022. "Analyse des variables d’impact sur le comportement entrepreneurial en période de crise covid 19," Post-Print hal-03798425, HAL.
    7. Deng, Jing & Liu, Yejiao & Zhuang, Zhitao & Gu, Xuesong & Xing, Xiaoyun, 2024. "Do China and USA differ in the interrelationship between green bond and ESG markets?," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 93(PB), pages 919-934.
    8. Samreen Hamid & Asif Saeed & Umar Farooq & Faisal Alnori, 2022. "A Bibliometric Retrospection of CSR from the Lens of Finance and Economics: Towards Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-25, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Trust and social capital; Chinese CSR; Financial crisis; Stock return;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G10 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - General (includes Measurement and Data)
    • G30 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - General
    • G41 - Financial Economics - - Behavioral Finance - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making in Financial Markets

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