IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/reveco/v89y2024ipbp12-29.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Corporate social responsibility and stock resilience to COVID-19: A contract theory perspective

Author

Listed:
  • Lu, Jun
  • Li, Wengui
  • Huang, Wei

Abstract

Drawing on contract theory, we predict that robust corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices can play a pivotal role in maintaining stakeholder support and safeguarding shareholder values amidst significant financial uncertainties caused by COVID-19 outbreaks. Through empirical tests centered on the January 2020 outbreak in China, we investigate whether pre-pandemic CSR performance influences firm resilience during the crisis. Results show high-CSR firms experienced moderate stock gains, while low-CSR firms faced significant losses around the Wuhan lockdown. Controlled models affirm a positive link between CSR ratings and abnormal stock returns during the outbreak, especially for firms in heavily affected regions and competitive industries. In line with contract theory, our findings underscore how strong pre-pandemic CSR enhances profitability and mitigates uncertainty across operations, supply chains, and demand fluctuations.

Suggested Citation

  • 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.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:reveco:v:89:y:2024:i:pb:p:12-29
    DOI: 10.1016/j.iref.2023.10.001
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1059056023003714
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.iref.2023.10.001?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. Blacconiere, Walter G. & Patten, Dennis M., 1994. "Environmental disclosures, regulatory costs, and changes in firm value," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 18(3), pages 357-377, November.
    2. Kun Su, 2019. "Does religion benefit corporate social responsibility (CSR)? Evidence from China," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 26(6), pages 1206-1221, November.
    3. 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).
    4. Kun Tracy Wang & Dejia Li, 2016. "Market Reactions to the First-Time Disclosure of Corporate Social Responsibility Reports: Evidence from China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 138(4), pages 661-682, November.
    5. Bipin Ajinkya & Sanjeev Bhojraj & Partha Sengupta, 2005. "The Association between Outside Directors, Institutional Investors and the Properties of Management Earnings Forecasts," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(3), pages 343-376, June.
    6. McTier, Brian C. & Tse, Yiuman & Wald, John K., 2013. "Do Stock Markets Catch the Flu?," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 48(3), pages 979-1000, June.
    7. Rui Albuquerque & Yrjö Koskinen & Chendi Zhang, 2019. "Corporate Social Responsibility and Firm Risk: Theory and Empirical Evidence," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 65(10), pages 4451-4469, October.
    8. Yung-Ming Shiu & Shou-Lin Yang, 2017. "Does engagement in corporate social responsibility provide strategic insurance-like effects?," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(2), pages 455-470, February.
    9. Audrey Hsu & Kevin Koh & Sophia Liu & Yen H. Tong, 2019. "Corporate Social Responsibility and Corporate Disclosures: An Investigation of Investors’ and Analysts’ Perceptions," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 158(2), pages 507-534, August.
    10. Scott R. Baker & Nicholas Bloom & Steven J. Davis & Kyle J. Kost & Marco C. Sammon & Tasaneeya Viratyosin, 2020. "The Unprecedented Stock Market Impact of COVID-19," NBER Working Papers 26945, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    11. Ding, Wenzhi & Levine, Ross & Lin, Chen & Xie, Wensi, 2021. "Corporate immunity to the COVID-19 pandemic," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 141(2), pages 802-830.
    12. Yi, Yuyang & Zhang, Zongyi & Yan, Youliang, 2021. "Kindness is rewarded! The impact of corporate social responsibility on Chinese market reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 208(C).
    13. Alchian, Armen A & Demsetz, Harold, 1972. "Production , Information Costs, and Economic Organization," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 62(5), pages 777-795, December.
    14. Broadstock, David C. & Chan, Kalok & Cheng, Louis T.W. & Wang, Xiaowei, 2021. "The role of ESG performance during times of financial crisis: Evidence from COVID-19 in China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 38(C).
    15. Rahman, Md Lutfur & Amin, Abu & Al Mamun, Mohammed Abdullah, 2021. "The COVID-19 outbreak and stock market reactions: Evidence from Australia," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 38(C).
    16. Liu, Bai & Ju, Tao & Chan, Hing Kai, 2022. "The diverse impact of heterogeneous customer characteristics on supply chain finance: Empirical evidence from Chinese factoring," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 243(C).
    17. 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.
    18. Grossman, Sanford J & Hart, Oliver D, 1983. "An Analysis of the Principal-Agent Problem," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 51(1), pages 7-45, January.
    19. Chintrakarn, Pandej & Jiraporn, Pornsit & Treepongkaruna, Sirimon, 2021. "How do independent directors view corporate social responsibility (CSR) during a stressful time? Evidence from the financial crisis," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 143-160.
    20. Graham, John R. & Harvey, Campbell R. & Rajgopal, Shiva, 2005. "The economic implications of corporate financial reporting," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 40(1-3), pages 3-73, December.
    21. Bai, Hang & Hou, Kewei & Kung, Howard & Li, Erica X.N. & Zhang, Lu, 2019. "The CAPM strikes back? An equilibrium model with disasters," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(2), pages 269-298.
    22. Liu, Wei & Shao, Xuefeng & De Sisto, Marco & Li, Wen Helena, 2021. "A new approach for addressing endogeneity issues in the relationship between corporate social responsibility and corporate financial performance," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 39(C).
    23. Hart, Oliver D & Moore, John, 1988. "Incomplete Contracts and Renegotiation," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 56(4), pages 755-785, July.
    24. Gallemore, John & Labro, Eva, 2015. "The importance of the internal information environment for tax avoidance," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(1), pages 149-167.
    25. Bae, Kee-Hong & El Ghoul, Sadok & Gong, Zhaoran (Jason) & Guedhami, Omrane, 2021. "Does CSR matter in times of crisis? Evidence from the COVID-19 pandemic," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    26. Jaepil Choi & Heli Wang, 2009. "Stakeholder relations and the persistence of corporate financial performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(8), pages 895-907, August.
    27. Jensen, Michael C. & Meckling, William H., 1976. "Theory of the firm: Managerial behavior, agency costs and ownership structure," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 3(4), pages 305-360, October.
    28. Patten, Dennis M. & Nance, Jon R., 1998. "Regulatory cost effects in a good news environment: The intra-industry reaction to the Alaskan oil spill," Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, Elsevier, vol. 17(4-5), pages 409-429.
    29. 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).
    30. Holmstrom, Bengt & Milgrom, Paul, 1991. "Multitask Principal-Agent Analyses: Incentive Contracts, Asset Ownership, and Job Design," The Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, Oxford University Press, vol. 7(0), pages 24-52, Special I.
    31. Kwang Hwa Jeong & Seok Woo Jeong & Woo Jae Lee & Seong Ho Bae, 2018. "Permanency of CSR Activities and Firm Value," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 152(1), pages 207-223, September.
    32. Kim, Jeong-Bon & Li, Leye & Lu, Louise Yi & Yu, Yangxin, 2016. "Financial statement comparability and expected crash risk," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 61(2), pages 294-312.
    33. Srinivas Nippani & Kenneth Washer, 2004. "SARS: a non-event for affected countries' stock markets?," Applied Financial Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(15), pages 1105-1110.
    34. Edmans, Alex, 2011. "Does the stock market fully value intangibles? Employee satisfaction and equity prices," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 101(3), pages 621-640, September.
    35. Maretno Agus Harjoto & Fabrizio Rossi & John K. Paglia, 2021. "COVID-19: stock market reactions to the shock and the stimulus," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(10), pages 795-801, June.
    36. Shuili Du & Kun Yu, 2021. "Do Corporate Social Responsibility Reports Convey Value Relevant Information? Evidence from Report Readability and Tone," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 172(2), pages 253-274, August.
    37. Yu, Yin & Chi, Jing, 2021. "Political embeddedness, media positioning and corporate social responsibility: Evidence from China," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 47(C).
    38. Gu, Jing & Shi, Xinyu & Wang, Peini & Xu, Xun, 2022. "Examining the impact of upstream and downstream relationship stability and concentration on firms’ financial performance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 229-242.
    39. Becker-Olsen, Karen L. & Cudmore, B. Andrew & Hill, Ronald Paul, 2006. "The impact of perceived corporate social responsibility on consumer behavior," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 59(1), pages 46-53, January.
    40. Radhakrishnan Gopalan & Todd Milbourn & Fenghua Song & Anjan V. Thakor, 2014. "Duration of Executive Compensation," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 69(6), pages 2777-2817, December.
    41. Yuyuan Chang & Wen He & Jianling Wang, 2021. "Government Initiated Corporate Social Responsibility Activities: Evidence from a Poverty Alleviation Campaign in China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 173(4), pages 661-685, November.
    42. Kais Bouslah & Lawrence Kryzanowski & Bouchra M’Zali, 2018. "Social Performance and Firm Risk: Impact of the Financial Crisis," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 149(3), pages 643-669, May.
    43. Maretno Harjoto & Hoje Jo, 2015. "Legal vs. Normative CSR: Differential Impact on Analyst Dispersion, Stock Return Volatility, Cost of Capital, and Firm Value," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 128(1), pages 1-20, April.
    44. Peter M. Madsen & Zachariah J. Rodgers, 2015. "Looking good by doing good: The antecedents and consequences of stakeholder attention to corporate disaster relief," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(5), pages 776-794, May.
    45. Liu, Hao & Yi, Xingjian & Yin, Libo, 2021. "The impact of operating flexibility on firms’ performance during the COVID-19 outbreak: Evidence from China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 38(C).
    46. Loipersberger, Florian, 2018. "The effect of supranational banking supervision on the financial sector: Event study evidence from Europe," Munich Reprints in Economics 62838, University of Munich, Department of Economics.
    47. Juelin Yin & Yuli Zhang, 2012. "Institutional Dynamics and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in an Emerging Country Context: Evidence from China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 111(2), pages 301-316, December.
    48. Shea, Linda J., 2010. "Using consumer perceived ethicality as a guideline for corporate social responsibility strategy: A commentary essay," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 63(3), pages 263-264, March.
    49. Brown, Stephen J. & Warner, Jerold B., 1980. "Measuring security price performance," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 8(3), pages 205-258, September.
    50. HaiYue Liu & Yile Wang & Dongmei He & Cangyu Wang, 2020. "Short term response of Chinese stock markets to the outbreak of COVID-19," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 52(53), pages 5859-5872, November.
    51. Jinhua Cui & Hoje Jo & Haejung Na, 2018. "Does Corporate Social Responsibility Affect Information Asymmetry?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 148(3), pages 549-572, March.
    52. Dichev, Ilia D. & Tang, Vicki Wei, 2009. "Earnings volatility and earnings predictability," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 47(1-2), pages 160-181, March.
    53. A. Craig MacKinlay, 1997. "Event Studies in Economics and Finance," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 35(1), pages 13-39, March.
    54. Lanfear, Matthew G. & Lioui, Abraham & Siebert, Mark G., 2019. "Market anomalies and disaster risk: Evidence from extreme weather events," Journal of Financial Markets, Elsevier, vol. 46(C).
    55. Dunfee, Thomas W. & Donaldson, Thomas, 1995. "Contractarian Business Ethics: Current Status and Next Steps," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 5(2), pages 173-186, April.
    56. Paul C. Godfrey & Craig B. Merrill & Jared M. Hansen, 2009. "The relationship between corporate social responsibility and shareholder value: an empirical test of the risk management hypothesis," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(4), pages 425-445, April.
    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. 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. 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.
    3. Fariha Jahan & Jungmu Kim, 2023. "Does the Shield Effect of CSR Work in Crises? Evidence in Korea," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-18, June.
    4. Florian Habermann & Felix Bernhard Fischer, 2023. "Corporate Social Performance and the Likelihood of Bankruptcy: Evidence from a Period of Economic Upswing," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 182(1), pages 243-259, January.
    5. Laksmana, Indrarini & Harjoto, Maretno A. & Kim, Hoyoung, 2023. "Managing disclosure of political risk: The case of socially responsible firms," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    6. Zhang, Junru & Zheng, Chen & Shan, Yuan George, 2024. "What accounts for the effect of sustainability engagement on stock price crash risk during the COVID-19 pandemic—Agency theory or legitimacy theory?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    7. Hossain, Ashrafee Tanvir & Kryzanowski, Lawrence, 2021. "Political corruption and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 31(C).
    8. Buchanan, Bonnie G. & Cao, Cathy Xuying & Wang, Shuhui, 2021. "Corporate social responsibility and inside debt: The long game," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    9. Sakkakom Maneenop & Chaiyuth Padungsaksawasdi & Sirimon Treepongkaruna, 2024. "Co‐opted board, environment, social and governance," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(2), pages 1161-1172, February.
    10. Bongiovanni, Alessio & Fiandrino, Simona, 2024. "Does firm environmental performance mitigate the market reaction to COVID-19 uncertainty?," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    11. Gen‐Fu Feng & Han Long & Hai‐Jie Wang & Chun‐Ping Chang, 2022. "Environmental, social and governance, corporate social responsibility, and stock returns: What are the short‐ and long‐Run relationships?," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(5), pages 1884-1895, September.
    12. Eisenkopf, Jana & Juranek, Steffen & Walz, Uwe, 2021. "Responsible investment and stock market shocks: Short-term insurance and persistent outperformance post-crisis?," SAFE Working Paper Series 329, Leibniz Institute for Financial Research SAFE.
    13. Xin, Zhuoyao & Zhang, Zongyi & Xiang, Cheng, 2024. "Do suppliers value clients’ ESG profiles? Evidence from Chinese firms," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 241-258.
    14. Vishnu K. Ramesh & A. Athira, 2023. "Real effects of social trust on firm performance during COVID‐19," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 44(1), pages 671-693, January.
    15. Hasan, Iftekhar & Karavitis, Panagiotis & Kazakis, Pantelis & Leung, Woon Sau, 2019. "Corporate Social Responsibility and Profit Shifting," MPRA Paper 91580, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    16. Chenyu Shan & Dragon Yongjun Tang, 2023. "The Value of Employee Satisfaction in Disastrous Times: Evidence from COVID-19," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 27(3), pages 1027-1076.
    17. Heli Wang & Ming Jia & Zhe Zhang, 2021. "Good Deeds Done in Silence: Stakeholder Management and Quiet Giving by Chinese Firms," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 32(3), pages 649-674, May.
    18. Tsang, Albert & Frost, Tracie & Cao, Huijuan, 2023. "Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) disclosure: A literature review," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 55(1).
    19. Anh Dang & Trung Nguyen, 2021. "Valuation Effect of Emotionality in Corporate Philanthropy," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 173(1), pages 47-67, September.
    20. Hossain, Ashrafee T. & Masum, Abdullah-Al, 2022. "Does corporate social responsibility help mitigate firm-level climate change risk?," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 47(PB).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    COVID; CSR; Stock performance; China;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G10 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - General (includes Measurement and Data)
    • G30 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - General
    • M14 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - Corporate Culture; Diversity; Social Responsibility

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:reveco:v:89:y:2024:i:pb:p:12-29. 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/620165 .

    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.