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Does corporate social responsibility influence performance persistence? A signal extraction approach with evidence from Fortune 500 companies

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  • Hsu, Bo-Xiang
  • Chen, Yi-Min

Abstract

The study seeks to enhance the current understanding of how corporate social responsibility (CSR) and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors influence firm performance. We establish a theoretical framework and provide empirical data on the influence of CSR/ESG on the sustained financial performance of publicly traded Fortune 500 companies between 2018 and 2021. Our model explains the way CSR/ESG activities affect a firm's ongoing financial success by revealing valuable signals to stakeholders. We employed quantile regression analysis to assess the connection, and found that a firm's CSR/ESG initiatives have both immediate and lasting long-term effects. Our findings contribute to and expand the literature on firm performance and sustainable competitive advantage. Companies adopting CSR/ESG can enhance a firm's performance and attain a sustainable competitive advantage.

Suggested Citation

  • Hsu, Bo-Xiang & Chen, Yi-Min, 2024. "Does corporate social responsibility influence performance persistence? A signal extraction approach with evidence from Fortune 500 companies," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:tefoso:v:200:y:2024:i:c:s0040162523008399
    DOI: 10.1016/j.techfore.2023.123154
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