IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/asiapa/v41y2024i4d10.1007_s10490-023-09906-4.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A bibliometric analysis and meta-analytic review of the impact of legitimacy on performance

Author

Listed:
  • Lingyu Zhong

    (Sun Yat-sen University)

  • Qianru Li

    (University of Macau)

  • Rongwei Ren

    (Sun Yat-sen University)

Abstract

Based on institutional and resource-dependence perspectives, this article identified the research trends by using bibliometric analysis and explored whether and how legitimacy affects the enterprises' financial and non-financial performance by adopting a three-level random-effects meta-analytic model. A total of 15,696 observations included in 32 studies spanning 2004–2021 revealed a positive association between legitimacy and performance with a close to medium effect size. We found that enterprises in Asia and Africa were more inclined than those in North America and Europe to utilize legitimacy to direct performance. In addition, innovative industries and industries adopting innovative strategies significantly moderate the association between legitimacy and performance. Regarding different dimensions of legitimacy, the results demonstrated that general, regulatory, and environmental legitimacy play vital roles in moderating the legitimacy-performance relationship. This article is the first review to combine bibliometric analysis and meta-analysis to synthetically prove that legitimacy positively correlates with the performance of enterprises.

Suggested Citation

  • Lingyu Zhong & Qianru Li & Rongwei Ren, 2024. "A bibliometric analysis and meta-analytic review of the impact of legitimacy on performance," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 41(4), pages 2179-2212, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:asiapa:v:41:y:2024:i:4:d:10.1007_s10490-023-09906-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s10490-023-09906-4
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10490-023-09906-4
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10490-023-09906-4?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. Donthu, Naveen & Kumar, Satish & Mukherjee, Debmalya & Pandey, Nitesh & Lim, Weng Marc, 2021. "How to conduct a bibliometric analysis: An overview and guidelines," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 285-296.
    2. Aria, Massimo & Cuccurullo, Corrado, 2017. "bibliometrix: An R-tool for comprehensive science mapping analysis," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 11(4), pages 959-975.
    3. Orhan Akisik & Graham Gal, 2014. "Financial performance and reviews of corporate social responsibility reports," Mathematical Methods of Operations Research, Springer;Gesellschaft für Operations Research (GOR);Nederlands Genootschap voor Besliskunde (NGB), vol. 25(3), pages 259-288, December.
    4. Xiaoyu Yu & Yida Tao & Yi Chen & Weiyong Zhang & Pinglei Xu, 2019. "Social networks and online store performance in emerging economies: the mediating effect of legitimacy," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 29(2), pages 201-218, June.
    5. Mukherjee, Debmalya & Lim, Weng Marc & Kumar, Satish & Donthu, Naveen, 2022. "Guidelines for advancing theory and practice through bibliometric research," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 148(C), pages 101-115.
    6. Yunqing Liu & Min Wang, 2020. "Entrepreneurial orientation, new product development and firm performance: the moderating role of legitimacy in Chinese high-tech SMEs," European Journal of Innovation Management, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 25(1), pages 130-149, October.
    7. M. Tina Dacin & Christine Oliver & Jean‐Paul Roy, 2007. "The legitimacy of strategic alliances: an institutional perspective," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(2), pages 169-187, February.
    8. Cory Searcy, 2012. "Corporate Sustainability Performance Measurement Systems: A Review and Research Agenda," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 107(3), pages 239-253, May.
    9. David L. Deephouse & Suzanne M. Carter, 2005. "An Examination of Differences Between Organizational Legitimacy and Organizational Reputation," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(2), pages 329-360, March.
    10. Aldrich, Howard & Kalleberg, Arne & Marsden, Peter & Cassel, James, 1989. "In pursuit of evidence: Sampling procedures for locating new businesses," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 4(6), pages 367-386, November.
    11. Haiyang Li & Yan Zhang, 2007. "The role of managers' political networking and functional experience in new venture performance: Evidence from China's transition economy," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(8), pages 791-804, August.
    12. Markus Reihlen & Jan‐Florian Schlapfner & Monika Seeger & Hannah Trittin‐Ulbrich, 2022. "Strategic Venturing as Legitimacy Creation: The Case of Sustainability," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(2), pages 417-459, March.
    13. Yu-Shan Chen & Shyh-Bao Lai & Chao-Tung Wen, 2006. "The Influence of Green Innovation Performance on Corporate Advantage in Taiwan," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 67(4), pages 331-339, September.
    14. Baoshan Ge & Dake Jiang & Yang Gao & Sang-Bing Tsai, 2016. "The Influence of Legitimacy on a Proactive Green Orientation and Green Performance: A Study Based on Transitional Economy Scenarios in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(12), pages 1-20, December.
    15. Zelong Wei & Hao Shen & Kevin Zheng Zhou & Julie Juan Li, 2017. "How Does Environmental Corporate Social Responsibility Matter in a Dysfunctional Institutional Environment? Evidence from China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 140(2), pages 209-223, January.
    16. Chengli Shu & Kevin Z. Zhou & Yazhen Xiao & Shanxing Gao, 2016. "How Green Management Influences Product Innovation in China: The Role of Institutional Benefits," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 133(3), pages 471-485, February.
    17. Chun Guo & Jane K. Miller, 2010. "Guanxi Dynamics and Entrepreneurial Firm Creation and Development in China," Management and Organization Review, The International Association for Chinese Management Research, vol. 6(2), pages 267-291, July.
    18. Amir Emami & Shayegheh Ashourizadeh & Shima Sheikhi & Gadaf Rexhepi, 2022. "Entrepreneurial propensity for market analysis in the time of COVID-19: benefits from individual entrepreneurial orientation and opportunity confidence," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 16(8), pages 2413-2439, November.
    19. Jayaram, Jayanth & Tan, Keah-Choon, 2010. "Supply chain integration with third-party logistics providers," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 125(2), pages 262-271, June.
    20. Viechtbauer, Wolfgang, 2010. "Conducting Meta-Analyses in R with the metafor Package," Journal of Statistical Software, Foundation for Open Access Statistics, vol. 36(i03).
    21. Tatiana Iakovleva & Jill Kickul, 2011. "Beyond social capital: the role of perceived legitimacy and entrepreneurial intensity in achieving funding success and superior venture performance in women-led Russian SMEs," International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 14(1), pages 13-38.
    22. Geoffrey G. Bell, 2005. "Clusters, networks, and firm innovativeness," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(3), pages 287-295, March.
    23. Lianxi Zhou & Bradley R Barnes & Yuan Lu, 2010. "Entrepreneurial proclivity, capability upgrading and performance advantage of newness among international new ventures," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 41(5), pages 882-905, June.
    24. Lifeng Lin & Haitao Chu & James S. Hodges, 2017. "Alternative measures of between-study heterogeneity in meta-analysis: Reducing the impact of outlying studies," Biometrics, The International Biometric Society, vol. 73(1), pages 156-166, March.
    25. Joanne E Oxley & Bernard Yeung, 2001. "E-Commerce Readiness: Institutional Environment and International Competitiveness," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 32(4), pages 705-723, December.
    26. Chandler, Gaylen N. & Hanks, Steven H., 1993. "Measuring the performance of emerging businesses: A validation study," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 8(5), pages 391-408, September.
    27. Karan Sonpar & Federica Pazzaglia & Jurgita Kornijenko, 2010. "The Paradox and Constraints of Legitimacy," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 95(1), pages 1-21, August.
    28. Vanessa Magness, 2006. "Strategic posture, financial performance and environmental disclosure," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 19(4), pages 540-563, July.
    29. Natanya Meyer & Thomas Niemand & Andrés Davila & Sascha Kraus, 2022. "Biting the bullet: When self-efficacy mediates the stressful effects of COVID-19 beliefs," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 17(1), pages 1-16, January.
    30. Alain Debenedetti & Déborah Philippe & Damien Chaney & Ashlee Humphreys, 2021. "Maintaining legitimacy in contested mature markets through discursive strategies: the case of corporate environmentalism in the French automotive industry," Post-Print hal-02493108, HAL.
    31. Longjun Liu & Wenhai Wan & Yenchun Jim Wu, 2020. "How Nonlocal Entrepreneurial Teams Achieve Sustainable Performance: The Interaction between Regional Entrepreneurial Ecosystems and Organizational Legitimacy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-25, November.
    32. Ute Stephan & Lorraine M Uhlaner, 2010. "Performance-based vs socially supportive culture: A cross-national study of descriptive norms and entrepreneurship," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 41(8), pages 1347-1364, October.
    33. Dhruv Grewal & Nancy Puccinelli & Kent B. Monroe, 2018. "Meta-analysis: integrating accumulated knowledge," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 46(1), pages 9-30, January.
    34. Guo, Hai & Xu, Erming & Jacobs, Mark, 2014. "Managerial political ties and firm performance during institutional transitions: An analysis of mediating mechanisms," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 67(2), pages 116-127.
    35. Chen, Chung-Jen, 2009. "Technology commercialization, incubator and venture capital, and new venture performance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 62(1), pages 93-103, January.
    36. Amin Mazloumian, 2012. "Predicting Scholars' Scientific Impact," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 7(11), pages 1-5, November.
    37. David Ahlstrom, 2012. "On the types of papers the Asia Pacific Journal of Management generally publishes," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 29(1), pages 1-7, March.
    38. Khan, Muhammad Asif & Pattnaik, Debidutta & Ashraf, Rohail & Ali, Imtiaz & Kumar, Satish & Donthu, Naveen, 2021. "Value of special issues in the journal of business research: A bibliometric analysis," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 295-313.
    39. Guo, Chun & Miller, Jane K., 2010. "Guanxi Dynamics and Entrepreneurial Firm Creation and Development in China," Management and Organization Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 6(2), pages 267-291, July.
    40. Scott Newbert & Erno Tornikoski, 2012. "Supporter networks and network growth: a contingency model of organizational emergence," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 39(1), pages 141-159, July.
    41. Garry D. Bruton & David Ahlstrom & Han–Lin Li, 2010. "Institutional Theory and Entrepreneurship: Where Are We Now and Where Do We Need to Move in the Future?," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 34(3), pages 421-440, May.
    42. Sue Duval & Richard Tweedie, 2000. "Trim and Fill: A Simple Funnel-Plot–Based Method of Testing and Adjusting for Publication Bias in Meta-Analysis," Biometrics, The International Biometric Society, vol. 56(2), pages 455-463, June.
    43. Mukti Khaire, 2010. "Young and No Money? Never Mind: The Material Impact of Social Resources on New Venture Growth," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 21(1), pages 168-185, February.
    44. Emilio Pindado & Mercedes Sánchez, 2017. "Researching the entrepreneurial behaviour of new and existing ventures in European agriculture," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 49(2), pages 421-444, August.
    45. Sascha Kraus & Matthias Breier & Weng Marc Lim & Marina Dabić & Satish Kumar & Dominik Kanbach & Debmalya Mukherjee & Vincenzo Corvello & Juan Piñeiro-Chousa & Eric Liguori & Daniel Palacios-Marqués &, 2022. "Literature reviews as independent studies: guidelines for academic practice," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 16(8), pages 2577-2595, November.
    46. Jian Shen & Zhenquan Sha & Yenchun Jim Wu, 2020. "Enterprise Adaptive Marketing Capabilities and Sustainable Innovation Performance: An Opportunity–Resource Integration Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-15, January.
    47. Delmar, Frederic & Shane, Scott, 2004. "Legitimating first: organizing activities and the survival of new ventures," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 19(3), pages 385-410, May.
    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. Xuan Bai & Jeanine Chang & Julie Juan Li, 2019. "How Do International Joint Ventures Build Legitimacy Effectively in Emerging Economies? CSR, Political Ties, or Both?," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 59(3), pages 387-412, June.
    2. Hai Guo & Jintong Tang & Zhongfeng Su, 2014. "To be different, or to be the same? The interactive effect of organizational regulatory legitimacy and entrepreneurial orientation on new venture performance," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 31(3), pages 665-685, September.
    3. Sharma, Wamika & Lim, Weng Marc & Kumar, Satish & Verma, Aastha & Kumra, Rajeev, 2024. "Game on! A state-of-the-art overview of doing business with gamification," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 198(C).
    4. Domenico Villano & Laura Colli & Federico Martellozzo & Sara Lombardi, 2024. "Business Climate Adaptation and Resilience. A Systematic Literature Review (2013-2023)," Working Papers - Business wp2024_01.rdf, Universita' degli Studi di Firenze, Dipartimento di Scienze per l'Economia e l'Impresa.
    5. Mukherjee, Debmalya & Kumar, Satish & Pandey, Nitesh & Lahiri, Somnath, 2023. "Is offshoring dead? A multidisciplinary review and future directions," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 29(3).
    6. Ratinho, Tiago & Bruneel, Johan, 2024. "Taking stock of research on hybrid organizations: Enriching theoretical perspectives, extending empirical contexts, and expanding practical relevance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    7. En Xie & Yuanyuan Huang & Hao Shen & Yu Li, 2017. "Performance implications of ties to large-scale state-owned enterprises and banks in an emerging economy," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 34(1), pages 97-121, March.
    8. Hasan, Morshadul & Hoque, Ariful & Abedin, Mohammad Zoynul & Gasbarro, Dominic, 2024. "FinTech and sustainable development: A systematic thematic analysis using human- and machine-generated processing," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 95(PC).
    9. Lim, Weng Marc & Kumar, Satish & Donthu, Naveen, 2024. "How to combine and clean bibliometric data and use bibliometric tools synergistically: Guidelines using metaverse research," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).
    10. Goodell, John W. & Kumar, Satish & Lahmar, Oumaima & Pandey, Nitesh, 2023. "A bibliometric analysis of cultural finance," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    11. Dejin Su & Qixia Du & Dongwon Sohn & Libo Xu, 2017. "Can High-Tech Ventures Benefit from Government Guanxi and Business Guanxi ? The Moderating Effects of Environmental Turbulence," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(1), pages 1-17, January.
    12. Guo, Hai & Xu, Erming & Jacobs, Mark, 2014. "Managerial political ties and firm performance during institutional transitions: An analysis of mediating mechanisms," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 67(2), pages 116-127.
    13. Debmalya Mukherjee & Saumyaranjan Sahoo & Satish Kumar, 2023. "Two Decades of International Business and International Management Scholarship on Africa: A Review and Future Directions," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 63(6), pages 863-909, December.
    14. Huiling Guo & Yuan Zhang & Yijia Sun & Wenqian Yang, 2024. "The Effects of Trans-generational Conflict on Trans-generational Entrepreneurship Performance from the Perspective of First-generation Entrepreneurs’ Networks: Evidence from China," SAGE Open, , vol. 14(2), pages 21582440241, June.
    15. Tin Horvatinovic & Mihaela Mikic & Marina Dabić, 2023. "Dissecting entrepreneurial team research: a bibliometric analysis," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 17(8), pages 2973-3011, November.
    16. Rakshith Bhandary & Sandeep S. Shenoy & Ankitha Shetty & Adithya D. Shetty, 2024. "Education loan repayment: a systematic literature review," Journal of Financial Services Marketing, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 29(4), pages 1365-1376, December.
    17. Xuemei Xie & Jiuchang Lv, 2018. "Female technology entrepreneurs: resource shortages and reputation challenges – a view of institutional support," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 14(2), pages 379-403, June.
    18. Wei Han & Feng-Wen Chen & Yu Deng, 2018. "Alliance Portfolio Management and Sustainability of Entrepreneurial Firms," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-22, October.
    19. Yucheng Zhang & Zhiling Wang & Lin Xiao & Lijun Wang & Pei Huang, 2023. "Discovering the evolution of online reviews: A bibliometric review," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 33(1), pages 1-22, December.
    20. Das, Kallol & Patel, Jayesh D. & Sharma, Anuj & Shukla, Yupal, 2023. "Creativity in marketing: Examining the intellectual structure using scientometric analysis and topic modeling," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 154(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:kap:asiapa:v:41:y:2024:i:4:d:10.1007_s10490-023-09906-4. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    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.