IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/decono/v168y2020i1d10.1007_s10645-019-09351-z.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Technological Competition, Innovation Motive and Corporate Social Responsibility: Evidence from Top Managers of European SMEs

Author

Listed:
  • Johan Graafland

    (Tilburg University)

  • Niels Noorderhaven

    (Tilburg University)

Abstract

Various motives have been proposed for firms to engage in corporate social responsibility (CSR), but no attention has been paid to innovation as a motive to engage in CSR. In this paper we explore the role of this motive and hypothesize that it is particularly important for companies facing intensive technological competition. We find support for this in a sample of 2579 top managers of small and medium sized enterprises from 12 European countries. The innovation motive mediates the relationship between technological competition and CSR and is the most (second most) important motive for environmental and social CSR, respectively.

Suggested Citation

  • Johan Graafland & Niels Noorderhaven, 2020. "Technological Competition, Innovation Motive and Corporate Social Responsibility: Evidence from Top Managers of European SMEs," De Economist, Springer, vol. 168(1), pages 1-22, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:decono:v:168:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1007_s10645-019-09351-z
    DOI: 10.1007/s10645-019-09351-z
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10645-019-09351-z
    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/s10645-019-09351-z?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. Patrick Puhani, 2000. "The Heckman Correction for Sample Selection and Its Critique," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 14(1), pages 53-68, February.
    2. Richard Welford & Stephen Frost, 2006. "Corporate social responsibility in Asian supply chains," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 13(3), pages 166-176, July.
    3. Clyde Eiríkur Hull & Sandra Rothenberg, 2008. "Firm performance: the interactions of corporate social performance with innovation and industry differentiation," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(7), pages 781-789, July.
    4. Xue Yang & Yuandi Wang & Die Hu & Yongqiang Gao, 2018. "How industry peers improve your sustainable development? The role of listed firms in environmental strategies," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(8), pages 1313-1333, December.
    5. Xueming Luo & Shuili Du, 2015. "Exploring the relationship between corporate social responsibility and firm innovation," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 26(4), pages 703-714, December.
    6. Johan Graafland & Hugo Smid, 2015. "Competition and Institutional Drivers of Corporate Social Performance," De Economist, Springer, vol. 163(3), pages 303-322, September.
    7. Ziegler, Andreas & Seijas Nogareda, Jazmin, 2009. "Environmental management systems and technological environmental innovations: Exploring the causal relationship," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(5), pages 885-893, June.
    8. Carl Shapiro, 1989. "The Theory of Business Strategy," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 20(1), pages 125-137, Spring.
    9. Rachel Bocquet & Christian Le Bas & Caroline Mothe & Nicolas Poussing, 2011. "CSR firm profiles and innovation: An empirical exploration with survey data," Post-Print halshs-00590326, HAL.
    10. Ajzen, Icek, 1991. "The theory of planned behavior," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 50(2), pages 179-211, December.
    11. Xinshu Zhao & John G. Lynch & Qimei Chen, 2010. "Reconsidering Baron and Kenny: Myths and Truths about Mediation Analysis," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 37(2), pages 197-206, August.
    12. Dana Brown & Antje Vertterlein & Anne Roemer-Mahler, 2010. "Theorising transnational corporations as social actors : An analysis of corporate motivations," Post-Print hal-02312984, HAL.
    13. Brown Dana L & Vetterlein Antje & Roemer-Mahler Anne, 2010. "Theorizing Transnational Corporations as Social Actors: An Analysis of Corporate Motivations," Business and Politics, De Gruyter, vol. 12(1), pages 1-39, April.
    14. Brown, Dana L. & Vetterlein, Antje & Roemer-Mahler, Anne, 2010. "Theorizing Transnational Corporations as Social Actors: An Analysis of Corporate Motivations," Business and Politics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 12(1), pages 1-37, April.
    15. MacGregor, Steven P. & Fontrodona, Joan, 2008. "Exploring the fit between CSR and innovation," IESE Research Papers D/759, IESE Business School.
    16. Caroline Flammer & Aleksandra Kacperczyk, 2016. "The Impact of Stakeholder Orientation on Innovation: Evidence from a Natural Experiment," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 62(7), pages 1982-2001, July.
    17. Alan Muller & Ans Kolk, 2010. "Extrinsic and Intrinsic Drivers of Corporate Social Performance: Evidence from Foreign and Domestic Firms in Mexico," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(1), pages 1-26, January.
    18. Tang, Jianmin, 2006. "Competition and innovation behaviour," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(1), pages 68-82, February.
    19. Caroline Flammer, 2015. "Does product market competition foster corporate social responsibility? Evidence from trade liberalization," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(10), pages 1469-1485, October.
    20. Abagail McWilliams & Donald Siegel, 2000. "Corporate social responsibility and financial performance: correlation or misspecification?," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(5), pages 603-609, May.
    21. Stephen Brammer & Stefan Hoejmose & Kerry Marchant, 2012. "Environmental Management in SMEs in the UK: Practices, Pressures and Perceived Benefits," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(7), pages 423-434, November.
    22. Vickers, John, 1995. "Concepts of Competition," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 47(1), pages 1-23, January.
    23. Peggy Brønn & Deborah Vidaver-Cohen, 2009. "Corporate Motives for Social Initiative: Legitimacy, Sustainability, or the Bottom Line?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 87(1), pages 91-109, April.
    24. S. Trevis Certo & John R. Busenbark & Hyun‐soo Woo & Matthew Semadeni, 2016. "Sample selection bias and Heckman models in strategic management research," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(13), pages 2639-2657, December.
    25. Jordi Surroca & Josep A. Tribó & Sandra Waddock, 2010. "Corporate responsibility and financial performance: the role of intangible resources," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(5), pages 463-490, May.
    26. David A. Waldman & Donald S. Siegel & Mansour Javidan, 2006. "Components of CEO Transformational Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(8), pages 1703-1725, December.
    27. Nola Hewitt-Dundas, 2006. "Resource and Capability Constraints to Innovation in Small and Large Plants," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 26(3), pages 257-277, April.
    28. Lioui, Abraham & Sharma, Zenu, 2012. "Environmental corporate social responsibility and financial performance: Disentangling direct and indirect effects," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 100-111.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Castilla-Polo, Francisca & Sánchez-Hernández, M. Isabel, 2022. "International orientation: An antecedent-consequence model in Spanish agri-food cooperatives which are aware of the circular economy," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 231-241.
    2. Sayedeh Parastoo Saeidi & Parvaneh Saeidi & Sayyedeh Parisa Saeidi, 2024. "The Mediating Role of Total Quality Management between Corporate Social Responsibility and Corporate Environmental Performance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-30, August.

    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. Johan Graafland, 2020. "Competition in technology and innovation, motivation crowding, and environmental policy," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(1), pages 137-145, January.
    2. Corrie Mazereeuw-van der Duijn Schouten & Johan Graafland & Muel Kaptein, 2014. "Religiosity, CSR Attitudes, and CSR Behavior: An Empirical Study of Executives’ Religiosity and CSR," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 123(3), pages 437-459, September.
    3. Franck Brulhart & Sandrine Gherra & Bertrand V. Quelin, 2019. "Do Stakeholder Orientation and Environmental Proactivity Impact Firm Profitability?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 158(1), pages 25-46, August.
    4. Akrum Helfaya & Nasser Fathi Easa, 2022. "Islamic Religiosity and CSR Attitudes—The Case of Egyptian Managers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-16, September.
    5. Johan Graafland & Hugo Smid, 2015. "Competition and Institutional Drivers of Corporate Social Performance," De Economist, Springer, vol. 163(3), pages 303-322, September.
    6. Suyun Chen & Yu Ji, 2022. "Do Corporate Social Responsibility Categories Distinctly Influence Innovation? A Resource-Based Theory Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-25, March.
    7. Ghanbarpour, Tohid & Gustafsson, Anders, 2022. "How do corporate social responsibility (CSR) and innovativeness increase financial gains? A customer perspective analysis," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 471-481.
    8. Johan Graafland & Hugo Smid, 2014. "Does Corporate Social Responsibility Really Make a Difference? An Explorative Analysis for Chinese Companies," China & World Economy, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 22(2), pages 102-124, March.
    9. Li, Yan & Wang, Junkai & Mu, Zi & Li, Lingxiao, 2023. "The impact of corporate environmental responsibility on green technological innovation: A nonlinear model including mediate effects and moderate effects," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 754-769.
    10. Daniel L Gamache & François Neville & Jonathan Bundy & Cole E Short, 2020. "Serving differently: CEO regulatory focus and firm stakeholder strategy," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(7), pages 1305-1335, July.
    11. Belen Blanco & Encarna Guillamón-Saorín & Andrés Guiral, 2013. "Do Non-socially Responsible Companies Achieve Legitimacy Through Socially Responsible Actions? The Mediating Effect of Innovation," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 117(1), pages 67-83, September.
    12. Ruiqian Li & Ramakrishnan Ramanathan, 2018. "Impacts of Industrial Heterogeneity and Technical Innovation on the Relationship between Environmental Performance and Financial Performance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-25, May.
    13. Linda Westman & Christopher Luederitz & Aravind Kundurpi & Alexander Julian Mercado & Olaf Weber & Sarah Lynne Burch, 2019. "Conceptualizing businesses as social actors: A framework for understanding sustainability actions in small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(2), pages 388-402, February.
    14. Sergio Manrique & Carmen-Pilar Martí-Ballester, 2017. "Analyzing the Effect of Corporate Environmental Performance on Corporate Financial Performance in Developed and Developing Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(11), pages 1-30, October.
    15. Jacob Brower & Peter A. Dacin, 2020. "An Institutional Theory Approach to the Evolution of the Corporate Social Performance – Corporate Financial Performance Relationship," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 57(4), pages 805-836, June.
    16. Francisco Javier Forcadell & Elisa Aracil & Fernando Úbeda, 2019. "The Influence of Innovation on Corporate Sustainability in the International Banking Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-15, June.
    17. Truong, Yann & Berrone, Pascual, 2022. "Can environmental innovation be a conventional source of higher market valuation?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 113-121.
    18. Younès El Manzani & Mohamed Larbi Sidmou & Jean-Jack Cegarra, 2017. "A conceptual framework of the relationship between total quality management, corporate social responsibility, innovation capability, and financial performance," Post-Print hal-03207361, HAL.
    19. Idoya Ferrero-Ferrero & María Ángeles Fernández-Izquierdo & María Jesús Muñoz-Torres, 2016. "The Effect of Environmental, Social and Governance Consistency on Economic Results," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(10), pages 1-16, October.
    20. Fu, Limin & Boehe, Dirk & Orlitzky, Marc, 2020. "Are R&D-Intensive firms also corporate social responsibility specialists? A multicountry study," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(8).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Corporate social responsibility; Innovation motivation; SMEs; Technological competition;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L1 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance
    • 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:kap:decono:v:168:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1007_s10645-019-09351-z. 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.