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Corporate social responsibility and trade credit

Author

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  • Hongkang Xu

    (University of Massachusetts Dartmouth)

  • Jia Wu

    (University of Massachusetts Dartmouth)

  • Mai Dao

    (The University of Toledo)

Abstract

Prior studies show that higher corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance lowers firms’ cost of debt and equity financing. Using a sample of 16,463 U.S. firm-year observations that represent more than 2455 individual firms over the 1996–2016 period, we investigate the relation between all aspects of CSR and trade credit. We provide strong and robust evidence that higher overall CSR scores are related to a higher level of trade credit. A further examination reveals positive associations between trade credit and the four CSR individual components (i.e., the environment, employee relations, community, and diversity). Taken together, our results highlight the important signaling role that CSR plays in increasing the suppliers’ willingness to extend trade credit. Our study also has an important supply chain implication that emphasizes the role of CSR in designing contracts between buyers and suppliers and the level of trade credit for buyer firms with CSR investments.

Suggested Citation

  • Hongkang Xu & Jia Wu & Mai Dao, 2020. "Corporate social responsibility and trade credit," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 54(4), pages 1389-1416, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:rqfnac:v:54:y:2020:i:4:d:10.1007_s11156-019-00829-0
    DOI: 10.1007/s11156-019-00829-0
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    Cited by:

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    2. Qinlin Zhong & Fuxiu Jiang & Dan Li & Chun Yuan, 2023. "How does mandatory CSR reporting affect supply chain? A new perspective from suppliers," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 63(1), pages 199-227, March.
    3. Christopher Groening & Cheryl‐lyn Ngoh & Ryan Luchs, 2022. "The impact of a firm's corporate social responsibility on firm–supplier relationships: The effect of secondary stakeholder CSR on inventory days," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(5), pages 1689-1705, September.
    4. Wang, Yibo & Liu, Bai & Chan, Hing Kai & Zhang, Tiantian, 2023. "Who pays buyers for not disclosing supplier lists? Unlocking the relationship between supply chain transparency and trade credit," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 155(PB).
    5. 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.
    6. Md. Mahmudul Hasan & Md. Safayat Hossain & David R. Tree, 2024. "Executives' horizon and trade credit," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 64(1), pages 1135-1157, March.
    7. Li, Hong-Quan & Yang, Yang & Xue, Feng-Wan & Liu, Zhi-Yi, 2024. "Annual report readability and trade credit financing: Evidence from China," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    8. Srivastava, Jagriti & Gopalakrishnan, Balagopal, 2021. "In-kind financing during a pandemic: Trade credit and COVID-19," MPRA Paper 111433, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised Dec 2021.
    9. Li, Tongxia & Lu, Chun & Wang, Hui, 2023. "Stakeholder orientation and trade credit: Evidence from a natural experiment," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 15-34.
    10. Godfred Adjapong Afrifa & Ahmad Alshehabi & Ishmael Tingbani & Hussein Halabi, 2021. "Abnormal inventory and performance in manufacturing companies: evidence from the trade credit channel," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 56(2), pages 581-617, February.
    11. Yuming Zhang & Han Liu & Shuang Li & Chao Xing, 2023. "The Digital Transformation Effect in Trade Credit Uptake: The Buyer Perspective," Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 59(7), pages 2056-2078, May.
    12. T. Praveen Kumar & Santosh Basavaraj & K. Soundarapandiyan, 2024. "Can co‐creating in CSR initiatives influence loyal customers? Evidence from the banking industry," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(1), pages 180-195, January.
    13. Maretno A. Harjoto & Andreas G. F. Hoepner & Marcus A. Nilsson, 2022. "Bondholders’ returns and stakeholders’ interests," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 59(4), pages 1271-1301, November.
    14. Kofi Mintah Oware & T. Mallikarjunappa & A Praveena, 2023. "Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Expenditure and Debt Financing. Do the Unspent CSR Expenditure and Firm Age of Public Sector Enterprises in India Matter?," Public Organization Review, Springer, vol. 23(4), pages 1591-1610, December.
    15. Ratajczak Piotr & Mikołajewicz Grzegorz, 2021. "The impact of environmental, social and corporate governance responsibility on the cost of short-and long-term debt," Economics and Business Review, Sciendo, vol. 7(2), pages 74-96, June.
    16. He, Guanming & Li, Zhichao & Yu, Ling & Zhou, Zhanqiang, 2023. "Contribution to poverty alleviation: A waste or benefit for corporate financing?," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Corporate social responsibility; Trade credit; Signaling theory; Supply chain;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D25 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Intertemporal Firm Choice: Investment, Capacity, and Financing
    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill
    • M40 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - General

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