IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/pal/palcom/v10y2023i1d10.1057_s41599-023-01590-5.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Keeping up with the CSR Joneses: The impact of industry peers on focal firms’ CSR performance

Author

Listed:
  • Chunhua Chen

    (Shanghai Lixin University of Accounting and Finance)

  • Dequan Jiang

    (Shanghai University of Finance and Economics)

  • Weiping Li

    (Sun Yat-sen University)

Abstract

Using US-listed firms from 2000 to 2015 as a sample, we report a strong enhancing effect of industry peers’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance on focal firms’ CSR performance. Firms improve their CSR performance by ~10.15% standard deviation when other peer firms in the same industry increase their CSR by one standard deviation. Moreover, this peer effect is more substantial when the peer firms are closer to focal firms, are included in SP500 index, and have a relatively larger size than focal firms. Focal firms are less likely to follow industry peers if they are industry leaders, have stronger earnings capacity, occupy foreign business and receive fewer analyst followings. Finally, firms following industry peers’ CSR policies achieve less product market shares and poorer performance, but a higher firm value. We suggest that executives should not blindly follow peer firms’ suit and strategically invest in CSR to achieve higher competitiveness.

Suggested Citation

  • Chunhua Chen & Dequan Jiang & Weiping Li, 2023. "Keeping up with the CSR Joneses: The impact of industry peers on focal firms’ CSR performance," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-12, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:palcom:v:10:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1057_s41599-023-01590-5
    DOI: 10.1057/s41599-023-01590-5
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1057/s41599-023-01590-5
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1057/s41599-023-01590-5?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. Hao Liang & Luc Renneboog, 2017. "On the Foundations of Corporate Social Responsibility," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 72(2), pages 853-910, April.
    2. Mark T. Leary & Michael R. Roberts, 2014. "Do Peer Firms Affect Corporate Financial Policy?," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 69(1), pages 139-178, February.
    3. Kelly Shue, 2013. "Executive Networks and Firm Policies: Evidence from the Random Assignment of MBA Peers," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 26(6), pages 1401-1442.
    4. Scott E. Carrell & Frederick V. Malmstrom & James E. West, 2008. "Peer Effects in Academic Cheating," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 43(1).
    5. Hong, Harrison & Kostovetsky, Leonard, 2012. "Red and blue investing: Values and finance," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 103(1), pages 1-19.
    6. repec:eme:aaaj00:09513570810863932 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Grennan, Jillian, 2019. "Dividend payments as a response to peer influence," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(3), pages 549-570.
    8. Stephen J. Brammer & Stephen Pavelin, 2006. "Corporate Reputation and Social Performance: The Importance of Fit," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(3), pages 435-455, May.
    9. Jie Cao & Hao Liang & Xintong Zhan, 2019. "Peer Effects of Corporate Social Responsibility," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 65(12), pages 5487-5503, December.
    10. Kosuke Hirose & Sang-Ho Lee & Toshihiro Matsumura, 2020. "Noncooperative and Cooperative Environmental Corporate Social Responsibility," Journal of Institutional and Theoretical Economics (JITE), Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen, vol. 176(3), pages 549-571.
    11. Stephen V. Brown & Xiaoli (Shaolee) Tian & Jennifer Wu Tucker, 2018. "The Spillover Effect of SEC Comment Letters on Qualitative Corporate Disclosure: Evidence from the Risk Factor Disclosure," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 35(2), pages 622-656, June.
    12. Gerard Hoberg & Gordon Phillips, 2016. "Text-Based Network Industries and Endogenous Product Differentiation," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 124(5), pages 1423-1465.
    13. Scharfstein, David S & Stein, Jeremy C, 1990. "Herd Behavior and Investment," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 80(3), pages 465-479, June.
    14. Leonardo Bursztyn & Florian Ederer & Bruno Ferman & Noam Yuchtman, 2014. "Understanding Mechanisms Underlying Peer Effects: Evidence From a Field Experiment on Financial Decisions," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 82(4), pages 1273-1301, July.
    15. Deng, Xin & Kang, Jun-koo & Low, Buen Sin, 2013. "Corporate social responsibility and stakeholder value maximization: Evidence from mergers," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 110(1), pages 87-109.
    16. Jan Bebbington & Carlos Larrinaga & Jose M. Moneva, 2008. "Corporate social reporting and reputation risk management," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 21(3), pages 337-361, March.
    17. Bikhchandani, Sushil & Hirshleifer, David & Welch, Ivo, 1992. "A Theory of Fads, Fashion, Custom, and Cultural Change in Informational Cascades," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 100(5), pages 992-1026, October.
    18. Graham, John R. & Harvey, Campbell R., 2001. "The theory and practice of corporate finance: evidence from the field," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(2-3), pages 187-243, May.
    19. Petra Christmann & Glen Taylor, 2006. "Firm self-regulation through international certifiable standards: determinants of symbolic versus substantive implementation," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 37(6), pages 863-878, November.
    20. Christopher A. Parsons & Johan Sulaeman & Sheridan Titman, 2014. "The Geography of Financial Misconduct," NBER Working Papers 20347, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    21. Emma Avetisyan & Michel Ferrary, 2013. "Dynamics of Stakeholders’ Implications in the Institutionalization of the CSR Field in France and in the United States," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 115(1), pages 115-133, June.
    22. Hanushek, Eric A. & Raymond, Margaret E., 2001. "The Confusing World of Educational Accountability," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association, vol. 54(n. 2), pages 365-84, June.
    23. Abhijit V. Banerjee, 1992. "A Simple Model of Herd Behavior," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 107(3), pages 797-817.
    24. Peter Wright & Stephen P. Ferris, 1997. "Agency Conflict And Corporate Strategy: The Effect Of Divestment On Corporate Value," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(1), pages 77-83, January.
    25. Effinger, Matthias R. & Polborn, Mattias K., 2001. "Herding and anti-herding: A model of reputational differentiation," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 45(3), pages 385-403, March.
    26. Bryan W Husted & David B Allen, 2006. "Corporate social responsibility in the multinational enterprise: strategic and institutional approaches," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 37(6), pages 838-849, November.
    27. Charles F. Manski, 1993. "Identification of Endogenous Social Effects: The Reflection Problem," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 60(3), pages 531-542.
    28. Jan Bebbington & Carlos Larrinaga & Jose M. Moneva, 2008. "Corporate social reporting and reputation risk management," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 21(3), pages 337-361, March.
    29. Gregory G. Dess, 1987. "Consensus on strategy formulation and organizational performance: Competitors in a fragmented industry," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 8(3), pages 259-277, May.
    30. Chen, Tao & Harford, Jarrad & Lin, Chen, 2015. "Do analysts matter for governance? Evidence from natural experiments," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 115(2), pages 383-410.
    31. James Cordeiro & Manish Tewari, 2015. "Firm Characteristics, Industry Context, and Investor Reactions to Environmental CSR: A Stakeholder Theory Approach," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 130(4), pages 833-849, September.
    32. E. R. Osagie & R. Wesselink & P. Runhaar & M. Mulder, 2018. "Unraveling the Competence Development of Corporate Social Responsibility Leaders: The Importance of Peer Learning, Learning Goal Orientation, and Learning Climate," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 151(4), pages 891-906, September.
    33. Luc Fransen, 2013. "The Embeddedness of Responsible Business Practice: Exploring the Interaction Between National-Institutional Environments and Corporate Social Responsibility," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 115(2), pages 213-227, June.
    34. Cao, Sean Shun & Fang, Vivian W. & (Gillian) Lei, Lijun, 2021. "Negative peer disclosure," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 140(3), pages 815-837.
    35. Liu, Sibo & Wu, Dejun, 2016. "Competing by conducting good deeds: The peer effect of corporate social responsibility," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 16(C), pages 47-54.
    36. 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.
    37. Di Giuli, Alberta & Kostovetsky, Leonard, 2014. "Are red or blue companies more likely to go green? Politics and corporate social responsibility," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 111(1), pages 158-180.
    38. Maretno Harjoto & Hoje Jo, 2011. "Corporate Governance and CSR Nexus," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 100(1), pages 45-67, April.
    39. Gerard Hoberg & Gordon Phillips & Nagpurnanand Prabhala, 2014. "Product Market Threats, Payouts, and Financial Flexibility," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 69(1), pages 293-324, February.
    40. Baskentli, Sara & Sen, Sankar & Du, Shuili & Bhattacharya, C.B., 2019. "Consumer reactions to corporate social responsibility: The role of CSR domains," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 502-513.
    41. Jiang, Dequan & Li, Weiping & Shen, Yongjian & Yu, Shuangli, 2022. "Does air pollution affect earnings management? Evidence from China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    42. Parthiban David & Matt Bloom & Amy J. Hillman, 2007. "Investor activism, managerial responsiveness, and corporate social performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(1), pages 91-100, January.
    43. Ker-Tah Hsu, 2012. "The Advertising Effects of Corporate Social Responsibility on Corporate Reputation and Brand Equity: Evidence from the Life Insurance Industry in Taiwan," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 109(2), pages 189-201, August.
    44. Gladys Torres-Baumgarten & Veysel Yucetepe, 2009. "Multinational Firms’ Leadership Role in Corporate Social Responsibility in Latin America," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 85(1), pages 217-224, February.
    45. John M. Stevens & H. Kevin Steensma & David A. Harrison & Philip L. Cochran, 2005. "Symbolic or substantive document? The influence of ethics codes on financial executives' decisions," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(2), pages 181-195, February.
    46. Huang, Jiashun & Li, Weiping & Guo, Lijia & Hall, Jim W., 2022. "Information and communications technology infrastructure and firm growth: An empirical study of China's cities," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(3).
    47. Hanushek, Eric A. & Raymond, Margaret E., 2001. "The Confusing World of Educational Accountability," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association;National Tax Journal, vol. 54(2), pages 365-384, June.
    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. Mariem Bouzguenda & Anis Jarboui, 2024. "The role of the psychological and behavioral profile of the CEO in assessing the dimensions of the corporate social responsibility," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 4(10), pages 1-27, October.
    2. Zhao, Tianjiao & Wang, Hanyu, 2024. "The industry peer effect of enterprise ESG performance: the moderating effect of customer concentration," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 1499-1525.

    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. Zhuang, Yuan & Nie, Jing & Wu, Weixing, 2022. "Peer influence and the value of cash holdings," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 265-284.
    2. Liang, Quanxi & Li, Qiumei & Lu, Meiting & Shan, Yaowen & Wang, Peipei, 2024. "Peer effects on corporate environmental protection: Competition, information cascades or career concerns?," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    3. Li, Chengcheng & Wang, Xiaoqiong, 2022. "Local peer effects of corporate social responsibility," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    4. Jie Cao & Hao Liang & Xintong Zhan, 2019. "Peer Effects of Corporate Social Responsibility," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 65(12), pages 5487-5503, December.
    5. Gyimah, Daniel & Machokoto, Michael & Sikochi, Anywhere (Siko), 2020. "Peer influence on trade credit," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    6. Ajirloo, Bahman Fathi & Switzer, Lorne N., 2022. "Self-disclosed peer effects on corporate capital structure," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    7. Liu, Yongda & Padgett, Carol & Yin, Chao, 2022. "Internal information quality and financial policy peer effects," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    8. Grennan, Jillian, 2019. "Dividend payments as a response to peer influence," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(3), pages 549-570.
    9. Wang, Peiwen & Chen, Minghua & Wu, Ji & Yan, Yuanyun, 2023. "Do peer effects matter in bank risk? Some cross-country evidence," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    10. Seo, Hojun, 2021. "Peer effects in corporate disclosure decisions," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 71(1).
    11. Ali-Rind, Asad & Boubaker, Sabri & Jarjir, Souad Lajili, 2023. "Peer effects in financial economics: A literature survey," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    12. Grieser, William & Hadlock, Charles & LeSage, James & Zekhnini, Morad, 2022. "Network effects in corporate financial policies," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 144(1), pages 247-272.
    13. Hirofumi Nishi & S. Drew Peabody, 2024. "Under the spotlight: The peer standard in CSR and the role of public attention," The Financial Review, Eastern Finance Association, vol. 59(2), pages 373-390, May.
    14. Ucar, Erdem & Staer, Arsenio, 2020. "Local corruption and corporate social responsibility," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 266-282.
    15. Gillan, Stuart L. & Koch, Andrew & Starks, Laura T., 2021. "Firms and social responsibility: A review of ESG and CSR research in corporate finance," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    16. M. Cecilia Bustamante & Laurent Frésard, 2021. "Does Firm Investment Respond to Peers’ Investment?," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 67(8), pages 4703-4724, August.
    17. Ding, Jie & Huang, Jinbo & Ding, Ashley & Guo, Shijun & Wang, Tianjiao, 2024. "The peer effects of corporate social responsibility in China: A pre-registered report," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    18. Cave, Joshua & Lancheros, Sandra, 2024. "Local peer influence on dividend payout decisions," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 164(C).
    19. Zhao, Tianjiao & Wang, Hanyu, 2024. "The industry peer effect of enterprise ESG performance: the moderating effect of customer concentration," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 1499-1525.
    20. Bardos, Katsiaryna Salavei & Ertugrul, Mine & Gao, Lucia Silva, 2020. "Corporate social responsibility, product market perception, and firm value," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).

    More about this item

    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:pal:palcom:v:10:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1057_s41599-023-01590-5. 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: https://www.nature.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.