IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/jbecon/v94y2024i6d10.1007_s11573-024-01193-9.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Strategic motivations for corporate social responsibility: profitability or legitimacy?

Author

Listed:
  • Patrick J. Callery

    (University of Vermont, Grossman School of Business)

Abstract

Management research has broadly categorized strategic motivations for corporate social responsibility (CSR) as profit-seeking or legitimacy, which are at times conflicting and complementary. The nature of firm motivations has significant implications for firm-level and societal outcomes yet is not directly observable. In this study I theorize that strategic motivations may be inferred based on observed performance relative to context-specific groups of relevant peer firms. I integrate economics and strategic management traditions to develop both a theoretical framework and an empirical model of peer effects and their underlying strategic motivations, and employ a novel instrumental variables estimation that exploits unique aspects of a recent innovation in dynamic industry classification. Results indicate that firms select referent peers based on strategic context and shed new light on the multi-dimensional nature of CSR strategies, revealing subtleties of firm behavior often masked by traditional empirical approaches. Contributions to theory and opportunities for future research are highlighted.

Suggested Citation

  • Patrick J. Callery, 2024. "Strategic motivations for corporate social responsibility: profitability or legitimacy?," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 94(6), pages 947-974, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jbecon:v:94:y:2024:i:6:d:10.1007_s11573-024-01193-9
    DOI: 10.1007/s11573-024-01193-9
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11573-024-01193-9
    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/s11573-024-01193-9?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. 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.
    2. Bramoullé, Yann & Djebbari, Habiba & Fortin, Bernard, 2009. "Identification of peer effects through social networks," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 150(1), pages 41-55, May.
    3. Theresa K. Lant, 1992. "Aspiration Level Adaptation: An Empirical Exploration," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 38(5), pages 623-644, May.
    4. Krista Bondy & Jeremy Moon & Dirk Matten, 2012. "An Institution of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Multi-National Corporations (MNCs): Form and Implications," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 111(2), pages 281-299, December.
    5. Todd A. Gormley & David A. Matsa, 2014. "Common Errors: How to (and Not to) Control for Unobserved Heterogeneity," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 27(2), pages 617-661.
    6. Giacomo De Giorgi & Michele Pellizzari & Silvia Redaelli, 2010. "Identification of Social Interactions through Partially Overlapping Peer Groups," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 2(2), pages 241-275, April.
    7. Kaustia, Markku & Rantala, Ville, 2021. "Common Analysts: Method for Defining Peer Firms," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 56(5), pages 1505-1536, August.
    8. Songcui Hu & Zi-Lin He & Daniela P. Blettner & Richard A. Bettis, 2017. "Conflict inside and outside: Social comparisons and attention shifts in multidivisional firms," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(7), pages 1435-1454, July.
    9. 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.
    10. Jie Cao & Hao Liang & Xintong Zhan, 2019. "Peer Effects of Corporate Social Responsibility," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 65(12), pages 5487-5503, December.
    11. David P. Baron, 2001. "Private Politics, Corporate Social Responsibility, and Integrated Strategy," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 10(1), pages 7-45, March.
    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. Bryan W. Husted & José De Jesus Salazar, 2006. "Taking Friedman Seriously: Maximizing Profits and Social Performance," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(1), pages 75-91, January.
    14. Matthew J. Kotchen, 2006. "Green Markets and Private Provision of Public Goods," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 114(4), pages 816-845, August.
    15. David Roodman, 2009. "A Note on the Theme of Too Many Instruments," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 71(1), pages 135-158, February.
    16. Donald S. Siegel & Donald F. Vitaliano, 2007. "An Empirical Analysis of the Strategic Use of Corporate Social Responsibility," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 16(3), pages 773-792, September.
    17. Mark Washburn & Philip Bromiley, 2012. "Comparing Aspiration Models: The Role of Selective Attention," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 49(5), pages 896-917, July.
    18. Caroline Flammer & Bryan Hong & Dylan Minor, 2019. "Corporate governance and the rise of integrating corporate social responsibility criteria in executive compensation: Effectiveness and implications for firm outcomes," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(7), pages 1097-1122, July.
    19. Avi Fiegenbaum & Howard Thomas, 1995. "Strategic groups as reference groups: Theory, modeling and empirical examination of industry and competitive strategy," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 16(6), pages 461-476.
    20. Witold J. Henisz & Sinziana Dorobantu & Lite J. Nartey, 2014. "Spinning gold: The financial returns to stakeholder engagement," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(12), pages 1727-1748, December.
    21. Daniela P. Blettner & Zi-Lin He & Songcui Hu & Richard A. Bettis, 2015. "Adaptive aspirations and performance heterogeneity: Attention allocation among multiple reference points," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(7), pages 987-1005, July.
    22. 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.
    23. Magali A. Delmas & Michael W. Toffel, 2008. "Organizational responses to environmental demands: opening the black box," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(10), pages 1027-1055, October.
    24. Gerard Hoberg & Gordon Phillips, 2010. "Product Market Synergies and Competition in Mergers and Acquisitions: A Text-Based Analysis," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 23(10), pages 3773-3811, October.
    25. Florian Berg & Julian F Kölbel & Roberto Rigobon, 2022. "Aggregate Confusion: The Divergence of ESG Ratings [Corporate social responsibility and firm risk: theory and empirical evidence]," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 26(6), pages 1315-1344.
    26. Robert G. Eccles & Ioannis Ioannou & George Serafeim, 2014. "The Impact of Corporate Sustainability on Organizational Processes and Performance," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 60(11), pages 2835-2857, November.
    27. Erin M. Reid & Michael W. Toffel, 2009. "Responding to public and private politics: corporate disclosure of climate change strategies," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(11), pages 1157-1178, November.
    28. Patten, Dennis M., 1991. "Exposure, legitimacy, and social disclosure," Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, Elsevier, vol. 10(4), pages 297-308.
    29. Levinthal, Daniel & March, James G., 1981. "A model of adaptive organizational search," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 2(4), pages 307-333, December.
    30. Bryan W. Husted & Dima Jamali & Walid Saffar, 2016. "Near and dear? The role of location in CSR engagement," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(10), pages 2050-2070, October.
    31. Erin Marie Reid & Michael W. Toffel, 2008. "Responding to Public and Private Politics: Corporate Disclosure of Climate Change Strategies," Harvard Business School Working Papers 09-019, Harvard Business School, revised Jun 2009.
    32. Cesare Fracassi, 2017. "Corporate Finance Policies and Social Networks," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 63(8), pages 2420-2438, August.
    33. 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.
    34. David P. Baron, 2009. "A Positive Theory of Moral Management, Social Pressure, and Corporate Social Performance," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(1), pages 7-43, March.
    35. Jody Grewal & Edward J. Riedl & George Serafeim, 2019. "Market Reaction to Mandatory Nonfinancial Disclosure," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 65(7), pages 3061-3084, July.
    36. Timothy J. Rowley & Andrew V. Shipilov & Henrich R. Greve, 2017. "Board reform versus profits: The impact of ratings on the adoption of governance practices," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(4), pages 815-833, April.
    37. Pushpika Vishwanathan & Hans (J.) van Oosterhout & Pursey P. M. A. R. Heugens & Patricio Duran & Marc van Essen, 2020. "Strategic CSR: A Concept Building Meta‐Analysis," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 57(2), pages 314-350, March.
    38. Kaustia, Markku & Rantala, Ville, 2015. "Social learning and corporate peer effects," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 117(3), pages 653-669.
    39. Ohad Ref & Zur Shapira, 2017. "Entering new markets: The effect of performance feedback near aspiration and well below and above it," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(7), pages 1416-1434, July.
    40. Dongil D. Keum & J. P. Eggers, 2018. "Setting the Bar: The Evaluative and Allocative Roles of Organizational Aspirations," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 29(6), pages 1170-1186, December.
    41. Stephen J. Mezias & Ya-Ru Chen & Patrice R. Murphy, 2002. "Aspiration-Level Adaptation in an American Financial Services Organization: A Field Study," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 48(10), pages 1285-1300, October.
    42. Aaron K. Chatterji & Michael W. Toffel, 2010. "How firms respond to being rated," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(9), pages 917-945, September.
    43. Paul C. Godfrey & Craig B. Merrill & Jared M. Hansen, 2009. "The relationship between corporate social responsibility and shareholder value: an empirical test of the risk management hypothesis," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(4), pages 425-445, April.
    44. Aaron K. Chatterji & Rodolphe Durand & David I. Levine & Samuel Touboul, 2016. "Do ratings of firms converge? Implications for managers, investors and strategy researchers," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(8), pages 1597-1614, August.
    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. Hans B. Christensen & Luzi Hail & Christian Leuz, 2021. "Mandatory CSR and sustainability reporting: economic analysis and literature review," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 26(3), pages 1176-1248, September.
    2. Luca Berchicci & Murat Tarakci, 2022. "Aspiration formation and attention rules," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(8), pages 1575-1601, August.
    3. Aseem Kaul & Jiao Luo, 2018. "An economic case for CSR: The comparative efficiency of for‐profit firms in meeting consumer demand for social goods," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(6), pages 1650-1677, June.
    4. Rodolphe Durand & Robert M. Grant & Tammy L. Madsen & Sinziana Dorobantu & Aseem Kaul & Bennet Zelner, 2017. "Nonmarket strategy research through the lens of new institutional economics: An integrative review and future directions," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(1), pages 114-140, January.
    5. Saridakis, Charalampos & Angelidou, Sofia & Woodside, Arch G., 2023. "How historical and social aspirations reshape the relationship between corporate financial performance and corporate social responsibility," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    6. Tyson B. Mackey & Alison Mackey & Lisa Jones Christensen & Jason J. Lepore, 2022. "Inducing Corporate Social Responsibility: Should Investors Reward the Responsible or Punish the Irresponsible?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 175(1), pages 59-73, January.
    7. 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.
    8. Armstrong, Christopher S. & Glaeser, Stephen & Kepler, John D., 2019. "Strategic reactions in corporate tax planning," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(1).
    9. Dongil D. Keum & J. P. Eggers, 2018. "Setting the Bar: The Evaluative and Allocative Roles of Organizational Aspirations," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 29(6), pages 1170-1186, December.
    10. Vanessa C. Burbano & John Mamer & Jason Snyder, 2018. "Pro bono as a human capital learning and screening mechanism: Evidence from law firms," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(11), pages 2899-2920, November.
    11. Kira R. Fabrizio & Eun-Hee Kim, 2019. "Reluctant Disclosure and Transparency: Evidence from Environmental Disclosures," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 30(6), pages 1207-1231, November.
    12. M. Cecilia Bustamante & Laurent Frésard, 2021. "Does Firm Investment Respond to Peers’ Investment?," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 67(8), pages 4703-4724, August.
    13. Aghamolla, Cyrus & Thakor, Richard T., 2022. "IPO peer effects," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 144(1), pages 206-226.
    14. 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).
    15. 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.
    16. William Grieser & James LeSage & Morad Zekhnini, 2022. "Industry Networks and the Geography of Firm Behavior," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 68(8), pages 6163-6183, August.
    17. 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.
    18. Bum-Jin Park & Ki-Hoon Lee, 2021. "The sensitivity of corporate social performance to corporate financial performance: A “time-based†agency theory perspective," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 46(2), pages 224-247, May.
    19. 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).
    20. 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).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Behavioral strategy; Corporate social responsibility; Instrumental variables; Peer effects; Performance feedback;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C36 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Instrumental Variables (IV) Estimation
    • D21 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Theory
    • D22 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Empirical Analysis
    • M14 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - Corporate Culture; Diversity; Social Responsibility
    • M21 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Economics - - - Business Economics

    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:spr:jbecon:v:94:y:2024:i:6:d:10.1007_s11573-024-01193-9. 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.