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Corporate Social Responsibility in a Competitive Business Environment

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  • Carol Newman
  • John Rand
  • Finn Tarp
  • Neda Trifkovic

Abstract

Using a representative sample of more than 5,000 Vietnamese enterprises, we explore the firm-level productivity effects of corporate social responsibility (CSR). The data enables us to create 12 quantitative CSR measures, which can be grouped into two broader categories related to management and community-based CSR initiatives. We find a positive relationship between adoption of CSR initiatives and firm efficiency, and reveal that the impact is stronger for firms in non-competitive industries. Moreover, we show that local community focused CSR initiatives drive the aggregate effect. This suggests that socially responsible actions by firms are likely to pay-off when stakeholder engagement has a localised focus. We provide evidence of reciprocity by showing that employees accept a lower share of additionally generated value-added (controlling for productivity differences) in exchange for working in a company that signals ‘good’ corporate values.

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  • Carol Newman & John Rand & Finn Tarp & Neda Trifkovic, 2020. "Corporate Social Responsibility in a Competitive Business Environment," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 56(8), pages 1455-1472, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:jdevst:v:56:y:2020:i:8:p:1455-1472
    DOI: 10.1080/00220388.2019.1694144
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Herkenhoff, Philipp & Krautheim, Sebastian & Semrau, Finn Ole & Steglich, Frauke, 2024. "Corporate Social Responsibility along the global value chain," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
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    3. Herkenhoff, Philipp & Krautheim, Sebastian & Semrau, Finn Ole & Steglich, Frauke, 2024. "Corporate Social Responsibility along the global value chain," Open Access Publications from Kiel Institute for the World Economy 301393, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    4. Van Huong, Vu & Mai, Yong & Hau, Bui Duc & Cuong, Ly Kim & Van Dao, Le, 2023. "Do firm characteristics in their local context promote corporate ecological and social responsibility? Evidence from a multi-hierarchical analysis," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 722-743.
    5. Alexandra Danila & Maria-Gabriela Horga & Oana Oprisan & Tanase Stamule, 2022. "Good Practices on ESG Reporting in the Context of the European Green Deal," The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 24(61), pages 847-847, August.
    6. , Aisdl, 2020. "Tổng quan lý thuyết về trách nhiệm xã hội và hiệu quả tài chính của doanh nghiệp," OSF Preprints y5xke, Center for Open Science.
    7. Anteneh Mulugeta Eyasu & Demoz Arefayne, 2020. "The effect of corporate social responsibility on banks’ competitive advantage: Evidence from Ethiopian lion international bank S.C," Cogent Business & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 7(1), pages 1830473-183, January.
    8. Laszlo Goerke, 2022. "Trade unions and corporate social responsibility," Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 93(1), pages 177-203, March.
    9. Minh, Thanh Nguyen & Quang, Tuyen Tran, 2022. "The effects of corporate social responsibility on firm efficiency: Inside the matrix of corporate finance," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 46(PB).
    10. Forgione, Antonio Fabio & Migliardo, Carlo, 2020. "CSR engagement and market structure: Evidence from listed banks," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 35(C).
    11. Van, Huong Vu & Ly, Kim Cuong, 2021. "Does rising corporate social responsibility promote firm tax payments? New perspectives from a quantile approach," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    12. Yubin Zheng & Md. Harun Ur Rashid & Abu Bakkar Siddik & Wei Wei & Syed Zabid Hossain, 2022. "Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosure and Firm’s Productivity: Evidence from the Banking Industry in Bangladesh," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-19, May.
    13. , Aisdl, 2020. "Corporate social responsibility and firm financial performance: A literature review," OSF Preprints aymk7, Center for Open Science.
    14. Ma Ying & He Shan & Gashaw Awoke Tikuye, 2021. "How Do Stakeholder Pressures Affect Corporate Social Responsibility Adoption? Evidence from Chinese Manufacturing Enterprises in Ethiopia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-23, December.
    15. Afshan Younas & Subrahmanian Muthuraman & Aysha Al Darmaki & Farzana Khan & Aza Azlina Md Kassim, 2024. "Review of Corporate Social Responsibility Dimensions," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 8(1), pages 2318-2325, January.
    16. Tuyen, Bui Quang & Phuong Anh, Do Vu & Mai, Nguyen Phuong & Long, To Quang, 2023. "Does corporate engagement in social responsibility affect firm innovation? The mediating role of digital transformation," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 292-303.
    17. Mai, Nhat Chi, 2020. "Corporate social responsibility and firm financial performance: A literature review," OSF Preprints teyxm, Center for Open Science.
    18. Rita Almeida & José Ángel Pérez-López & Rute Abreu, 2022. "Digital Corporate Social Responsibility Reporting in the Water Industry," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 36(11), pages 3929-3947, September.
    19. Nguyen, Ngoc Thang & Vu, Van Huong, 2023. "How does adopting occupational health and safety management practices affect outcomes for employees? The case of Vietnamese SMEs," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 629-640.
    20. Laszlo Goerke & Nora Paulus, 2024. "Collective Bargaining about Corporate Social Responsibility," IAAEU Discussion Papers 202401, Institute of Labour Law and Industrial Relations in the European Union (IAAEU).
    21. Minh, Thanh Nguyen & Ngoc, Anh Mai & Tuan, Anh Nguyen & Dao, Tung Nguyen, 2022. "Corporate social responsibility, market rivalry and firm leverage: new evidence from a fixed-effect quantile regression approach," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 47(PB).
    22. Mion, Giorgio & Loza Adaui, Cristian R. & Bonfanti, Angelo & De Crescenzo, Veronica, 2023. "Mission statements and financial and sustainability performance: An exploratory study of Benefit Corporations certified as B Corps," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    23. Neda Trifkovic, 2024. "Certifiable management standards, labor productivity, and worker wages: Evidence from the food sector in Vietnam," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 40(1), pages 161-184, January.

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