IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/mgtdec/v44y2023i2p988-1003.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Roses given, fragrance in hand: Charity law and corporate philanthropy—Evidence from a quasi‐natural experiment in China

Author

Listed:
  • Shiyu Lu
  • Bo Cheng

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the impact of the 2016 Charity Law of the People's Republic of China on corporate philanthropy and its mechanism. Based on the difference‐in‐difference framework, empirical results show that the charity law has significantly increased the charitable donation level of firms with direct product–consumer contact rather than that in other firms. The additional analysis indicates that corporate self‐interest motives, but not altruistic motives, are ruled out as the mechanisms through which corporate philanthropy is delivered. Furthermore, a closer examination reveals that the charitable donation has not remarkably enhanced firms' operating performance, while the capital market gives these firms a higher valuation.

Suggested Citation

  • Shiyu Lu & Bo Cheng, 2023. "Roses given, fragrance in hand: Charity law and corporate philanthropy—Evidence from a quasi‐natural experiment in China," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 44(2), pages 988-1003, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:mgtdec:v:44:y:2023:i:2:p:988-1003
    DOI: 10.1002/mde.3726
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/mde.3726
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/mde.3726?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
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Marianne Bertrand & Sendhil Mullainathan, 2003. "Enjoying the Quiet Life? Corporate Governance and Managerial Preferences," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 111(5), pages 1043-1075, October.
    2. Jean Tirole & Roland Bénabou, 2006. "Incentives and Prosocial Behavior," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 96(5), pages 1652-1678, December.
    3. Pol Antràs & C. Fritz Foley, 2015. "Poultry in Motion: A Study of International Trade Finance Practices," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 123(4), pages 853-901.
    4. Webb, Natalie J., 1996. "Corporate profits and social responsibility: "Subsidization" of corporate income under charitable giving tax laws," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 48(4), pages 401-421, October.
    5. Rafael La Porta & Florencio Lopez‐De‐Silanes & Andrei Shleifer & Robert Vishny, 2002. "Investor Protection and Corporate Valuation," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 57(3), pages 1147-1170, June.
    6. Dawes, Robyn M & Thaler, Richard H, 1988. "Anomalies: Cooperation," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 2(3), pages 187-197, Summer.
    7. Harbaugh, William T, 1998. "The Prestige Motive for Making Charitable Transfers," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 88(2), pages 277-282, May.
    8. Jamal, Ahmad & Yaccob, Aqilah & Bartikowski, Boris & Slater, Stephanie, 2019. "Motivations to donate: Exploring the role of religiousness in charitable donations," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 319-327.
    9. Boatsman, James R. & Gupta, Sanjay, 1996. "Taxes and Corporate Charity: Empirical Evidence from Micro-Level Panel Data," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association, vol. 49(2), pages 193-213, June.
    10. Chang, Chia-Chi & Chen, Po-Yu, 2019. "Which maximizes donations: Charitable giving as an incentive or incentives for charitable giving?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 65-75.
    11. Rafael La Porta & Florencio Lopez‐de‐Silanes & Andrei Shleifer & Robert W. Vishny, 2000. "Agency Problems and Dividend Policies around the World," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 55(1), pages 1-33, February.
    12. Lee, Yul W. & Stowe, John D., 1993. "Product Risk, Asymmetric Information, and Trade Credit," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 28(2), pages 285-300, June.
    13. Tingting Ni & Xinyue Wang & Yuetang Wang & Mengheng Li, 2022. "Can the Deferred Donation Deduction Policy Promote Corporate Charitable Donations? Empirical Evidence from China," Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 58(8), pages 2203-2217, June.
    14. Baker, Paul L. & Dawson, Chris, 2020. "The corporation tax elasticity of charitable donations," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 178(C), pages 1-14.
    15. Andreoni, James, 1989. "Giving with Impure Altruism: Applications to Charity and Ricardian Equivalence," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 97(6), pages 1447-1458, December.
    16. Bernheim, B Douglas, 1994. "A Theory of Conformity," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 102(5), pages 841-877, October.
    17. Agarwal, Vikas & Lu, Yan & Ray, Sugata, 2021. "Are hedge funds' charitable donations strategic?," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    18. Carolyn J. Cordery & Dalice Sim & Tony Zijl & Gary Monroe, 2017. "Differentiated regulation: the case of charities," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 57(1), pages 131-164, March.
    19. Louis Amato & Christie Amato, 2012. "Retail Philanthropy: Firm Size, Industry, and Business Cycle," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 107(4), pages 435-448, June.
    20. Ming Jia & Zhe Zhang, 2018. "The Role of Corporate Donations in Chinese Political Markets," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 153(2), pages 519-545, December.
    21. Brown, William O. & Helland, Eric & Smith, Janet Kiholm, 2006. "Corporate philanthropic practices," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 12(5), pages 855-877, December.
    22. Yin, Cheng-Yue & Bi, Nan & Yu, Hong-Yan, 2019. "Do CEOs' personal donations matter? The impact of the CEO's personal donations on consumers' attitudes toward his/her company in China," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 184-195.
    23. Melvin A. Lamboy-Ruiz & James N. Cannon & Olena V. Watanabe, 2019. "Does State Community Benefits Regulation Influence Charity Care and Operational Efficiency in U.S. Non-profit Hospitals?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 158(2), pages 441-465, August.
    24. Jiang, Guohua & Lee, Charles M.C. & Yue, Heng, 2010. "Tunneling through intercorporate loans: The China experience," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 98(1), pages 1-20, October.
    25. Xingqiang Du & Wei Jian & Yingjie Du & Wentao Feng & Quan Zeng, 2014. "Religion, the Nature of Ultimate Owner, and Corporate Philanthropic Giving: Evidence from China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 123(2), pages 235-256, August.
    26. Ushi Ghoorah & A K M Mominul Haque Talukder & Aila Khan, 2021. "Donors’ perceptions of financial disclosures and links to donation intentions," Accounting Forum, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(2), pages 142-170, April.
    27. Jun Su & Jia He, 2010. "Does Giving Lead to Getting? Evidence from Chinese Private Enterprises," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 93(1), pages 73-90, April.
    28. Arthur Gautier & Anne-Claire Pache, 2015. "Research on Corporate Philanthropy: A Review and Assessment," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 126(3), pages 343-369, February.
    29. Michael S. Long & Ileen B. Malitz & S. Abraham Ravid, 1993. "Trade Credit, Quality Guarantees, and Product," Financial Management, Financial Management Association, vol. 22(4), Winter.
    30. Boatsman, James R. & Gupta, Sanjay, 1996. "Taxes and Corporate Charity: Empirical Evidence from Micro Level Panel Data," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association, vol. 49(2), pages 193, June.
    31. Ronald W. Masulis & Syed Walid Reza, 2015. "Agency Problems of Corporate Philanthropy," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 28(2), pages 592-636.
    32. Boatsman, James R. & Gupta, Sanjay, 1996. "Taxes and Corporate Charity: Empirical Evidence From Micro Level Panel Data," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association;National Tax Journal, vol. 49(2), pages 193-193, June.
    33. Adhikari, Binay K., 2016. "Causal effect of analyst following on corporate social responsibility," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 201-216.
    34. Baruch Lev & Christine Petrovits & Suresh Radhakrishnan, 2010. "Is doing good good for you? how corporate charitable contributions enhance revenue growth," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(2), pages 182-200, February.
    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. Lei Xu & Xiaoning Guo & Yan Liu & Xiaochen Sun & Jie Ji, 2022. "How Does Corporate Charitable Giving Affect Enterprise Innovation? A Literature Review and Research Directions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-21, November.
    2. Arthur Gautier & Anne-Claire Pache, 2015. "Research on Corporate Philanthropy: A Review and Assessment," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 126(3), pages 343-369, February.
    3. Jun Chen & Wang Dong & Jamie Tong & Feida Zhang, 2018. "Corporate Philanthropy and Tunneling: Evidence from China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 150(1), pages 135-157, June.
    4. Hao Liang & Luc Renneboog, 2017. "Corporate donations and shareholder value," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 33(2), pages 278-316.
    5. Liu, Yaosong & Zhang, Min & Ye, Tingting & Zhang, Yue, 2019. "Does giving always lead to getting? Evidence from the collapse of charity credibility in China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    6. Cowan, Adrian & Huang, Chia-Hsing & Padmanabhan, Prasad & Wang, Chi-Hui, 2013. "The determinants of foreign giving: An exploratory empirical investigation of US manufacturing firms," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 22(2), pages 407-420.
    7. Heli Wang & Ming Jia & Zhe Zhang, 2021. "Good Deeds Done in Silence: Stakeholder Management and Quiet Giving by Chinese Firms," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 32(3), pages 649-674, May.
    8. Duquette, Nicolas J. & Ohrn, Eric C., 2018. "Corporate charitable foundations, executive entrenchment, and shareholder distributions," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 235-253.
    9. Ateeq ur Rehman Irshad & Nabeel Safdar & Wajiha Manzoor, 2023. "Predicting Efficiency of Innovative Disaster Response Practices: Case Study of China’s Corporate Philanthropy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-15, January.
    10. Frederik Plewnia & Edeltraud Guenther, 2017. "The benefits of doing good: a meta-analysis of corporate philanthropy business outcomes and its implications for management control," Journal of Management Control: Zeitschrift für Planung und Unternehmenssteuerung, Springer, vol. 28(3), pages 347-376, October.
    11. Hanwen Chen & Siyi Liu & Xin Liu & Daoguang Yang, 2022. "Adversity Tries Friends: A Multilevel Analysis of Corporate Philanthropic Response to the Local Spread of COVID-19 in China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 177(3), pages 585-612, May.
    12. Manseek Choi & Soonwook Hong, 2022. "Another Form of Greenwashing: The Effects of Chaebol Firms’ Corporate Governance Performance on the Donations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-12, March.
    13. Jin-hui Luo & Yuangao Xiang & Ruichao Zhu, 2017. "Military top executives and corporate philanthropy: Evidence from China," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 34(3), pages 725-755, September.
    14. Chourou, Lamia, 2023. "Corporate donations and religiosity: Cross-country evidence," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 39(C).
    15. Ferrell, Allen & Liang, Hao & Renneboog, Luc, 2016. "Socially responsible firms," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 122(3), pages 585-606.
    16. Uzma Bashir, 2017. "Determinants of Corporate Philanthropy: A Case of Karachi Stock Exchange," International Econometric Review (IER), Econometric Research Association, vol. 9(1), pages 19-36, April.
    17. Asatryan, Zareh & Joulfaian, David, 2022. "Taxes and Business Philanthropy in Armenia," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 200(C), pages 914-930.
    18. Ji, Mianmian & Lv, Wendai, 2022. "Demonstration zones reform and corporate philanthropy: Evidence from China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    19. Iatridis, George Emmanuel, 2015. "Corporate philanthropy in the US stock market: Evidence on corporate governance, value relevance and earnings manipulation," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 113-126.
    20. Feine, Gregor & Groh, Elke D. & von Loessl, Victor & Wetzel, Heike, 2023. "The double dividend of social information in charitable giving: Evidence from a framed field experiment," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 103(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:wly:mgtdec:v:44:y:2023:i:2:p:988-1003. 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: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/jhome/7976 .

    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.