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Greenwashing and product market competition

Author

Listed:
  • Mohamed Arouri
  • Sadok El Ghoul
  • Mathieu Gomes

    (CleRMa - Clermont Recherche Management - ESC Clermont-Ferrand - École Supérieure de Commerce (ESC) - Clermont-Ferrand - UCA - Université Clermont Auvergne)

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between corporate greenwashing and product market competition (PMC). Using an unbalanced panel of 324 US fi rms over the 2005-2015 period, we fi nd that the negative impact of PMC on greenwashing is conditional on the level of environmental costs. Our results suggest that PMC is an effective disciplinary mechanism for achieving economic efficiency --in the case of fi rms featuring a high level of environmental costs-- through an increase in the disclosure of reliable and material information.

Suggested Citation

  • Mohamed Arouri & Sadok El Ghoul & Mathieu Gomes, 2021. "Greenwashing and product market competition," Post-Print hal-03106623, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-03106623
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-03106623
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    Cited by:

    1. Ofori, Isaac K. & Gbolonyo, Emmanuel & Ojong, Nathanael, 2022. "Towards Inclusive Green Growth in Africa: Critical energy efficiency synergies and governance thresholds," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 365, pages 1-48.
    2. Ofori, Isaac K. & Gbolonyo, Emmanuel Y. & Ojong, Nathanael, 2023. "Foreign direct investment and inclusive green growth in Africa: Energy efficiency contingencies and thresholds," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 117(C).
    3. Zhang, Dongyang & Wang, Jinli & Wang, Yizhi, 2023. "Greening through centralization of environmental monitoring?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 123(C).
    4. Mathieu Gomes & Sylvain Marsat & Jonathan Peillex & Guillaume Pijourlet, 2023. "Does religiosity influence corporate greenwashing behavior?," Papers 2312.14515, arXiv.org.
    5. Wei Wang & Dechao Ma & Fengzhi Wu & Mengxin Sun & Shuangqing Xu & Qiuyue Hua & Ziyuan Sun, 2023. "Exploring the Knowledge Structure and Hotspot Evolution of Greenwashing: A Visual Analysis Based on Bibliometrics," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-35, January.
    6. Zhang, Dongyang, 2022. "Green financial system regulation shock and greenwashing behaviors: Evidence from Chinese firms," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    7. Armando Toscano & Melissa Balzarotti & Ilaria Re, 2022. "Sustainability Practices and Greenwashing Risk in the Italian Poultry Sector: A Grounded Theory Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-16, October.
    8. Kong, Xiangyi & Xu, Jian & Zhang, Yinge, 2022. "Industry competition and firm productivity: Evidence from the antitrust policy in China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 47(PB).
    9. Wei Wang & Ziyuan Sun & Weixing Zhu & Lin Ma & Yuting Dong & Xiao Sun & Fengzhi Wu, 2023. "How does multi‐agent govern corporate greenwashing? A stakeholder engagement perspective from “common” to “collaborative” governance," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(1), pages 291-307, January.
    10. Lu, Zhenye & Lin, Yongjia & Li, You, 2023. "Does corporate engagement in digital transformation influence greenwashing? Evidence from China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 58(PD).
    11. Amairi, Haifa & Gallali, Mohamed Imen & Sassi, Syrine, 2022. "Market pressure and cost of equity: Revisited," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 47(PB).
    12. Zhang, Wei & Qin, Chu & Zhang, Wenyao, 2023. "Top management team characteristics, technological innovation and firm's greenwashing: Evidence from China's heavy-polluting industries," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    13. Zhang, Dongyang, 2022. "Environmental regulation, green innovation, and export product quality: What is the role of greenwashing?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    14. Zhang, Dongyang, 2023. "Subsidy expiration and greenwashing decision: Is there a role of bankruptcy risk?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    15. Tan, Ruipeng & Cai, Qijun & Pan, Lulu, 2024. "Faking for fortune: Emissions trading schemes and corporate greenwashing in China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    16. Zhou, Kuo & Qu, Zhi & Liang, Jiayang & Tao, Yunqing & Zhu, Mengting, 2024. "Threat or shield: Environmental administrative penalties and corporate greenwashing," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    17. Liu, Changyu & Song, Yadong & Wang, Wei & Shi, Xunpeng, 2023. "The governance of manufacturers’ greenwashing behaviors: A tripartite evolutionary game analysis of electric vehicles," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 333(C).
    18. Zhang, Dongyang, 2023. "Can environmental monitoring power transition curb corporate greenwashing behavior?," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 199-218.
    19. Kleffel, Philipp & Muck, Matthias, 2023. "Aggregate confusion or inner conflict? An experimental analysis of investors’ reaction to greenwashing," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 53(C).
    20. Peng, Wei & Xiong, Langyu, 2022. "Managing financing costs and fostering green transition: The role of green financial policy in China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 820-836.
    21. Xiaoqian Lu & Tong Sheng & Xiaolan Zhou & Chaohai Shen & Bingquan Fang, 2022. "How Does Young Consumers’ Greenwashing Perception Impact Their Green Purchase Intention in the Fast Fashion Industry? An Analysis from the Perspective of Perceived Risk Theory," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-17, October.
    22. Patrick Velte, 2023. "Determinants and consequences of corporate social responsibility decoupling—Status quo and limitations of recent empirical quantitative research," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(6), pages 2695-2717, November.
    23. Ofori, Isaac K. & Gbolonyo, Emmanuel Y. & Ojong, Nathanael, 2022. "Foreign Direct Investment and Inclusive Green Growth in Africa: Energy Efficiency Contingencies and Thresholds," MPRA Paper 115379, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 09 Nov 2022.
    24. Tian, Jinfang & Sun, Siyang & Cao, Wei & Bu, Di & Xue, Rui, 2024. "Make every dollar count: The impact of green credit regulation on corporate green investment efficiency," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Greenwashing; Product market competition; Environmental cost;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • M14 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - Corporate Culture; Diversity; Social Responsibility
    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill
    • L10 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - General

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