Does corporate social responsibility transparency mitigate corporate cash holdings?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Hendijani Zadeh ◽  
Michel Magnan ◽  
Denis Cormier ◽  
Ahmad Hammami
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Lower Cost ◽  
Value Relevance ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Cash Holdings ◽  
Ordinary Least Squares ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
Corporate Cash Holdings

PurposeThis article aims to explore whether a firm's corporate social responsibility (CSR) transparency alleviates a firm's cash holdings.Design/methodology/approachCSR transparency ratings encompass both the quantity and the quality of CSR practices, as validated by Bloomberg. While based upon firm-specific disclosure, transparency ratings impound additional information gathered independently by Bloomberg and thus bridge the gap between CSR disclosure and CSR performance. The authors use ordinary least squares estimators, and the authors concentrate on a panel of S&P 500 index companies over the period of 2012–2018 to examine the effect of CSR transparency on corporate cash holdings.FindingsThe authors document that a higher level of CSR transparency induces a lower level of corporate cash holdings. Additional results imply that this negative relationship is more pronounced for firms suffering from high information asymmetry, with low financial reporting quality and for those with weak governance. Further analyses document that higher CSR transparency can help firms to enjoy lower cost of debt and to be less financially constrained, enabling high CSR transparent firms to obtain external financing more easily and at a lower cost, thus lowering the need to hoard cash. Ultimately, the study findings suggest that CSR transparency increases the market value relevance of an additional dollar in cash holdings.Originality/valueThe authors contribute to both research streams of CSR and corporate cash holdings as they provide evidence about the influence of CSR transparency as a monitoring and insurance-like mechanism on corporate cash holdings.

Board independence and corporate social responsibility reporting: mediating role of stakeholder power

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Afzalur Rashid
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Ordinary Least Squares ◽  
Board Independence ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Reporting Practices ◽  
Csr Reporting ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
Stakeholder Power

Purpose This study aims to examine the association between board independence and corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting and the moderating role of stakeholder power on the association between board independence and CSR reporting. Design/methodology/approach Using a sample of 707 Bangladeshi firm-year observations, this study uses a content analysis technique to develop a 24-item of CSR reporting index. This study uses the ordinary least squares regression method to examine the relationship between board independence and CSR reporting. Findings The study finds that board independence does not influence CSR activities and relevant reporting in general. However, the non-influence of board independence and CSR reporting is offset by stakeholder power. Insider ownership, firm age, firm size, growth opportunities and market capitalisation have a positive influence on such reporting. Practical implications While this study suggests that stakeholders’ influence is an important factor in determining the firms’ incentives to disclose CSR information, this finding creates a new debate on the efficacy of independent directors and whether they are good monitors and are able to fulfil all the stakeholders’ expectations. Originality/value This study makes an important contribution to the literature on CSR practices by documenting that firms having powerful stakeholders induce the board and management to make more CSR reporting practices in the context of emerging economies.

The impact of corporate social responsibility on firms’ financial performance, evidence from the food and beverage industry

2019 ◽  
Vol 122 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niccolò Nirino ◽  
Nicola Miglietta ◽  
Antonio Salvi
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Financial Performance ◽  
Ordinary Least Squares ◽  
Social Outcomes ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Food And Beverage ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on firms’ financial performance (FP) in the food and beverage (F&B) sector. Design/methodology/approach The authors developed a conceptual model that hypothesizes a positive effect of CSR governance on CSR outcomes (environmental and social) and these on firm’s FP. Gathering data from 190 F&B companies, the authors empirically tested the validity of the model through an ordinary least squares regression analysis. Findings The findings highlight the positive impact of CSR governance on environmental and social outcomes, showing real societal concerns among companies’ stakeholders in the F&B industry. Studies on the effect of CSR outcomes on FP have shown mixed results. On one side, the social outcomes positively impact a firm’s performance; on the other side, environmental outcomes show insignificant or non-positive effects depending on different measurements of FP. Originality/value Despite the mixed set of results between CSR and a firm’s performance in the literature, this research provides a new framework in which the impact of CSR on FP is analysed through the effectiveness of CSR governance on CSR outcomes (social and environmental). Moreover, this study contributes to the CSR literature understanding the impact of both environment and social concerns by companies on firm’s FP in F&B context.

Intellectual capital: the missing link in the corporate social responsibility–financial performance relationship

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Niccolò Nirino ◽  
Alberto Ferraris ◽  
Nicola Miglietta ◽  
Anna Chiara Invernizzi
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Financial Performance ◽  
Intellectual Capital ◽  
Ordinary Least Squares ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Least Squares Regression ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Csr Strategies ◽  
Corporate Social

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to propose and empirically test intellectual capital (IC) as a mediator in the corporate social responsibility (CSR) and financial performance (FP) relationship.Design/methodology/approachThe empirical research was conducted on 345 European firms listed in the STOXX Europe 600 index. To evaluate the mediating effect of IC, we applied the four-step Baron and Kenny model, tested through an ordinary least squares regression analysis.FindingsThe findings highlighted a partial mediation of IC on the CSR–FP relationship, suggesting that the implementation of CSR strategies has a positive effect on the development of firms' IC, which in turn enhances firms' competitive advantage and superior long-term FPs.Originality/valueWe found a new mediator in the CSR–FP relationship and we contribute to a new line of research that aims to study environmental and sustainability aspects strictly interrelated with IC and performances (sustainable intellectual capital).

Potentials of top management team career development and corporate social responsibility

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (6) ◽  
pp. 560-579
Author(s):  
Yelin Hu ◽  
Qiwang Zhang ◽  
Xin Wang
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Career Development ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Manufacturing Industry ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Top Management ◽  
Manufacturing Companies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between potentials of top management teams’ (TMT) career development and corporate social responsibility (CSR) by examining listed manufacturing companies in China. More importantly, it tried to contribute to the understanding of the senior executive’s career development in the trend of upgrading the manufacturing industry. Design/methodology/approach The sample firms in this paper were selected from the China A-listed companies in the manufacturing industry. It collected CSR and TMT data from the Rankins CSR Ratings (RKS) Database and CSMAR database and applied the multiple regression to test the hypotheses. Moreover, it implemented the robustness test by using the standard regression method and the structural equation model. Findings The findings indicate that a firm’s CSR performance is significantly associated with TMT’s educational level and overseas background. The government background, academic background and financial background of high-level managers, instead, have a negative relationship with CSR performance. In addition, firm’s ownership moderates the relationship between TMT and CSR initiatives – the career development potential of TMT has different effects on promoting CSR in the context of different ownership. These relationships remain significant when the managers’ tenure, gender, age, wage and firm size are controlled. Research limitations/implications The empirical research on the potentials of executive career development and CSR is limited to linear assumptions. Since there are fewer overseas holding companies in Chinese state-owned and private enterprises, it failed to reflect international differences. Practical implications First, CSR is related to the potentials of TMT career development and also the potentials of TMT career development are associated with the structure of the TMT. Second, to improve CSR, it is necessary to distinguish the different ownership of companies and then adjust the TMT structure correspondingly. Last, senior executives should choose their career direction according to their own distinct and inherent career development potentials. Originality/value This study explores the relationship between potentials of TMT career development and CSR. It not only expands the research in the field of CSR but also enriches the research on the career development of top executives.

The impact of corporate social responsibility on employee performance and cost

2015 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 262-284 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li Sun ◽  
T. Robert Yu
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Employee Performance ◽  
Labor Cost ◽  
Ordinary Least Squares ◽  
Least Squares Regression ◽  
Socially Responsible ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – The purpose of our paper is to empirically examine the conjectures, which prior literature suggests, that employees work more productively in socially responsible companies and employees are willing to work for less when they work for these companies. Design/methodology/approach – This study uses ordinary least squares regression to examine the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and employee performance and between CSR and employee cost. Further, 2SLS is used to address the endogeneity issue. Findings – The results indicate a positive relation between CSR and employee performance, suggesting that employees in socially responsible companies generate better operating performance than their peers in less socially responsible companies. Findings also reveal that socially responsible companies incur higher labor cost. Research limitations/implications – First, the CSR ratings constructed by KLD Inc. are an approximate measure of CSR performance. Better CSR measures may yield stronger results. Additionally, the sample firms in our study are relatively large firms. Caution needs be exercised when readers generalize these conclusions. Finally, this sample only consists of public firms. Whether these conclusions hold in private firms remains unknown. The above issues can be investigated in future studies. Practical implications – The findings of our study should interest managers who contemplate engaging in socially responsible activities, investors and financial analysts who assess firm performance and policymakers who design and implement guidelines on CSR programs. Originality/value – This is the first paper that directly tests the association between CSR and employee performance and cost. Thus, this study contributes to the CSR literature by offering evidence to show a positive effect of CSR on employee performance. It also contributes to the management accounting literature.

Internal contributions to initiating corporate social responsibility in sport organizations

2018 ◽  
Vol 56 (8) ◽  
pp. 1804-1817 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyungyeol (Anthony) Kim ◽  
Kevin K. Byon ◽  
Hansung Song ◽  
Kyungsik Kim
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Sport Organizations ◽  
Voice Behavior ◽  
Positive Role ◽  
Promotion Focus ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Corporate Social

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to highlight the role that employees play in helping embed a corporate social responsibility (CSR)-advocated culture into their organizations through a voice behavior. This study examines: first, the effect of employees’ negative perceptions (i.e. persuasion knowledge (PK)) of CSR on voice behavior; second, the influence of employees’ motivational dispositions regarding goals (i.e. promotion focus) on voice behavior; and third, the positive moderating effect of promotion focus in the negative relationship between PK and voice behavior. Design/methodology/approach Data were gathered from 168 employees representing all five Korean professional sport organizations at an inaugural sport marketing workshop, a moderated multiple regression analysis was performed to test the hypotheses. Findings The results indicated a marginal negative effect of PK on voice behavior and a significant positive effect of promotion focus on voice behavior. Further, it was found that promotion focus played a positive moderating role in the negative relationship between PK and voice behavior. Originality/value Although employees bear much of the burden of and responsibility for enacting ethical and competitive CSR practices, a paucity of the research has addressed their contributions to CSR as internal promoters of the activities. The present study contributes to the CSR literature by focusing on the role of employees in voicing CSR and empirically examining how promotion focus played a positive role in the relationship between PK and voice behavior.

Corporate social responsibility and financial performance in Saudi Arabia

2018 ◽  
Vol 44 (6) ◽  
pp. 648-664 ◽  
Author(s):  
Husam-Aldin Nizar Al-Malkawi ◽  
Saima Javaid
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Financial Performance ◽  
Generalized Method Of Moments ◽  
Ordinary Least Squares ◽  
Estimation Methods ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on corporate financial performance (CFP) using Zakat as a measure for CSR.Design/methodology/approachThe study examines a sample of 107 non-financial firms listed on the Saudi Arabia stock market over a ten-year period from 2004 to 2013. The authors use the generalized method of moments framework developed by Arellano and Bover (1995) and Blundell and Bond (1998). In addition, for comparison purpose and as a robustness check, the present study uses other panel data techniques including fixed effects model, random effects model (and pooled ordinary least squares.FindingsThe results reveal that there is a strong positive relationship between CSR (Zakat) and CFP. This suggests that Zakat contribute positively to both firm’s profitability and value and can be considered as a win-win strategy to maximize returns and improve performance while considering the society as a whole. The results are robust to alternative econometric estimation methods.Practical implicationsThe companies in Islamic economies can effectively and efficiently implement the basic Shari’a Law of paying Zakat, as a successful measure to implement CSR program, thus benefiting the society by narrowing the gap between the haves and have-nots, that, in turn, leads the company to achieve successfully its short-term as well as long-term goals and enhances the value of the firm in the market. Moreover, corporations are generally encouraged to adopt CSR because of its perceived benefits to both macro- and micro-performances.Originality/valueTo the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first empirical study attempting to examine CSR-CFP relationship within Saudi context employing Zakat as a proxy for CSR. Additionally, the paper provides support for the stakeholder theory from an Islamic perspective.

Corporate Social Responsibility and Entrepreneurship (CSRE): antidotes to poverty, insecurity and underdevelopment in Nigeria

2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 56-81 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lukman Raimi ◽  
Innocent Akhuemonkhan ◽  
Olakunle Dare Ogunjirin
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Gross Domestic Product ◽  
Private Sector ◽  
Positive Relationship ◽  
Social Problems ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Domestic Product ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Corporate Social

Purpose – This paper aims to examine the prospect of utilising corporate social responsibility and entrepreneurship (CSRE) as antidotes for mitigating the incidences of poverty, insecurity and underdevelopment in Nigeria. The paper derives its theoretical foundation from the stakeholder, instrumental and legitimacy theories, which all justify the use of CSRE for actualisation of Triple Bottom Line (i.e. the social, economic and environmental concerns of business organisations). Design/methodology/approach – The study used the quantitative research method relying on the use of secondary data published by institutional bodies. The quantitative method entail a systematic extraction of reliable data on corporate social responsibility (CSR), insecurity, poverty and development from the publications of Office of the Millennium Development Goals in Nigeria, CLEEN Foundation, National Bureau of Statistics and Central Bank of Nigeria, respectively. For missing years, the authors improvised using projections as well as proxies. The extracted data, which spanned a period of 13 years, were subjected to econometric tests using SPSS, on the basis of which informed conclusions were drawn. Findings – The first econometric result indicates a negative relationship between gross domestic product and poverty. The second result indicates that there is a positive significant relationship between gross domestic product and total crime rate. The third result indicates that there exists a positive relationship between gross domestic product and unemployment rate. The fourth result indicates that there is a negative relationship between gross domestic product and industrial growth rate. The last result indicates that there is a significant positive relationship between gross domestic product and CSR. Research limitations/implications – The results of this research have macro-level application, hence the outcomes cannot be narrowed to any particular sector of the economy. A micro-level analysis across diverse sectors of the economy is recommended in future studies. The implication of this empirical research is that policymakers in the Nigerian private sector need to reinvent their CSR programmes as mechanisms for poverty eradication, entrepreneurship development (CSRE), dousing tension of restive youth, empowerment/support for security agencies for better crime prevention and for impacting on sustainable development. Practical implications – In the face of dwindling financial resources in the treasury of governments, the reinvention of CSRE by private sector organisations as complementary mechanisms for combating social problems is becoming acceptable in both developed and developing nations. This paper therefore boldly recommends that policymakers reinvent CSRE as development mechanisms through a sound partnership between government, advocacy groups and business corporations in Nigeria. Social implications – The paper explicates that CSR can indeed be reinvented by corporations as part of their social concerns to their operating environment instead of leaving all social problems to governments. Originality/value – The research lends credence to stakeholder, instrumental and legitimacy theories of CSR. It also justifies the plausibility of CSRE, a novel concept being promoted in this research.

CEO power and corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure: does stakeholder influence matter?

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (9) ◽  
pp. 1279-1312
Author(s):  
Afzalur Rashid ◽  
Syed Shams ◽  
Sudipta Bose ◽  
Habib Khan
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Ordinary Least Squares ◽  
Ceo Power ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Stakeholder Influence ◽  
Csr Disclosure ◽  
Corporate Social

Purpose This study examines the association between Chief Executive Officer (CEO) power and the level of corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure, as well as the moderating role of stakeholder influence on this association. Design/methodology/approach Using a sample of 986 Bangladeshi firm-year observations, this study uses a content analysis technique to develop a 24-item CSR disclosure index. The ordinary least squares regression method is used to estimate the research models, controlling for firm-specific factors that potentially affect the levels of CSR disclosure. Findings The study findings indicate that CEO power is negatively associated with the level of CSR disclosure, and that the negative effects of CEO power on the level of CSR disclosure are attenuated by stakeholder influence. CEO power is documented as reducing the positive impact of CSR disclosure on a firm’s financial performance, with this negative impact attenuated if stakeholders have greater influence on the firm. Practical implications This study suggests that CEO power and stakeholder influence are important factors in determining firms’ incentives to disclose CSR information. Both CEO power and stakeholder influence need to be considered in the CSR – firm performance nexus, given the mixed findings documented in the literature. Originality/value This study makes a significant contribution to the literature on CSR practices by documenting that firms with a powerful CEO have lower levels of CSR disclosure, and that stakeholder influence affects CSR disclosure in the emerging economy context.

Corporate social responsibility: what motivates management to disclose?

2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 513-534 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tay Chia Ling ◽  
Nigar Sultana
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Stock Price ◽  
Ordinary Least Squares ◽  
Statistical Technique ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Least Squares Regression ◽  
Technical Trading ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Corporate Social

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide empirical evidence on the significance of signal breaches from technical trading indicators in explaining variations in the level of corporate social responsibility disclosures (CSRD) by firms. The authors seek to determine whether firms disclose corporate social responsibility (CSR) information in a genuine attempt to report their impact on society and environment or whether firms use CSRD as a shield to legitimise their business operations. Design/methodology/approach – Signal breaches from the Moving Average Convergence Divergence and Chande’s TrendScore technical trading indicators were utilised, while the voluntary environmental and social accounting disclosure index developed by Williams (1998) was adapted to measure the extent of CSRD by Singaporean firms in 2011. Ordinary least squares regression was the principal multivariate statistical technique used to analyse the data collected. Findings – Findings of this paper indicate a positive and significant association between the number of technical indicator signal breaches for a firm and the level of CSRD by that firm, particularly in the environment, energy, human resources and products and customers categories. Research limitations/implications – The collection of CSRD information is based solely on annual reports and within the context of Singapore. Results, therefore, are not completely generalisable to different jurisdictional settings. Practical implications – Findings suggest that firms with a volatile stock price trend provide greater CSRD, possibly as a legitimacy strategy to distract or change the perceptions of investors from its current legitimacy status. Findings, therefore, highlight to regulators the need to strengthen regulatory requirements and implement stricter guidelines on CSR reporting, given the importance of CSRD to users. Social implications – Findings from this study have several implications for various stakeholders including investors, regulators and society in general. Overall, findings also suggest that stakeholders should not rely solely on CSRD in their decision-making process. Originality/value – This is the first paper that has proxied stock price movement by using breaches in technical trading indicators when examining reported levels of CSRD by firms. Moreover, results greatly build on the sparse CSR research on Singapore.

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