IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/bstrat/v32y2023i8p5615-5632.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Adapting corporations to climate change: How decarbonization impacts the business strategy–performance nexus

Author

Listed:
  • Alexandra França
  • Lucas López‐Manuel
  • Antonio Sartal
  • Xosé H. Vázquez

Abstract

Today's conventional wisdom on competitive strategies advanced at a time when climate change was not an issue. However, increasing requirements for decarbonization may be affecting the soundness of well‐established knowledge, which includes the effect of competitive strategies on performance. Based on 15 years (2005–2019) of panel data on 1264 publicly traded corporations from 34 countries, we find that carbon abatement positively moderates the relation between the intensity of a cost‐leadership strategy and ROA, ROE, and Tobin's Q. A post hoc analysis also reveals, nevertheless, that this requires firms to show a minimum level of cost‐reduction expertise before they can consider harnessing decarbonization for the same purposes. By contrast, the effect of decarbonization on the differentiation–performance nexus only improves for Tobin's Q, thus reflecting their difficulty to monetize climate change efforts in the short term. Overall, these findings not only allow revitalizing a rather stuck literature on competitive strategies and performance but also inform managers about when and why they can expect to achieve decarbonization for free with current competitive strategies.

Suggested Citation

  • Alexandra França & Lucas López‐Manuel & Antonio Sartal & Xosé H. Vázquez, 2023. "Adapting corporations to climate change: How decarbonization impacts the business strategy–performance nexus," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(8), pages 5615-5632, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:bstrat:v:32:y:2023:i:8:p:5615-5632
    DOI: 10.1002/bse.3439
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.3439
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/bse.3439?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. Azlan Amran & Say Keat Ooi & Cheng Yew Wong & Fathyah Hashim, 2016. "Business Strategy for Climate Change: An ASEAN Perspective," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 23(4), pages 213-227, July.
    2. Richard A. D'Aveni & Giovanni Battista Dagnino & Ken G. Smith, 2010. "The age of temporary advantage," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(13), pages 1371-1385, December.
    3. Amrou Awaysheh & Randall A. Heron & Tod Perry & Jared I. Wilson, 2020. "On the relation between corporate social responsibility and financial performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(6), pages 965-987, June.
    4. Olga Hawn & Ioannis Ioannou, 2016. "Mind the gap: The interplay between external and internal actions in the case of corporate social responsibility," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(13), pages 2569-2588, December.
    5. Allie Goldstein & Will R. Turner & Jillian Gladstone & David G. Hole, 2019. "The private sector’s climate change risk and adaptation blind spots," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 18-25, January.
    6. Jordi A. Surroca & Ruth V. Aguilera & Kurt Desender & Josep A. Tribó, 2020. "Is managerial entrenchment always bad and corporate social responsibility always good? A cross‐national examination of their combined influence on shareholder value," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(5), pages 891-920, May.
    7. Caroline Flammer, 2018. "Competing for government procurement contracts: The role of corporate social responsibility," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(5), pages 1299-1324, May.
    8. Stefan Lewandowski, 2017. "Corporate Carbon and Financial Performance: The Role of Emission Reductions," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(8), pages 1196-1211, December.
    9. Jeffrey M Wooldridge, 2010. "Econometric Analysis of Cross Section and Panel Data," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 2, volume 1, number 0262232588, December.
    10. Jacob Brower & Peter A. Dacin, 2020. "An Institutional Theory Approach to the Evolution of the Corporate Social Performance – Corporate Financial Performance Relationship," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 57(4), pages 805-836, June.
    11. Shaikh M. S. U. Eskander & Sam Fankhauser, 2020. "Reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from national climate legislation," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 10(8), pages 750-756, August.
    12. Raffaele Morandi Stagni & Juan Santaló & Marco S. Giarratana, 2020. "Product‐market competition and resource redeployment in multi‐business firms," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(10), pages 1799-1836, October.
    13. Roel Brouwers & Frederiek Schoubben & Cynthia Van Hulle, 2018. "The influence of carbon cost pass through on the link between carbon emission and corporate financial performance in the context of the European Union Emission Trading Scheme," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(8), pages 1422-1436, December.
    14. Pablo Arocena & Mikel Villanueva & Raquel Arévalo & Xosé H. Vázquez, 2011. "Why are firms challenging conventional wisdom on moral hazard? Revisiting the fair wage--effort hypothesis," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 20(2), pages 433-455, April.
    15. Natalie Slawinski & Pratima Bansal, 2015. "Short on Time: Intertemporal Tensions in Business Sustainability," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 26(2), pages 531-549, April.
    16. Juergen Braunstein, 2022. "Crisis and state investment funds with expiration dates: Risks and opportunities in a decarbonization context," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 13(4), pages 579-584, September.
    17. Gregory Jackson & Richard Deeg, 2019. "Comparing capitalisms and taking institutional context seriously," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 50(1), pages 4-19, February.
    18. Leonidou, Leonidas C. & Fotiadis, Thomas A. & Christodoulides, Paul & Spyropoulou, Stavroula & Katsikeas, Constantine S., 2015. "Environmentally friendly export business strategy: Its determinants and effects on competitive advantage and performance," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 24(5), pages 798-811.
    19. Michael L. Barnett & Robert M. Salomon, 2012. "Does it pay to be really good? addressing the shape of the relationship between social and financial performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(11), pages 1304-1320, November.
    20. Angeloantonio Russo & Stefano Pogutz & Nicola Misani, 2021. "Paving the road toward eco‐effectiveness: Exploring the link between greenhouse gas emissions and firm performance," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(7), pages 3065-3078, November.
    21. Emanuele L. M. Bettinazzi & Maurizio Zollo, 2022. "Stakeholder Orientation and Experiential Learning: Evidence from Corporate Acquisitions," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(6), pages 1422-1459, September.
    22. Steven Postrel, 2018. "Transaction surplus superiority in canonical market segments: Using the profit map to guide positioning and investment choices across price‐rivalry regimes," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(6), pages 1573-1602, June.
    23. Stav Fainshmidt & Lucas Wenger & Amir Pezeshkan & Mark R. Mallon, 2019. "When do Dynamic Capabilities Lead to Competitive Advantage? The Importance of Strategic Fit," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 56(4), pages 758-787, June.
    24. Giovanna Michelon & Giacomo Boesso & Kamalesh Kumar, 2013. "Examining the Link between Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility and Company Performance: An Analysis of the Best Corporate Citizens," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 20(2), pages 81-94, March.
    25. Tomasz Obloj & Metin Sengul, 2020. "What do multiple objectives really mean for performance? Empirical evidence from the French manufacturing sector," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(13), pages 2518-2547, December.
    26. Jing‐Lin Duanmu & Maoliang Bu & Russell Pittman, 2018. "Does market competition dampen environmental performance? Evidence from China," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(11), pages 3006-3030, November.
    27. Karen Richardsen Moberg & Benjamin K. Sovacool & Alexandra Goritz & Gaëtan M. Hinojosa & Carlo Aall & Maria Nilsson, 2021. "Barriers, emotions, and motivational levers for lifestyle transformation in Norwegian household decarbonization pathways," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 165(1), pages 1-25, March.
    28. Sayantan Khanra & Puneet Kaur & Rojers P Joseph & Ashish Malik & Amandeep Dhir, 2022. "A resource‐based view of green innovation as a strategic firm resource: Present status and future directions," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(4), pages 1395-1413, May.
    29. Teresa A. Dickler & Timothy B. Folta, 2020. "Identifying internal markets for resource redeployment," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(13), pages 2341-2371, December.
    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. Ting-Ting Li & Kai Wang & Toshiyuki Sueyoshi & Derek D. Wang, 2021. "ESG: Research Progress and Future Prospects," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-28, October.
    2. Linda Kusumaning Wedari & Amir Moradi‐Motlagh & Christine Jubb, 2023. "The moderating effect of innovation on the relationship between environmental and financial performance: Evidence from high emitters in Australia," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(1), pages 654-672, January.
    3. Tzouvanas, Panagiotis & Kizys, Renatas & Chatziantoniou, Ioannis & Sagitova, Roza, 2020. "Environmental and financial performance in the European manufacturing sector: An analysis of extreme tail dependency," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 52(6).
    4. Lu, Hao & Oh, Won-Yong & Kleffner, Anne & Chang, Young Kyun, 2021. "How do investors value corporate social responsibility? Market valuation and the firm specific contexts," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 14-25.
    5. Pia Ellimäki & Ruth V. Aguilera & Nuria Esther Hurtado-Torres & J. Alberto Aragón-Correa, 2023. "The link between foreign institutional owners and multinational enterprises’ environmental outcomes," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 54(5), pages 910-927, July.
    6. Huanyong Ji & Guannan Xu & Yuan Zhou & Zhongzhen Miao, 2019. "The Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility on Firms’ Innovation in China: The Role of Institutional Support," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(22), pages 1-20, November.
    7. Zhifang Zhou & Lingyan Zhang & Li Lin & Huixiang Zeng & Xiaohong Chen, 2020. "Carbon risk management and corporate competitive advantages: “Differential promotion” or “cost hindrance”?," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(4), pages 1764-1784, May.
    8. Kamini Gupta & Donal Crilly & Thomas Greckhamer, 2020. "Stakeholder engagement strategies, national institutions, and firm performance: A configurational perspective," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(10), pages 1869-1900, October.
    9. 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.
    10. Zhonghua Zhao & Fanchen Meng & Yin He & Zhouyang Gu, 2019. "The Influence of Corporate Social Responsibility on Competitive Advantage with Multiple Mediations from Social Capital and Dynamic Capabilities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-16, January.
    11. Liwei Shan & Shihe Fu & Lu Zheng, 2017. "Corporate sexual equality and firm performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(9), pages 1812-1826, September.
    12. Stephen J. Smulowitz & Didier Cossin & Hongze Lu, 2023. "Managerial Short-Termism and Corporate Social Performance: The Moderating Role of External Monitoring," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 188(4), pages 759-778, December.
    13. Lukas Benz & Stefan Paulus & Julia Scherer & Janik Syryca & Stefan Trück, 2021. "Investors' carbon risk exposure and their potential for shareholder engagement," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(1), pages 282-301, January.
    14. Tzouvanas, Panagiotis & Kizys, Renatas & Chatziantoniou, Ioannis & Sagitova, Roza, 2020. "Environmental disclosure and idiosyncratic risk in the European manufacturing sector," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    15. Huanyong Ji & Shuya Sheng & Jun Wan, 2024. "Corporate Social Responsibility Practices and Financial Performance of New Ventures: The Moderating Role of Government Support," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-19, February.
    16. Prasad, Krishna & Kumar, Satish & Devji, Shridev & Lim, Weng Marc & Prabhu, Nandan & Moodbidri, Sudhir, 2022. "Corporate social responsibility and cost of capital: The moderating role of policy intervention," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    17. Christopher Groening & Cheryl‐lyn Ngoh & Ryan Luchs, 2022. "The impact of a firm's corporate social responsibility on firm–supplier relationships: The effect of secondary stakeholder CSR on inventory days," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(5), pages 1689-1705, September.
    18. Vendrell-Herrero, Ferran & Darko, Christian & Vaillant, Yancy, 2022. "Firm productivity and government contracts: The moderating role of corruption," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    19. Zhu, Minghao & Yeung, Andy C.L. & Zhou, Honggeng, 2021. "Diversify or concentrate: The impact of customer concentration on corporate social responsibility," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 240(C).
    20. AMBASHI Masahito, 2023. "How are Organizational Architectures of Corporate Social Responsibility Related to Corporate Performance? The case of Japanese listed companies," Discussion papers 23030, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).

    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:bla:bstrat:v:32:y:2023:i:8:p:5615-5632. 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://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1099-0836 .

    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.