IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/asiapa/v37y2020i4d10.1007_s10490-019-09681-1.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Strategic alignment of intangible assets: The role of corporate social responsibility

Author

Listed:
  • Na Shen

    (Hong Kong Shue Yan University)

  • Kevin Au

    (The Chinese University of Hong Kong)

  • Weiwen Li

    (Sun Yat-Sen University)

Abstract

Intangible assets are becoming increasingly important to firms. However, the question of how firms can realize the full potential of intangible assets remains. We propose that corporate social responsibility (CSR) can help a company create value from intangible assets for two reasons. First, firms invest in CSR to increase employee loyalty, which in turn help retain knowledge workers. Second, firms engage in CSR activities to increase employees’ organizational identification, and to promote collaboration across units, which is crucial for the integration and alignment of intangible assets with other intangible assets and tangible assets. Moreover, we propose that institutional development may weaken the positive relationship between intangible assets and engagement in CSR, whereas product diversification may strengthen the relationship. Data analyses based on a sample of 4788 Chinese entrepreneurial firms provides support toward our main arguments. This study highlights a novel idea that firms may use CSR practices to realize the potential of their intangible assets. This study has important managerial implications as well.

Suggested Citation

  • Na Shen & Kevin Au & Weiwen Li, 2020. "Strategic alignment of intangible assets: The role of corporate social responsibility," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 37(4), pages 1119-1139, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:kap:asiapa:v:37:y:2020:i:4:d:10.1007_s10490-019-09681-1
    DOI: 10.1007/s10490-019-09681-1
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10490-019-09681-1
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10490-019-09681-1?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
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Fara Azmat & Ramanie Samaratunge, 2009. "Responsible Entrepreneurship in Developing Countries: Understanding the Realities and Complexities," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 90(3), pages 437-452, December.
    2. David J. TEECE, 2008. "Profiting from technological innovation: Implications for integration, collaboration, licensing and public policy," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: The Transfer And Licensing Of Know-How And Intellectual Property Understanding the Multinational Enterprise in the Modern World, chapter 5, pages 67-87, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    3. Caroline Flammer & Aleksandra Kacperczyk, 2019. "Corporate social responsibility as a defense against knowledge spillovers: Evidence from the inevitable disclosure doctrine," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(8), pages 1243-1267, August.
    4. Yasemin Y. Kor & Huseyin Leblebici, 2005. "How do interdependencies among human‐capital deployment, development, and diversification strategies affect firms' financial performance?," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(10), pages 967-985, October.
    5. Matt Marx & Lee Fleming, 2012. "Non-compete Agreements: Barriers to Entry ... and Exit?," Innovation Policy and the Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 12(1), pages 39-64.
    6. Moshe Farjoun, 1994. "Beyond Industry Boundaries: Human Expertise, Diversification and Resource-Related Industry Groups," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 5(2), pages 185-199, May.
    7. Zhou, Wubiao, 2013. "Political connections and entrepreneurial investment: Evidence from China's transition economy," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 28(2), pages 299-315.
    8. Caroline Flammer & Jiao Luo, 2017. "Corporate social responsibility as an employee governance tool: Evidence from a quasi-experiment," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(2), pages 163-183, February.
    9. Jinyoung Kim & Gerald Marschke, 2005. "Labor Mobility of Scientists, Technological Diffusion, and the Firm's Patenting Decision," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 36(2), pages 298-317, Summer.
    10. Abhirup Chakrabarti & Kulwant Singh & Ishtiaq Mahmood, 2007. "Diversification and performance: evidence from East Asian firms," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(2), pages 101-120, February.
    11. Shan Xu & Duchi Liu, 2017. "Corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate diversification: do diversified production firms invest more in CSR?," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(4), pages 254-257, February.
    12. Pradit Withisuphakorn & Pornsit Jiraporn, 2016. "The effect of firm maturity on corporate social responsibility (CSR): do older firms invest more in CSR?," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(4), pages 298-301, March.
    13. Yiu, Daphne W. & Wan, William P. & Ng, Frank W. & Chen, Xing & Jun Su,, 2014. "Sentimental Drivers of Social Entrepreneurship: A Study of China's Guangcai (Glorious) Program," Management and Organization Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 10(1), pages 55-80, March.
    14. Matt Marx & Deborah Strumsky & Lee Fleming, 2009. "Mobility, Skills, and the Michigan Non-Compete Experiment," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 55(6), pages 875-889, June.
    15. Martin Ganco & Rosemarie H. Ziedonis & Rajshree Agarwal, 2015. "More stars stay, but the brightest ones still leave: Job hopping in the shadow of patent enforcement," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(5), pages 659-685, May.
    16. Li, Weiwen & Au, Kevin Yuk-fai & He, Ai & Song, Lihong, 2015. "Why Do Family-controlled Firms Donate to Charity? The Role of Intrafamily Succession Intention, Social Status, and Religiosity," Management and Organization Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 11(4), pages 621-644, December.
    17. Christiane Bode & Jasjit Singh & Michelle Rogan, 2015. "Corporate Social Initiatives and Employee Retention," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 26(6), pages 1702-1720, December.
    18. Hae-Ryong Kim & Moonkyu Lee & Hyoung-Tark Lee & Na-Min Kim, 2010. "Corporate Social Responsibility and Employee–Company Identification," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 95(4), pages 557-569, September.
    19. Craig D. Macaulay & Orlando C. Richard & Mike W. Peng & Maria Hasenhuttl, 2018. "Alliance Network Centrality, Board Composition, and Corporate Social Performance," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 151(4), pages 997-1008, September.
    20. Benjamin A. Campbell & Martin Ganco & April M. Franco & Rajshree Agarwal, 2012. "Who leaves, where to, and why worry? employee mobility, entrepreneurship and effects on source firm performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(1), pages 65-87, January.
    21. William P. Wan, 2005. "Country Resource Environments, Firm Capabilities, and Corporate Diversification Strategies," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(1), pages 161-182, January.
    22. Hutzschenreuter, Thomas & Horstkotte, Julian, 2013. "Performance effects of international expansion processes: The moderating role of top management team experiences," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 22(1), pages 259-277.
    23. Sun, Sunny Li & Peng, Mike W. & Lee, Ruby P. & Tan, Weiqiang, 2015. "Institutional open access at home and outward internationalization," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 50(1), pages 234-246.
    24. Shen, Na & Su, Jun, 2017. "Religion and succession intention - Evidence from Chinese family firms," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 150-161.
    25. Timothy Gubler & Ian Larkin & Lamar Pierce, 2018. "Doing Well by Making Well: The Impact of Corporate Wellness Programs on Employee Productivity," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 64(11), pages 4967-4987, November.
    26. Weilei (Stone) Shi & Sunny Li Sun & Mike W. Peng, 2012. "Sub-National Institutional Contingencies, Network Positions, and IJV Partner Selection," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 49(7), pages 1221-1245, November.
    27. Rajshree Agarwal & Martin Ganco & Rosemarie H. Ziedonis, 2009. "Reputations for toughness in patent enforcement: implications for knowledge spillovers via inventor mobility," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(13), pages 1349-1374, December.
    28. McCloskey, Deirdre N., 2013. "Tunzelmann, Schumpeter, and the Hockey Stick," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(10), pages 1706-1715.
    29. Juelin Yin & Yuli Zhang, 2012. "Institutional Dynamics and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in an Emerging Country Context: Evidence from China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 111(2), pages 301-316, December.
    30. Kafouros, Mario & Wang, Chengqi & Piperopoulos, Panagiotis & Zhang, Mingshen, 2015. "Academic collaborations and firm innovation performance in China: The role of region-specific institutions," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(3), pages 803-817.
    31. Caroline Flammer & Aleksandra Kacperczyk, 2016. "The Impact of Stakeholder Orientation on Innovation: Evidence from a Natural Experiment," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 62(7), pages 1982-2001, July.
    32. Mike W Peng & David Ahlstrom & Shawn M Carraher & Weilei (Stone) Shi, 2017. "An institution-based view of global IPR history," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 48(7), pages 893-907, September.
    33. Christopher Marquis & Cuili Qian, 2014. "Corporate Social Responsibility Reporting in China: Symbol or Substance?," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 25(1), pages 127-148, February.
    34. Krishna Udayasankar, 2008. "Corporate Social Responsibility and Firm Size," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 83(2), pages 167-175, December.
    35. Leslie E. Palich & Laura B. Cardinal & C. Chet Miller, 2000. "Curvilinearity in the diversification–performance linkage: an examination of over three decades of research," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(2), pages 155-174, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Sunny Li Sun & Weilei (Stone) Shi & David Ahlstrom & Li (Rachel) Tian, 2020. "Understanding institutions and entrepreneurship: The microfoundations lens and emerging economies," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 37(4), pages 957-979, December.
    2. Shu-Yun Du & Xiao-Chen Shao & Alfredo Jiménez & Jeoung Yul Lee, 2022. "Corporate Social Responsibility of Chinese Multinational Enterprises: A Review and Future Research Agenda," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-22, December.
    3. Hyongmook Cheong & Boyoung Kim & Ivan Ureta Vaquero, 2023. "A Data Valuation Model to Estimate the Investment Value of Platform Companies: Based on Discounted Cash Flow," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-17, June.
    4. Zhang Yu & Syed Abdul Rehman Khan & Muhammad Umar, 2022. "Circular economy practices and industry 4.0 technologies: A strategic move of automobile industry," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(3), pages 796-809, March.
    5. Fang Chen Kao & Minh‐Hieu Le, 2022. "Effects of corporate social responsibility on pharmaceutical multinational enterprises performance: Research and development and business efficiency perspectives," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 43(8), pages 3419-3434, December.

    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. Simeth, Markus & Mohammadi, Ali, 2022. "Losing talent by partnering up? The impact of R&D collaboration on employee mobility," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(7).
    2. Francesco Castellaneta & Raffaele Conti & Aleksandra Kacperczyk, 2020. "The (Un) intended consequences of institutions lowering barriers to entrepreneurship: The impact on female workers," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(7), pages 1274-1304, July.
    3. Agarwal, Rajshree & Shah, Sonali K., 2014. "Knowledge sources of entrepreneurship: Firm formation by academic, user and employee innovators," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(7), pages 1109-1133.
    4. Raffaele Conti & Olenka Kacperczyk & Giovanni Valentini, 2022. "Institutional protection of minority employees and entrepreneurship: Evidence from the LGBT Employment Non‐Discrimination Acts," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(4), pages 758-791, April.
    5. Yeganegi, Sepideh & Laplume, André O. & Dass, Parshotam & Huynh, Cam-Loi, 2016. "Where do spinouts come from? The role of technology relatedness and institutional context," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(5), pages 1103-1112.
    6. René Belderbos & Jinhyuck (Joseph) Park & Martin Carree, 2021. "Do R&D investments in weak IPR countries destroy market value? The role of internal linkages," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(8), pages 1401-1431, August.
    7. Evan Starr & Martin Ganco & Benjamin A. Campbell, 2018. "Strategic human capital management in the context of cross‐industry and within‐industry mobility frictions," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(8), pages 2226-2254, August.
    8. Alfonso Gambardella & Martin Ganco & Florence Honoré, 2015. "Using What You Know: Patented Knowledge in Incumbent Firms and Employee Entrepreneurship," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 26(2), pages 456-474, April.
    9. Eduardo Melero & Neus Palomeras & David Wehrheim, 2020. "The Effect of Patent Protection on Inventor Mobility," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 66(12), pages 5485-5504, December.
    10. Simeth, Markus & Mohammadi, Ali, 2017. "The impact of open innovation on employee mobility and entrepreneurship," Working Paper Series in Economics and Institutions of Innovation 449, Royal Institute of Technology, CESIS - Centre of Excellence for Science and Innovation Studies.
    11. Weiqi Dai & Mingqing Liao, 2019. "Entrepreneurial attention to deregulations and reinvestments by private firms: Evidence from China," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 36(4), pages 1221-1250, December.
    12. Chila, Vilma, 2021. "Knowledge dynamics in employee entrepreneurship : Implications for parents and offspring," Other publications TiSEM a1f5d18c-783b-4af6-8414-6, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    13. Martin Ganco, 2013. "Cutting the Gordian knot: The effect of knowledge complexity on employee mobility and entrepreneurship," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(6), pages 666-686, June.
    14. Ekinci, Emre, 2022. "Employee entrepreneurship and signaling role of corporate venturing decisions," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    15. Svenja Dube & Chenqi Zhu, 2021. "The Disciplinary Effect of Social Media: Evidence from Firms' Responses to Glassdoor Reviews," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(5), pages 1783-1825, December.
    16. 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.
    17. Kalpana Tokas & Kartik Yadav, 2023. "Foreign Ownership and Corporate Social Responsibility: The Case of an Emerging Market," Global Business Review, International Management Institute, vol. 24(6), pages 1302-1325, December.
    18. Pettus, Michael L. & Kor, Yasemin Y. & Mahoney, Joseph T., 2007. "A Theory of Change in Turbulent Environments: The Sequencing of Dynamic Capabilities Following Industry Deregulation," Working Papers 07-0100, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, College of Business.
    19. Danai Christopoulou & Nikolaos Papageorgiadis & Chengang Wang & Georgios Magkonis, 2021. "IPR Law Protection and Enforcement and the Effect on Horizontal Productivity Spillovers from Inward FDI to Domestic Firms: A Meta-analysis," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 61(2), pages 235-266, April.
    20. Yang, Chia-Hsuan & Nugent, Rebecca & Fuchs, Erica R.H., 2016. "Gains from others’ losses: Technology trajectories and the global division of firms," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(3), pages 724-745.

    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:kap:asiapa:v:37:y:2020:i:4:d:10.1007_s10490-019-09681-1. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    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.