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Greasing Dirty Machines: Evidence of Pollution-Driven Bribery in China

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  • Yanlei Zhang

    (Copenhagen Business School)

Abstract

Environmental pollution has become a serious challenge in emerging markets. Using a unique survey of privately owned enterprises in China, this paper investigates how polluting firms respond to institutional pressures. We find that polluting firms conform to external pressures by combining relational activities and clean technology investments. However, some polluting firms alleviate regulative pressures by bribing government officials, which represents an unethical relational strategy to manage political relationship. We further analyze the contingency on firm-level political connection and local institutional conditions. Political connection buffers firms from institutional demand and demotivates firms’ willingness to respond to institutional pressures; stronger local civic activism and better bureaucratic governance curb the pollution-driven bribery, but they are not strong enough to enhance environmentally friendly practices. Collectively, our study demonstrates how polluting firms navigate institutional pressures in emerging markets, and it particularly highlights the pollution-driven bribery as an obstacle to sustainability.

Suggested Citation

  • Yanlei Zhang, 2021. "Greasing Dirty Machines: Evidence of Pollution-Driven Bribery in China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 170(1), pages 53-74, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:170:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1007_s10551-019-04301-w
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-019-04301-w
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    Cited by:

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    4. Zhou, Kevin Zheng & Wang, Kui & Xu, Dean & Xie, En, 2022. "Drinking poison to quench thirst: Does bribery foster firm performance in China?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 505-517.
    5. Shisong Jiang & Yijie Min, 2023. "The Ability and Willingness of Family Firms to Bribe: A Socioemotional Wealth Perspective," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 184(1), pages 237-254, April.
    6. Peggy M. L. Ng & Tai Ming Wut & Kam Kong Lit & Cherry T. Y. Cheung, 2022. "Drivers of corporate social responsibility and firm performance for sustainable development—An institutional theory approach," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(4), pages 871-886, July.
    7. Hamaguchi, Yoshihiro, 2023. "Environmental tax evasion as a determinant of the Porter and pollution haven hypotheses in a corrupt political system," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 610-633.
    8. Wei Jiang & Daokang Luo & Liwen W.L. Wang & Kevin Zheng Zhou, 2024. "Foreign ownership and bribery in Chinese listed firms: An institutional perspective," Post-Print hal-04432029, HAL.

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