IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/entthe/v30y2006i6p785-802.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Family Firms and Social Responsibility: Preliminary Evidence from the S&P 500

Author

Listed:
  • W. Gibb Dyer Jr.
  • David A. Whetten

Abstract

Little is known about the impact of family ownership and management on corporate social performance. Some scholars have suggested that family firms are not likely to act in a socially responsible manner, while others have indicated that socially responsible behavior on the part of the family firm protects the family's assets. This preliminary study compares the degree to which family and nonfamily firms are socially responsible using data from 1991 to 2000 from the S&P 500. Two hundred sixty–one firms (202 nonfamily and 59 family) appeared in the S&P 500 for the 10–year period. Findings show that family firms are more socially responsible than nonfamily firms along several dimensions. This is likely due to family concern about image and reputation and a desire to protect family assets.

Suggested Citation

  • W. Gibb Dyer Jr. & David A. Whetten, 2006. "Family Firms and Social Responsibility: Preliminary Evidence from the S&P 500," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 30(6), pages 785-802, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:entthe:v:30:y:2006:i:6:p:785-802
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1540-6520.2006.00151.x
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1111/j.1540-6520.2006.00151.x
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/j.1540-6520.2006.00151.x?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. Sandra A. Waddock & Samuel B. Graves, 1997. "The Corporate Social Performance–Financial Performance Link," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(4), pages 303-319, April.
    2. T. S. Breusch & A. R. Pagan, 1980. "The Lagrange Multiplier Test and its Applications to Model Specification in Econometrics," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 47(1), pages 239-253.
    3. Hausman, Jerry, 2015. "Specification tests in econometrics," Applied Econometrics, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), vol. 38(2), pages 112-134.
    4. Schein, Edgar H., 1983. "The role of the founder in the creation of organizational culture," Working papers 1407-83., Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Sloan School of Management.
    5. W. Gibb Dyer Jr., 2003. "The Family: The Missing Variable in Organizational Research," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 27(4), pages 401-416, October.
    6. Ronald C. Anderson & David M. Reeb, 2003. "Founding-Family Ownership and Firm Performance: Evidence from the S&P 500," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 58(3), pages 1301-1327, June.
    7. William S. Schulze & Michael H. Lubatkin & Richard N. Dino & Ann K. Buchholtz, 2001. "Agency Relationships in Family Firms: Theory and Evidence," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 12(2), pages 99-116, April.
    8. Gallo, Miguel A. & Tapies, Josep & Cappuyns, Kristin, 2000. "Comparison of family and non-family business: Financial logic and personal preferences," IESE Research Papers D/406, IESE Business School.
    9. Peter Foreman & David A. Whetten, 2002. "Members' Identification with Multiple-Identity Organizations," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 13(6), pages 618-635, December.
    10. M. F. R. Kets De Vries, 1977. "The Entrepreneurial Personality: A Person At The Crossroads," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 14(1), pages 34-57, March.
    11. Ronald C. Anderson & David M. Reeb, 2003. "Founding‐Family Ownership and Firm Performance: Evidence from the S&P 500," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 58(3), pages 1301-1328, June.
    12. Peter Kennedy, 2003. "A Guide to Econometrics, 5th Edition," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 5, volume 1, number 026261183x, 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. Jörn Hendrich Block, 2008. "Family Management, Family Ownership and Downsizing: Evidence from S&P 500 Firms," SFB 649 Discussion Papers SFB649DP2008-023, Sonderforschungsbereich 649, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany.
    2. Block, Joern H. & Jaskiewicz, Peter & Miller, Danny, 2011. "Ownership versus management effects on performance in family and founder companies: A Bayesian reconciliation," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 2(4), pages 232-245.
    3. González, Maximiliano & Guzmán, Alexander & Pombo, Carlos & Trujillo, María Andréa, 2013. "Corporate governance mechanisms in family firms: Evidence from CEO turnovers," Galeras. Working Papers Series 037, Universidad de Los Andes. Facultad de Administración. School of Management.
    4. Kumari Ranjita & Kumar Nishant, 2020. "Ownership Structure and the Risk: Analysis of Indian Firms," Acta Universitatis Sapientiae, Economics and Business, Sciendo, vol. 8(1), pages 39-52, October.
    5. Naeem Tabassum & Satwinder Singh, 2020. "Corporate Governance and Organisational Performance," Springer Books, Springer, number 978-3-030-48527-6, September.
    6. Naciye Sekerci & Jamil Jaballah & Marc van Essen & Nadine Kammerlander, 2022. "Investors’ Reactions to CSR News in Family Versus Nonfamily Firms: A Study on Signal (In)credibility," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 46(1), pages 82-116, January.
    7. Aziz Jaafar & Lynn Hodgkinson & Mao-Feng Kao, 2019. "Ownership Structure, Board of Directors and Firm Performance: Evidence from Taiwan," Working Papers 19011, Bangor Business School, Prifysgol Bangor University (Cymru / Wales).
    8. James J. Chrisman & Jess H. Chua & Allison W. Pearson & Tim Barnett, 2012. "Family Involvement, Family Influence, and Family–Centered Non–Economic Goals in Small Firms," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 36(2), pages 267-293, March.
    9. Lindow, Corinna M. & Stubner, Stephan & Wulf, Torsten, 2010. "Strategic fit within family firms: The role of family influence and the effect on performance," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 1(3), pages 167-178, September.
    10. McGuire, Jean & Dow, Sandra & Ibrahim, Bakr, 2012. "All in the family? Social performance and corporate governance in the family firm," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 65(11), pages 1643-1650.
    11. Jelle Schepers & Wim Voordeckers & Tensie Steijvers & Eddy Laveren, 2014. "The entrepreneurial orientation–performance relationship in private family firms: the moderating role of socioemotional wealth," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 43(1), pages 39-55, June.
    12. Astrachan, Joseph H., 2010. "Strategy in family business: Toward a multidimensional research agenda," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 1(1), pages 6-14, March.
    13. Ahrens, Jan-Philipp & Uhlaner, Lorraine & Woywode, Michael & Zybura, Jan, 2018. "“Shadow emperor” or “loyal paladin”? – The Janus face of previous owner involvement in family firm successions," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 9(1), pages 73-90.
    14. Dawson, Alexandra, 2011. "Private equity investment decisions in family firms: The role of human resources and agency costs," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 26(2), pages 189-199, March.
    15. Saim Kashmiri & Vijay Mahajan, 2014. "A Rose by Any Other Name: Are Family Firms Named After Their Founding Families Rewarded More for Their New Product Introductions?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 124(1), pages 81-99, September.
    16. Isabelle Le Breton-Miller & Danny Miller, 2009. "Agency vs. Stewardship in Public Family Firms: A Social Embeddedness Reconciliation," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 33(6), pages 1169-1191, November.
    17. Eulaiwi, Baban & Al-Hadi, Ahmed & Taylor, Grantley & Al-Yahyaee, Khamis Hamed & Evans, John, 2016. "Multiple directorships, family ownership and the board nomination committee: International evidence from the GCC," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 28(C), pages 61-88.
    18. Kashmiri, Saim & Mahajan, Vijay, 2010. "What's in a name?," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 27(3), pages 271-280.
    19. Chahine, Salim & Goergen, Marc, 2014. "Top management ties with board members: How they affect pay–performance sensitivity and IPO performance," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 27(C), pages 99-115.
    20. Block, Joern H., 2012. "R&D investments in family and founder firms: An agency perspective," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 248-265.

    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:sae:entthe:v:30:y:2006:i:6:p:785-802. 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: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    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.