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Managerial entrenchment, corporate social responsibility, and earnings management

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  • Isabel‐Maria García‐Sánchez
  • Nazim Hussain
  • Sana Akbar Khan
  • Jennifer Martínez‐Ferrero

Abstract

Many studies have examined the direct relationship between the two corporate practices: corporate social responsibility (CSR) and earnings management (EM); however, the results remain heterogeneous. To achieve the consensus, this study builds upon the classical agency theory and examines the role of managerial entrenchment in creating organizational facades related to CSR and EM. More specifically, it examines the relationship between CSR performance and EM in the presence of managerial entrenchment and the direct effect of managerial entrenchment on CSR decoupling. In doing so, this article provides evidence of a previously underappreciated yet fundamentally important aspect, that is, managerial entrenchment, that may significantly affect the quality of earnings as well as the level of alignment between CSR disclosure and performance. Our analyses of longitudinal data of an international sample for the period of 2007–2016 supports that managerial entrenchment significantly moderates the relationship between CSR performance and EM. Furthermore, our study reveals that entrenched managers decouple CSR disclosure and performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Isabel‐Maria García‐Sánchez & Nazim Hussain & Sana Akbar Khan & Jennifer Martínez‐Ferrero, 2020. "Managerial entrenchment, corporate social responsibility, and earnings management," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(4), pages 1818-1833, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:corsem:v:27:y:2020:i:4:p:1818-1833
    DOI: 10.1002/csr.1928
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    2. Wei Wang & Ziyuan Sun & Weixing Zhu & Lin Ma & Yuting Dong & Xiao Sun & Fengzhi Wu, 2023. "How does multi‐agent govern corporate greenwashing? A stakeholder engagement perspective from “common” to “collaborative” governance," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(1), pages 291-307, January.
    3. Ahmad Yuosef Alodat & Hamzeh Al Amosh & Osamah Alorayni & Saleh F. A. Khatib, 2024. "Does corporate sustainability disclosure mitigate earnings management: empirical evidence from Jordan," International Journal of Disclosure and Governance, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 21(1), pages 165-174, March.
    4. Waseem, Fareeha, 2023. "Impact of Managerial Entrenchment on Firm Performance," OSF Preprints hmuab, Center for Open Science.
    5. Zeeshan Ullah, 2023. "The determinants and performance outcome of the firm's capacity to maintain customer loyalty," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(1), pages 265-279, February.
    6. Charl de Villiers & Jing Jia & Zhongtian Li, 2022. "Corporate social responsibility: A review of empirical research using Thomson Reuters Asset4 data," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 62(4), pages 4523-4568, December.
    7. Kim, Sooin & Yoo, Jungmin, 2022. "Corporate Opacity, Corporate Social Responsibility, and Financial Performance," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 49(C).
    8. Patrick Velte, 2023. "Determinants and consequences of corporate social responsibility decoupling—Status quo and limitations of recent empirical quantitative research," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(6), pages 2695-2717, November.

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