IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/bstrat/v33y2024i2p134-148.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Blue goes green: The impact of the chief executive officer and board of directors' political ideology on corporate environmental performance

Author

Listed:
  • Yeongsu Anthony Kim

Abstract

This study investigates the association between a CEO's political ideology and Corporate Environmental Performance. Although previous research has established a strong association between a CEO's political ideology and overall performance on Corporate Social Responsibility, little research has examined how it relates to a firm's environmental impact. Utilizing data on CEO political donations, this study shows that a CEO's liberalism generally has a positive effect on a firm's environmental performance. However, this relationship can be influenced by the political conservatism of the board of directors. Furthermore, liberal CEOs are inclined to prioritize environmental strength and minimize environmental concerns. This research provides insight into the intricate dynamics of how a CEO's political ideology, as well as that of the board of directors, can influence a firm's environmental performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Yeongsu Anthony Kim, 2024. "Blue goes green: The impact of the chief executive officer and board of directors' political ideology on corporate environmental performance," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(2), pages 134-148, February.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:bstrat:v:33:y:2024:i:2:p:134-148
    DOI: 10.1002/bse.3481
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.3481
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/bse.3481?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. Ariel Malka & Jon A. Krosnick & Gary Langer, 2009. "The Association of Knowledge with Concern About Global Warming: Trusted Information Sources Shape Public Thinking," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(5), pages 633-647, May.
    2. Zhu, Bangzhu & Xu, Chenxin & Wang, Ping & Zhang, Lin, 2022. "How does internal carbon pricing affect corporate environmental performance?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 65-77.
    3. Guoli Chen & Craig Crossland & Sterling Huang, 2016. "Female board representation and corporate acquisition intensity," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(2), pages 303-313, February.
    4. Abhinav Gupta & Adam J. Wowak & Warren Boeker, 2022. "Corporate directors as heterogeneous network pipes: How director political ideology affects the interorganizational diffusion of governance practices," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(8), pages 1469-1498, August.
    5. 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.
    6. Abhinav Gupta & Forrest Briscoe & Donald C. Hambrick, 2017. "Red, blue, and purple firms: Organizational political ideology and corporate social responsibility," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(5), pages 1018-1040, May.
    7. Jaepil Choi & Heli Wang, 2009. "Stakeholder relations and the persistence of corporate financial performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(8), pages 895-907, August.
    8. Oleg V. Petrenko & Federico Aime & Jason Ridge & Aaron Hill, 2016. "Corporate social responsibility or CEO narcissism? CSR motivations and organizational performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(2), pages 262-279, February.
    9. Stock, James H & Wright, Jonathan H & Yogo, Motohiro, 2002. "A Survey of Weak Instruments and Weak Identification in Generalized Method of Moments," Journal of Business & Economic Statistics, American Statistical Association, vol. 20(4), pages 518-529, October.
    10. M. K. Chin & Matthew Semadeni, 2017. "CEO political ideologies and pay egalitarianism within top management teams," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(8), pages 1608-1625, August.
    11. Du, Jialin & Bai, Tao & Chen, Stephen, 2019. "Integrating corporate social and corporate political strategies: Performance implications and institutional contingencies in China," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 299-316.
    12. Ilinitch, Anne Y. & Soderstrom, Naomi S. & E. Thomas, Tom, 1998. "Measuring corporate environmental performance," Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, Elsevier, vol. 17(4-5), pages 383-408.
    13. Lee, Joon Mahn & Kim, Jongsoo & Bae, Joonhyung, 2020. "Founder CEOs and innovation: Evidence from CEO sudden deaths in public firms," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(1).
    14. Paul Goren & Christopher M. Federico & Miki Caul Kittilson, 2009. "Source Cues, Partisan Identities, and Political Value Expression," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 53(4), pages 805-820, October.
    15. Steven T. Yen & Ernest M. Zampelli, 2021. "Political Ideology, Political Party, and Support for Greater Federal Spending on Environmental Protection in the United States: Evidence from the General Social Surveys, 1993–2018," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 38(1), pages 6-30, January.
    16. Judith L. Walls & Pascual Berrone & Phillip H. Phan, 2012. "Corporate governance and environmental performance: is there really a link?," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(8), pages 885-913, August.
    17. David M. Konisky & Jeffrey Milyo & Lilliard E. Richardson, 2008. "Environmental Policy Attitudes: Issues, Geographical Scale, and Political Trust," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 89(5), pages 1066-1085, December.
    18. Katalin Takacs Haynes & Amy Hillman, 2010. "The effect of board capital and CEO power on strategic change," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(11), pages 1145-1163, November.
    19. Lawrence Hamilton, 2011. "Education, politics and opinions about climate change evidence for interaction effects," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 104(2), pages 231-242, January.
    20. Hidemichi Fujii & Kazuyuki Iwata & Shinji Kaneko & Shunsuke Managi, 2013. "Corporate Environmental and Economic Performance of Japanese Manufacturing Firms: Empirical Study for Sustainable Development," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(3), pages 187-201, March.
    21. Guoli Chen & Craig Crossland & Sterling Huang, 2020. "That Could Have Been Me: Director Deaths, CEO Mortality Salience, and Corporate Prosocial Behavior," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 66(7), pages 3142-3161, July.
    22. Parthiban David & Matt Bloom & Amy J. Hillman, 2007. "Investor activism, managerial responsiveness, and corporate social performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(1), pages 91-100, January.
    23. Nooraisah Katmon & Zam Zuriyati Mohamad & Norlia Mat Norwani & Omar Al Farooque, 2019. "Comprehensive Board Diversity and Quality of Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosure: Evidence from an Emerging Market," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 157(2), pages 447-481, June.
    24. Amy J. Hillman & Gerald D. Keim, 2001. "Shareholder value, stakeholder management, and social issues: what's the bottom line?," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(2), pages 125-139, February.
    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. Saridakis, Charalampos & Angelidou, Sofia & Woodside, Arch G., 2020. "What type of CSR engagement suits my firm best? Evidence from an abductively-derived typology," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 174-187.
    2. Greiner, Michael & Kim, Jaemin & Cordon Thor, Jennifer, 2023. "Narcissistic CEOs and their corporate political activity," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    3. Greiner, Michael & Kim, Jaemin & Cordon Thor, Jennifer, 2023. "CEO values as antecedents to corporate political activity: An empirical exploration," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    4. Ruchunyi Fu & Yi Tang & Guoli Chen, 2020. "Chief sustainability officers and corporate social (Ir)responsibility," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(4), pages 656-680, April.
    5. Shili Chen & Niels Hermes & Reggy Hooghiemstra, 2022. "Corporate Social Responsibility and NGO Directors on Boards," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 175(3), pages 625-649, January.
    6. Tai-Hsi Wu & Hsiang-Lin Chih & Mei-Chen Lin & Yi Hua Wu, 2020. "A Data Envelopment Analysis-Based Methodology Adopting Assurance Region Approach for Measuring Corporate Social Performance," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 148(3), pages 863-892, April.
    7. Kiefner, Valentin & Mohr, Alexander & Schumacher, Christian, 2022. "Female executives and multinationals’ support of the UN's sustainable development goals," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 57(3).
    8. 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.
    9. Michael Greiner & Jing Sun, 2021. "How corporate social responsibility can incentivize top managers: A commitment to sustainability as an agency intervention," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(4), pages 1360-1375, July.
    10. Saridakis, Charalampos & Angelidou, Sofia & Woodside, Arch G., 2023. "How historical and social aspirations reshape the relationship between corporate financial performance and corporate social responsibility," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    11. Michael Greiner & Jaemin Kim, 2021. "Corporate political activity and greenwashing: Can CPA clarify which firm communications on social & environmental events are genuine?," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(1), pages 1-10, January.
    12. Don O'Sullivan & Leon Zolotoy & Qingliang Fan, 2021. "CEO early‐life disaster experience and corporate social performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(11), pages 2137-2161, November.
    13. Xu, Lei & Ou, Amy Y. & Park, Haemin Dennis & Jiang, Han, 2024. "Breaking barriers or maintaining status quo? Female representation in decision-making group of venture capital firms and the funding of woman-led businesses," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 39(1).
    14. Lee, Gilsoo & Cho, Sam Yul & Arthurs, Jonathan & Lee, Eun Kyung, 2020. "Celebrity CEO, identity threat, and impression management: Impact of celebrity status on corporate social responsibility," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 69-84.
    15. Fan, Zhangmei & Chen, Ying & Mo, Yifan, 2024. "Management myopia and corporate ESG performance," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    16. Jeong, Nara & Kim, Nari & Arthurs, Jonathan D., 2021. "The CEO’s tenure life cycle, corporate social responsibility and the moderating role of the CEO’s political orientation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 137(C), pages 464-474.
    17. Bai Xue & Zhuang Zhang & Pingli Li, 2020. "Corporate environmental performance, environmental management and firm risk," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(3), pages 1074-1096, March.
    18. 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).
    19. Claudio Nuber & Patrick Velte & Jacob Hörisch, 2020. "The curvilinear and time‐lagging impact of sustainability performance on financial performance: Evidence from Germany," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(1), pages 232-243, January.
    20. Lucas, David S. & Park, U. David, 2023. "The nature and origins of social venture mission: An exploratory study of political ideology and moral foundations," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 38(2).

    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:33:y:2024:i:2:p:134-148. 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.