IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/bstrat/v35y2026i3p4563-4586.html

Giving or Greening? Stakeholder Dynamics and Ex‐Military Executives

Author

Listed:
  • Hyeyoun Park
  • Jiangtao Xie
  • Tao Chen
  • Taewoo Roh

Abstract

Firms increasingly face competing demands from different stakeholder groups, yet little is known about how these demands interact and generate strategic trade‐offs. Drawing on stakeholder theory and upper echelons theory, we investigate whether an overemphasis on philanthropic initiatives can detract from investments in green innovation, and how this relationship is moderated by the attributes of military executives. Based on 2873 firm‐year observations from 930 Chinese listed firms from 2006 to 2017, we find that philanthropic overinvestment crowds out green innovation. However, this substitution effect is mitigated when firms are led by ex‐military executives, who possess stronger stakeholder orientation and resource mobilization capabilities. Furthermore, we show that compensation growth amplifies the positive moderating role of military experience. This study contributes to the literature by providing practical insights into the impact of ex‐military executive appointments on firms' green innovation strategies. We also highlight that firms must strategically manage the trade‐offs within their corporate social responsibility portfolio, recognizing that executive decisions on competing initiatives are significantly influenced by managers' characteristics such as prior military experience and incentive structures.

Suggested Citation

  • Hyeyoun Park & Jiangtao Xie & Tao Chen & Taewoo Roh, 2026. "Giving or Greening? Stakeholder Dynamics and Ex‐Military Executives," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(3), pages 4563-4586, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:bstrat:v:35:y:2026:i:3:p:4563-4586
    DOI: 10.1002/bse.70410
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.70410
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/bse.70410?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. Xiaping Cao & Michael Lemmon & Xiaofei Pan & Meijun Qian & Gary Tian, 2019. "Political Promotion, CEO Incentives, and the Relationship Between Pay and Performance," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 65(7), pages 2947-2965, July.
    2. Kamini Gupta & Donal Crilly & Thomas Greckhamer, 2020. "Stakeholder engagement strategies, national institutions, and firm performance: A configurational perspective," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(10), pages 1869-1900, October.
    3. Tu, Wenjun & Zheng, Xiaolan & Li, Lei & Lin, Zhiang (John), 2021. "Do Chinese firms benefit from government ownership following cross-border acquisitions?," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(3).
    4. Haiyang Li & Yan Zhang, 2007. "The role of managers' political networking and functional experience in new venture performance: Evidence from China's transition economy," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(8), pages 791-804, August.
    5. Jerry Hausman, 2015. "Specification tests in econometrics," Applied Econometrics, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), vol. 38(2), pages 112-134.
    6. Hall, Matthew & Millo, Yuval & Barman, E, 2015. "Who and what really counts? Stakeholder prioritization and accounting for social value," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 62354, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    7. Masson, Robert Tempest, 1971. "Executive Motivations, Earnings, and Consequent Equity Performance," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 79(6), pages 1278-1292, Nov.-Dec..
    8. Joseph Simpson & Ana Marcie Sariol, 2019. "Squared Away: Veterans on the Board of Directors," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 160(4), pages 1035-1045, December.
    9. Matthew Hall & Yuval Millo & Emily Barman, 2015. "Who and What Really Counts? Stakeholder Prioritization and Accounting for Social Value," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(7), pages 907-934, November.
    10. Franck Brulhart & Sandrine Gherra & Bertrand V. Quelin, 2019. "Do Stakeholder Orientation and Environmental Proactivity Impact Firm Profitability?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 158(1), pages 25-46, August.
    11. ., 2018. "Looking backwards in order to peer forwards," Chapters, in: A History of the Global Economy, chapter 24, pages 435-458, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    12. Ilya R. P. Cuypers & Ping-Sheng Koh & Heli Wang, 2016. "Sincerity in Corporate Philanthropy, Stakeholder Perceptions and Firm Value," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 27(1), pages 173-188, February.
    13. Conyon, Martin J. & He, Lerong, 2011. "Executive compensation and corporate governance in China," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 17(4), pages 1158-1175, September.
    14. Caroline Flammer & Bryan Hong & Dylan Minor, 2019. "Corporate governance and the rise of integrating corporate social responsibility criteria in executive compensation: Effectiveness and implications for firm outcomes," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(7), pages 1097-1122, July.
    15. Sergiy D. Dmytriyev & R. Edward Freeman & Jacob Hörisch, 2021. "The Relationship between Stakeholder Theory and Corporate Social Responsibility: Differences, Similarities, and Implications for Social Issues in Management," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 58(6), pages 1441-1470, September.
    16. Pan, Xiongfeng & Li, Mengna & Wang, Mengyang & Chu, Junhui & Bo, Hongguang, 2020. "The effects of outward foreign direct investment and reverse technology spillover on China's carbon productivity," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    17. Mehdi Nekhili & Héla Chakroun & Tawhid Chtioui, 2018. "Women’s Leadership and Firm Performance: Family Versus Nonfamily Firms," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 153(2), pages 291-316, December.
    18. Vladislav Maksimov & Stephanie Lu Wang & Shipeng Yan, 2022. "Global connectedness and dynamic green capabilities in MNEs," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 53(4), pages 723-740, June.
    19. Arthur Gautier & Anne-Claire Pache, 2015. "Research on Corporate Philanthropy: A Review and Assessment," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 126(3), pages 343-369, February.
    20. Guoquan Chen & Chunhong Liu & Dean Tjosvold, 2005. "Conflict Management for Effective Top Management Teams and Innovation in China," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(2), pages 277-300, March.
    21. Martin Larraza‐Kintana & Robert M. Wiseman & Luis R. Gomez‐Mejia & Theresa M. Welbourne, 2007. "Disentangling compensation and employment risks using the behavioral agency model," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(10), pages 1001-1019, October.
    22. Heli Wang & Ming Jia & Zhe Zhang, 2021. "Good Deeds Done in Silence: Stakeholder Management and Quiet Giving by Chinese Firms," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 32(3), pages 649-674, May.
    23. Xing Shi & Yujie Zeng & Yanrui Wu & Shuai Wang, 2023. "Outward Foreign Direct Investment and Green Innovation in Chinese Multinational Companies," Economics Discussion / Working Papers 23-05, The University of Western Australia, Department of Economics.
    24. Michael V. Russo, 2003. "The emergence of sustainable industries: building on natural capital," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(4), pages 317-331, April.
    25. Shi, Xing & Zeng, Yujie & Wu, Yanrui & Wang, Shuai, 2023. "Outward foreign direct investment and green innovation in Chinese multinational companies," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(5).
    26. Rosa Dangelico & Devashish Pujari, 2010. "Mainstreaming Green Product Innovation: Why and How Companies Integrate Environmental Sustainability," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 95(3), pages 471-486, September.
    27. Javed, Muzhar & Wang, Fangjun & Usman, Muhammad & Ali Gull, Ammar & Uz Zaman, Qamar, 2023. "Female CEOs and green innovation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    28. repec:hal:journl:hal-02311932 is not listed on IDEAS
    29. William Ocasio, 1997. "Towards An Attention‐Based View Of The Firm," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(S1), pages 187-206, July.
    30. Nicole Darnall & Irene Henriques & Perry Sadorsky, 2010. "Adopting Proactive Environmental Strategy: The Influence of Stakeholders and Firm Size," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(6), pages 1072-1094, September.
    31. Tariq, Adeel & Badir, Yuosre F. & Tariq, Waqas & Bhutta, Umair Saeed, 2017. "Drivers and consequences of green product and process innovation: A systematic review, conceptual framework, and future outlook," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 8-23.
    32. 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.
    33. Jongmoo Jay Choi & Jimi Kim & Oded Shenkar, 2023. "Temporal Orientation and Corporate Social Responsibility: Global Evidence," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(1), pages 82-119, January.
    34. Jiao Luo & Aseem Kaul & Haram Seo, 2018. "Winning us with trifles: Adverse selection in the use of philanthropy as insurance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(10), pages 2591-2617, October.
    35. Jin-hui Luo & Yuangao Xiang & Ruichao Zhu, 2017. "Military top executives and corporate philanthropy: Evidence from China," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 34(3), pages 725-755, September.
    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. Jyun‐Ying Fu, 2023. "Customer concentration and corporate charitable donations: Evidence from China," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 44(1), pages 545-561, January.
    2. Zhe Zhang & Xin Wang & Ming Jia, 2021. "Echoes of CEO Entrepreneurial Orientation: How and When CEO Entrepreneurial Orientation Influences Dual CSR Activities," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 169(4), pages 609-629, April.
    3. Qiao, Penghua & Zhao, Yuying & Fung, Anna & Fung, Hung-Gay, 2025. "How digital leadership guides ESG sustainability," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 73(PB).
    4. Jianlong Wang & Haitao Wu & Yong Liu & Weilong Wang, 2024. "Going out and bringing in: Exploring the impact of OFDI on green innovation performance under firms' digital transformation strategies," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 45(4), pages 2428-2442, June.
    5. Sharma, Amalesh & Pathak, Surya & Borah, Sourav Bikash & Adhikary, Anirban, 2022. "Collaboration strategies in buyer-supplier relational (BSR) networks and sustainable firm performance: A trade-off story," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 253(C).
    6. Emanuele L. M. Bettinazzi & Maurizio Zollo, 2022. "Stakeholder Orientation and Experiential Learning: Evidence from Corporate Acquisitions," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(6), pages 1422-1459, September.
    7. Juan He & Shuang Yang, 2024. "Does internationalization improve environmental disclosure willingness and quality? The moderating role of green investors," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 19(9), pages 1-20, September.
    8. Ali Uyar & Habiba Al‐Shaer & Cemil Kuzey & Abdullah S. Karaman, 2024. "Do foreign directors reinforce better waste management? The moderating role of eco‐innovation," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(3), pages 2040-2065, March.
    9. Sergiy D. Dmytriyev & R. Edward Freeman & Jacob Hörisch, 2021. "The Relationship between Stakeholder Theory and Corporate Social Responsibility: Differences, Similarities, and Implications for Social Issues in Management," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 58(6), pages 1441-1470, September.
    10. Tao, Miaomiao & Wang, Jianda & Roubaud, David & Qi, Lingli, 2025. "Global reach, local impact: How China's outward foreign direct investment shapes corporate carbon risk management?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    11. Hu, Yahan & Zheng, Qinqin, 2025. "Mutual scrutiny and information exchange: Uncovering R&D Partners’ impact on ESG performance in the biopharmaceutical industry," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 195(C).
    12. Jin-hui Luo & Zeyue Huang & Ruichao Zhu, 2021. "Does media coverage help firms “lobby” for government subsidies? Evidence from China," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 38(1), pages 259-290, March.
    13. Zhihui Sun & Dejun Wu & Min Zhang, 2021. "Better late than never? Corporate social responsibility engagement after product-harm crises," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 38(4), pages 1209-1259, December.
    14. Zhang, Wenyue & Sun, Chuanwang, 2024. "Do multinational enterprises’ overseas investment activities promote their green transition performance? Evidence from Chinese listed companies," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 594-608.
    15. Hsuan‐Lien Chu & Nai‐Yng Liu & Albert Tsang & Xiao Zeng, 2025. "Environmental Risk, Environmental Action, and Firm Value: Evidence From Climate‐Linked Contracts," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 35(3), pages 215-240, September.
    16. Mitchell, J. Robert & Israelsen, Trevor L. & Mitchell, Ronald K. & Lim, Dominic S.K., 2021. "Stakeholder identification as entrepreneurial action: The social process of stakeholder enrollment in new venture emergence," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 36(6).
    17. Shih-chi (Sana) Chiu & Azadeh Sabz, 2022. "Can Corporate Divestiture Activities Lead to Better Corporate Social Performance?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 179(3), pages 849-866, September.
    18. Sayantan Khanra & Puneet Kaur & Rojers P Joseph & Ashish Malik & Amandeep Dhir, 2022. "A resource‐based view of green innovation as a strategic firm resource: Present status and future directions," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(4), pages 1395-1413, May.
    19. Chernyi, Alex & Uotila, Juha, 2024. "Prioritization of organizational stakeholders: A managerial decision-making perspective," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 185(C).
    20. Rashidi-Sabet, Siavash & Madhavaram, Sreedhar & Parvatiyar, Atul, 2022. "Strategic solutions for the climate change social dilemma: An integrative taxonomy, a systematic review, and research agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 619-635.

    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:35:y:2026:i:3:p:4563-4586. 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.