IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/ememar/v64y2025ics1566014124001237.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Does party organization embeddedness boost corporate environmental performance?

Author

Listed:
  • Li, Xiaoxia
  • Lin, Jiahua
  • Tao, Xingye
  • Xu, Jinhua

Abstract

In contrast to corporations in other countries, the role that party organizations play in Chinese firms is distinctly unique. This paper presents empirical evidence of a positive effect of party organization embeddedness on corporate environmental performance. This effect is particularly pronounced for firms operating in regulated industries and those with a stronger cultural system of environmental protection. The study also reveals that the embedding of party organization enhances corporate environmental performance through reducing agency costs and increasing access to environmental subsidies. Overall, this paper emphasizes the importance of the unique arrangement of corporate party organizations in China and provides policy implications for improving the distinct Chinese corporate governance system, promoting green development, and advancing ecological civilization.

Suggested Citation

  • Li, Xiaoxia & Lin, Jiahua & Tao, Xingye & Xu, Jinhua, 2025. "Does party organization embeddedness boost corporate environmental performance?," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ememar:v:64:y:2025:i:c:s1566014124001237
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ememar.2024.101228
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1566014124001237
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.ememar.2024.101228?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
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Adomako, Samuel & Nguyen, Nguyen Phong, 2023. "Eco-innovation in the extractive industry: Combinative effects of social legitimacy, green management, and institutional pressures," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    2. Zhang, Li & Liu, Chengyi & Zhang, Jinjin & Ke, Jinjun & Yuan, Jiayue, 2023. "Party leadership, corporate governance and stock price crash risk: Evidence from China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    3. Feng, Xunan & Johansson, Anders C. & Zhang, Tianyu, 2015. "Mixing business with politics: Political participation by entrepreneurs in China," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 220-235.
    4. Joel F. Houston & Liangliang Jiang & Chen Lin & Yue Ma, 2014. "Political Connections and the Cost of Bank Loans," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(1), pages 193-243, March.
    5. Kevin Zheng Zhou & Julie Juan Li & Nan Zhou & Chenting Su, 2008. "Market orientation, job satisfaction, product quality, and firm performance: evidence from China," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(9), pages 985-1000, September.
    6. Snyder, James M, Jr, 1990. "Campaign Contributions as Investments: The U.S. House of Representatives, 1980-1986," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 98(6), pages 1195-1227, December.
    7. Zheng, Jiafeng & Tu, Yongqian, 2024. "Party organization embeddedness and corporate green innovation," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 67(PB).
    8. Li, Hongbin & Meng, Lingsheng & Wang, Qian & Zhou, Li-An, 2008. "Political connections, financing and firm performance: Evidence from Chinese private firms," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(2), pages 283-299, October.
    9. Dongmin Kong & Jia Liu & Yanan Wang & Ling Zhu, 2024. "Employee Stock Ownership Plans and Corporate Environmental Engagement," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 189(1), pages 177-199, January.
    10. Jinhua Xu & Feisan Ye & Xiaoxia Li, 2024. "Carbon intensity constraint policy and firm green innovation in China: a quasi-DID analysis," Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 15(3), pages 704-730, February.
    11. Cheng, Louis T.W. & Leung, T.Y., 2016. "Government protection, political connection and management turnover in China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 160-176.
    12. Srikanth Paruchuri, 2010. "Intraorganizational Networks, Interorganizational Networks, and the Impact of Central Inventors: A Longitudinal Study of Pharmaceutical Firms," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 21(1), pages 63-80, February.
    13. Xixiong Xu & Youliang Yan, 2020. "Effect of political connection on corporate environmental investment: evidence from Chinese private firms," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(18), pages 1515-1521, October.
    14. Cao, Xiaping & Pan, Xiaofei & Qian, Meijun & Tian, Gary Gang, 2017. "Political capital and CEO entrenchment: Evidence from CEO turnover in Chinese non-SOEs," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 1-14.
    15. Li Chang & Wenjing Li & Xiaoyan Lu, 2015. "Government Engagement, Environmental Policy, and Environmental Performance: Evidence from the Most Polluting Chinese Listed Firms," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(1), pages 1-19, January.
    16. Hanqing “Chevy” Fang & Esra Memili & James J. Chrisman & Linjia Tang, 2021. "Narrow‐Framing and Risk Preferences in Family and Non‐Family Firms," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 58(1), pages 201-235, January.
    17. Gu, Yun & Yang, Zhaohui, 2023. "The more red the greener? How the Communist Party of China's party organizations influences corporate green innovation," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 55(PA).
    18. Dengjin Zheng & Deren Xie & Wei Yuan, 2019. "The CPC party organization in privately controlled listed companies and earnings management," China Journal of Accounting Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 7(2), pages 270-291, April.
    19. Claessens, Stijn & Feijen, Erik & Laeven, Luc, 2008. "Political connections and preferential access to finance: The role of campaign contributions," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(3), pages 554-580, June.
    20. Lucas, Marilyn T. & Noordewier, Thomas G., 2016. "Environmental management practices and firm financial performance: The moderating effect of industry pollution-related factors," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 175(C), pages 24-34.
    21. James S. Ang & Rebel A. Cole & James Wuh Lin, 2000. "Agency Costs and Ownership Structure," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 55(1), pages 81-106, February.
    22. Wu, Bao & Fang, Hanqing & Jacoby, Gady & Li, Geling & Wu, Zhenyu, 2022. "Environmental regulations and innovation for sustainability? Moderating effect of political connections," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    23. MARA FACCIO & RONALD W. MASULIS & JOHN J. McCONNELL, 2006. "Political Connections and Corporate Bailouts," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 61(6), pages 2597-2635, December.
    24. Zhang, Dongyang, 2022. "Does the green loan policy boost greener production? – Evidence from Chinese firms," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 51(PB).
    25. Christine Oliver, 1997. "Sustainable competitive advantage: combining institutional and resource‐based views," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(9), pages 697-713, October.
    26. Yan, Yongjun & Lyu, Qiao'e & He, Lanlan, 2024. "Party organization embedded and corporate internal control level," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    27. Jingjing Yang & Jing Chi & Martin Young, 2011. "A review of corporate governance in China," Asian-Pacific Economic Literature, The Crawford School, The Australian National University, vol. 25(1), pages 15-28, May.
    28. 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.
    29. Albrizio, Silvia & Kozluk, Tomasz & Zipperer, Vera, 2017. "Environmental policies and productivity growth: Evidence across industries and firms," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 209-226.
    30. Zhang, Weike & Luo, Qian & Liu, Shiyuan, 2022. "Is government regulation a push for corporate environmental performance? Evidence from China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 105-121.
    31. Zhang, Cui, 2017. "Political connections and corporate environmental responsibility: Adopting or escaping?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 539-547.
    32. Lin, Nan & Li, Ao & Ke, Jinjun & Yuan, Jiayue & Chen, Han, 2023. "The governance role of corporate party organization on innovation," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 657-670.
    33. Flevy Lasrado & Norhayati Zakaria, 2020. "Go green! Exploring the organizational factors that influence self-initiated green behavior in the United Arab Emirates," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 37(3), pages 823-850, 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. Brahma, Sanjukta & Zhang, Jing & Boateng, Agyenim & Nwafor, Chioma, 2023. "Political connection and M&A performance: Evidence from China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 372-389.
    2. Cao, Jiawei & Tang, Jie, 2024. "Party organization embedding and enterprise labor income share," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 96(PB).
    3. Yu, Xin & Zheng, Ying, 2019. "The value of political ties for firms experiencing enforcement actions: Evidence from China," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 51(1), pages 24-45.
    4. Qu Deng & Hezun Li & Hong Yue, 2024. "Public–private partnership, cost of debt and accounting conservatism," Economics and Politics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(1), pages 432-482, March.
    5. Jia, Ning & Mao, Xinshu & Yuan, Rongli, 2019. "Political connections and directors' and officers' liability insurance – Evidence from China," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 353-372.
    6. Florackis, Chris & Fu, Xi & Wang, Jingjing, 2023. "Political connections, environmental violations and punishment: Evidence from heavily polluting firms," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    7. Tang, Xuesong & Lin, Yan & Peng, Qing & Du, Jun & Chan, Kam C., 2016. "Politically connected directors and firm value: Evidence from forced resignations in China," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 148-167.
    8. Su, Zhong-qin & Xiao, Zuoping & Yu, Lin, 2019. "Do political connections enhance or impede corporate innovation?," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 94-110.
    9. Michelson, Noam, 2023. "The revolving door of former civil servants and firm value: A comprehensive approach," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    10. Wang, Fangjun & Xu, Luying & Zhang, Junrui & Shu, Wei, 2018. "Political connections, internal control and firm value: Evidence from China's anti-corruption campaign," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 53-67.
    11. Jing Zhang & Justin Tan & Poh Wong, 2015. "When does investment in political ties improve firm performance? The contingent effect of innovation activities," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 32(2), pages 363-387, June.
    12. Thanh Ngo & Jurica Susnjara, 2020. "Government contracts and US bond yield spreads: A study on costs and benefits of materialized political connections," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(7-8), pages 1059-1085, July.
    13. Ding, Rong & Li, Jialong & Wu, Zhenyu, 2018. "Government affiliation, real earnings management, and firm performance: The case of privately held firms," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 138-150.
    14. Croci, Ettore & Pantzalis, Christos & Park, Jung Chul & Petmezas, Dimitris, 2017. "The role of corporate political strategies in M&As," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 260-287.
    15. Li, Qian & Wang, Shihao & Song, Victor, 2023. "Product competition, political connections, and the costs of high leverage," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    16. Park, SeHyun, 2023. "Profitability of politically corrupt firms: Evidence from Romania," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    17. Sharma, Piyush & Cheng, Louis T.W. & Leung, T.Y., 2020. "Impact of political connections on Chinese export firms' performance – Lessons for other emerging markets," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 24-34.
    18. Bole Zhou & Jing Ge & Pengfei Ge, 2023. "Political connections and labor investment efficiency: Evidence from China's private firms," Economics and Politics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(3), pages 696-717, November.
    19. Miroslav Palanský, 2021. "The value of political connections in the post-transition period: evidence from Czechia," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 188(1), pages 121-154, July.
    20. Moon, Terry & Schoenherr, David, 2022. "The rise of a network: Spillover of political patronage and cronyism to the private sector," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 145(3), pages 970-1005.

    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:eee:ememar:v:64:y:2025:i:c:s1566014124001237. 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: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/inca/620356 .

    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.