IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/finana/v97y2025ics1057521924008081.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Female executives and corporate brand competitiveness: The mediating role of corporate social responsibility

Author

Listed:
  • Ni, Yanbin

Abstract

This study delves into the impact of the proportion of female executives on corporate brand competitiveness, revealing the mediating role of corporate social responsibility (CSR). It further analyzes the moderating effects of factors such as industry competition, government subsidies, and external audit quality, as well as the influence of heterogeneity factors like corporate life cycle and industry characteristics on this relationship. Through empirical analysis of data from China's A-share listed companies, it is found that an increase in the proportion of female executives significantly enhances corporate brand competitiveness, and this effect is partially mediated by CSR. Heterogeneity analysis shows that female executives have the most significant effect on enhancing brand competitiveness during the startup phase, and in heavily polluting industries, female executives are more effective in enhancing brand competitiveness through fulfilling social responsibilities. This study provides a new perspective for understanding the relationship between female leadership, CSR, and brand competitiveness, with implications for corporate management and policy-making.

Suggested Citation

  • Ni, Yanbin, 2025. "Female executives and corporate brand competitiveness: The mediating role of corporate social responsibility," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:finana:v:97:y:2025:i:c:s1057521924008081
    DOI: 10.1016/j.irfa.2024.103876
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1057521924008081
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.irfa.2024.103876?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. Tuyen, Bui Quang & Phuong Anh, Do Vu & Mai, Nguyen Phuong & Long, To Quang, 2023. "Does corporate engagement in social responsibility affect firm innovation? The mediating role of digital transformation," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 292-303.
    2. He, Feng & Guo, Xinyao & Yue, Pengpeng, 2024. "Media coverage and corporate ESG performance: Evidence from China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    3. Huang, Yujie & Li, Shanshan, 2024. "Female directors, ESG performance and enterprise financialization," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 62(PB).
    4. Amoako, George Kofi & Dartey-Baah, Kwasi & Naatu, Felicia & Acquah, Innocent Senyo Kwasi & Gabrah, Antoinette Yaa Benewaa, 2024. "Corporate social responsibility and brand performance: Evidence from Ghana," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 30(4).
    5. Zhuo Wang & Muhammad Sadiq Shahid & Nguyen Binh An & Mohsin Shahzad & Zulkiflee Abdul-Samad, 2022. "Does green finance facilitate firms in achieving corporate social responsibility goals?," Economic Research-Ekonomska Istraživanja, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(1), pages 5400-5419, December.
    6. Abbas, Jawad, 2024. "Does the nexus of corporate social responsibility and green dynamic capabilities drive firms toward green technological innovation? The moderating role of green transformational leadership," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 208(C).
    7. Krystyniak, Karolina & Staneva, Viktoriya, 2024. "Executive gender and capital structure: New evidence from rebalancing events," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    8. Deng, Wenyueyang & Zhang, Zenglian & Guo, Borui, 2024. "Firm-level carbon risk awareness and Green transformation: A research on the motivation and consequences from government regulation and regional development perspective," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    9. Kim, Yeonshin & Hur, Won-Moo & Lee, Luri, 2023. "Understanding customer participation in CSR activities: The impact of perceptions of CSR, affective commitment, brand equity, and corporate reputation," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    10. Jiami Zheng & Lin Zhang, 2023. "Do venture capitalists with foreign experience drive corporate social responsibility better? Evidence from China," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 63(5), pages 4961-4988, December.
    11. M. Ali & M. Malik & M.Z. Yaqub & C.J. Chiappetta Jabbour & Ana Beatriz Lopes de Sousa Jabbour & H. Latan, 2023. "Green Means Long Life - Green Competencies for Corporate Sustainability Performance: A Moderated Mediation Model of Green Organizational Culture and Top Management Support," Post-Print hal-04276020, HAL.
    12. Li, Jing & Nie, Huihua & Ruan, Rui & Shen, Xinyi, 2024. "Subjective perception of economic policy uncertainty and corporate social responsibility: Evidence from China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    13. Tang, Qi & Deng, Wanqiu, 2024. "Financial policy competition neutrality and the efficiency of outward foreign direct investment," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    14. Xu, Yong & Zhao, Xin & Wang, Jian & Xie, Peijun, 2023. "Clarifying the dispute of corporate social responsibility: Evidence from green technological innovation," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    15. Kong, Dongmin & Xiong, Mengxu & Qin, Ni, 2022. "Business Tax reform and CSR engagement: Evidence from China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    16. Bhat, Aijaz Ahmad & Mir, Ajaz Akber & Allie, Adeel Hussain & Ahmad Lone, Mushtaq & Al-Adwan, Ahmad Samed & Jamali, Dima & Riyaz, Iqra, 2024. "Unlocking corporate social responsibility and environmental performance: Mediating role of green strategy, innovation, and leadership," Innovation and Green Development, Elsevier, vol. 3(2).
    17. Liu, Huan & Hou, Canran, 2023. "The impact of institutional investors' corporate site visits on corporate social responsibility," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 55(C).
    18. Zhang, Zhen & Wu, Yifan & He, Dongwei, 2024. "More female, better corporate performance? Evidence from Chinese listed companies," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    19. Han, Wei & Wu, Di, 2024. "ESG ratings, business credit acquisition, and corporate value," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 95(PA).
    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. Wang, Ou & Wu, Hao & Li, Chang, 2025. "Corporate social responsibility performance and litigation risk," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    2. Gozgor, Giray & Ho, Thang & Li, Jing & Mousavi, Mohammad Mahdi, 2024. "The impact of energy diversification on firm performance: The moderating role of corporate social responsibility," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 96(PB).
    3. Wang, Jianling & Ma, Jia & Li, Xiuling & Wang, Chen, 2025. "Nonlinear impact of economic policy uncertainty on corporate ESG performance: Regional, industrial and managerial perspectives," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    4. Gao, Chengyin & Zhang, Shujun, 2025. "ESG performance and corporate financialization: A dual perspective of risk management and value creation," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    5. Yuan, Xueying & Xu, Jinhua & Shang, Lixia, 2024. "Exaggerating, distracting, or window-dressing? An empirical study on firm greenwashing recognition," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 67(PB).
    6. Chen, Ruifan & Chen, Runnan & He, Feng, 2025. "Seeing the big picture: Board Chair's network in corporate performance explaining," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    7. Luo, Shanshan & Sun, Ze & Zhang, Xiangjian, 2025. "Does green marketing improve corporate performance?," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    8. Okorie, David Iheke, 2025. "A gentle reminder: Should returns be interpreted as log differences?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    9. Xiangwei Xie & Hongyu Zhu & Jinjing Zhao, 2024. "How effective is digital transformation? Heterogeneous insights from listed companies’ ESG performance," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-15, December.
    10. Liu, Yanqiong & Li, Xiaoling, 2025. "Green finance policies, resource allocation, and corporate social responsibility," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    11. Wen, Huwei & Liu, Yupeng & Lee, Chien-Chiang, 2024. "How ESG performance affects maturity mismatches between investment and financing: Evidence from Chinese A-share listed companies," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    12. Zhou, Mengling & Huang, Zizhen & Jiang, Kangqi, 2024. "Environmental, social, and governance performance and corporate debt maturity in China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 95(PA).
    13. Kang, Yi & Yuan, Tianrong & Tang, Muchen, 2024. "Digitalization's influence on corporate sustainability strategies in the context of new environmental law," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    14. Adomako, Samuel & Shenkar, Oded & Liu, Xiaohui & Amankwah-Amoah, Joseph & Ahsan, Mujtaba, 2024. "Editorial on Doing business in Africa: Navigating opportunities and challenges in Africa's emerging markets," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 30(5).
    15. Yi, Yunxin, 2023. "Does the liberalization of stock market optimize firm's debt? Evidence from a policy experiment in China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 58(PB).
    16. Wang, Huizong & Hao, Yulong & Fu, Qiang, 2024. "Data factor agglomeration and urban green finance: A quasi-natural experiment based on the National Big Data Comprehensive Pilot Zone," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 96(PB).
    17. Li, Xiang & Peng, Xu & Chen, Lijuan & Ren, Zejuan, 2024. "Firms’ uncertainty perception and asset–debt maturity mismatch," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 69(PB).
    18. Wang, Jun-Zhuo & Feng, Gen-Fu & Chang, Chun-Ping, 2024. "How does political instability affect renewable energy innovation?," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 230(C).
    19. Chen, Chaofan & Li, Wen-Bo & Zhang, Heng, 2024. "How do property rights affect corporate ESG performance? The moderating effect of green innovation efficiency," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    20. Ning Xu & Di Zhang & Yingjie Bai, 2024. "Managerial long‐termism and corporate innovation: Evidence from China through text mining approaches," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(3), pages 2269-2286, March.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Female executives; Brand competitiveness; Corporate social responsibility;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • M14 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - Corporate Culture; Diversity; Social Responsibility
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • G38 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • L25 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Performance

    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:eee:finana:v:97:y:2025:i:c:s1057521924008081. 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/620166 .

    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.