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Political connections, network centrality and firm innovation

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  • Tsai, Li-Chuan
  • Zhang, Ruhui
  • Zhao, Cuifang

Abstract

This paper examines how the strength of political connections affects innovation. Considering complex relationships between firms and governments as well as different powers of bureaucracy ranks, we model political connections of all Chinese listed firms as weighted social networks and measure their strength by network centralities. The empirical results show that firms with stronger political connections innovate more. This paper further identifies two possible mechanisms of this finding: political connections help firms get more government subsidies and intellectual capital, both of which are verified to promote innovation with statistical significance.

Suggested Citation

  • Tsai, Li-Chuan & Zhang, Ruhui & Zhao, Cuifang, 2019. "Political connections, network centrality and firm innovation," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 28(C), pages 180-184.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:finlet:v:28:y:2019:i:c:p:180-184
    DOI: 10.1016/j.frl.2018.04.016
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    6. He, Feng & Ma, Yaming & Zhang, Xiaojie, 2020. "How does economic policy uncertainty affect corporate Innovation?–Evidence from China listed companies," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 225-239.
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    11. Guo, Jingjing & Guo, Bin & Zhou, Jianghua & Wu, Xiaobo, 2020. "How does the ambidexterity of technological learning routine affect firm innovation performance within industrial clusters? The moderating effects of knowledge attributes," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    12. Li, Xiaoying & Tan, Ying, 2020. "University R&D activities and firm innovations," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 37(C).
    13. Thiago C. Silva & Diego R. Amancio & Benjamin M. Tabak, 2020. "Modeling Supply-Chain Networks with Firm-to-Firm Wire Transfers," Papers 2001.06889, arXiv.org, revised Aug 2020.
    14. Tha’er Amjed Mahmoud Ababneh & Mehmet Aga, 2019. "The Impact of Sustainable Financial Data Governance, Political Connections, and Creative Accounting Practices on Organizational Outcomes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(20), pages 1-16, October.
    15. GuoHua Cao & WenJun Geng & Jing Zhang & Qi Li, 2023. "Social network, financial constraint, and corporate innovation," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 13(3), pages 667-692, September.
    16. Liu, Zihua & Zhou, Sili, 2022. "Political favoritism towards resource allocation: Evidence of grants by natural science foundation in China," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 51(PA).
    17. Ganguly, Kousik & Mishra, Ajay Kumar & Parikh, Bhavik, 2023. "Do Political connections influence investment decisions? Evidence from India," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).
    18. Yin, Libo & Su, Zhi & Fang, Tong, 2022. "Do stock prices react to announcements of corporate executives’ first-time elections as congress deputies? New evidence from the Chinese political system," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 46(PB).
    19. Xing, Fei & Hai, Mengdie & Cai, Jiayao, 2023. "Network centrality and technology acquisitions: Evidence from China's listed business groups," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    20. Li, (Tony) Wei & Shi, Lina, 2022. "Donation, political connection and credit access: The case of Chinese small and medium enterprises," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 46(PA).
    21. Ren, Ting & Liu, Xin & Ding, Jinqiong, 2023. "Intergenerational dynamics of digital transformation in family firms," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    22. Wang, Zongrun & Fu, Haiqin & Ren, Xiaohang, 2023. "Political connections and corporate carbon emission: New evidence from Chinese industrial firms," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    23. Hedy Jiaying Huang & Ahsan Habib & Sophia Li Sun & Ying Liu & Huiting Guo, 2021. "Financial reporting and corporate innovation: a review of the international literature," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 61(4), pages 5439-5499, December.
    24. Fu, Yishu, 2020. "The impact of married couples on firm innovation: Evidence from Chinese family firms," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 33(C).
    25. Fu, Yishu, 2019. "Independent directors, CEO career concerns, and firm innovation: Evidence from China," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).

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