IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/finlet/v54y2023ics154461232300154x.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Government as major customer: The effects of government procurement on corporate environmental, social, and governance performance

Author

Listed:
  • Huang, Jun
  • Han, Feifei
  • Li, Yun

Abstract

This study examines how the government's participation in the product market as a customer affects supplier firms’ environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices. Using a sample of Chinese listed firms from 2010 to 2020, we find that firms with major government customers exhibit higher ESG performance than those without them. Further analysis shows that female managers, institutional ownership, media coverage, and public attention enhance the positive relationship between major government customers and ESG performance. Overall, the findings suggest that as an important public policy, government procurement can significantly affect stakeholders’ value by improving supplier firms’ ESG performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Huang, Jun & Han, Feifei & Li, Yun, 2023. "Government as major customer: The effects of government procurement on corporate environmental, social, and governance performance," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:finlet:v:54:y:2023:i:c:s154461232300154x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.frl.2023.103781
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S154461232300154X
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.frl.2023.103781?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. Hsiang-Lin Chih & Hsiang-Hsuan Chih & Tzu-Yin Chen, 2010. "On the Determinants of Corporate Social Responsibility: International Evidence on the Financial Industry," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 93(1), pages 115-135, April.
    2. Haowen Tian & Gaoliang Tian, 2022. "Corporate sustainability and trade credit financing: Evidence from environmental, social, and governance ratings," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(5), pages 1896-1908, September.
    3. Erhemjamts, Otgontsetseg & Huang, Kershen, 2019. "Institutional ownership horizon, corporate social responsibility and shareholder value," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 61-79.
    4. Mu, Weiwei & Liu, Kefu & Tao, Yunqing & Ye, Yongwei, 2023. "Digital finance and corporate ESG," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 51(C).
    5. Tamas Barko & Martijn Cremers & Luc Renneboog, 2022. "Shareholder Engagement on Environmental, Social, and Governance Performance," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 180(2), pages 777-812, October.
    6. Lee, Michael T. & Raschke, Robyn L. & Krishen, Anjala S., 2022. "Signaling green! firm ESG signals in an interconnected environment that promote brand valuation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 1-11.
    7. 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.
    8. Brian Boscaljon & Hongrui Feng & Yuecheng Jia & Qian Sun, 2021. "Government customers, institutional investment horizons, and liquidity risk," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 56(1), pages 273-296, January.
    9. Murad Harasheh & Roberta Provasi, 2023. "A need for assurance: Do internal control systems integrate environmental, social, and governance factors?," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(1), pages 384-401, January.
    10. Eitan Goldman & Jörg Rocholl & Jongil So, 2013. "Politically Connected Boards of Directors and The Allocation of Procurement Contracts," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 17(5), pages 1617-1648.
    11. Daniel Cohen & Bin Li & Ningzhong Li & Yun Lou, 2022. "Major government customers and loan contract terms," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 27(1), pages 275-312, March.
    12. Wang, Yizhi & Lin, Yongjia & Fu, Xiaoqing & Chen, Songhe, 2023. "Institutional ownership heterogeneity and ESG performance: Evidence from China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 51(C).
    13. Jim Goldman & Philip Strahan, 2020. "Government as Customer of Last Resort: The Stabilizing Effects of Government Purchases on Firms," Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 33(2), pages 610-643.
    14. Zhidong Tan & Jianhua Tan & Kam C. Chan, 2021. "Seeing is believing? The impact of air pollution on corporate social responsibility," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(1), pages 525-534, January.
    15. Jang, Ga-Young & Kang, Hyoung-Goo & Kim, Woojin, 2022. "Corporate executives’ incentives and ESG performance," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 49(C).
    16. Ole-Kristian Hope & Shushu Jiang & Dushyantkumar Vyas, 2021. "Government procurement and financial statement certification: Evidence from private firms in emerging economies," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 52(4), pages 718-745, June.
    17. Wen, Wen & Ke, Yun & Liu, Xuejiao, 2021. "Customer concentration and corporate social responsibility performance: Evidence from China," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 46(C).
    18. repec:eme:maj000:maj-01-2019-2159 is not listed on IDEAS
    19. Jonas Heese & Gerardo Pérez‐Cavazos, 2019. "Fraud Allegations and Government Contracting," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 57(3), pages 675-719, June.
    20. Dai, Rui & Liang, Hao & Ng, Lilian, 2021. "Socially responsible corporate customers," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 142(2), pages 598-626.
    21. Chen Chen & Ting‐Chiao Huang & Mukesh Garg & Mehdi Khedmati, 2021. "Governments as customers: Exploring the effects of government customers on supplier firms’ information quality," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(9-10), pages 1630-1667, October.
    22. Guangming Gong & Xin Huang & Sirui Wu & Haowen Tian & Wanjin Li, 2021. "Punishment by Securities Regulators, Corporate Social Responsibility and the Cost of Debt," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 171(2), pages 337-356, June.
    23. Hanmei Chen & Weishi Jia & Shuo Li & Zenghui Liu, 2021. "Governmental customer concentration and audit pricing," Managerial Auditing Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 36(2), pages 334-362, April.
    24. Dumrose, Maurice & Rink, Sebastian & Eckert, Julia, 2022. "Disaggregating confusion? The EU Taxonomy and its relation to ESG rating," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 48(C).
    25. Heckman, James, 2013. "Sample selection bias as a specification error," Applied Econometrics, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), vol. 31(3), pages 129-137.
    26. Dhaliwal, Dan & Judd, J. Scott & Serfling, Matthew & Shaikh, Sarah, 2016. "Customer concentration risk and the cost of equity capital," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 61(1), pages 23-48.
    27. Zheng Lei & Guo Xuemeng & Fu Xiangfei, 2022. "How Does Analyst Coverage Affect Corporate Social Responsibility? Evidence from China," Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 58(7), pages 2036-2049, May.
    28. Esqueda, Omar A. & Ngo, Thanh & Susnjara, Jurica, 2019. "The effect of government contracts on corporate valuation," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 305-322.
    29. Guangyou Zhou & Lian Liu & Sumei Luo, 2022. "Sustainable development, ESG performance and company market value: Mediating effect of financial performance," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(7), pages 3371-3387, November.
    30. Huang, Qiping & Li, Yongjia & Lin, Meimei & McBrayer, Garrett A., 2022. "Natural disasters, risk salience, and corporate ESG disclosure," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Ming, Yaxin & Li, Yubo & Liu, Nian & Li, Jing, 2023. "Retail investor attention and corporate environmental performance: Evidence from china," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 56(C).

    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. Glegg, Charmaine & Harris, Oneil & Ngo, Thanh & Susnjara, Jurica, 2021. "Having the government as a client: Does this reduce earnings management of the firm?," Journal of Government and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 4(C).
    2. Chen Chen & Ting‐Chiao Huang & Mukesh Garg & Mehdi Khedmati, 2021. "Governments as customers: Exploring the effects of government customers on supplier firms’ information quality," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(9-10), pages 1630-1667, October.
    3. Sun, Zeyu & Yang, Ge & Bai, Haichen, 2023. "The spillover effect of customers' financial risk on suppliers' conservative reporting: Evidence from China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    4. Daniel Cohen & Bin Li & Ningzhong Li & Yun Lou, 2022. "Major government customers and loan contract terms," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 27(1), pages 275-312, March.
    5. Jian Wang & Yanhuang Huang & Hongrui Feng & Jun Yang, 2023. "The effect of customer concentration on stock sentiment risk," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 60(2), pages 565-606, February.
    6. Wang, Liang & Qi, Jiahan & Zhuang, Hongyu, 2023. "Monitoring or Collusion? Multiple Large Shareholders and Corporate ESG Performance: Evidence from China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 53(C).
    7. Boland, Matthew & Godsell, David, 2021. "Bureaucratic discretion and contracting outcomes," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    8. Luo, Yi & Ma, Jian & Wang, Yu & Ye, Aishan, 2022. "Board internationalization and corporate social responsibility," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    9. Jia, Yuecheng & Simkins, Betty & Feng, Hongrui, 2023. "Political connections and short sellers," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    10. Esqueda, Omar A. & Ngo, Thanh & Susnjara, Jurica, 2019. "The effect of government contracts on corporate valuation," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 305-322.
    11. Giovanna Culot & Matteo Podrecca & Guido Nassimbeni & Guido Orzes & Marco Sartor, 2023. "Using supply chain databases in academic research: A methodological critique," Journal of Supply Chain Management, Institute for Supply Management, vol. 59(1), pages 3-25, January.
    12. Agnes C. S. Cheng & Wenli Huang & Shaojun Zhang, 2020. "Major government customer and management earnings forecasts," Frontiers of Business Research in China, Springer, vol. 14(1), pages 1-20, December.
    13. Tang, Ryan W., 2023. "Institutional unpredictability and foreign exit−reentry dynamics: The moderating role of foreign ownership," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 58(2).
    14. Ren, Xiaohang & Zeng, Gudian & Zhao, Yang, 2023. "Digital finance and corporate ESG performance: Empirical evidence from listed companies in China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    15. Farman Ullah Khan & Junrui Zhang & Nanyan Dong & Muhammad Usman & Sajid Ullah & Shahid Ali, 2021. "Does privatization matter for corporate social responsibility? Evidence from China," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 11(3), pages 497-515, September.
    16. Adam Arian & John Sands & Stuart Tooley, 2023. "Industry and Stakeholder Impacts on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Financial Performance: Consumer vs. Industrial Sectors," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-21, August.
    17. Chen, Shihua & Chen, Yulin & Jebran, Khalil, 2021. "Trust and corporate social responsibility: From expected utility and social normative perspective," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 518-530.
    18. Yunfu Zhu & Haoling Yang & Ma Zhong, 2023. "Do ESG Ratings of Chinese Firms Converge or Diverge? A Comparative Analysis Based on Multiple Domestic and International Ratings," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-17, August.
    19. Hu, Jun & Wu, Huiying & Ying, Sammy Xiaoyan, 2022. "Environmental regulation, market forces, and corporate environmental responsibility: Evidence from the implementation of cleaner production standards in China," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 606-622.
    20. Joni, Joni & Ahmed, Kamran & Hamilton, Jane, 2020. "Politically connected boards, family and business group affiliations, and cost of capital: Evidence from Indonesia," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 52(3).

    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:finlet:v:54:y:2023:i:c:s154461232300154x. 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/frl .

    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.