IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jbrese/v69y2016i9p3285-3314.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Modeling firm heterogeneity in corporate social performance and financial performance

Author

Listed:
  • Isaksson, Lars E.
  • Woodside, Arch G.

Abstract

Prior research on the association between corporate social performance (CSP) and corporate financial performance (CFP) includes conflicting perspectives and inconclusive findings as to whether or not CSP has a positive, negative, or neutral association with CFP. While Wang's (2015) meta-analysis confirms the relationship between CSP and CFP to be significant and positive, in some contexts CSP and CFP associate negatively; CSP may need to receive “good management” support to yield positive financial outcomes (Luo & Bhattacharya, 2009). The study here tests and supports the perspective that “good management” occurs in configurations (i.e., business models) with high CSP to indicate high CFP. A configurational theoretical stance implies that recipes of bad management with high or low CSP are likely to associate with low CFP. Configurational analysis supports this theoretical perspective. Building from complexity theory, a configurational analysis includes the propositions that complex multiple recipes lead to the same outcome (equifinality tenet) whereby variables (ingredients) found to associate causally in one configuration may be absent in another recipe or even inversely related in a third recipe associated with this same outcome. The present study employs a mixed methods research design (using surveys of senior executives, independent CSP firm assessments using ESG factors (environment, social (or human rights), and governance), and analysis of corporate annual reports of 82 mostly highly-global Swedish firms). The study overcomes the mismatch between case-level theory proposals and variable-based data analyses that is widespread in the relevant literature. The study's findings support the core tenets of complexity theory.

Suggested Citation

  • Isaksson, Lars E. & Woodside, Arch G., 2016. "Modeling firm heterogeneity in corporate social performance and financial performance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(9), pages 3285-3314.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:69:y:2016:i:9:p:3285-3314
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2016.02.021
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0148296316000928
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jbusres.2016.02.021?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. Clyde Eiríkur Hull & Sandra Rothenberg, 2008. "Firm performance: the interactions of corporate social performance with innovation and industry differentiation," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(7), pages 781-789, July.
    2. Charlotte Leire & Oksana Mont, 2010. "The implementation of socially responsible purchasing," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 17(1), pages 27-39, January.
    3. Hoje Jo & Maretno Harjoto, 2011. "Corporate Governance and Firm Value: The Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 103(3), pages 351-383, October.
    4. Isabelle Maignan & David A Ralston, 2002. "Corporate Social Responsibility in Europe and the U.S.: Insights from Businesses' Self-presentations," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 33(3), pages 497-514, September.
    5. Baron David P & Agus Harjoto Maretno & Jo Hoje, 2011. "The Economics and Politics of Corporate Social Performance," Business and Politics, De Gruyter, vol. 13(2), pages 1-48, August.
    6. Jaepil Choi & Heli Wang, 2009. "Stakeholder relations and the persistence of corporate financial performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(8), pages 895-907, August.
    7. David Gadenne & Jessica Kennedy & Catherine McKeiver, 2009. "An Empirical Study of Environmental Awareness and Practices in SMEs," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 84(1), pages 45-63, January.
    8. Krista Bondy & Jeremy Moon & Dirk Matten, 2012. "An Institution of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Multi-National Corporations (MNCs): Form and Implications," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 111(2), pages 281-299, December.
    9. Douglas J. Miller, 2004. "Firms' technological resources and the performance effects of diversification: a longitudinal study," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(11), pages 1097-1119, November.
    10. Ans Kolk & Jonatan Pinkse, 2010. "The integration of corporate governance in corporate social responsibility disclosures," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 17(1), pages 15-26, January.
    11. Paul D. Ellis, 2010. "Is Market Orientation Affected by the Size and Diversity of Customer Networks?," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 50(3), pages 325-345, June.
    12. Abagail McWilliams & Donald Siegel, 2000. "Corporate social responsibility and financial performance: correlation or misspecification?," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(5), pages 603-609, May.
    13. Adam Lindgreen & José-Rodrigo Córdoba, 2010. "Editorial: Corporate Social Responsibility in Latin America," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 91(2), pages 167-170, February.
    14. Baron, David P. & Agus Harjoto, Maretno & Jo, Hoje, 2011. "The Economics and Politics of Corporate Social Performance," Business and Politics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 13(2), pages 1-46, August.
    15. Leonardo Becchetti & Giovanni Trovato, 2011. "Corporate social responsibility and firm efficiency: a latent class stochastic frontier analysis," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 36(3), pages 231-246, December.
    16. Kristen DeTienne & Bradley Agle & James Phillips & Marc-Charles Ingerson, 2012. "The Impact of Moral Stress Compared to Other Stressors on Employee Fatigue, Job Satisfaction, and Turnover: An Empirical Investigation," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 110(3), pages 377-391, October.
    17. Donald S. Siegel & Donald F. Vitaliano, 2007. "An Empirical Analysis of the Strategic Use of Corporate Social Responsibility," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 16(3), pages 773-792, September.
    18. Jeffrey H. Dyer & Wujin Chu, 2003. "The Role of Trustworthiness in Reducing Transaction Costs and Improving Performance: Empirical Evidence from the United States, Japan, and Korea," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 14(1), pages 57-68, February.
    19. Jeffrey S. Harrison & Douglas A. Bosse & Robert A. Phillips, 2010. "Managing for stakeholders, stakeholder utility functions, and competitive advantage," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(1), pages 58-74, January.
    20. M. López & Arminda Garcia & Lazaro Rodriguez, 2007. "Sustainable Development and Corporate Performance: A Study Based on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 75(3), pages 285-300, October.
    21. Michaela Balzarova & Pavel Castka, 2012. "Stakeholders’ Influence and Contribution to Social Standards Development: The Case of Multiple Stakeholder Approach to ISO 26000 Development," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 111(2), pages 265-279, December.
    22. Kolk, Ans & Pinkse, Jonatan, 2006. "Stakeholder Mismanagement and Corporate Social Responsibility Crises," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 24(1), pages 59-72, February.
    23. Magali A. Delmas & Michael W. Toffel, 2008. "Organizational responses to environmental demands: opening the black box," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(10), pages 1027-1055, October.
    24. 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.
    25. Roberto Garcia-Castro & Miguel Ariño & Miguel Canela, 2010. "Does Social Performance Really Lead to Financial Performance? Accounting for Endogeneity," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 92(1), pages 107-126, March.
    26. Erin M. Reid & Michael W. Toffel, 2009. "Responding to public and private politics: corporate disclosure of climate change strategies," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(11), pages 1157-1178, November.
    27. Sanjay Ramchander & Robert G. Schwebach & KIM Staking, 2012. "The informational relevance of corporate social responsibility: evidence from DS400 index reconstitutions," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(3), pages 303-314, March.
    28. Jeremy J. Marcel, 2009. "Why top management team characteristics matter when employing a chief operating officer: a strategic contingency perspective," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(6), pages 647-658, June.
    29. Michael L. Barnett & Robert M. Salomon, 2012. "Does it pay to be really good? addressing the shape of the relationship between social and financial performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(11), pages 1304-1320, November.
    30. Erin Marie Reid & Michael W. Toffel, 2008. "Responding to Public and Private Politics: Corporate Disclosure of Climate Change Strategies," Harvard Business School Working Papers 09-019, Harvard Business School, revised Jun 2009.
    31. Woodside, Arch G., 2014. "Embrace•perform•model: Complexity theory, contrarian case analysis, and multiple realities," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 67(12), pages 2495-2503.
    32. Craig Deegan & Sharon Soltys, 2007. "Social accounting research: An Australasian perspective," Accounting Forum, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 31(1), pages 73-89, March.
    33. Jordi Surroca & Josep A. Tribó & Sandra Waddock, 2010. "Corporate responsibility and financial performance: the role of intangible resources," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(5), pages 463-490, May.
    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. Romero-Castro, Noelia & Piñeiro-Chousa, Juan & Pérez-Pico, Ada, 2021. "Dealing with heterogeneity and complexity in the analysis of the willingness to invest in community renewable energy in rural areas," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    2. Frederique Bardinet Evraert & Serge Evraert, 2019. "Do the ESG scores help to select the most successful companies?," Post-Print hal-03227627, HAL.
    3. Kroes, James R. & Manikas, Andrew S. & Gattiker, Thomas F., 2018. "Operational leanness and retail firm performance since 1980," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 197(C), pages 262-274.
    4. Castka, Pavel, 2018. "Modelling firms’ interventions in ISO 9001 certification: A configurational approach," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 201(C), pages 163-172.
    5. Sanja Pekovic & Sebastian Vogt, 2021. "The fit between corporate social responsibility and corporate governance: the impact on a firm’s financial performance," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 15(4), pages 1095-1125, May.
    6. Judith Cavazos-Arroyo & Rogelio Puente-Diaz, 2019. "The Influence of Marketing Capability in Mexican Social Enterprises," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(17), pages 1-15, August.
    7. Bénet, Nathalie & Deville, Aude & Raïes, Karine & Valette-Florence, Pierre, 2022. "Turning non-financial performance measurements into financial performance: The usefulness of front-office staff incentive systems in hotels," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 317-327.
    8. Iordanis Kalaitzoglou & Hui Pan & Jacek Niklewski, 2021. "Corporate social responsibility: How much is enough? A higher dimension perspective of the relationship between financial and social performance," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 306(1), pages 209-245, November.
    9. Hinterhuber, Andreas, 2017. "Value quantification capabilities in industrial markets," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 163-178.
    10. Juan Pineiro-Chousa & Noelia Romero-Castro & Marcos Vizcaíno-González, 2019. "Inclusions in and Exclusions from the S&P 500 Environmental and Socially Responsible Index: A Fuzzy-Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-31, February.
    11. Broadstock, David C. & Matousek, Roman & Meyer, Martin & Tzeremes, Nickolaos G., 2020. "Does corporate social responsibility impact firms' innovation capacity? The indirect link between environmental & social governance implementation and innovation performance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 99-110.
    12. Alaa Aldowaish & Jiro Kokuryo & Othman Almazyad & Hoe Chin Goi, 2022. "Environmental, Social, and Governance Integration into the Business Model: Literature Review and Research Agenda," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-20, March.
    13. Wójcik Piotr, 2018. "The business case for corporate social responsibility: A literature overview and integrative framework," Journal of Management and Business Administration. Central Europe, Sciendo, vol. 26(1), pages 121-148, March.
    14. Cristini, Hélène & Kauppinen-Räisänen, Hannele & Barthod-Prothade, Mireille & Woodside, Arch, 2017. "Toward a general theory of luxury: Advancing from workbench definitions and theoretical transformations," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 101-107.
    15. Ramiz ur Rehman & Zahid Riaz & Charles Cullinan & Junrui Zhang & Fanghua Wang, 2020. "Institutional Ownership and Value Relevance of Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosure: Empirical Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-18, March.
    16. Hyun, Soonchul & Kim, Jong Min & Liu, Ying, 2023. "Equal gains and pains? Analyzing corporate financial performance for industrial corporate social performance leaders and laggards," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 155(PB).
    17. Kamel Bel Hadj Miled, 2023. "Microfinance and women entrepreneurship development: evidence from Tunisia," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 3(1), pages 1-16, January.
    18. Matteo Rossi & Jamel Chouaibi & Salim Chouaibi & Wafa Jilani & Yamina Chouaibi, 2021. "Does a Board Characteristic Moderate the Relationship between CSR Practices and Financial Performance? Evidence from European ESG Firms," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-15, August.
    19. Yu, Tiffany Hui-Kuang & Huarng, Kun-Huang & Huang, Duen-Huang, 2021. "Causal complexity analysis of the Global Innovation Index," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 137(C), pages 39-45.
    20. Qian Wang & Huiru Chen & Yajiong Xue & Huigang Liang, 2022. "How Corporate Social Responsibility Affects Firm Performance: The Inverted-U Shape Contingent on Founder CEO," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-24, September.
    21. Wenbin Sun & Rahul Govind, 2022. "A New Understanding of Marketing and “Doing Good”: Marketing’s Power in the TMT and Corporate Social Responsibility," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 176(1), pages 89-109, February.
    22. ben Jabeur, Sami & Mefteh-Wali, Salma & Carmona, Pedro, 2021. "The impact of institutional and macroeconomic conditions on aggregate business bankruptcy," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 108-119.
    23. Mühlbacher, Hans & Böbel, Ingo, 2019. "From zero-sum to win-win - Organisational conditions for successful shared value strategy implementation," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 37(3), pages 313-324.

    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. Timothy Kiessling & Lars Isaksson & Burze Yasar, 2016. "Market Orientation and CSR: Performance Implications," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 137(2), pages 269-284, August.
    2. Jacob Brower & Peter A. Dacin, 2020. "An Institutional Theory Approach to the Evolution of the Corporate Social Performance – Corporate Financial Performance Relationship," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 57(4), pages 805-836, June.
    3. 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.
    4. Amal Aouadi & Sylvain Marsat, 2018. "Do ESG Controversies Matter for Firm Value? Evidence from International Data," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 151(4), pages 1027-1047, September.
    5. Hans B. Christensen & Luzi Hail & Christian Leuz, 2021. "Mandatory CSR and sustainability reporting: economic analysis and literature review," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 26(3), pages 1176-1248, September.
    6. Eduardo Duque-Grisales & Javier Aguilera-Caracuel, 2021. "Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Scores and Financial Performance of Multilatinas: Moderating Effects of Geographic International Diversification and Financial Slack," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 168(2), pages 315-334, January.
    7. Jan Diebecker & Friedrich Sommer, 2017. "The impact of corporate sustainability performance on information asymmetry: the role of institutional differences," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 11(2), pages 471-517, March.
    8. Weichieh Su & Mike W. Peng & Weiqiang Tan & Yan-Leung Cheung, 2016. "The Signaling Effect of Corporate Social Responsibility in Emerging Economies," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 134(3), pages 479-491, March.
    9. Misani, Nicola & Pogutz, Stefano, 2015. "Unraveling the effects of environmental outcomes and processes on financial performance: A non-linear approach," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 150-160.
    10. Sanja Pekovic & Sebastian Vogt, 2021. "The fit between corporate social responsibility and corporate governance: the impact on a firm’s financial performance," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 15(4), pages 1095-1125, May.
    11. Emmanuel Adegbite & Yilmaz Guney & Frank Kwabi & Suleiman Tahir, 2019. "Financial and corporate social performance in the UK listed firms: the relevance of non-linearity and lag effects," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 52(1), pages 105-158, January.
    12. Emmanuel Lawal & Gökan May & Bojan Stahl, 2017. "The Significance of Corporate Social Disclosure for High‐Tech Manufacturing Companies: Focus on Employee and Community Aspects of Sustainable Development," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 24(4), pages 295-311, July.
    13. Carlos Lassala & Andreea Apetrei & Juan Sapena, 2017. "Sustainability Matter and Financial Performance of Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(9), pages 1-16, August.
    14. Marina Brogi & Antonella Cappiello & Valentina Lagasio & Fabrizio Santoboni, 2022. "Determinants of insurance companies' environmental, social, and governance awareness," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(5), pages 1357-1369, September.
    15. Timo Busch & Maximilian Schnippering, 2022. "Corporate social and financial performance: Revisiting the role of innovation," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(3), pages 635-645, May.
    16. Saurabh Mishra & Sachin Modi, 2013. "Positive and Negative Corporate Social Responsibility, Financial Leverage, and Idiosyncratic Risk," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 117(2), pages 431-448, October.
    17. 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.
    18. María del Mar Miras‐Rodríguez & Amalia Carrasco‐Gallego & Bernabé Escobar‐Pérez, 2015. "Are Socially Responsible Behaviors Paid Off Equally? A Cross‐cultural Analysis," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 22(4), pages 237-256, July.
    19. Costa, Cláudia & Lages, Luis Filipe & Hortinha, Paula, 2015. "The bright and dark side of CSR in export markets: Its impact on innovation and performance," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 24(5), pages 749-757.
    20. AMBASHI Masahito, 2023. "How are Organizational Architectures of Corporate Social Responsibility Related to Corporate Performance? The case of Japanese listed companies," Discussion papers 23030, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).

    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:jbrese:v:69:y:2016:i:9:p:3285-3314. 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/jbusres .

    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.