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Navigating corporate philanthropy in the digital world: The normative effect of Entrepreneurs' social media usage

Author

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  • Jiawen Chen
  • Xiaolian Ke
  • Linlin Liu

Abstract

This paper investigates how entrepreneurs' social media usage affects corporate philanthropy. Departing from the extant literature, which focuses on the instrumental role of social media, we draw upon the normative perspective of stewardship theory and propose that entrepreneurs' social media usage promotes their ethical and prosocial motivation for corporate philanthropy. In particular, we theorize that entrepreneurs' social media usage enhances their self‐perceived status and philanthropic identification, thus affecting corporate philanthropy. Our analysis of a sample of Chinese ventures provides empirical support for the mediating effects of self‐perceived status and philanthropic identification on the relationship between entrepreneurs' social media usage and the philanthropic propensity and intensity of their ventures. Our study has implications for the role of social media in promoting corporate philanthropy and contributes to the literature on entrepreneurship and corporate philanthropy.

Suggested Citation

  • Jiawen Chen & Xiaolian Ke & Linlin Liu, 2024. "Navigating corporate philanthropy in the digital world: The normative effect of Entrepreneurs' social media usage," Business Ethics, the Environment & Responsibility, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(4), pages 706-729, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:buseth:v:33:y:2024:i:4:p:706-729
    DOI: 10.1111/beer.12634
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