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Keep Up With the Joneses: Founders and Family Business Philanthropy

Author

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  • Kun Wang
  • Yingkai Tang
  • Xiaohong Huang

Abstract

This study examines how the social climate of comparison in which a founder grew up impacts family business (FB) philanthropy, emphasizing the founder's role in FB decisions. With a dataset of 758 Chinese FBs, we find that the stronger the social climate of comparison in the founder's region of upbringing, the more charitable donations the FB tends to make. This effect is more pronounced in areas with a high concentration of FBs. The unspoken rules of Chinese society, related to ‘face (Mianzi)’ and ‘favours’ significantly influence business decisions.

Suggested Citation

  • Kun Wang & Yingkai Tang & Xiaohong Huang, 2026. "Keep Up With the Joneses: Founders and Family Business Philanthropy," Business Ethics, the Environment & Responsibility, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 35(1), pages 292-307, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:buseth:v:35:y:2026:i:1:p:292-307
    DOI: 10.1111/beer.12794
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