On voluntarism and the role of governments in CSR : towards a contingency approach

111

Even though the link between perceived corporate social responsibility fit (PCSR‐fit) and corporate reputation has received much attention from scholars, this tradition has ignored that the underpinnings of this association vary depending on the particular characteristics of each industry under study. To delve into this matter, we investigate in the increasingly relevant context of controversial industries (CIs) how PCSR‐fit could enhance corporate reputation and which are the mediating mechanisms of this association. Our academic contribution is twofold. First, we find that controversial sectors indeed can increase corporate reputation through CSR activities. However, we find that to achieve this goal, the nature of PCSR‐fit should be different than what extant literature indicates, because companies in these settings should directly focus on avoiding or reducing their inherent controversial harm or impact. Second, we evidence that “CSR initiatives' legitimacy” and “situational skepticism” mediate the PCSR‐fit and corporate reputation relationship in CIs. Therefore, we further unravel the underpinnings of this association to advance what we know on the matter and aid practitioners in this particular context.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Be bad but (still) look good: Can controversial industries enhance corporate reputation through CSR initiatives?

Aqueveque

Rodrigo

Duran

2018

111

“…Several important contributions emerge from the above findings. From a business ethics perspective, this study joins the discussion established by recent research on how government enforcement can impact positive firm behavior such as CSR (Dentchev et al, 2015). We additionally contribute to business ethics research that explores the unique role of institutional forces in shaping firm ethical behavior (e.g., Narunnabi, 2015; Ozdora-Aksak & Atakan-Duman, 2016; Yang & Wu, 2016).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 88%

“…Using institutional theory, we suggest that government surveillance can result in firm supererogation. In doing so, we contribute to the current CSR discussion on the kinds of actions governments can take to encourage positive organizational behavior (Dentchev, van Balen, & Haezendonck, ). We additionally develop a greater understanding of the mechanisms that contribute to firm supererogation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing the effect of government surveillance on firm supererogation: The case of the U.S. automobile industry

Cavazos

Rutherford

Berman

2018

This study builds on prior research investigating the antecedents of firm supererogation. Examining vehicle recalls in the U.S. automobile industry from 1966 to 2010 reveals that surveillance‐based government enforcement programs can have widespread industry effects on a specific type of supererogatory action, firm volunteerism. Specifically, increases in government surveillance are associated with firms going beyond what is legally required of them by initiating voluntary product recalls for defects not covered in existing government regulation. Such effects are shown to be unique among surveillance efforts as other government enforcement activities, such as standards‐based regulation, are revealed to have a negative association with firm supererogation.

“…There has been some interesting recent work in this area. For example, Knudsen and Brown (2015) argue that state involvement in CSR is mutually beneficial to business and government (also Dentchev, van Balen, & Haezendonck, 2015;Knudsen & Moon, 2017). Knudsen, Moon, and Slager (2015) present the results of a Europe-wide analysis of government policy on CSR.…”

Section: Related Literaturesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lobbying and the responsible firm: Agenda‐setting for a freshly conceptualized field

Anastasiadis

Moon

Humphreys

2018

“Responsible lobbying” is an increasingly salient topic within business and management. We make a contribution to the literature on “responsible lobbying” in three ways. First, we provide novel definitions and, thereby, make a clear distinction between lobbying and corporate political activity. We then define responsible lobbying with respect to its content, process, organization, and environment, resulting in a typology of responsible lobbying, a conceptual model that informs the rest of the paper. Second, the paper provides a thematic overview of the current literature underpinning lobbying and the responsible firm, and the underlying paradigms informing this literature. Third, the paper makes specific suggestions for a future research agenda, ending with a consideration of methodological implications of such research.