Market differentiation threshold and the relationship between corporate social responsibility and corporate financial performance

This study assesses the impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on corporate financial performance (CFP) by using an innovative threshold estimation technique. We examine whether the CSR effect on CFP is varied with the distinct levels of market differentiation. The empirical analysis is bas...

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Main Authors: Lin, Woon Leong, Law, Siong Hook, Wan Ngah, Wan Azman Saini
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2020
Online Access:http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/86647/1/Market%20differentiation%20.pdf
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author Lin, Woon Leong
Law, Siong Hook
Wan Ngah, Wan Azman Saini
author_facet Lin, Woon Leong
Law, Siong Hook
Wan Ngah, Wan Azman Saini
author_sort Lin, Woon Leong
collection UPM
description This study assesses the impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on corporate financial performance (CFP) by using an innovative threshold estimation technique. We examine whether the CSR effect on CFP is varied with the distinct levels of market differentiation. The empirical analysis is based on a world automotive panel dataset for the period of 2011–2017. We unveil an inverted V-shaped relationship between CSR and CFP and confirm that the increasing nonparametric regression line up to a certain threshold level indicates a positive effect on CFP, whereas a decreasing line indicates a negative effect. Hence, these findings support the idea that engagement in CSR can boost firm performance by incorporating with market differentiation, since higher firm performance is associated with strong differentiation (i.e., less substitutability), but CSR may not provide large benefits in firms with too high market differentiation.
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spelling upm.eprints-866472021-10-17T21:38:54Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/86647/ Market differentiation threshold and the relationship between corporate social responsibility and corporate financial performance Lin, Woon Leong Law, Siong Hook Wan Ngah, Wan Azman Saini This study assesses the impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on corporate financial performance (CFP) by using an innovative threshold estimation technique. We examine whether the CSR effect on CFP is varied with the distinct levels of market differentiation. The empirical analysis is based on a world automotive panel dataset for the period of 2011–2017. We unveil an inverted V-shaped relationship between CSR and CFP and confirm that the increasing nonparametric regression line up to a certain threshold level indicates a positive effect on CFP, whereas a decreasing line indicates a negative effect. Hence, these findings support the idea that engagement in CSR can boost firm performance by incorporating with market differentiation, since higher firm performance is associated with strong differentiation (i.e., less substitutability), but CSR may not provide large benefits in firms with too high market differentiation. Wiley 2020-05 Article PeerReviewed text en http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/86647/1/Market%20differentiation%20.pdf Lin, Woon Leong and Law, Siong Hook and Wan Ngah, Wan Azman Saini (2020) Market differentiation threshold and the relationship between corporate social responsibility and corporate financial performance. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 27 (3). 1279 - 1293. ISSN 1535-3958; ESSN: 1535-3966 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/csr.1883 10.1002/csr.1883
spellingShingle Lin, Woon Leong
Law, Siong Hook
Wan Ngah, Wan Azman Saini
Market differentiation threshold and the relationship between corporate social responsibility and corporate financial performance
title Market differentiation threshold and the relationship between corporate social responsibility and corporate financial performance
title_full Market differentiation threshold and the relationship between corporate social responsibility and corporate financial performance
title_fullStr Market differentiation threshold and the relationship between corporate social responsibility and corporate financial performance
title_full_unstemmed Market differentiation threshold and the relationship between corporate social responsibility and corporate financial performance
title_short Market differentiation threshold and the relationship between corporate social responsibility and corporate financial performance
title_sort market differentiation threshold and the relationship between corporate social responsibility and corporate financial performance
url http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/86647/1/Market%20differentiation%20.pdf
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