Paper #1398

Title:

Corporate governance and corporate social performance: The influence of ownership, boards and institutions

Authors:

Kurt A. Desender and Mircea Epure

Date:

October 2013 (Revised: October 2015)

Abstract:

We analyze how ownership concentration and type, and board independence are related to corporate social performance (CSP). Drawing from agency and team production theories, we argue that the distribution of costs and benefits to shareholders and other stakeholders is crucial to understand what drives CSP. We analyze an international panel of listed firms and reveal that CSP is negatively related to ownership concentration, but positively to board independence. Furthermore, the ownership type and the business context matter. Ownership concentration is negatively related to CSP more strongly in shareholder-oriented societies. This negative relationship is weaker in egalitarian societies.

Keywords:

corporate governance; corporate social performance (responsibility); ownership; boards; institutions; culture.

JEL codes:

A13, G3, M0, M1, M14, M4, M41

Area of Research:

Management and Organization Studies / Finance and Accounting

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