Socially responsible firms

"In the corporate finance tradition starting with Berle & Means (1923), corporations should generally be run so as to maximize shareholder value. The agency view of corporate social responsibility (CSR) generally considers CSR as a managerial agency problem and a waste of corporate resource...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Renneboog, Luc, Liang, Hao, Ferrell, Allen
Institution:ETUI-European Trade Union Institute
Format: TEXT
Language:English
Published: Tilburg 2014
Tilburg University
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.labourline.org/KENTIKA-19115565124919337479-Socially-responsible-firms.htm
Description
Summary:"In the corporate finance tradition starting with Berle & Means (1923), corporations should generally be run so as to maximize shareholder value. The agency view of corporate social responsibility (CSR) generally considers CSR as a managerial agency problem and a waste of corporate resources, since corporate insiders do good with other people’s money. We evaluate this agency view using large-scale datasets with global coverage (59 countries) on firm-level corporate engagement and compliance with respect to environmental, social, and governance issues. Using an instrumental variable approach, we document that CSR ratings are higher for companies with fewer agency problems (using standard proxies such as having lower levels of free cash flow and higher dividend payout and leverage ratios). Moreover, certain aspects of CSR (e.g., environmental, labor and social protection) are associated with increased executive pay-for-performance sensitivity and the maximization of shareholder value."
Physical Description:41 p.
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