CSR, Innovation, and Firm Performance in a Sluggish Growth Context: A Firm-Level Empirical Analysis

Electronic Working Paper Series ESDES-Recherche n° 2014-05

21 Pages Posted: 10 Jun 2015

See all articles by Rachel Bocquet

Rachel Bocquet

University of Savoy - Institut de Recherche en Gestion et Économie (IREGE)

Christian Le Bas

Université Catholique de Lyon - ESDES School of Business and Management

Caroline Mothe

University of Savoy - Institut de Recherche en Gestion et Économie (IREGE)

Nicolas Poussing

Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER); CREM

Date Written: June 9, 2014

Abstract

The few studies that analyze the impact of a combined strategy of innovation and corporate social responsibility (CSR) on firm performance mostly focus on financial performance. In contrast, the current study considers the simultaneous impact of technological innovations (product and process) and CSR on firm growth, which provides a measure of medium-term economic performance. With a sample of 213 firms and a two-step procedure, this study reveals the differentiated effects of strategic versus responsive CSR behavior on the two technological innovation types, as well as the effect of the two innovation types on growth. The findings thus indicate that firms with strategic CSR achieve growth through both their product and process innovations.

Keywords: CSR, Economic performance, Growth, Innovation

JEL Classification: O47, O14, M14

Suggested Citation

Bocquet, Rachel and Le Bas, Christian and Mothe, Caroline and Poussing, Nicolas, CSR, Innovation, and Firm Performance in a Sluggish Growth Context: A Firm-Level Empirical Analysis (June 9, 2014). Electronic Working Paper Series ESDES-Recherche n° 2014-05, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2616304 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2616304

Rachel Bocquet

University of Savoy - Institut de Recherche en Gestion et Économie (IREGE) ( email )

4 Chemin de Bellevue
BP 80439
Annecy-le-Vieux, 74944
France

Christian Le Bas

Université Catholique de Lyon - ESDES School of Business and Management ( email )

6, rue de l'Abbaye d'Ainay
Lyon, 69002
France

Caroline Mothe

University of Savoy - Institut de Recherche en Gestion et Économie (IREGE) ( email )

4 Chemin de Bellevue
BP 80439
Annecy-le-Vieux, 74944
France

Nicolas Poussing (Contact Author)

Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER) ( email )

11, Porte des Sciences
Campus Belval – Maison des Sciences Humaines
Esch-sur-Alzette, L-4366
Luxembourg

HOME PAGE: http://www.liser.lu

CREM ( email )

7 place Hoche
Rennes, Bretagne 35065
France

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