The Influence of Corporate Social Responsibility on Competitive Advantage with Multiple Mediations from Social Capital and Dynamic Capabilities

Zhonghua Zhao, Fanchen Meng, Yin He and Zhouyang Gu
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Zhonghua Zhao: School of Management & Economics, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
Fanchen Meng: School of Management & Economics, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
Yin He: Institute of Civil Aviation Planning, China Academy of Civil Aviation Science and Technology, Beijing 100081, China
Zhouyang Gu: School of Management & Economics, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-16

Abstract: The correlation between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and competitive advantage (CA) has been studied for decades; however, a consistent conclusion has still not been reached. This may be due to the lack of discussion about the variables that affect the relationship between them. We extended the examination of the relationship between CSR and CA through largely ignored perspectives of organization resources and capabilities. Drawing on the multiple mediations of social capital (SC) and dynamic capabilities (DCs), we generated propositions concerning the relationship of CSR with CA. Based on 112 enterprises in China, the data from 269 surveys were used to test our theoretical model. The results showed that CSR can positively affect CA directly and indirectly with mediations of structure and relational dimensions of CA. The results also showed that, in the dynamic environment, CSR indirectly created CA by enhancing DCs, such as resource integration capability and organizing learning capability, but not by innovation and transformation capability. From these results, the paper concluded that with a proper combination of external social measures, internal competitive resources and capabilities, enterprises can realize the creation of a shared value of economy and society, which in turn will become the sustainable power with which enterprises can gain CA.

Keywords: corporate social responsibility; competitive advantage; social capital; dynamic capabilities; multiple mediations (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (20)

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