Stakeholder–firm power difference, stakeholders' CSR orientation, and SMEs' environmental performance in China

Zhi Tang and Jintong Tang

Journal of Business Venturing, 2012, vol. 27, issue 4, 436-455

Abstract: Although stakeholder power theory has been at the forefront of environmental studies, extant research has focused on stakeholders' power while firms' countering power has not been systematically examined. Furthermore, different stakeholders may prioritize social goals differently. In this paper, we propose that stakeholder–firm power difference determines firms' environmental performance and stakeholders' CSR orientation (i.e., the degree to which a stakeholder holds firms' engagement in CSR as important) moderates this relationship. Utilizing a sample of 144 Chinese small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), we found that governments-, competitors-, and the media-firm power difference indeed significantly affect Chinese SMEs' environmental performance. Besides, governments' and the media's CSR orientation moderate the relationship between stakeholder–firm power difference and firms' environmental performance. Research and practical implications are discussed.

Keywords: Stakeholder–firm power difference; CSR orientation; Environmental performance; Chinese SME (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (67)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jbvent:v:27:y:2012:i:4:p:436-455

DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusvent.2011.11.007

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