Who Is Governing Whom? Executives, Governance and the Structure of Generosity in Large U.S. Firms
Strategic Management Journal, Forthcoming
Harvard Business School Organizational Behavior Unit Working Paper No. 11-121
30 Pages Posted: 22 Feb 2013 Last revised: 24 Feb 2013
Date Written: January 19, 2012
Abstract
We examine how organizational structure influences strategies over which corporate leaders have significant discretion. Corporate philanthropy is our setting to study how a differentiated structural element — the corporate foundation — constrains the influence of individual senior managers and directors on corporate strategy. Our analysis of Fortune 500 firms from 1996 to 2006 shows that leader characteristics at both the senior management and director levels affect corporate philanthropic contributions. We also find that organizational structure constrains the philanthropic influence of board members, but not of senior managers, a result that is contrary to what existing theory would predict. We discuss how these findings advance understanding of how organizational structure and corporate leadership interact and of how organizations can more effectively realize the strategic value of corporate social responsibility activities.
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
Do you have a job opening that you would like to promote on SSRN?
Recommended Papers
-
The Changing of the Boards: The Impact on Firm Valuation of Mandated Female Board Representation
By Kenneth R. Ahern and Amy K. Dittmar
-
Director Gender and Mergers and Acquisitions
By Maurice D. Levi, Kai Li, ...
-
A Female Style in Corporate Leadership? Evidence from Quotas
By David A. Matsa and Amalia R. Miller
-
Chipping Away at the Glass Ceiling: Gender Spillovers in Corporate Leadership
By David A. Matsa and Amalia R. Miller
-
Chipping Away at the Glass Ceiling: Gender Spillovers in Corporate Leadership
By David A. Matsa and Amalia R. Miller
-
Workforce Reductions at Women-Owned Businesses in the United States
By David A. Matsa and Amalia R. Miller
-
Forced Board Changes: Evidence from Norway
By Knut Nygaard
-
By Francine D. Blau, Peter Brummund, ...
-
By Francine D. Blau, Peter Brummund, ...
-
Going Overboard? On Busy Directors and Firm Value
By George D. Cashman, Stuart Gillan, ...