Business Strategy, Corporate Social Responsibility Activities, and Financial Performance

Abstract

This study examines how the alignment between business strategy (prospector vs. defender) and CSR affects company performance. There are different types of CSR; some involve internal stakeholders, and others involve external stakeholders. While external CSR may bring public visibility and company prestige, internal CSR can strengthen employee relations. We use the U.S. publicly listed companies because the data is more readily available and find a stronger positive relationship between external (internal) CSR and financial performance for prospectors (defenders) than for defenders (prospectors). We further find that the positive relationship is more profound for multinational companies than for domestic companies. Our study contributes to the extant literature on international accounting, CSR, and business strategy. Our findings have significant implications for managers in global markets, demonstrating that undertaking different types of CSR can increase their company’s competitive advantages and simultaneously advance social and economic conditions.