Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Unpacking Functional Experience Complementarities in Senior Leaders’ Influences on CSR Strategy: A CEO–Top Management Team Approach

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Business Ethics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In this study, we examine the influence of senior leadership on firms’ corporate social responsibility (CSR). We integrate upper echelons research that has investigated either the influence of the CEO or the top management team (TMT) on CSR. We contend that functional experience complementarity between CEOs and TMTs in formulating and implementing CSR strategy may underlie differentiated strategies in CSR. We find that when CEOs who have predominant experience in output functions are complemented by TMTs with a lower proportion of members who have experience in output functions, there is a pronounced effect on the community, product, and diversity dimensions of CSR. In turn, when output-oriented CEOs are complemented by output-oriented TMTs, we observe an effect on the employee relations dimension of CSR. Interestingly, we find no influence of CEO-TMT complementarity on the environment dimension of CSR. In general, our empirical results support the relevance of the interaction between CEOs and their TMTs in defining their firms’ CSR profile.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

CEO:

Chief executive officer

CSR:

Corporate social responsibility

TMT:

Top management team

UET:

Upper echelons theory

References

  • Agle, B. R., Mitchell, R. K., & Sonnenfeld, J. A. (1999). Who matters to CEOs? An investigation of stakeholder attributes and salience, corporate performance, and CEO values. Academy of Management Journal, 42(5), 507–525.

    Google Scholar 

  • Aguinis, H., & Glavas, A. (2012). What we know and don’t know about corporate social responsibility a review and research agenda. Journal of Management, 38(4), 932–968.

    Google Scholar 

  • Allen, D. G., Shore, L. M., & Griffeth, R. W. (2003). The role of perceived organizational support and supportive human resource practices in the turnover process. Journal of Management, 29(1), 99–118.

    Google Scholar 

  • Amason, A. C., & Sapienza, H. J. (1997). The effects of top management team size and interaction norms on cognitive and affective conflict. Journal of Management, 23(4), 495–516.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ambec, S., & Lanoie, P. (2008). Does it pay to be green? A systematic overview. Academy of Management Perspectives, 22(4), 45–62.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, S. W., Daly, J. D., & Johnson, M. F. (1999). Why firms seek ISO 9000 certification: Regulatory compliance or competitive advantage? Production and Operations Management, 8(1), 28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Arendt, L. A., Priem, R. L., & Ndofor, H. A. (2005). A CEO-adviser model of strategic decision making. Journal of Management, 31(5), 680–699.

    Google Scholar 

  • Auger, P., Devinney, T. M., Dowling, G. R., Eckert, C., & Lin, N. (2013). How much does a company’s reputation matter in recruiting? MIT Sloan Management Review, 54(3), 23.

    Google Scholar 

  • Babiak, K., & Trendafilova, S. (2011). CSR and environmental responsibility: Motives and pressures to adopt green management practices. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 18(1), 11–24.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ballinger, G. A. (2004). Using generalized estimating equations for longitudinal data analysis. Organizational Research Methods, 7(2), 127–150.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bansal, P., & Clelland, I. (2004). Talking trash: Legitimacy, impression management, and unsystematic risk in the context of the natural environment. Academy of Management Journal, 47(1), 93–103.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bantel, K. A., & Jackson, S. E. (1989). Top management and innovations in banking: Does the composition of the top team make a difference? Strategic Management Journal, 10(S1), 107–124.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barker, V. L., III, & Mueller, G. C. (2002). CEO characteristics and firm R&D spending. Management Science, 48(6), 782–801.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barnea, A., & Rubin, A. (2010). Corporate social responsibility as a conflict between shareholders. Journal of Business Ethics, 97(1), 71–86.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bask, A., Halme, M., Kallio, M., & Kuula, M. (2013). Consumer preferences for sustainability and their impact on supply chain management: The case of mobile phones. International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, 43(5–6), 380–406.

    Google Scholar 

  • Berchicci, L., Dowell, G., & King, A. A. (2012). Environmental capabilities and corporate strategy: Exploring acquisitions among US manufacturing firms. Strategic Management Journal, 33(9), 1053–1071.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bermiss, Y. S., & Murmann, J. P. (2014). The Impact of Functional Background and Top Executive Mobility on Firm Survival. UNSW Australia Business School Research Paper.

  • Berrone, P., & Gomez-Mejia, L. R. (2009). Environmental performance and executive compensation: An integrated agency-institutional perspective. Academy of Management Journal, 52(1), 103–126.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bodur, H. O., Duval, K. M., & Grohmann, B. (2015). Will you purchase environmentally friendly products? Using prediction requests to increase choice of sustainable products. Journal of Business Ethics, 129(1), 59–75.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boehe, D. M., & Cruz, L. B. (2010). Corporate social responsibility, product differentiation strategy and export performance. Journal of Business Ethics, 91(2), 325–346.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boeker, W., & Wiltbank, R. (2005). New venture evolution and managerial capabilities. Organization Science, 16(2), 123–133.

    Google Scholar 

  • Borghesi, R., Houston, J. F., & Naranjo, A. (2014). Corporate socially responsible investments: CEO altruism, reputation, and shareholder interests. Journal of Corporate Finance, 26, 164–181.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brammer, S., Jackson, G., & Matten, D. (2012). Corporate social responsibility and institutional theory: New perspectives on private governance. Socio-Economic Review, 10(1), 3–28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brammer, S., & Millington, A. (2003). The effect of stakeholder preferences, organizational structure and industry type on corporate community involvement. Journal of Business Ethics, 45(3), 213–226.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, A., Forde, C., Spencer, D., & Charlwood, A. (2008). Changes in HRM and job satisfaction, 1998–2004: Evidence from the workplace employment relations survey. Human Resource Management Journal, 18(3), 237–256.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buyl, T., Boone, C., Hendriks, W., & Matthyssens, P. (2011). Top management team functional diversity and firm performance: The moderating role of CEO characteristics. Journal of Management Studies, 48(1), 151–177.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cao, Q., Simsek, Z., & Zhang, H. (2010). Modelling the joint impact of the CEO and the TMT on organizational ambidexterity. Journal of Management Studies, 47(7), 1272–1296.

    Google Scholar 

  • Capelle-Blancard, G., & Petit, A. (2015). The weighting of CSR dimensions one size does not fit all. Business and Society. doi:10.1177/0007650315620118.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carpenter, M. A. (2002). The implications of strategy and social context for the relationship between top management team heterogeneity and firm performance. Strategic Management Journal, 23(3), 275–284.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carpenter, M. A., Geletkanycz, M. A., & Sanders, W. G. (2004). Upper echelons research revisited: Antecedents, elements, and consequences of top management team composition. Journal of Management, 30(6), 749–778.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carter, S. M. (2006). The interaction of top management group, stakeholder, and situational factors on certain corporate reputation management activities. Journal of Management Studies, 43(5), 1145–1176.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chang, M.-H., & Harrington, J. E. (2000). Centralization vs. decentralization in a multi-unit organization: A computational model of a retail chain as a multi-agent adaptive system. Management Science, 46(11), 1427–1440.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chatterjee, A., & Hambrick, D. C. (2007). It’s all about me: Narcissistic chief executive officers and their effects on company strategy and performance. Administrative Science Quarterly, 52(3), 351–386.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen, H. L., Ho, M. H. C., & Hsu, W. T. (2013). Does board social capital influence chief executive officers’ investment decisions in research and development? R&D Management, 43(4), 381–393.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cheng, B., Ioannou, I., & Serafeim, G. (2014). Corporate social responsibility and access to finance. Strategic Management Journal, 35(1), 1–23.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chin, M., Hambrick, D. C., & Treviño, L. K. (2013). Political ideologies of CEOs: The influence of executives’ values on corporate social responsibility. Administrative Science Quarterly, 58(2), 197–232.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chiu, S.-C., & Sharfman, M. (2011). Legitimacy, visibility, and the antecedents of corporate social performance: An investigation of the instrumental perspective. Journal of Management, 37(6), 1558–1585.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cho, T. S., & Hambrick, D. C. (2006). Attention as the mediator between top management team characteristics and strategic change: The case of airline deregulation. Organization Science, 17(4), 453–469.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cho, C. H., Roberts, R. W., & Patten, D. M. (2010). The language of US corporate environmental disclosure. Accounting, Organizations and Society, 35(4), 431–443.

    Google Scholar 

  • Choi, J., & Wang, H. (2009). Stakeholder relations and the persistence of corporate financial performance. Strategic Management Journal, 30(8), 895–907.

    Google Scholar 

  • Christensen, L. J., Mackey, A., & Whetten, D. (2014). Taking responsibility for corporate social responsibility: The role of leaders in creating, implementing, sustaining, or avoiding socially responsible firm behaviors. Academy of Management Perspectives, 28(2), 164–178.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chuang, Y.-T., Church, R., & Hu, C. (2016). Effects of movements and opportunities on the adoption of same-sex partner health benefits by corporations. Journal of Management. doi:10.1177/0149206315623839.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clemens, B. (2006). Economic incentives and small firms: Does it pay to be green? Journal of Business Research, 59(4), 492–500.

    Google Scholar 

  • Colbert, A. E., Barrick, M. R., & Bradley, B. H. (2014). Personality and leadership composition in top management teams: Implications for organizational effectiveness. Personnel Psychology, 67(2), 351–387.

    Google Scholar 

  • Confino, J. (2014). Embedding sustainability drives greater profitability. http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/embedding-sustainability-drives-profitability-unilever-polman. Accessed January 2015.

  • Cook, A., & Glass, C. (2016). Do women advance equity? The effect of gender leadership composition on LGBT-friendly policies in American firms. Human Relations, 69(7), 1431–1456.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coyle-Shapiro, J. A. M., Morrow, P. C., Richardson, R., & Dunn, S. R. (2002). Using profit sharing to enhance employee attitudes: A longitudinal examination of the effects on trust and commitment. Human Resource Management, 41(4), 423–439.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crossland, C., Zyung, J., Hiller, N. J., & Hambrick, D. C. (2014). CEO career variety: Effects on firm-level strategic and social novelty. Academy of Management Journal, 57(3), 652–674.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dangelico, R. M., & Pujari, D. (2010). Mainstreaming green product innovation: Why and how companies integrate environmental sustainability. Journal of Business Ethics, 95(3), 471–486.

    Google Scholar 

  • Darnall, N., Ji, H., & Vázquez-Brust, D. A. (2016). Third-party certification, sponsorship, and consumers’ ecolabel use. Journal of Business Ethics. doi:10.1007/s10551-016-3138-2.

    Google Scholar 

  • D’Aveni, R. A. (1990). Top managerial prestige and organizational bankruptcy. Organization Science, 1(2), 121–142.

    Google Scholar 

  • Day, N. E., & Greene, P. G. (2008). A case for sexual orientation diversity management in small and large organizations. Human Resource Management, 47(3), 637–654.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dearborn, D. C., & Simon, H. A. (1958). Selective perception: A note on the departmental identifications of executives. Sociometry, 21, 140–144.

    Google Scholar 

  • Deephouse, D. L. (1999). To be different, or to be the same? It’s a question (and theory) of strategic balance. Strategic Management Journal, 20(2), 147–166.

    Google Scholar 

  • Delmas, M. A., & Blass, V. D. (2010). Measuring corporate environmental performance: The trade-offs of sustainability ratings. Business Strategy and the Environment, 19(4), 245–260.

    Google Scholar 

  • Delmas, M. A., & Grant, L. E. (2014). Eco-labeling strategies and price-premium the wine industry puzzle. Business and Society, 53(1), 6–44.

    Google Scholar 

  • Den Hartog, D. N., & Belschak, F. D. (2012). When does transformational leadership enhance employee proactive behavior? The role of autonomy and role breadth self-efficacy. Journal of Applied Psychology, 97(1), 194.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dezsö, C. L., & Ross, D. G. (2012). Does female representation in top management improve firm performance? A panel data investigation. Strategic Management Journal, 33(9), 1072–1089.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dhanda, K. K., & Hartman, L. P. (2011). The ethics of carbon neutrality: A critical examination of voluntary carbon offset providers. Journal of Business Ethics, 100(1), 119–149.

    Google Scholar 

  • Driscoll, C., & Starik, M. (2004). The primordial stakeholder: Advancing the conceptual consideration of stakeholder status for the natural environment. Journal of Business Ethics, 49(1), 55–73.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dwertmann, D., & Boehm, S. (2015). Status matters: The asymmetric effects of supervisor-subordinate disability incongruence and climate for inclusion. Academy of Management Journal, 59(1), 44–64.

    Google Scholar 

  • Echambadi, R., Campbell, B., & Agarwal, R. (2006). Encouraging best practice in quantitative management research: An incomplete list of opportunities. Journal of Management Studies, 43(8), 1801–1820.

    Google Scholar 

  • Esty, D., & Winston, A. (2009). Green to gold: How smart companies use environmental strategy to innovate, create value, and build competitive advantage. New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Finkelstein, S. (1992). Power in top management teams: Dimensions, measurement, and validation. Academy of Management Journal, 35(3), 505–538.

    Google Scholar 

  • Finkelstein, S., & Hambrick, D. C. (1990). Top-management-team tenure and organizational outcomes: The moderating role of managerial discretion. Administrative Science Quarterly, 35(3), 484–503.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flammer, C. (2013). Corporate social responsibility and shareholder reaction: The environmental awareness of investors. Academy of Management Journal, 56(3), 758–781.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fombrun, C. J., Gardberg, N. A., & Barnett, M. L. (2000). Opportunity platforms and safety nets: Corporate citizenship and reputational risk. Business and Society Review, 105(1), 85–106.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fry, L. W., Keim, G. D., & Meiners, R. E. (1982). Corporate contributions: Altruistic or for-profit? Academy of Management Journal, 25(1), 94–106.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garcia-Prieto, P., Bellard, E., & Schneider, S. C. (2003). Experiencing diversity, conflict, and emotions in teams. Applied Psychology, 52(3), 413–440.

    Google Scholar 

  • Geletkanycz, M. A., & Hambrick, D. C. (1997). The external ties of top executives: Implications for strategic choice and performance. Administrative Science Quarterly, 42(4), 654–681.

    Google Scholar 

  • Georgakakis, D., Dauth, T., & Ruigrok, W. (2016). Too much of a good thing: Does international experience variety accelerate or delay executives’ career advancement? Journal of World Business, 51(3), 425–437.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glass, C., & Cook, A. (2016). Leading at the top: Understanding women’s challenges above the glass ceiling. The Leadership Quarterly, 27(1), 51–63.

    Google Scholar 

  • Godfrey, P. C., Merrill, C. B., & Hansen, J. M. (2009). The relationship between corporate social responsibility and shareholder value: An empirical test of the risk management hypothesis. Strategic Management Journal, 30(4), 425–445.

    Google Scholar 

  • Godos-Díez, J.-L., Fernández-Gago, R., & Martínez-Campillo, A. (2011). How important are CEOs to CSR practices? An analysis of the mediating effect of the perceived role of ethics and social responsibility. Journal of Business Ethics, 98(4), 531–548.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goh, B. W. (2009). Audit committees, boards of directors, and remediation of material weaknesses in internal control. Contemporary Accounting Research, 26(2), 549–579.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guest, D. E. (1987). Human resource management and industrial relations. Journal of Management Studies, 24(5), 503–521.

    Google Scholar 

  • Haleblian, J., & Finkelstein, S. (1993). Top management team size, CEO dominance, and firm performance: The moderating roles of environmental turbulence and discretion. Academy of Management Journal, 36(4), 844–863.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hales, C., & Gough, O. (2003). Employee evaluations of company occupational pensions: HR implications. Personnel Review, 32(3), 319–340.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hallstedt, S. I., Thompson, A. W., & Lindahl, P. (2013). Key elements for implementing a strategic sustainability perspective in the product innovation process. Journal of Cleaner Production, 51, 277–288.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hambrick, D. C., & Mason, P. A. (1984). Upper echelons: The organization as a reflection of its top managers. Academy of Management Review, 9(2), 193–206.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hanley, J. A., Negassa, A., & Forrester, J. E. (2003). Statistical analysis of correlated data using generalized estimating equations: An orientation. American Journal of Epidemiology, 157(4), 364–375.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hart, S. L., & Ahuja, G. (1996). Does it pay to be green? An empirical examination of the relationship between emission reduction and firm performance. Business Strategy and the Environment, 5(1), 30–37.

    Google Scholar 

  • Helfat, C. E., Harris, D., & Wolfson, P. J. (2006). The pipeline to the top: Women and men in the top executive ranks of U.S. corporations. Academy of Management Perspectives, 20(4), 42–64.

    Google Scholar 

  • Henderson, A. D., Miller, D., & Hambrick, D. C. (2006). How quickly do CEOs become obsolete? Industry dynamism, CEO tenure, and company performance. Strategic Management Journal, 27(5), 447–460.

    Google Scholar 

  • Herrmann, P., & Datta, D. K. (2005). Relationships between top management team characteristics and international diversification: An empirical investigation. British Journal of Management, 16(1), 69–78.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hess, D., Rogovsky, N., & Dunfee, T. W. (2002). The next wave of corporate community involvement: Corporate social initiatives. California Management Review, 44(2), 110–125.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heyden, M. L., Fourné, S. P. L., Koene, B. A. S., Werkman, R., & Ansari, S. (2017a). Rethinking ‘top-down’ and ‘bottom-up’ roles of top and middle managers in organizational change: Implications for employee support. Journal of Management Studies. doi:10.1111/joms.12258.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heyden, M. L., Reimer, M., & Van Doorn, S. (2017b). Innovating beyond the horizon: CEO career horizon, top management composition, and R&D intensity. Human Resource Management, 56(2), 205–224.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heyden, M. L., Sidhu, J. S., & Volberda, H. W. (2015). The conjoint influence of top and middle management characteristics on management innovation. Journal of Management. doi:10.1177/0149206315614373.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hillman, A. J., & Keim, G. D. (2001). Shareholder value, stakeholder management, and social issues: What’s the bottom line? Strategic Management Journal, 22(2), 125–139.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoque, K. (1999). Human resource management and performance in the UK hotel industry. British Journal of Industrial Relations, 37(3), 419–443.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hornung, S., & Rousseau, D. M. (2007). Active on the job—Proactive in change how autonomy at work contributes to employee support for organizational change. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 43(4), 401–426.

    Google Scholar 

  • Huang, S. K. (2013). The impact of CEO characteristics on corporate sustainable development. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 20(4), 234–244.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ingenbleek, P. T., & Reinders, M. J. (2013). The development of a market for sustainable coffee in the Netherlands: Rethinking the contribution of fair trade. Journal of Business Ethics, 113(3), 461–474.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jensen, M. C., & Murphy, K. J. (1990). Performance pay and top-management incentives. Journal of Political Economy, 98, 225–264.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jizi, M. I., Salama, A., Dixon, R., & Stratling, R. (2014). Corporate governance and corporate social responsibility disclosure: Evidence from the US banking sector. Journal of Business Ethics, 125(4), 601–615.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kalleberg, A. (2009). Precarious work, insecure workers: Employment relations in transition. American Sociological Review, 74(1), 1–22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kang, J. (2016). Labor market evaluation versus legacy conservation: What factors determine retiring CEOs’ decisions about long-term investment? Strategic Management Journal, 37(2), 389–405.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaynak, H. (2003). The relationship between total quality management practices and their effects on firm performance. Journal of Operations Management, 21(4), 405–435.

    Google Scholar 

  • Khan, A., Muttakin, M. B., & Siddiqui, J. (2013). Corporate governance and corporate social responsibility disclosures: Evidence from an emerging economy. Journal of Business Ethics, 114(2), 207–223.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kilkenny, M., Nalbarte, L., & Besser, T. (1999). Reciprocated community support and small town-small business success. Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, 11(3), 231–246.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klassen, R. D., & Vachon, S. (2003). Collaboration and evaluation in the supply chain: The impact on plant-level environmental investment. Production and Operations Management, 12(3), 336–352.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klimoski, R. J., & Koles, K. L. K. (2001). The chief executive officer and top management team interface. In S. J. Zaccaro & R. J. Klimoski (Eds.), The nature of organizational leadership: Understanding the performance imperatives confronting today’s leaders (pp. 219–269). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Koh, P. S., Qian, C., & Wang, H. (2014). Firm litigation risk and the insurance value of corporate social performance. Strategic Management Journal, 35(10), 1464–1482.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krause, R., Semadeni, M., & Cannella, A. A. (2014). CEO duality: A review and research agenda. Journal of Management, 40(1), 256–286.

    Google Scholar 

  • Labelle, R., Francoeur, C., & Lakhal, F. (2015). To regulate or not to regulate? Early evidence on the means used around the world to promote gender diversity in the boardroom. Gender, Work & Organization, 22(4), 339–363.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lau, C., Lu, Y., & Liang, Q. (2016). Corporate social responsibility in China: A corporate governance approach. Journal of Business Ethics, 136(1), 73–87.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leonard, J. S., Levine, D. I., & Joshi, A. (2004). Do birds of a feather shop together? The effects on performance of employees’ similarity with one another and with customers. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 25(6), 731–754.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liang, K.-Y., & Zeger, S. L. (1986). Longitudinal data analysis using generalized linear models. Biometrika, 73(1), 13–22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lim, A., & Tsutsui, K. (2012). Globalization and commitment in corporate social responsibility cross-national analyses of institutional and political-economy effects. American Sociological Review, 77(1), 69–98.

    Google Scholar 

  • Linthicum, C., Reitenga, A. L., & Sanchez, J. M. (2010). Social responsibility and corporate reputation: The case of the Arthur Andersen Enron audit failure. Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, 29(2), 160–176.

    Google Scholar 

  • Luo, X., & Bhattacharya, C. B. (2006). Corporate social responsibility, customer satisfaction, and market value. Journal of Marketing, 70(4), 1–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maak, T., Pless, N. M., & Voegtlin, C. (2016). Business statesman or shareholder advocate? CEO responsible leadership styles and the micro-foundations of political CSR. Journal of Management Studies, 53(3), 463–493.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mandhachitara, R., & Poolthong, Y. (2011). A model of customer loyalty and corporate social responsibility. Journal of Services Marketing, 25(2), 122–133.

    Google Scholar 

  • Manner, M. H. (2010). The impact of CEO characteristics on corporate social performance. Journal of Business Ethics, 93(1), 53–72.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marquis, C., Glynn, M. A., & Davis, G. F. (2007). Community isomorphism and corporate social action. Academy of Management Review, 32(3), 925–945.

    Google Scholar 

  • Matten, D., & Moon, J. (2008). “Implicit” and “explicit” CSR: A conceptual framework for a comparative understanding of corporate social responsibility. Academy of Management Review, 33(2), 404–424.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mazutis, D. D. (2013). The CEO effect a longitudinal, multilevel analysis of the relationship between executive orientation and corporate social strategy. Business and Society, 52(4), 631–648.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCarty Kilian, C., Hukai, D., & Elizabeth McCarty, C. (2005). Building diversity in the pipeline to corporate leadership. Journal of Management Development, 24(2), 155–168.

    Google Scholar 

  • McWilliams, A., & Siegel, D. (2001). Corporate social responsibility: A theory of the firm perspective. Academy of Management Review, 26(1), 117–127.

    Google Scholar 

  • McWilliams, A., Siegel, D. S., & Wright, P. M. (2006). Corporate social responsibility: Strategic implications. Journal of Management Studies, 43(1), 1–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Menz, M. (2012). Functional top management team members: A review, synthesis, and research agenda. Journal of Management, 38(1), 45–80.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mirvis, P. (2012). Employee engagement and CSR. California Management Review, 54(4), 93–117.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitchell, R. K., Agle, B. R., & Wood, D. J. (1997). Toward a theory of stakeholder identification and salience: Defining the principle of who and what really counts. Academy of Management Review, 22(4), 853–886.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oikonomou, I., Brooks, C., & Pavelin, S. (2012). The impact of corporate social performance on financial risk and utility: A longitudinal analysis. Financial Management, 41(2), 483–515.

    Google Scholar 

  • Olie, R., van Iterson, A., & Simsek, Z. (2012). When Do CEOs versus top management teams matter in explaining strategic decision-making processes? International Studies of Management and Organization, 42(4), 86–105.

    Google Scholar 

  • Orlitzky, M., Louche, C., Gond, J.-P., & Chapple, W. (2015). Unpacking the drivers of corporate social performance: A multilevel, multistakeholder, and multimethod analysis. Journal of Business Ethics. doi:10.1007/s10551-015-2822-y.

    Google Scholar 

  • Orlitzky, M., Schmidt, F. L., & Rynes, S. L. (2003). Corporate social and financial performance: A meta-analysis. Organization Studies, 24(3), 403–441.

    Google Scholar 

  • Palazzo, G., & Richter, U. (2005). CSR business as usual? The case of the tobacco industry. Journal of Business Ethics, 61(4), 387–401.

    Google Scholar 

  • Papalexandris, N., & Galanaki, E. (2009). Leadership’s impact on employee engagement: Differences among entrepreneurs and professional CEOs. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 30(4), 365–385.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parent, M. M., & Deephouse, D. L. (2007). A case study of stakeholder identification and prioritization by managers. Journal of Business Ethics, 75(1), 1–23.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pedersen, E. R. (2006). Making corporate social responsibility (CSR) operable: How companies translate stakeholder dialogue into practice. Business and Society Review, 111(2), 137–163.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pelled, L., Ledford, G. E., & Mohrman, S. (1999). Demographic dissimilarity and workplace inclusion. Journal of Management Studies, 36(7), 1013–1031.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pendleton, A. (2006). Incentives, monitoring, and employee stock ownership plans: New evidence and interpretations. Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, 45(4), 753–777.

    Google Scholar 

  • Petrenko, O. V., Aime, F., Ridge, J., & Hill, A. (2016). Corporate social responsibility or CEO narcissism? CSR motivations and organizational performance. Strategic Management Journal, 37(2), 262–279.

    Google Scholar 

  • Phillips, L. W., Chang, D. R., & Buzzell, R. D. (1983). Product quality, cost position and business performance: A test of some key hypotheses. Journal of Marketing, 47(2), 26–43.

    Google Scholar 

  • Porter, M. E., & Kramer, M. R. (1999). Philanthropy’s new agenda: Creating value. Harvard Business Review, 77, 121–131.

    Google Scholar 

  • Quigley, T. J., & Graffin, S. D. (2016). Reaffirming the CEO effect is significant and much larger than chance: A comment on Fitza (2014). Strategic Management Journal, 38(3), 793–801.

    Google Scholar 

  • Quigley, T. J., & Hambrick, D. C. (2012). When the former CEO stays on as board chair: Effects on successor discretion, strategic change, and performance. Strategic Management Journal, 33(7), 834–859.

    Google Scholar 

  • Quigley, T. J., & Hambrick, D. C. (2015). Has the “CEO effect” increased in recent decades? A new explanation for the great rise in America’s attention to corporate leaders. Strategic Management Journal, 36(6), 821–830.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rathert, N. (2016). Strategies of legitimation: MNEs and the adoption of CSR in response to host-country institutions. Journal of International Business Studies, 47(7), 858–879.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reiche, D., & Bechberger, M. (2004). Policy differences in the promotion of renewable energies in the EU member states. Energy Policy, 32(7), 843–849.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reimer, M., Van Doorn, S., & Heyden, M. L. M. (2016). “Where the rubber hits the road”: A panel discussion on management control systems at the middle management level. Journal of Management Control, 27(2), 281–287.

    Google Scholar 

  • Richard, O. C. (2000). Racial diversity, business strategy, and firm performance: A resource-based view. Academy of Management Journal, 43(2), 164–177.

    Google Scholar 

  • Richard, O. C., Stewart, M. M., McKay, P. F., & Sackett, T. W. (2015). The impact of store-unit–community racial diversity congruence on store-unit sales performance. Journal of Management. doi:10.1177/0149206315579511.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ridge, J. W., Aime, F., & White, M. A. (2015). When much more of a difference makes a difference: Social comparison and tournaments in the CEO’s top team. Strategic Management Journal, 36(4), 618–636.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosen, S. (1974). Hedonic prices and implicit markets: Product differentiation in pure competition. Journal of Political Economy, 82(1), 34–55.

    Google Scholar 

  • Russo, A., & Perrini, F. (2010). Investigating stakeholder theory and social capital: CSR in large firms and SMEs. Journal of Business Ethics, 91(2), 207–221.

    Google Scholar 

  • Saini, G. K., Rai, P., & Chaudhary, M. K. (2014). What do best employer surveys reveal about employer branding and intention to apply? Journal of Brand Management, 21(2), 95–111.

    Google Scholar 

  • Santuzzi, A. M., & Waltz, P. R. (2016). Disability in the workplace: A unique and variable identity. Journal of Management. doi:10.1177/0149206315626269.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sarkis, J. (2003). A strategic decision framework for green supply chain management. Journal of Cleaner Production, 11(4), 397–409.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seitanidi, M. M., & Ryan, A. (2007). A critical review of forms of corporate community involvement: From philanthropy to partnerships. International Journal of Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Marketing, 12(3), 247–266.

    Google Scholar 

  • Selvarajan, T., Ramamoorthy, N., Flood, P. C., Guthrie, J. P., MacCurtain, S., & Liu, W. (2007). The role of human capital philosophy in promoting firm innovativeness and performance: Test of a causal model. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 18(8), 1456–1470.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharma, S. (2000). Managerial interpretations and organizational context as predictors of corporate choice of environmental strategy. Academy of Management Journal, 43(4), 681–697.

    Google Scholar 

  • Short, J. C., McKenny, A. F., Ketchen, D. J., Snow, C. C., & Hult, G. T. M. (2016). An empirical examination of firm, industry, and temporal effects on corporate social performance. Business and Society, 55(8), 1122–1156.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shrader, R., & Siegel, D. S. (2007). Assessing the relationship between human capital and firm performance: Evidence from technology-based new ventures. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 31(6), 893–908.

    Google Scholar 

  • Siegel, D. (2014). Responsible leadership. Academy of Management Perspectives, 28(3), 221–223.

    Google Scholar 

  • Slater, D. J., & Dixon-Fowler, H. R. (2009). CEO international assignment experience and corporate social performance. Journal of Business Ethics, 89(3), 473–489.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spence, L. J., & Schmidpeter, R. (2003). SMEs, social capital and the common good. Journal of Business Ethics, 45(1–2), 93–108.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tang, Y., Qian, C., Chen, G., & Shen, R. (2015). How CEO hubris affects corporate social (ir)responsibility. Strategic Management Journal, 36(9), 1338–1357.

    Google Scholar 

  • Theurer, C. P., Tumasjan, A., Welpe, I. M., & Lievens, F. (2016). Employer branding: A brand equity-based literature review and research agenda. International Journal of Management Reviews. doi:10.1111/ijmr.12121.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thomas, A. S., Litschert, R. J., & Ramaswamy, K. (1991). The performance impact of strategy—Manager coalignment: An empirical examination. Strategic Management Journal, 12(7), 509–522.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Knippenberg, D., & Schippers, M. C. (2007). Work group diversity. Annual Review of Psychology, 58, 515–541.

    Google Scholar 

  • Waddock, S. A., & Graves, S. B. (1997). The corporate social performance-financial performance link. Strategic Management Journal, 18(4), 303–319.

    Google Scholar 

  • Waldman, D. A., de Luque, M. S., Washburn, N., House, R. J., Adetoun, B., Barrasa, A., et al. (2006a). Cultural and leadership predictors of corporate social responsibility values of top management: A GLOBE study of 15 countries. Journal of International Business Studies, 37(6), 823–837.

    Google Scholar 

  • Waldman, D. A., Siegel, D. S., & Javidan, M. (2006b). Components of CEO transformational leadership and corporate social responsibility. Journal of Management Studies, 43(8), 1703–1725.

    Google Scholar 

  • Waller, M. J., Huber, G. P., & Glick, W. H. (1995). Functional background as a determinant of executives’ selective perception. Academy of Management Journal, 38(4), 943–974.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang, H., Choi, J., & Li, J. (2008). Too little or too much? Untangling the relationship between corporate philanthropy and firm financial performance. Organization Science, 19(1), 143–159.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang, H., Tong, L., Takeuchi, R., & George, G. (2016). Corporate social responsibility: An overview and new research directions thematic issue on corporate social responsibility. Academy of Management Journal, 59(2), 534–544.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weaver, S. T., Ellen, P. S., & Mathiassen, L. (2015). Contextualist inquiry into organizational citizenship: Promoting recycling across heterogeneous organizational actors. Journal of Business Ethics, 129(2), 413–428.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wiersema, M. F., & Bantel, K. A. (1992). Top management team demography and corporate strategic change. Academy of Management Journal, 35(1), 91–121.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wong, E. M., Ormiston, M. E., & Tetlock, P. E. (2011). The effects of top management team integrative complexity and decentralized decision making on corporate social performance. Academy of Management Journal, 54(6), 1207–1228.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ye, K., & Zhang, R. (2011). Do lenders value corporate social responsibility? Evidence from China. Journal of Business Ethics, 104(2), 197–206.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the guest editors and the anonymous reviewers for their developmental suggestions throughout the revision process. The authors also acknowledge the helpfulful comments received at the 76th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management in Anaheim, the 36th Annual Conference of the Strategic Management Society in Berlin, and the 7th EIASM Workshop on Top Management Teams and Business Strategy in Groningen. The authors contributed equally to this research.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management, Burgplatz 2, 56179, Vallendar, Germany

    Marko Reimer

  2. University of Western Australia, UWA Business School, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia

    Sebastiaan Van Doorn

  3. Monash Business School, Monash University, 900 Dandenong Rd, Building N, Caulfield East, VIC, 3145, Australia

    Mariano L. M. Heyden

Authors
  1. Marko Reimer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sebastiaan Van Doorn
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Mariano L. M. Heyden
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marko Reimer.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Reimer, M., Van Doorn, S. & Heyden, M.L.M. Unpacking Functional Experience Complementarities in Senior Leaders’ Influences on CSR Strategy: A CEO–Top Management Team Approach. J Bus Ethics 151, 977–995 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-017-3657-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-017-3657-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation