The benefits of doing good: a meta-analysis of corporate philanthropy business outcomes and its implications for management control

Abstract

Numerous studies have investigated the business benefits of corporate philanthropy (CP), which can be considered as part of a company’s belief systems. However, it remains unclear under which conditions and to what extent philanthropic activities are associated with corporate financial performance (CFP). This study sets out to shed light on the relationship between CP and CFP by means of a meta-analysis. A total of 183 effect sizes from 45 empirical studies are statistically integrated and analyzed within several subgroups. Particular attention is paid to time-lagged variable measurements that allow interpretation for causality. The general relationship between CP and CFP is found to be significantly positive. Furthermore, results reveal that CP is positively related to subsequent CFP across a wide range of different study designs, including different operationalizations of CFP and CP, different sample criteria, and the control for moderating variables. This paper goes beyond the question of if CP affects CFP and provides a status quo for a more detailed discussion on how and when CP influences CFP. Consequently, integrating research on mediating variables and adding perspectives of management control literature to the CP research field are suggested as promising avenues for future research.