Diffusion of Corporate Philanthropy in Social and Political Network Environments: Evidence from China

Based on the strong influence social networks have on managerial decision-making, as an important aspect of the strategic decision of the company, it is necessary to study how corporate social responsibility (CSR) actions could be affected by social networks. An analysis of 1725 Chinese listed firms and 40,484 executives from 2010 to 2014 showed that corporate philanthropy behavior will diffuse in social networks; more concretely, the higher the degree of social network centrality, the higher the enterprise's donation level. Furthermore, the results also show that the role of social network centrality on corporate donation levels can be moderated by political connections. This study offers empirical evidence for developing a theoretical framework of CSR interaction and communication relevant to social networks, and offers insights into corporate philanthropy behavior based on social networks.