How Philanthropy Affects Corporate Competitiveness in Europe
Project Description:
This project is motivated by the insight that production processes at the technological frontier are no guarantee for a company’s market success. In addition, a company must safeguard its reputation for supporting the society’s overall objectives in the eyes of its stakeholders. The project addresses the question whether companies can improve their financial performance and competitive situation through corporate philanthropy (CP) as an innovative business strategy. Both the quantitative (monetary) and the qualitative dimension of CP activities such as giving or sponsoring will be taken into account. The guiding research question is addressed in the context of data from Germany and the Netherlands, looking for cross-country variation for two countries with a very different philanthropic tradition. The database will consist of self-conducted interviews, annual reports and (online) surveys in combination with existing high quality company and tax return data bases.
Duration: April 2011 - September 2012
Research Team:
- Dr. Sarah Borgloh, ZEW – Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research, Department of Corporate Taxation and Public Finance
- Manuel Halter, ZEW – Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research, Department of Corporate Taxation and Public Finance
- Dr. Diana Heger, ZEW – Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research, Department of Industrial Economics and International Management
- Associate Prof. Dr. René Bekkers, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Philanthropic Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences
- Dr. Dick de Gilder, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Organization Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences
- Prof. Dr. Theo Schuyt, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Philanthropic Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences