Seminar – The effectiveness of corporate activism: A meta-analysis

There is a growing trend of corporations taking a stand on partisan sociopolitical issues, we label corporate activism (CA). Given the fragmented and sometimes contradictory findings regarding the effectiveness of CA in extant literature, our study introduces the first meta-analysis on the subject. Meta-analytic results derived from 501 effect sizes across 89 articles reveal a positive, albeit small correlation (r = 0.084 [0.053, 0.113], p < 0.001). However, moderation analysis suggests that CA characteristics (controversial nature of the sociopolitical issue, the communicating entity (e.g., brand, CEO), consistency, resource commitment, and stance valence), stakeholders’ related factors (alignment with the sociopolitical issue, perceived CA authenticity), company characteristics (size), and market factors (geographical region) all influence the effectiveness of CA. This nuanced understanding equips both academics and practitioners with clearer insights into the multifaceted nature of CA. 

Room M3.01