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Cross-sector Alliances for Corporate Social Responsibility Partner Heterogeneity Moderates Environmental Strategy Outcomes

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Abstract

This article provides a new mechanism in understanding how partner heterogeneity moderates an alliance’s ability to advance corporate social responsibility goals. I identified the antecedents for firms to select a more diverse set of partners and explored whether more diverse alliances (especially cross-sector alliances) may facilitate partners to achieve more proactive environmental outcomes. I employ 146 environmental alliances formed in the U.S. between 1990 and 2009 to test the assertions. Results suggest that firms with innovative orientation and alliance experiences tend to choose a more diverse set of partners (especially cross-sector partners); and such partner heterogeneity in turn moderates an alliance’s environmental outcomes—compared to inter-firm alliances, cross-sector alliances are more likely to facilitate partners to pursue more proactive environmental strategies.

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Acknowledgments

I thank and acknowledge the contribution of Oana Brazei and the valuable insights of the anonymous reviewers, as well as the JBE special issue Guest Editors.

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  1. School of Environment, Enterprise and Development, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, EV1 231, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada

    Haiying Lin

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  1. Haiying Lin
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Correspondence to Haiying Lin.

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Lin, H. Cross-sector Alliances for Corporate Social Responsibility Partner Heterogeneity Moderates Environmental Strategy Outcomes. J Bus Ethics 110, 219–229 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-012-1423-2

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