JOURNAL OF LEADERSHIP, ACCOUNTABILITY AND ETHICS
The Effect of Creative Culture on Corporate Social Responsibility
Author(s): Ekin Alakent, Mine Ozer, Erdem Ucar
Citation: Ekin Alakent, Mine Ozer, Erdem Ucar, (2020) "The Effect of Creative Culture on Corporate Social Responsibility," Journal of Leadership, Accountability and Ethics, Vol. 17, Iss. 3, pp 41-56
Article Type: Research paper
Publisher: North American Business Press
Abstract:
We examine how creative culture affects the corporate social responsibility (CSR) records of companies. To measure local creative culture, we use the fraction of the local creative class—including intellectuals and artists—working in knowledge-intensive industries. We argue that companies located in areas densely populated by the creative class should exhibit better CSR records to maintain their legitimacy. Using data from the US Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service, which refines and revises Florida’s (2002a,b) creative class measure, we find firms in areas with strong creative cultures have higher levels of CSR engagement, after controlling for alternative explanations and endogeneity concerns.