arbiter
JournalsPricingAccount

Legitimacy in the spotlight: the role of media attention in driving corporate social responsibility

Ting Cao et al.

Chinese Management Studies2026https://doi.org/10.1108/cms-04-2025-0397article
AJG 1ABDC C
Weight
0.50

What the paper says

Purpose This paper aims to theorize and empirically examine the impact of media attention on corporate social responsibility (CSR) through the lens of legitimacy theory, and to uncover the boundary conditions (celebrity CEOs and market value) that shape this relationship in emerging economies. Design/methodology/approach Using a panel of Chinese nonfinancial firms (2010–2020), this paper used ordinary least squares regression and robustness checks including alternative media attention measurements, media divergence analysis and Heckman two-stage regression. Findings Media attention significantly increases CSR engagement, consistent with its role in amplifying legitimacy pressures. Notably, this effect is contingent. It is strengthened for firms with celebrity CEOs but attenuated for those with high market value. These findings hold across multiple robustness checks. Practical implications The findings offer insights for policymakers, managers and investors. Policymakers may harness media oversight to incentivize CSR, while firms with celebrity CEOs or low market value should prioritize CSR to mitigate legitimacy risks. Investors should look beyond superficial CSR claims to discern strategic motives. Originality/value This study advances institutional theory by framing CSR as a strategic legitimacy response to media-driven visibility. It further contributes by identifying how internal agency (celebrity CEOs) and external contingencies (market value) distinctly moderate the media–CSR link, offering a nuanced framework for understanding the interplay between media visibility and corporate legitimacy.

Open paper page →

Cite this paper

https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1108/cms-04-2025-0397

Or copy a formatted citation

@article{ting2026,
  title        = {{Legitimacy in the spotlight: the role of media attention in driving corporate social responsibility}},
  author       = {Ting Cao et al.},
  journal      = {Chinese Management Studies},
  year         = {2026},
  doi          = {https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1108/cms-04-2025-0397},
}

Paste directly into BibTeX, Zotero, or your reference manager.

Flag this paper

Legitimacy in the spotlight: the role of media attention in driving corporate social responsibility

Flags are reviewed by the Arbiter methodology team within 5 business days.

Evidence weight

0.50

Balanced mode · F 0.40 / M 0.15 / V 0.05 / R 0.40

F · citation impact0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20
M · momentum0.50 × 0.15 = 0.07
V · venue signal0.50 × 0.05 = 0.03
R · text relevance †0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20

† Text relevance is estimated at 0.50 on the detail page — for your query’s actual relevance score, open this paper from a search result.