Being good while being bad: social responsibility and the international diversification of US firms

Abstract

This paper contributes to the discussion on international diversification and corporate social responsibility (CSR) by suggesting that firms can be simultaneously socially responsible and socially irresponsible. To test our assertions, we analyze data from 222 publicly traded US firms from 1993 to 2003. The findings support our hypotheses, and have significant implications for the way in which we conceptualize CSR.