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Socially Responsible Investment pp 53–73Cite as

Social Performance and Financial Performance: A Controversial Relationship

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Part of the book series: International Series in Operations Research & Management Science ((ISOR,volume 219))

Abstract

Different factors explaining divergent results on the relationship between corporate Social Performance (SP) and Financial Performance (FP) can be found in the academic literature. The main objective of this chapter is to test the impact of these factors on these divergent results. It also aims to assess the intensity of the sensitivity of this relationship to these factors considered individually or in combination. The results of our experimental research show that the estimated relationship depends on the methodological choice. More specifically, the relationship varies according to the measurement of the SP, the measurement of FP and the chosen sample. This relationship is neither stable nor necessarily linear, as many relevant academic works in the literature assume. This work concentrates on the knowledge gained from this literature and suggests lines of reflection to better understand the studied relationship in a field which is still evolving.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. ESG-UQAM, Canada, case postale 8888, succursale Centre-ville, Montrèal, QC, H3C 3P8, Canada

    Hajer Tebini

  2. ESG-UQAM, Canada, affiliated researcher at CRG-ESCA, case postale 8888, succursale Centre-ville, Montrèal, QC, H3C 3P8, Canada

    Bouchra M’Zali

  3. Facultè des sciences de l’administration, Universitè Laval, Pavillon Palasis-Prince, Quèbec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada

    Pascal Lang

  4. Universidad de Oviedo, Avda. del Cristo s/n, 33006, Oviedo (Asturias), Spain

    Paz Méndez-Rodrı́guez

Authors
  1. Hajer Tebini
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  2. Bouchra M’Zali
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  3. Pascal Lang
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  4. Paz Méndez-Rodrı́guez
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Correspondence to Paz Méndez-Rodrı́guez .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Economics and Social Sciences, Universitat Politècnica de València, Alcoy, Spain

    Enrique Ballestero

  2. Department of Quantitative Economics, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Asturias, Spain

    Blanca Pérez-Gladish

  3. Department of Economics and Social Sciences, Universitat Politècnica de València, Alcoy, Spain

    Ana Garcia-Bernabeu

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Tebini, H., M’Zali, B., Lang, P., Méndez-Rodrı́guez, P. (2015). Social Performance and Financial Performance: A Controversial Relationship. In: Ballestero, E., Pérez-Gladish, B., Garcia-Bernabeu, A. (eds) Socially Responsible Investment. International Series in Operations Research & Management Science, vol 219. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-11836-9_3

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