Corporate Social and Political Activism

Firms and their managers are increasingly taking a stand on pivotal and often polarizing social and political issues such as gun control, immigration, LGBT rights, and climate change. Yet management research has only recently begun to explore the antecedents and consequences of such corporate activism. The purpose of this panel is to explore opportunities and future directions for research on corporate activism. Panelists will share insights regarding both the promise and potential pitfalls of studying this topic, as well as how a study of corporate activism can build from the non-market literatures on social movements, stakeholder theory, corporate social responsibility, and from related strategy literatures, such as resource-based theory and upper echelons theory. The panel includes scholars who are actively researching this topic and have made important contributions to our understanding of corporate activism.