Social Responsibility,Organizational Legitimacy And Corporate Business Model Innovation

Recent years,the issue of business model innovation has become a focus in both academic fields and practical fields.However,most of scholars and entrepreneurs focus on the economic side of firms,ignoring that firms,as a unit of the society,also have their social roles.Accompanying with the exposure of more and more social problems during firms' operation,this essay will explore the influence mechanism between social corporate responsibility and business model innovation with regarding to the social role of a firm.Still,this essay will lead into the factor of organizational legitimacy as intermediary variable to get a deep exploration on the action mechanism between social corporate responsibility and business model innovation.Based on theories of corporate social responsibility(CSR),organizational legitimacy and business model innovation,these three factors are integrated into one research framework and the theoretical model of relationships among corporate social responsibility,organizational legitimacy and business model innovation are established.Through the way of empirical research,the relationships of these three factors are examined,including the intermediary variable factor of organizational legitimacy.Here are conclusions of this research:First,the four dimensions of corporate social responsibility—CSR for customers,CSR for shareholders,CSR for employees and CSR for society,all positively affect business model innovation.Second,organizational legitimacy has significant influence on business model innovation.Third,organizational legitimacy plays a mediation effect in the impact mechanisms of corporate social responsibility on business model innovation.This research has following contributions:First,through theoretical analysis and empirical testing,it will enrich the theoretical research in the fields of CSR,organizational legitimacy and business model innovation.Second,the mediating role of organizational legitimacy in CSR and business model innovation will be found.Third,it will provide a theoretical basis to enterprises for promoting business model innovation by advocating social responsibility,and the specific path guidance to enhance their business model innovation capabilities.