How firms respond to mandatory information disclosure
By: Anil R. Doshi, Glen W. S. Dowell, Michael W. Toffel
Contributors: Dowell, Glen W. S.; Toffel, Michael W.; Harvard Business School
Edition: Rev.
Series: Working paper / Harvard Business School -- 12-001; Working paper (Harvard Business School) -- 12-001.
Publisher: Harvard Business School
Published: 2012
Place of publication: [Boston]
Language: eng
Number of pages: 38
Description: Mandatory information disclosure regulations seek to create institutional pressure to spur performance improvement. By examining how organizational characteristics moderate establishments' responses to a prominent environmental information disclosure program, we provide among the first empirical evidence characterizing heterogeneous responses by those mandated to disclose information. We find particularly rapid improvement among establishments located close to their headquarters and among establishments with proximate siblings, especially when the proximate siblings are in the same industry. Large establishments improve more slowly than small establishments in sparse regions, but both groups improve similarly in dense regions, suggesting that density mitigates the power of large establishments to resist institutional pressures. Finally, privately held firms' establishments outperform those owned by public firms. We highlight implications for institutional theory, managers, and policymakers.
Notes: "July 2011, revised February 2012, June 2012" -- Publisher's website.

"June 22, 2012" -- added t.p.

Includes bibliographical references.