Industry mimetic isomorphism and sustainable development based on the X-STATIS and HJ-biplot methods

Area of Science:

• Organizational Behavior
• Sociology of Organizations
• Corporate Social Responsibility

Background:

• Neo-institutional theory and comparative institutional analysis frame the study of organizational behavior.
• Mimetic forces, a key concept in institutional theory, influence how organizations adopt practices.
• Company sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) are increasingly critical areas of study.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the role of mimetic forces in shaping company sustainability behaviors.
• To analyze how industry sector and associated risks influence the adoption of CSR practices.
• To understand the evolution of corporate behavior concerning sustainability.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of panel data from 600 international large listed companies (2004-2014).
• Utilized multivariate statistical methods: HJ-biplot and X-STATIS for data visualization.
• Comparative institutional analysis to examine sector-specific influences.

Main Results:

• Firms in high-impact sectors exhibit higher CSR scores due to greater social and environmental risks.
• CSR adoption is industry-dependent, with polluting sectors prioritizing environmental issues and human rights.
• Less polluting sectors, like communication, focus more on social issues such as business ethics and employee rights.
• Companies in similar industrial contexts tend to develop common policies to mitigate stakeholder pressures.

Conclusions:

• Mimetic forces significantly influence the patterns and evolution of corporate sustainability behavior.
• Industry context and stakeholder engagement are crucial determinants of CSR strategy.
• Firms facing analogous risks are likely to adopt similar sustainability policies and regulations.