Abstract: At present, corporate social responsibility imitation has gradually become a new content in the study of corporate social responsibility issues and a hot topic in the cross-research of finance and management. Corporate social responsibility imitation not only helps firms to improve uncertainty in decision making and enhance the legitimacy of behavior, but also may pose potential risks to firms' operation. However, there is a paucity of literature on the double-edged sword effect of corporate social responsibility imitation, especially on the boundary condition of this double-edged sword effect. In China, the board network has become an important channel for enterprises to imitate each other. Thus, companies often use the board network to learn and imitate the mature and prior corporate social responsibility behaviors of other companies.
In the context ofthe board network, based on the inter-organizational imitation theory, this paper explores the double-edged sword effect of corporate social responsibility imitation behavior on enterprises' value and its boundary condition from the following three aspects: environmental uncertainty, strength of the board network, and homogeneity among enterprises. This study finds that, in the context of the board network, there is an inverted U-shaped relationship between corporate social responsibility imitation behavior and enterprises' value, which verifies the double-edged sword effect of corporate social responsibility imitation behavior. Furthermore, it is found that environmental uncertainty, strength of the board network, and homogeneity among enterprises have significantly positively moderating effects on this inverted U-shaped relationship, which clarifies the boundary conditions of the double-edged sword effect of corporate social responsibility imitation behavior. Finally, after overcoming potential endogeneity problems by using the instrumental variable method, re-screening of the research sample, and replacing the independent variable, these research conclusions still remain robust.
Theoretically,these findings expand the research framework and content of the inter-organizational imitation theory, provide incremental empirical evidence for relevant research on the double-edged sword effect of corporate social responsibility imitation behavior, make up for the shortcomings of existing research on corporate social responsibility imitation behavior, and further deepen the recognition and understanding of the double-edged sword effect of corporate social responsibility imitation behavior and its boundary conditions. In addition, the above research results have certain practical implications. Enterprises should reasonably and appropriately imitate the mature and prior corporate social responsibility behavior of other enterprises based on their strategic characteristics, enabling them to make positive contributions to the creation of enterprise value, thereby avoiding the negative impact of excessive corporate social responsibility imitation. This provides useful guidance for enterprises on how to better utilize corporate social responsibility imitation behavior in the board network to enhance enterprise value.

Key words: Corporate Social Responsibility Imitation, Enterprise Value, Board Network, Environmental Uncertainty, Strength of Board Network, Homogeneity among Enterprises

摘要： 企业社会责任模仿行为在降低决策不确定性和增加行为合法性的同时,也可能给企业经营发展带来潜在风险。但现有文献对企业社会责任模仿行为双刃剑效应的探讨较为匮乏,有关企业社会责任模仿行为双刃剑效应边界条件的研究更是凤毛麟角。本文以董事网络为情境,基于组织间模仿理论,探讨企业社会责任模仿行为对企业价值的双刃剑效应及其边界条件。结果表明:在董事网络情境下,企业社会责任模仿行为与企业价值间存在倒U型关系,且环境不确定性、董事网络关系强度和企业间同质性均对这一倒U型关系具有正向调节作用。研究结论弥补了现有企业社会责任模仿行为研究的不足,并为在董事网络中企业如何更好地利用企业社会责任模仿行为来提升企业价值提供了有益指导。

关键词: 企业社会责任模仿行为, 企业价值, 董事网络, 环境不确定性, 董事网络关系强度, 企业间同质性