Does engaging in government initiated corporate social responsibility activities improve corporate innovation? Evidence from China

The Chinese government initiated a nationwide poverty alleviation campaign in 2016. Many Chinese listed firms engaged in poverty alleviation campaign and made significant contributions. In this study, we investigate the relationship between firms' poverty alleviation campaign and firm innovation performance. Using a large sample of 3140 Chinese A-share listed firms on Shenzhen and Shanghai Stock Exchange from 2016 to 2019, this study demonstrates that firms' poverty alleviation campaign contribute to the improvement of firm innovation performance. These results are more pronounced for firms with higher internet search volume. Overall, our findings provide important support for listed firms to engage in CSR activities initiated by government.