Study on the Impact of Stakeholder Drivers on Corporate Carbon Performance from the Perspective of WSR Methodology: The Mediating Role of Carbon Strategy Management

Abstract

Abstract: The report of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China proposed to “actively and steadily promote carbon peaking and carbon neutralization”. The improvement of corporate carbon performance is crucial for achieving the goal of carbon peaking and carbon neutralization. Previous studies on corporate carbon performance have not paid enough attention to the initiative of stakeholders. To solve this problem, based on WSR methodology, this paper highlights the dynamic role of stakeholders, analyzes the impact of stakeholder drivers on carbon performance and the intermediary role of carbon strategic management between the two. The conclusions are as follows. (1) Stakeholder drivers have a significant positive impact on corporate carbon performance. Specifically, government driver, shareholder driver, creditor driver and customer driver have a positive effect on corporate carbon performance; (2) Carbon strategic management plays a significant intermediary role in the positive impact of stakeholder drivers on corporate carbon performance; (3) The effect of stakeholder drivers on corporate carbon performance is stronger in non-state owned enterprises, large scale enterprises and enterprises in low carbon pilot cities, and the mediating effect of carbon strategy management is stronger in state owned enterprises, large scale enterprises and enterprises in low carbon pilot cities. The WSR methodology provides a humanistic perspective for enterprises to improve carbon performance, and provides theoretical basis and practical guidance for enterprises to conduct carbon strategic management and stakeholder management.

Key words: WSR methodology, carbon performance, stakeholder drivers, carbon strategic management, textual analysis

Lyu Xin, Wen Subin, Li Hui, Zhang Jinquan. Study on the Impact of Stakeholder Drivers on Corporate Carbon Performance from the Perspective of WSR Methodology: The Mediating Role of Carbon Strategy Management[J]. Management Review, 2025, 37(9): 56-69.

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