Hitoshi Takehara – författare

This book explores the linkages between the evolution of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate financing and governance in Japan since the late 2000s. Since the 1990s, increasing economic and financial globalization has steadily eroded the Japanese style of business based on relationships and influenced the awareness and practices of CSR that are unique to Japanese companies. In Japan’s two “lost decades” after the bubble economy, the business model and corporate financing seem to have continued a gradual financial reform toward a more market-oriented system. CSR awareness and practices of Japanese companies have been influenced by social and environmental issues that global society and communities face. Furthermore, the Fukushima nuclear accident in 2011 triggered increasing attention paid to the responsibility of business toward society. In this process, major players in corporate governance and components of governance structure have continued to change. The conventional view of Japanese corporate governance and corporate finance is too narrow to understand this field in Japan. This book is based on empirical research to investigate how multifaceted CSR has aligned with business and finance and has influenced the corporate governance structure of Japanese companies. The findings and discussions in this book act are stepping stones in further research on the linkages between business and society, and provide empirical evidence on changes in Japanese corporate finance and governance.

This book focuses on the linkage between corporate social responsibility (CSR) engagement and innovation strategies in the context of Japanese firms beginning in the late 2000s. Since that time, the firms have faced transformations in their business models and CSR activities in the face of global technological competition. The novelty of this book is that it carefully identifies the channels linking CSR and innovation through employee motivation for creativity and investor awareness of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues. As well, the book sheds light on the role of independent sustainability rating agencies as information intermediaries in this linkage. It empirically examines whether and how internal and external stakeholder engagement influences organizational innovation capability and the impact of ESG ratings on that relationship.

This present work helps to provide a comprehensive understanding of the integration of multi-stakeholder engagement in corporate innovation strategies to survive in changing social and environmental circumstances, with insight into the role of information intermediaries in the integration process. The book has practical implications for strategic CSR to achieve social and environmental sustainability, which are particularly important in Japan.