Linking Manufacturing Processes With Sustainability: Unpacking the Financial Effects of Green Factory Certification
研究基于合法性理论，利用中国上市制造企业2014-2020年面板数据，发现绿色工厂认证能显著提升企业财务绩效，且对国有企业效果更强，对分析师关注度低的企业效果较弱。
ABSTRACT This study investigates the impact of green manufacturing strategies on firm performance by shifting the focus from external pressure to strategic legitimacy. Building on legitimacy theory about dual legitimacy support from governmental and market entities, we explain why a firm with green factory certification has a stronger competitive advantage. Using a longitudinal panel data comprising 7612 firm‐year observations from publicly listed Chinese manufacturing firms between 2014 and 2020, we find that green factory certification significantly improves firms' financial performance. This effect is more pronounced for state‐owned firms, whereas it is weaker for firms with low analyst coverage.