Shayan Ali Khan

Title of Dissertation:
Essays on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as Risk Management Strategy

Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Philipp Schreck
University: Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU)
Scholarship: KSG Scholarship
Cohort: 7th Cohort, since 2020
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

• Short Abstract

  As concerns about climate change intensify, corporations are increasingly put on the spot to align their practices with international frameworks such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Paris Climate Agreement, and the UN 2030 Agenda. My research probes the strategic role of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and associated Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives in the realm of firm-government interactions.

  My research examines this firm-government interplay, focusing on regulatory compliance and economic value preservation. A comprehensive literature review informs the design of two empirical chapters. The first study asks whether a firm's CSR activities influence its likelihood of committing fraud and whether these activities affect the propensity of regulatory sanctions from bodies like the Securities Commission. Employing a utility-based strategic approach, this study reveals the dual role of CSR initiatives in both mitigating fraud within firms and enhancing the effectiveness of governmental oversight mechanisms. The second study explores how firms adapt their CSR strategies to manage financial risks. It examines the shift in strategic priorities toward incorporating social responsibility while maintaining economic prudence. The complexity of this inquiry increases when considered in the context of varying regulatory landscapes across nations, as well as in relation to the 2008 financial crises.

  Overall, my dissertation offers actionable insights valuable for both policy and practice.

• Research Interests

  • Corporate Sustainability and CSR
  • Innovation and strategy
  • Digital Transformation

• Education

  • 2020, Master in Management, National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE), Russia
  • 2017, Bachelor in Electrical Engineering, National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences (NUCES), Pakistan

• Professional and Academic Career

  • 2020, Research Trainee, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB) / Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management, Brussels, Belgium
  • 2019, International Summer School in Human Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Finland
  • 2019, WFI International Summer School ‘Firms in Society’, The Catholic University Eichstätt-Ingolstadt
  • 2017, RAN and Operations Engineer, ZTE Corporation, Islamabad, Pakistan

• Publications

  • Shayan A.K., Mariia K. “Digitalization of Job Market.” Master diss., National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE), 2020

• Conference Contributions: Talks

  • European Group of Organizational Studies (EGOS), Vienna, 7-9 July 2022
  • Academy of Management (AOM), Seattle, 27-28 August 2022
  • Corporate Sustainability Seminar, Baruch College, New York, 11 October 2022
  • 2019, Analytics for Management and Economics Conference (AMEC), “Determinants of Sustainability Reporting in Russian Companies”, Saint Petersburg, Russia.(https://amec.hse.ru/mirror/pubs/share/320114166); ISBN 978-5-90363-339-5

• Conference Contributions: Posters

  • N/A

• Memberships

  • WCGE – Wittenberg Center of Global Ethics
  • BEMA – Friede Springer Chair of Business Ethics and Management Accounting
  • IDLAB – International Laboratory of Intangible-driven Economy