Ideological polarization and corporate lobbying activity: The contingent impact of corruption distance

Abstract

This study examines how ideological polarization and corruption jointly impact MNEs’ lobbying decision-making. Building on resource dependence theory, we argue that the ideological polarization of the host country's politics encourages MNEs to engage in lobbying. Furthermore, we suggest that this effect is strengthened by increased corruption distance between the home and host countries. Testing our hypotheses on a sample of 353 firms from 41 countries, we reveal that the host country's political environment affects corporate lobbying activity, moderated by the corruption distance from the home country.