Punctuated Generosity: How Mega-events and Natural Disasters Affect Corporate Philanthropy in U.S. Communities

  • May 2026
  • Academic / Journal Article
  • Publisher : Administrative Science Quarterly
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Tilcsik & Marquis analyze Fortune 1000 firms' philanthropic spending between 1980 and 2006, revealing significant spikes in giving following mega-events like the Olympics and Super Bowl. Their study also uncovers nuanced responses to natural disasters: corporate giving increased for minor disasters but decreased for major ones, likely due to firms being directly affected. This research introduces a "punctuated equilibrium" perspective, demonstrating how exogenous shocks disrupt stable corporate-community giving patterns.

Author(s) :

Christopher Marquis, András Tilcsik

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Corporate social responsibility

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