We identify firm innovation as a channel through which the treatment of employees affects firm value. Long-term incentive theory supports positive effects of 'good' employee treatment on innovation. Alternatively, entrenchment theory suggests such treatment will lead to complacency and shirking, hence deterring innovation.These opposing views merit investigation since human capital is increasingly essential to the growth and success of a firm. Using the KLD database and patent/citation data, we find a significant positive relationship between favorable employee treatment and the innovation quantity and quality of a firm. Furthermore, we find that the positive treatment of employees improves innovation focus -more innovation related to firms' core business, leading to greater firm value via the increased economic value of patents. These findings, robust to endogeneity concerns, provide support for the long-term incentive hypothesis, suggesting that well-treated employees increase firm innovation. Thus, firm innovation represents a channel through which positive employee treatment enhances firm value. K E Y W O R D Scorporate social responsibility (CSR), employee treatment, human capital, patents and citations, technological innovation

We examine financial literacy and the returns to financial literacy education, specifically focusing on the racial financial literacy gap. We confirm evidence that whites have higher financial literacy scores relative to minorities and that financial literacy increases with participation in financial literacy education. However, we find the benefit of participation in financial literacy education is higher for whites than that for minorities. Thus, the impact of being white alone persists, indicating a racial financial literacy and/or behavioral difference despite financial literacy education. Our findings have implications for policymakers interested in narrowing the racial wealth gap via financial literacy education.

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PurposeThe paper aims to investigate the imprinting effect on working capital (WC) management as higher-level managers' transition to chief executive officer (CEO) positions. This paper proposes that WC management defined as a shorter cash conversion cycle (CCC) can be carried forward to the new firm when the managers are appointed as a CEO.Design/methodology/approachThe authors employ a multivariate regression approach. The data in this study come from two sources: Execucomp which provides data for corporate managers of the largest 2,000 USA firms including S&P 1,500 US and Compustat which provides financial information of firms.FindingsThe authors find a positive imprinting effect of “new” CEOs on WC outcomes – proxied by the CCC. CCC shortens by approximately 16 days when CEOs are efficient managers at previous institutions, predominantly derived from improvements in inventory and payables. The effect is sensitive to individuals' age, familiarity with the industry and high-pressure circumstances.Practical implicationsThe paper includes important implications of WC management for firms to consider, especially during economic crises when liquidity management is a priority.Originality/valueThis paper extends the literature on the imprinting effect on managerial decision-making. The paper offers evidence of cooperative yet dynamic efforts in managing WC during CEO turnover events, which are unique findings.