Young Hou

A new study by Darden professor Young Hou and UCLA Anderson professor Christopher Poliquin examines the policy impact of CEOs speaking out on social and political issues.

A CEO goes on record supporting gun rights, and consumers react. Some stock up on the company’s products, others boycott. What fuels such “lifestyle politics”? Are consumers motivated by deep personal belief, or are they publicly signaling their values to an audience of like-minded peers?

In these politically divided times, everyone seems to have an opinion. Is it a good idea for CEOs to express theirs? What happens to an organization when its CEO takes a public stance on a controversial issue? New research examines the net effect of CEO activism, how the effects differ for liberals and conservatives, and the effects’ duration.