This paper examines why some firms withdraw from global sustainability standards after initially conforming. Introducing institutional immunity as a key mechanism, the study shows how ownership structures and interactions with external groups filter institutional pressures and enable discontinued conformity, with institutional quality shaping when this shift occurs. Based on an event history analysis of 19,438 global observations (2012–2017), the findings advance understanding of organizational change amid persistent institutional contradictions.
Authors & affiliations:
- Qinqin Zheng (School of Management, Fudan University)
- Yahan Hu (South China University of Technology)
