The role of social initiatives in organizational capabilities for value creation

This study examines the role of an organization’s involvement in social initiatives in enhancing its value creation capabilities, drawing on the resource-based view (RBV) theory. It aims to clarify the mechanisms through which social initiatives, as a form of stakeholder engagement, contribute to strengthening organizational capabilities. The case study is based on qualitative data from 23 interviewees collected over three years, covering 11 social initiative projects implemented by Japan’s largest logistics and delivery company, Yamato Transport. The findings show that social initiatives involvement enhances organizational capabilities by improving strategic positioning and generating both internal and external synergies within the firm’s resources and through collaboration with key partners. However, this effect is dependent on the choice of social issues and the scale of projects to be sustainable. This means capabilities are enhanced when firms engage in social issues that are closely related to their core business and rooted in their firm-specific competencies. These findings suggest that companies that strategically align their social initiatives with their core business operations can better manage the trade-offs between social and economic expectations, ultimately creating greater value for all stakeholders.