R&D intensity and its curvilinear relationship with firm profitability: perspective from the alternative energy sector

Abstract

There is an inconclusive debate concerning the relationship between environmental research and development (R&D) and corporate financial performance (CFP). The debate becomes more complex because a win–win situation between environmental and financial goals is not as plausible in practice as it is in theory. Though arguments have been made that when time-lag is considered, the relationship can produce positive outcomes for both entities, ambiguities persist because linear models dominate this analysis. This study, therefore, empirically tested the existence of a curvilinear relationship between R&D intensity and CFP in the context of the alternative energy sector. Using a panel dataset of 24 companies and 232 unbalanced firm-year observations for 10 years, it was found that after passing the inflection points, investment in R&D reaps financial benefits that will eventually offset the cost of the initial investment. The curvilinear relationship of R&D intensity on return on sales and net profit margin is strongly supported.