scholarly journals Pyramid ownership structure and tax avoidance among Canadian firms

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin Mindzak ◽  
Tao Zeng
Keyword(s):  
Ownership Structure ◽  
Empirical Work ◽  
Tax Avoidance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Listed Firms ◽  
Corporate Ownership Structure ◽  
Cash Flow Rights ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose This paper aims to examine the relationship between pyramid ownership structure and tax avoidance. Design/methodology/approach This paper is an empirical work using a sample of Canadian listed firms. Findings Relying on several proxies for tax avoidance, the authors find that firms affiliated with pyramidal structures generally engage in more tax avoidance activities than non-affiliated firms; firms affiliated with more complex pyramids engage in more tax avoidance practices and firms located at the lower tiers of the pyramids avoid more taxes; and some pyramid-affiliated firms with larger deviation between controlling shareholders’ cash flow rights and control rights engage in more tax avoidance practices. Social implications A broader understanding of the relationship between pyramidal structure and tax avoidance can be pursued by including firms in other countries, where the pyramid groups (pyramid structure) are prevalent, but institutional environments differ from that of Canada. Originality/value This study highlights the importance of pyramid ownership in shaping tax avoidance activities among Canadian-listed firms. Canada provides an ideal setting for studying the impact of ownership structure, as it contains a diverse corporate ownership structure ranging from widely held freestanding firms to pyramidal business groups.

Ownership structure and analysts’ forecast properties: a study of Chinese listed firms

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sun Liu
Keyword(s):  
Ownership Structure ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Forecast Accuracy ◽  
State Ownership ◽  
Managerial Ownership ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Listed Firms ◽  
Pyramidal Ownership ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the association between ownership structure and the properties of analysts’ forecasts in China’s unique corporate setting. Design/methodology/approach Multiple regression models were used to examine the influence of ownership structure mechanisms on analysts’ forecast properties for listed Chinese firms during the period 2008-2012. Findings The paper finds that analysts’ forecast accuracy is higher for listed firms with high levels of foreign ownership and managerial ownership. However, the complex pyramidal ownership structure could make corporate information less transparent and then increase the complexity of forecasting; hence, it results in less precise analysts’ forecasts. Interestingly, the relationship between state ownership and analysts’ forecast properties appears to be non-linear (an inverted U-shape), and the inflection point at which the relationship becomes negative occurs at state ownership over 45 per cent. Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, this paper is the first to investigate the influence of ownership structure mechanisms on the properties of analysts’ forecasts in an emerging market, and the findings provide some insight on how the properties of analysts’ forecast might be shaped by certain ownership and control features in the context of concentrated state ownership and complex pyramidal ownership structure.

The impact of pyramid ownership on earnings management

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 208-224 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin Mindzak ◽  
Tao Zeng
Keyword(s):  
Earnings Management ◽  
Ownership Structure ◽  
Real Earnings Management ◽  
Control Rights ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Listed Firms ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Internal Financing ◽  
Cash Flow Rights ◽  
The Impact

PurposeUnlike firms listed in the USA, many large firms in Canada belong to business groups organized as pyramids. A pyramidal structure refers to a business group that consists of a set of enterprises or other entities and displays a top-down chain of control. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between pyramid ownership and earnings management.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is an empirical study using a sample of 165 Canadian listed firms from 2010 to 2015. The impact of pyramid ownership on both accrual-based and real earnings management is examined.FindingsThe findings show that pyramid-affiliated firms engage in less accrual-based and real earnings management than non-pyramid-affiliated firms. The results further show that the divergence between control rights and cash flow rights of the controlling shareholders in the pyramid-affiliated firms is positively related to real earnings management. Moreover, the results highlight that intra-group transactions (other than internal financing) among pyramid-affiliated firms lead to higher level of both accrual-based and real earnings management, but internal financing is negatively associated with real earnings management. Overall, this study provides the evidence which indicates that pyramid ownership structure and earnings management are related to each other.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to the earnings management literature by studying the impact of pyramid ownership structure on earnings management, especially real earnings management.

The impact of board composition and ownership structure on dividend payout policy: evidence from Saudi Arabia

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Helmi A. Boshnak
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Ownership Structure ◽  
Dividend Policy ◽  
Payout Policy ◽  
Board Composition ◽  
Dividend Payout ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Listed Firms ◽  
Propensity To Pay ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThis study examines the impact of board composition and ownership structure variables on dividend payout policy in Saudi Arabian firms. In particular, it aims to determine the effect of board size, independence and meeting frequency, in addition to chief executive officer (CEO) duality, and state, institutional, managerial, family, and foreign ownership on both the propensity to pay dividends and dividend per share for Saudi-listed firms over the period 2016–2019.Design/methodology/approachThe paper captures dividend policy with two measures, propensity to pay dividends and dividend per share, and employs a range of regression methods (logistic, probit, ordinary least squares (OLS) and random effects regressions) along with a two-stage least squares (2SLS) model for robustness to account for heteroscedasticity, serial correlation and endogeneity issues. The data set is a large panel of 280 Saudi-listed firms over the period 2016 to 2019.FindingsThe results underline the importance of board composition and the ownership structure in explaining variations in dividend policy across Saudi firms. More specifically, there is a positive relationship between the propensity to pay dividends and board-meeting frequency, institutional ownership, firm profitability and firm age, while the degree of board independence, firm size and leverage exhibit a negative relation. Further, dividend per share is positively related to board meeting frequency, institutional ownership, foreign ownership, firm profitability and age, while it is negatively related to CEO duality, managerial ownership, and firm leverage. There is no evidence that family ownership exerts an impact on dividend payout policy in Saudi firms. The findings of this study support agency, signalling, substitute and outcome theories of dividend policy.Research limitations/implicationsThis study offers an important insight into the board characteristic and ownership structure drivers of dividend policy in the context of an emerging market. Moreover, the study has important implications for firms, managers, investors, policymakers, and regulators in Saudi Arabia.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the existing literature by providing evidence on four board and five ownership characteristic drivers of dividend policy in Saudi Arabia as an emerging stock market, thereby improving on less comprehensive previous studies. The study recommends that investors consider board composition and ownership structure characteristics of firms as key drivers of dividend policy when making stock investment decisions to inform them about the propensity of investee firms to pay dividends and maintain a given dividend policy.

Determinants of corporate social and environmental voluntary disclosure in Saudi listed firms

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Helmi A. Boshnak
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Firm Size ◽  
Ownership Structure ◽  
Voluntary Disclosure ◽  
Firm Characteristics ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Listed Firms ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Ifrs Implementation

Purpose This paper aims to examine firm characteristics and ownership structure determinants of corporate social and environmental voluntary disclosure (CSEVD) practices in Saudi Arabia to address the paucity of research in this field for Saudi listed firms. Design/methodology/approach The paper uses manual content and regression analyses for online annual report data for Saudi non-financial listed firms over the period 2016–2018 using CSEVD items drawing on global reporting initiative-G4 guidelines. Findings Models show that Saudi firm CSEVD has increased over time compared to previous studies to an average of 68% disclosure due to new corporate governance regulations and IFRS implementation. The models show that firm size, leverage, manufacturing industry type and government ownership are positive determinants of CSEVD, while family ownership is the negative driver of CSEVD. However, firm profitability, audit firm size, firm age and institutional ownership have no impact on the level of CSEVD. Originality/value Using legitimacy and stakeholder theories, the paper determines the influence of firm characteristics and ownership structure on CSEVD, identifying implications for firm stakeholders and providing some evidence on the impact of corporate governance regulation and IFRS implementation on such disclosure. The paper provides additional evidence on progress towards Saudi’s Vision 2030.

Corporate governance mechanisms and corporate performance of firms in Nigeria and Ghana

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Martha Coleman ◽  
Mengyun Wu
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Ownership Structure ◽  
Financial Distress ◽  
Corporate Performance ◽  
Tobin’S Q ◽  
Tobin's Q ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Structure Index ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeThis study investigates the impact of corporate governance (CG) mechanisms with inclusion of compliance and diligence index on corporate performance (CP) of firms in Nigeria and Ghana. It further examines the moderating effect of financial distress on the relationship between CG and CP.Design/methodology/approachThe study used panel data of 102 nonfinancial listed firms of Nigeria and Ghana stock exchange for the period 2012–2016 with total observation of 510. The study first used OLS in estimating the influence of CG mechanisms on CP. Due to multicollinearity in the independent variables, ridge regression was employed.FindingsIt was revealed that ownership structure index and board compliance and diligence index, board size, board disclosure, ownership structure, shareholders' right and board compliance and diligence index had positive influence on ROA and ROE. Growth of Tobin's Q depends on board procedure and board compliance and diligence index. Also, financial distress (ZFS) negatively moderates the relationship between board structure index, board disclosure index, board procedure index, shareholders' right and performance (ROA and ROE) but negatively moderates between ownership structure index and Tobin's Q.Practical implicationsThis study provides interesting findings to policymakers in full implementation of CG codes as stated by OCED (2015) by West African firms with greater emphasis on compliance and diligence index since it positively influences all CP measures.Originality/valueThe study provides evidence of the importance of the introduction of the new index: compliance and diligence, which looks at disclosure of CSR activities. This has been overlooked by most researchers especially in Africa in assessing quality CG mechanisms.

Corporate dispersion and tax avoidance

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 706-732 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kun Su ◽  
Bin Li ◽  
Chen Ma
Keyword(s):  
Internal Control ◽  
Chief Executive Officers ◽  
Tax Avoidance ◽  
Chief Executive ◽  
Corporate Tax ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Listed Firms ◽  
Corporate Governance Mechanisms ◽  
Executive Officers ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of corporate dispersion on tax avoidance from geographical and institutional dispersion perspectives by using evidence from China. Design/methodology/approach Using a panel data of Chinese listed firms during 2003-2015, this paper estimates with correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis. Findings Both geographical and institutional dispersion are negatively associated with the degree of corporate tax avoidance. Furthermore, corporate governance mechanisms and female chief executive officers can mitigate the negative relation between corporate dispersion and tax avoidance. The results also indicate that ineffective internal control is one of the channels through which corporate dispersion reduces tax avoidance. Originality/value This is the first paper about the impact of firm dispersion on the degree of tax avoidance, complementing the research content of diversification and corporate decision-making.

scholarly journals The impact of emotional intelligence on accuracy of self‐awareness and leadership performance

2011 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 127-149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Virginia K. Bratton ◽  
Nancy G. Dodd ◽  
F. William Brown
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Intelligence ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Empirical Work ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Self Awareness ◽  
Leadership Performance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Leader Performance ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeThis research paper aims to follow a line of research that examines the impact of elements of emotional intelligence (EI), particularly those related to self‐awareness, on self‐other agreement and performance.Design/methodology/approachThis is a quantitative study that employs the same methodology as Sosik and Megerian to analyze survey data gathered from a matched sample of 146 managers and 1,314 subordinates at a large international technology company based in North America.FindingsThe analysis revealed that the relationship between EI and leader performance is strongest for managers who underestimate their leader abilities. Underestimators earn higher follower ratings of leader performance than all other agreement categories (In agreement/good, In agreement/poor, and Overestimators). The analysis also suggests that there appears to be a negative relationship between EI and leader performance for managers who overestimate their leader abilities.Research limitations/implicationsImplications of the counterintuitive findings for underestimators as well as the imperative for further study utilizing alternative measures of EI are discussed.Originality/valuePrevious empirical work in this area used an ad hoc measure of EI. This study extends this work by utilizing a larger, business sample and employing a widely‐used and validated measure of EI, the Emotional Quotient Inventory. Results further illuminate the nature of the relationship between EI and self‐other agreement and provide a potential selection and development tool for the improvement of leadership performance.

The impact of corporate governance and ownership structure reforms on earnings quality in China

2015 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 169-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xu_Dong Ji ◽  
Kamran Ahmed ◽  
Wei Lu
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Ownership Structure ◽  
Earnings Quality ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Governance Mechanisms ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Listed Firms ◽  
Ownership Structures ◽  
Corporate Governance Mechanisms ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of corporate governance and ownership structures on earnings quality in China both prior and subsequent to two important corporate reforms: the code of corporate governance (CCG) in 2002 and the split share structure reform (SSR) in 2005. Design/methodology/approach – This study utilises informativeness of earnings (earnings response coefficient), conditional accounting conservatism and managerial discretionary accruals to assess earnings quality using 12,267 firm-year observations over 11 years from 2000 to 2010. Further, two dummy variables for measuring the changes of CCG and SSR are employed to estimate the effects of CCG and SSR reforms on earnings quality via OLS regression. Findings – This study finds that the promulgation of the CCG in 2002 has had a positive impact, but the SSR reform in 2005 has had little effect on listed firms’ earnings quality in China. These results hold good after controlling for a number of ownership, governance and other variables and estimating models with multiple measures of earnings’ quality. Research limitations/implications – Future research could focus on how western style corporate governance mechanisms have been constrained by the old management systems and governmental dominated ownership structures in Chinese listed firms. The conclusion is that simply coping Western corporate governance model is not suitable for every country. Practical implications – The results will assist Chinese regulators in improving reporting quality, ownership structure and governance mechanisms in China. The results will help international investors better understand quality of financial information in China. Originality/value – This is the first to our knowledge that addresses the effects of major governance and ownership reforms together on accounting earnings quality and, thus, makes a significant contribution on understanding the effect of regulatory reforms on improving earnings quality. In doing so, it also indirectly assesses the effectiveness of western-style corporate governance mechanisms introduced in China.

scholarly journals Exploring the Impact of Ownership Structure on Earnings Predictability: Insights from Japan

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 97-121
Author(s):  
Mohammed Mehadi Masud Mazumder
Keyword(s):  
Ownership Structure ◽  
Earnings Quality ◽  
Insider Ownership ◽  
Listed Firms ◽  
Reporting Practices ◽  
Corporate Reporting ◽  
Earnings Predictability ◽  
Institutional Shareholders ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Using a very recent data over the period from 2007 to 2012 (sample period 2001–2012), this study estimates the relationship between ownership structure and earnings predictability in Japanese listed companies. In particular, this study investigates how three important categories of ownership (i.e., domestic institutional, foreign and insider ownership) are associated with earnings predictability in Japanese listed firms. The results show that higher domestic institutional (financial) ownership is associated with greater earnings predictability. The findings support the argument that institutional shareholders especially financial institutions ensure effective monitoring over corporate reporting practices which lead to better earnings quality. In sharp contrast, this study finds that incremental foreign institutional ownership in Japanese listed firms is associated with lower earnings predictability. Such finding is contrary to the oversimplifying assumption that increasing cross-border shareholdings is always associated with better earnings quality. This study demonstrates interesting insights regarding the impact of ownership structure on earnings predictability which surely carry significance for Japanese corporate policymakers and future researchers.

Executive pay bandwagon and stock price crash risk

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong Luo ◽  
Junfeng Wu ◽  
Wan Huang ◽  
Yongliang Zeng
Keyword(s):  
Earnings Management ◽  
Internal Control ◽  
Stock Price ◽  
Tax Avoidance ◽  
Crash Risk ◽  
Executive Pay ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Listed Firms ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the impact of executives’ self-interested behaviors induced by the pay bandwagon on stock price crash risk in Chinese listed firms and attempt to shed light on the influencing channels of this effect. Design/methodology/approach The empirical analysis is based on the panel data set which contains information on the executives and stock price of 11,710 firm-year observations over the period 2007–2015. The multiple linear regression models are implemented to examine whether the executive pay bandwagon affects corporate future stock price crash risk. Then, earnings management, tax avoidance and overinvestment are applied as the behavior choice of executive pay bandwagon to analyze the potential influencing channels. Findings Results indicate that the lower the executives’ pay is than the median pay level of executives in firms of similar size and industry, incentives of pay bandwagon are stronger, leading to a higher future stock price crash risk. Moreover, evidence shows that the positive relationship between executive pay bandwagon and crash risk is attenuated when firms have strong external monitoring mechanisms such as Big Four auditors, cross-listing in the Hong Kong stock exchange, high marketization process and high institutional ownership. Then, some weak evidence supports that internal governance such as internal control plays the same moderating role. In addition, based on the path test, the stock price crash effect of the executive pay bandwagon has a complete tax avoidance intermediary effect and a partial earnings management intermediary effect. Originality/value This study contributes to the executive compensation literature from a psychological perspective on the economic consequences research brought about by the pay bandwagon for China’s listed firms. Moreover, this paper provides a supplement to the literature on factors which is completely different from previous studies that affect the future stock price crash risk.

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