Confucianism culture and corporate cash holdings

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (6) ◽  
pp. 1127-1159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shihua Chen ◽  
Yan Ye ◽  
Khalil Jebran ◽  
Muhammad Ansar Majeed
Keyword(s):  
Cash Holdings ◽  
State Ownership ◽  
Agency Conflicts ◽  
Managerial Behavior ◽  
Confucian Culture ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Listed Firms ◽  
Corporate Behavior ◽  
Informal System ◽  
Cash Reserves

PurposeThis study examines how Confucianism, as an informal system, alleviates manager–shareholder conflicts and thus decreases managerial behavior of keeping higher levels of cash reserves. This study also investigates whether formal governance mechanisms (state ownership and institutional investors) moderate the relationship between Confucianism and cash holdings.Design/methodology/approachThis study opts a sample of Chinese listed firms over the period of 2004–2015. The geographical-proximity-based method was followed to measure Confucianism, which is the distance between a firm's registered address and the national Confucianism centers.FindingsThe results indicate that Confucianism adversely influences cash holdings. The authors’ findings illustrate that Confucian culture promotes ethical behavior, and therefore, firms in a strong Confucianism environment keep a lower level of cash reserves. The authors further document that the effect of Confucianism on cash holding is weaker for state-owned firms but stronger for firms with low institutional ownership.Practical implicationsThe findings provide implications for policymakers, academicians, and corporations. The results suggest that culture can reduce cash holdings. Especially, in emerging markets, such as China, where formal mechanisms are relatively less effective, informal institutions can serve an alternative system for alleviating adverse effects of agency conflicts.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the literature in two ways. First, this study contributes to cash holdings literature by showing that culture (Confucianism) is negatively associated with cash holdings. Second, this study extends the incumbent literature that seeks to explore how Confucian culture influences corporate behavior. To the best of the authors knowledge, this is the first study that identifies that Confucianism is associated with cash holdings.

Does economic risk affect corporate cash holdings?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed Imran Hunjra ◽  
Tahar Tayachi ◽  
Rashid Mehmood ◽  
Anwaar Hussain
Keyword(s):  
Interest Rate ◽  
Manufacturing Sector ◽  
Cash Holdings ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Economic Risk ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Listed Firms ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Cash Reserves ◽  
The Impact

PurposeEconomic risk plays a vital role in firm's cash holdings. We aim to determine the impact of economic risk on the firm's cash holdings.Design/methodology/approachThe data is collected from the DataStream from 2002 to 2018, which covers 552 listed firms in the manufacturing sector of Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh. We apply a two-step dynamic panel estimation to analyze the results.FindingsWe use the variance of inflation and variance of interest rate as proxies of economic risk. Our results show that variance of inflation has a significant and negative effect while the variance of interest rate has a significant and positive effect on firms' cash holdings in selected countries. Furthermore, we find economic risk negatively affects the firm's cash holdings in the country-wise analysis. Firms should maintain a reasonable amount of cash reserves to handle uncertain situations.Originality/valueThis study may provide insights to financial decision-makers of a firm for better cash management according the economic conditions of the country.

Cash holdings, political connections, and earnings quality

2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 215-231 ◽  
Author(s):  
Redhwan Al-dhamari ◽  
Ku Nor Izah Ku Ismail
Keyword(s):  
Earnings Quality ◽  
Cash Holdings ◽  
Political Influence ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Least Square ◽  
Political Connections ◽  
Political Connection ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Listed Firms ◽  
Cash Reserves

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of cash holding, political connection and their interaction effect on earnings quality in the Malaysian environment, where political influence plays a vital role in many aspects of business dealings and resources allocation is seriously affected by politics. Design/methodology/approach – This paper uses ordinary least square and seemingly unrelated regressions upon a sample of the Malaysian top 100 listed firms. Findings – This paper finds that earnings of firms with excess cash reserves are of high quality. Consistent with previous research, the study finds that investors perceive earnings numbers of politically connected firms as being of low quality. However, this research fails to support an expectation that the adverse consequences of holding a large amount of cash to earnings quality would be more pronounced when political extraction is high. The findings of this study suggest that policy makers should encourage or mandate firms to disclose information in relation to their connections with government, political party, or politicians so that investors and all interested parties can use the information to better assess the firms’ earnings quality. Originality/value – This research is considered as the first attempt to examine the relationships between cash holdings, political connections, and earnings quality in a developing country such as Malaysia.

Revisiting the concept of a competitive “cash advantage”

2015 ◽  
Vol 43 (4) ◽  
pp. 38-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Calandro, Jr.
Keyword(s):  
Competitive Advantage ◽  
Corporate Strategy ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
Cash Holdings ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cash Reserves ◽  
Changing Role ◽  
Viable Method ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to profile how ample cash holdings can serve as a competitive advantage by first mitigating the risk of becoming a forced seller during times of distress, and then positioning a firm to take strategic advantage of forced selling and other forms of distress-generated opportunities. Design/methodology/approach – The author reviews the changing role of cash over time in corporate strategy, and how inadequate cash has caused or contributed to corporate failures. Findings – The findings of this paper, which are supported by historical and contemporary examples, are that ample cash reserves can be a powerful source of comparative advantage. Practical implications – This article supports earlier work published in Strategy & Leadership that shows how Graham-and-Dodd-based analysis is a viable avenue of academic research and a viable method with which to assess and formulate corporate strategic initiatives such as mergers and acquisitions, share buy-backs, risk management and, in this case, the strategic uses of cash. Originality/value – This paper offers leaders and financial executives a practical explanation of how ample cash holdings can serve as a competitive advantage.

Islamic banking and corporate investment efficiency: empirical evidence from Malaysia

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Moncef Guizani ◽  
Ahdi Noomen Ajmi
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Model ◽  
Generalized Method Of Moments ◽  
Corporate Investment ◽  
Investment Efficiency ◽  
Islamic Banks ◽  
Agency Conflicts ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Listed Firms ◽  
Lower Effect

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine whether and how Islamic banks' financing affects corporate investment efficiency.Design/methodology/approachTo achieve the research purpose, an empirical model was constructed to describe the relationship between Islamic banks' financing and corporate investment efficiency. The empirical model was tested through generalized method of moments (GMM) estimation technique using a panel data of 163 Malaysian listed firms for the period 2007–2017.FindingsThis study provides evidence that Islamic banks' financing plays an important role in enhancing investment efficiency and that this positive effect comes mainly from non-PLS contracts. Moreover, the results show that the effect of Islamic banks' financing in preventing suboptimal investments is stronger in the financial crisis period. The results also reveal that the contribution of Islamic banks' financing in reducing suboptimal investments is more prominent when firms face over-investment problems.Research limitations/implicationsThis research contributes to the debate on the financial implications of Islamic banks' financing modes by exploring their effect on corporate investment efficiency.Practical implicationsFrom a managerial perspective, the research findings are beneficial to Islamic bank managers to the extent that they highlight the role of Islamic financial contracts in improving corporate investment efficiency. In addition, the lower effect of PLS contracts on investment efficiency implies that policymakers in Malaysia should multiply their efforts to further expand the PLS financing.Originality/valueThis paper offers some insights on the role of Islamic banks' financing in mitigating agency conflicts and reducing asymmetric information problems. It is the first attempt focusing on the role of Islamic financing in fostering corporate investment decisions.

scholarly journals Asymmetric targeting of corporate cash holdings and financial constraints in Pakistani firms

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 76-97
Author(s):  
Ghulam Ayehsa Siddiqua ◽  
Ajid ur Rehman ◽  
Shahzad Hussain
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Financial Constraints ◽  
Generalized Method Of Moments ◽  
Cash Holdings ◽  
Optimal Level ◽  
Dynamic Panel Data ◽  
Asymmetric Adjustment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Listed Firms ◽  
Target Firms

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the asymmetric adjustment of cash holdings in Pakistani firms for above and below target firms. Design/methodology/approach The study employs generalized method of moments (GMM) to investigate the adjustment of cash holdings. Findings The study found that the firms which hold cash above the optimal level of cash holdings have higher speed of adjustment than the firms which hold cash below the optimal level. Financially constrained (FC) firms also adjust their cash holdings faster than financially unconstrained (FUC) firms but high speed of downward adjustment does not remain persistent after financial constraints are controlled. Findings of this study reveal this asymmetric adjustment in above and below target firms and extend these results in FC and FUC Pakistani listed firms, respectively. Research limitations/implications The conclusion of this study has been derived under certain limitations. There is a vast space to extend this study in different dimensions. Firms operating in capital-intensive industries may provide different results for financial constraints because their policy designing would be quite different from other firms. Originality/value This study contributes to cash holdings research in Pakistan by exploring the adjustment behavior of cash holdings across Pakistani non-financial firms using econometric modeling. Downward adjustment rate is supposed to be higher than upward adjustment rate and this rate is tested using dynamic panel data model. Similarly, it is inferred that this relationship holds for above target firms even after including the financial constraints in the presented model.

Earnings management and goodwill impairment

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 120-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giuseppe Davide Caruso ◽  
Elisa Rita Ferrari ◽  
Vincenzo Pisano
Keyword(s):  
Earnings Management ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Income Smoothing ◽  
Financial Accounting ◽  
Current Debate ◽  
Managerial Behavior ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Listed Firms ◽  
Goodwill Impairment ◽  
Research Questions

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to understand whether managerial behavior in impairing goodwill arising from M & As has changed after the adoption of IAS/IFRS, searching for evidences of earnings management (EM) practices. Thus, our goal is to provide a response to the following research questions. Are goodwill impairments used by listed firms’ managers to manipulate earnings? If so, what kind of EM practice is mostly used? Design/methodology/approach – In this paper the authors tested the following hypothesis: H1. In the year of the deal’s closure and in the following four years, the management detects impairment of goodwill in difformity with the previous Italian regulations and related accounting practices. Moreover, the authors tried to determine, for each considered firms, potential symptoms of typical DEM practices widely debated in the financial accounting literature (income smoothing, income minimization, income minimization, or big bath accounting). Findings – Our analysis does not prove evidence of certain EM practices, but it highlights very clearly that, after the adoption of IAS/IFRS, managers’ behavior has deeply changed. Moreover, the analysis shows that there is no univocal choice in favor of a specific EM practice and that every firm pursues its own “strategy.” Originality/value – Considering the importance of the topic from both the perspectives of managerial (with regard to M & As valuation processes) and financial accounting (with regard to intangibles valuation fulfilled by applying the impairment test instead of the amortization), this work aims to provide a multi-dimensional contribution to the current debate.

scholarly journals Family Control And The Value Of Cash Holdings

2015 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 647 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabri Boubaker ◽  
Imen Derouiche ◽  
Majdi Hassen
Keyword(s):  
Firm Value ◽  
Family Firms ◽  
Cash Holdings ◽  
Firm Resources ◽  
Family Control ◽  
Large Sample ◽  
Listed Firms ◽  
Excess Cash ◽  
Cash Reserves ◽  
Corporate Cash Holdings

The present study investigates the effects of family control on the value of corporate cash holdings. Using a large sample of French listed firms, the results show that the value of excess cash reserves is lower in family firms than in other firms, reflecting investors concern about the potential misuse of cash by controlling families. We also find that the value of excess cash is lower when controlling families are involved in management and when they maintain a grip on control, indicating that investors do not expect the efficient use of cash in these firms. Our findings are consistent with the argument that the extent to which excess cash contributes to firm value is lower when dominant shareholders are likely to expropriate firm resources. Overall, family control seems to be a key determinant of cash valuation when ownership is concentrated.

Female directors on corporate boards and their impact on corporate social responsibility (CSR): evidence from China

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Waqas Bin Khidmat ◽  
Muhammad Danish Habib ◽  
Sadia Awan ◽  
Kashif Raza
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Gender Diversity ◽  
State Ownership ◽  
Corporate Boards ◽  
Female Representation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Listed Firms ◽  
Self Selection ◽  
Corporate Social

Purpose This study aims to examine the determinants of the female representations on Chinese listed firm’s boards. This study also investigates the effect of gender diversity on corporate social responsibility activities. Design/methodology/approach The Tobit regression model is used because the data is censored and using ordinary least square regression can give spurious results. For robust check, the authors also used Heckman’s (1979) two-stage self-selection model to remove the sample self-selection bias. Findings The authors find that the female representations on the corporate board are positively associated with firm age, firm performance, corporate governance, family ownership, institutional ownership and managerial ownership while negatively related to firm size and state ownership. This study also incorporates predictors of the critical mass of women on the Chinese listed firm’s board. The study also tests the female-led hypothesis and concludes that the female representation increases in firms with female chief executive officer (CEO) or female chairpersons. The Chinese listed firms with gender-diverse board are socially responsible. Research limitations/implications The importance of diversity in corporate boards has been demonstrated in light of the agency theory and the resource dependence framework. The results contribute to the previous literature by documenting the determinants of female representations on board, robust by alternative measures of gender diversity, firm size, corporate governance and estimation techniques. Practical implications The economic significance of gender diversity stirred the firms to increase female representation. The policymakers can understand the reasons for female underrepresentation in Chinese boards and can reform the regulation to enhance governance quality, non-state ownership and risk aversion among the listed firms. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature by providing empirical evidence on the key predictor of the world’s largest emerging economy, specifically the study focuses on the firm specific determinants, different governance attributes, ownership structure and firm risk measures. This study also seeks to answer if the presence of a female in the Chairperson or CEO position encourages the firms to hire more female directors or not?

scholarly journals Complex state ownership, competition, and firm performance – Russian evidence

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 189-221
Author(s):  
Eva Liljeblom ◽  
Benjamin Maury ◽  
Alexander Hörhammer
Keyword(s):  
State Ownership ◽  
State Control ◽  
Government Control ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Listed Firms ◽  
Market Index ◽  
Performance Effects ◽  
Golden Shares ◽  
Sales Employees ◽  
The Impact

Purpose State ownership has been common especially in industries with restricted competition. In Russia, state-controlled firms represent around 41 percent of the market value of all listed firms (Deloitte, 2015). Yet, there is a significant gap in the literature regarding the effects of various forms of government control in listed firms. The purpose of this paper is to fill this gap by exploring the impact of the complexity of state ownership and competition on the performance of Russian listed firms. Design/methodology/approach The sample consists of data for 72 firms (360 firm-years) in the Russian MOEX broad market index during 2011–2015. The complexity of state ownership is captured by studying forms of state control including majority/minority, direct/indirect, federal/regional, mixed structures and golden shares. Findings The authors find significant differences in performance relating to different forms of state ownership. State control is negatively related to firm valuation and the sales/employees ratio. Performance is weakest when state ownership takes the form minority, regional or direct ownership. State control through golden shares typically outperforms other state-controlled firms. The authors find indications of employment prioritization beyond the economical optimum. In addition, the relation between state ownership and profitability becomes positive in sectors where state firms appear to enjoy lower competition. Originality/value While the effects of state ownership have been studied on many markets, there is a lack of studies on the effects of different forms, or the complexity, of state ownership beyond direct and indirect ownership. The authors contribute to the literature on the performance effects of state ownership by studying a multitude of forms of governmental ownership as well as the role of competition in Russia. Especially the profitability of state-controlled firms is significantly affected by industry characteristics. Implications of the results are discussed both from firm and policy maker perspectives.

Does religion matter to dividend policy? Evidence from Buddhism and Taoism in China

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 510-541 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chunfang Cao ◽  
Fansheng Jia ◽  
Xiaowei Zhang ◽  
Kam C. Chan
Keyword(s):  
Dividend Policy ◽  
Ethical Guidelines ◽  
Dividend Payout ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Informal Institution ◽  
Listed Firms ◽  
Corporate Behavior ◽  
Unethical Practices ◽  
Multiple Regression Method ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the relation between Buddhism/Taoism and dividend payout decisions among Chinese listed firms during 2003-2013. Design/methodology/approach The authors include all Chinese A-share listed stocks in their sample during 2003-2013 and use a multiple regression method to conduct their analyses. Findings Their findings suggest that firms in regions with high influence of Buddhism and Taoism lean toward having high dividend payouts. The results are robust to a battery of alternative specifications in dividend payout, religiosity measures, research methods and dividend regulation regimes. Originality/value They show that the religions of Buddhism/Taoism play a role in determining dividend payout, complementing other informal institution studies of dividend policy. They complement the literature by providing insights into the impact of Buddhism and Taoism on corporate behaviors beyond immoral or unethical practices. They are able to relate specific doctrinal tenets of Buddhism and Taoism to corporate behavior rather than using only the general moral and ethical guidelines of religiosity.

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