scholarly journals Corporate Ownership Structure as a Determinant of “Risk Taking”: Insights from Italian Listed Companies

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (11) ◽  
pp. 138
Author(s):  
Pier Luigi Marchini ◽  
Veronica Tibiletti ◽  
Alice Medioli ◽  
Gianluca Gabrielli

Ever since major accounting scandals and corporate collapses of the early 2000’s, the improved risk taking and the lax approach to risk management procedures, which are viewed as contributing factors to the market breakdown that occurred in the international market and, in particular, in the U.S. in 2007, have led to an increased awareness of the importance of managing risk on the part of listed companies. Risk management has gained importance in the definition of what it means to be the best and most efficient corporate governance structure and mechanism, as it can play a fundamental role in helping to achieve the company’s target. Also disclosure related to risk management is fundamental for the efficient functioning of capital markets since it helps to improve corporate transparency and to reduce the information asymmetry between insiders and outsiders. This paper aims to investigate the relationship between ownership structure and corporate risk-taking behavior and disclosure, as a tool for protecting shareholders, among Italian listed companies. The analysis is devoted to the Italian stock market because it is strongly characterized by a high ownership concentration and by the presence of a family ownership model; and this scenario makes the Italian one an interesting case to study. Based on a sample of 233 Italian listed companies, through a multivariate regression, we find that a high level of ownership concentration is positively related to a firms' low level of risk taking by the board of directors, so giving interesting insights to regulators and practitioners, as well as for further research.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Samir Srairi ◽  
Khawla Bourkhis ◽  
Asma Houcine

Purpose The motivation of the study is to shed further light on the question of whether the governance structure of Islamic banks (IBs) has an impact on the efficiency and risk of Islamic banks operating in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) after the global financial crisis and during the period 2010–2018. This study aims to examine the extent of governance structure on the efficiency and risk of IBs as the effect of the financial crisis has been less on IBs. In addition, the authors are interested in the GCC region as it represents the hub of Islamic finance. Design/methodology/approach In this study, the authors examine how the banking governance structure affects the risk-taking and performance of IBs in the GCC countries between 2010 and 2018. The authors construct a banking governance index (CGI) composed of sub-indices for the board structure, risk management, transparency and disclosure, audit committee, Sharia supervisory board and investment account holders. Unlike the majority of previous studies, bank performance is measured with technical efficiency scores using a data envelopment analysis and the authors use a comprehensive CGI. Findings The results show that IBs in GCC countries adhere to 54% of the attributes covered in the CGI. The authors also note a lack of disclosure regarding the investment account holders and the audit committee. As well, the results indicate that bank governance is positively associated with risk-taking and bank efficiency. Banking risk is influenced by the Sharia board and risk management while bank efficiency is affected by the characteristics of the board structure and investment account holders. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that has developed a comprehensive governance index for IBs in GCC countries that includes a wide range of governance dimensions. The study contributes to the literature on governance in the banking sector by simultaneously examining its impact on the risk-taking and efficiency of IBs and recognizes the dynamic relation between these three variables for IB.


2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 27-42
Author(s):  
Federico Alvino ◽  
Luigi Lepore ◽  
Sabrina Pisano ◽  
Gabriella D'Amore

The aim of the paper is to investigate the relationship between ownership concentration and the degree of comply-or-explain disclosure regarding the composition and functioning of boards of directors, also considering the moderating role played by family ownership. The study is conducted on a sample of 227 Italian non-financial listed companies. The results reveal a negative relationship between ownership concentration and the degree of comply-or-explain disclosure. Moreover, this relationship is stronger in companies having a family firm as a dominant shareholder. The paper contributes to previous studies on the degree of adherence to corporate governance code by investigating both the comply aspect and the explanations provided in cases of non-compliance. Moreover, the study contributes to previous research on the relationship between ownership structure and disclosure by considering the moderating role played by shareholder identity.


2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Surya Bahadur G. C. ◽  
Ravindra Prasad Baral

The paper attempts to analyze relationships among corporate governance, ownership structure and firm performance in Nepal. The study comprises of panel data set of 25 firms listed at Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) covering a period of five years from 2012 to 2016. The econometric methodology for the study consists primarily of least squares dummy variable (LSDV) model, fixed and random effects panel data models and two-stage least squares (2SLS) model. The study finds bi-directional relationship between corporate governance and performance. Among corporate governance internal mechanisms; smaller board size, higher proportion of independent directors, reducing ownership concentration, improving standards of transparency and disclosure, and designing appropriate director compensation package are important dimensions that listed firms and regulators in Nepal should focus on. Ownership concentration is found to have positive effect on performance; however, it affects corporate governance negatively. This study raises understanding and provides empirical evidence for endogenous relationship between corporate governance and performance and offers support for principal-principal agency relationship. The results of this study lead to several practical implications for listed firms as well as policymakers of Nepal in promoting sound corporate governance practices and codes. For listed companies, the improvement in compliance with a code of corporate governance or voluntary adoption of best practices can provide a means of achieving improved performance.


2006 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 319-343 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Delios ◽  
Zhi Jian Wu ◽  
Nan Zhou

We introduce a new perspective on the conceptualization and measurement of ownership identities of China's listed companies. Previous work analyzing the strategy and performance implications of the ownership structure in Chinese firms has used the official categorization provided by state bodies in China. In this categorization, state shareholding, legal person shareholding and A-shares dominate. This official categorization, however, obscures the ultimate identity of a shareholder; this can confound conceptual and empirical work on die strategy and performance implications of ownership identity. We refine the existing classification by recategorizing shareholders into 16 types, which can then be regrouped into relevant categories of shareholders, such as government or private, to enable analysis of ownership identity and ownership concentration issues in China's listed companies. Our new classification can help provide consistency in the burgeoning research on the strategy and performance implications of the concentration and identity aspects of ownership structure in China's listed companies.


2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Abid Ali Shah ◽  
Muhammad Aamir ◽  
Irum Saba ◽  
Zeeshan Mahmood

Purpose: In the developing country like Pakistan the agency problem may have different dimensions as it may not only be among the ownership and the management but also regarding the expropriation of the corporate profits by the largest shareholder at the cost of the many small shareholders. This paper examines the relationship between the Ownership Structure with its two dimensions i.e. Ownership Type and Concentration with the Corporate Governance adaptation level by the firms and its Financial Performance and Risk Taking Behavior judged by the Stock Market Returns. Methodology: The analysis was conducted in three sections using Panel Data Estimation using the data from 2006 to 2010 for 40 listed KSE firms. Findings: The results indicates that the improvement in the Corporate Practices increase the firm’s financial performance and reduction in the level of risk during undertaking of the riskier ventures. The Corporate Governance also has negative relationship with the Ownership Concentration proving the fact that the increase in the level of the ownership concentration results in the reduction of the level of good practices by the firms. Practical Implications: These results also provided a view of the Corporate Structure of the Pakistani firms and prove the fact that the Ownership Concentrated in single largest owner results in the reduction of Corporate Governance level and the Financial Performance of the firms and also results in the increase in the level of the risk undertaken by the firms.


2011 ◽  
Vol 225-226 ◽  
pp. 1314-1317
Author(s):  
Duo Jiao Tan ◽  
Si Lin Yu

Based on the cross-sectional data and from the shareholding structure, this paper analyzes the current status of ownership structure of Chinese listed companies, with ROE as the measure of the efficiency of corporate governance. It uses the regression analysis method to study the equity structure effects of listed corporate governance empirically. The conclude points out the factors of imperfect governance structure and the resolutions of that, as well as the policy recommendations of optimizing the ownership structure of listed companies and improving the governance structure.


Mathematics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. 1831
Author(s):  
Chien-Ming Huang ◽  
Wei Yang ◽  
Ren-Qing Zeng

Since a firm’s profitability is associated with a degree of risk taking, risk indicators have been extensively treated as exogenous variables and affected firm performance. The level of risk taking should be determined through internal control quality and firm-specific characteristics to effectively understand the relationship between risk management and firm performance. This study aims to investigate the effects of risk management efficiency on the production efficiency of Chinese listed companies from 2002 to 2016 using the two-step data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach. Empirical results indicate that risk management differs from traditional financial theory, which means that high-level risk would earn high expected returns. Firms with a low efficiency index of enterprises risk management will have low performance. In particular, internal controls were significantly improved after the 2008 financial crisis. Our overall results also suggest that information asymmetry is still a problem in financial markets. To achieve maximum benefits for shareholders and improve the quality of information disclosure, methods for enacting market regulations are still very important issues in China.


2015 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Etikah Karyani ◽  
Sidharta Utama

The purpose of this study is to test empirically the relationship between ownership concentration and risk taking by banks which are proxied by the CAR and LDR (li-quidity ratio). The study was motivated by the limited previous studies that analyze the structure of ownership in financial institutions and the weaknesses in sampling. Our analysis focused on Indonesia because this country has implemented the Basel Accord II standards successfully. This regulatory compliance is expected can control banking risk. Using data from 2009 until 2013 and panel data. We found that the ownership concentration become important determinants of bank liquidity. These findings are expected to provide policy guidance for regulators, especially relating to the ownership structure of the bank. However, the ownership concentration proved to be involved in the management decision to risk taking in banks.


2006 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ei Yet Chu ◽  
Kooi Guan Cheah

The paper examines the determinants of ownership structure characteristics of the 147 firms listed on main board of the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange (KLSE). Three dimensions of governance issues in firm theory:- asymmetric information, agency conflicts and risk as discussed in Putterman (1993) are used to assess the effects of ownership concentration. Ownership concentration is divided into dispersed, dominant minority, and majority controlled firms, while ownership identities are classified as family controlled, conglomerate, others institution, state, foreign and dispersed firms in explaining the above determinants of firm’s ownership. With the exception of leverage and year effects, we prove that ownership structure is able to extract cost and benefits from governance structure. We further provide evidence that ownership identities influence asymmetric information and risk


2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 144-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khadija Ashfaq ◽  
Zahid Irshad Younas ◽  
Bilal Mehmood

This study empirically investigates the impact of ownership structure on default risk of banks by using the panel data of commercial banks of Pakistan over the period of 2005-2011. The study considers two dimensions of ownership structure: categories of owners and ownership concentration. The study further splits the categories of owners into seven categories (managers/directors, families/individuals, foreigners, public owners, banks, non-banking financial institutions, and non-financial institutions), having different risk taking incentives. Controlling for various factors, the results of the study reveal that the ownership structure is significantly related with default risk of banks. On the whole, higher equity stake families/individuals are associated with a decrease in default risk of banks. Also, the involvement of public owners and foreign owners in ownership structure seem to increase the default risk of banks. All other categories do not have significant relation with default risk of banks. Finally, the findings of the study suggest that high ownership concentration is associated with high default risk in banks.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document