This paper examines the relation between investor protection and real earnings management. We build on the work of La Porta et al. (2000), who found that countries with different legal systems protect investors differently. Using a sample of more than 13,000 unique firms in over 54 countries,...

We use the exposure of U.S. firms’ directors to the staggered introduction of sustainability disclosure reforms in foreign countries to study the role of the board of directors in shaping corporate sustainability. Using a difference-in-differences design, we document that the board has a...

In the aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis, legislators, regulators and journalists have focused on "bad" corporate governance as one root of the evil visited on the global financial system, and "good" or "improved" corporate governance as one of the remedies for repair. This short writing...

Knowing about the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act ("FCPA") is critical for any institutional investor that has ties to non-U.S. service providers, is investing outside the U.S. and/or buying securities issued by non-U.S. companies. "Avoiding FCPA Liability by Tightening Internal Controls:...

In the wake of the 2008 economic financial crisis, several corporate governance issues have became more relevant in the daily corporate life, among them Gender Diversity. Institutional investors, due to the critical environment began to scrupulously analyze the companies, in which they invest,...

The sixth annual World Pensions Forum was held on 23-24 February 2017 at the Queen's House in the Royal Borough of Greenwich.Over 120 representatives attended: from pension and sovereign funds, central banks and government agencies including financial regulators. Topics discussed included...

This paper analyzes simultaneity and endogeneity of ERM and Corporate Governance. It assesses quantitative relationship between Corporate Governance, ERM and value of the firm. The research results provide quantitative justifications for the boards to make investments in ERM and Corporate...

Exit theory predicts a governance role of outside blockholders' exit threats; but this role could be ineffective if managers' potential private benefits exceed their loss in stock-price declines caused by outside blockholders' exit. We test this prediction using the Split-Share Structure Reform...

We analyze the impact of firm-specific stock market liberalization events on the capital structure and debt maturity decisions of firms from emerging market economies. In particular, we focus on the potentially different responses of firms with different ownership structures and associated...

Using a sample of non-U.S. firms from 43 countries, we investigate whether laws and regulations as well as votes cast by U.S. institutional investors are consistent with an effective shareholder voting process. We find that laws and regulations allow for meaningful votes to be cast as...