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CFO cultural background and stock price crash risk

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  • Fu, Xi
  • Zhang, Zhifang

Abstract

We investigate the relation between the cultural background of chief financial officers (CFOs) and stock price crash risk. Using a novel single-country setting in the U.K. market, we find robust evidence that CFOs from cultural backgrounds that emphasise uncertainty avoidance are negatively associated with firms’ stock price crash risk. Our evidence further shows that the effect of CFO uncertainty avoidance is more pronounced for firms with higher information asymmetry and riskiness, and when CFOs have a greater ability to influence firm decisions. Overall, the results shed light on the important role of CFO cultural background for firm policies and outcomes.

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  • Fu, Xi & Zhang, Zhifang, 2019. "CFO cultural background and stock price crash risk," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 74-93.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:intfin:v:62:y:2019:i:c:p:74-93
    DOI: 10.1016/j.intfin.2019.05.001
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    2. Abdullah A. Aljughaiman & Ngan D. Cao & Mohammed S. Albarrak & Abdulateif A. Almulhim, 2024. "Influence of Cultural and Environmental Values of CEOs on Greenhouse Gas Emission Intensity," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-24, January.
    3. Wencheng Yu & Yikang Zhang & Kun Du & Yanzhou Wu, 2023. "Does the Quality of Director Fusion Raise the Risk of Corporate Debt Default?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-18, January.
    4. Gong, Xu & Lin, Anlan & Chen, Xiaoqi, 2022. "CEO–CFO gender congruence and stock price crash risk in energy companies," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 591-609.
    5. Khalil Jebran & Shihua Chen & Ruibin Zhang, 2022. "Board social capital and stock price crash risk," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 58(2), pages 499-540, February.
    6. Fan, Ruixin & Xiong, Xiong & Gao, Ya, 2021. "Can the probability of extreme returns be the basis for profitable portfolios? Evidence from China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Managerial cultural background; Uncertainty avoidance; Stock price crash risk;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G10 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - General (includes Measurement and Data)
    • G12 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Asset Pricing; Trading Volume; Bond Interest Rates
    • G14 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Information and Market Efficiency; Event Studies; Insider Trading

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