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CEO power and labor-friendly policy

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  • Bristy, Humyra Jabeen
  • Han, Jianlei
  • Tian, Gary Gang

Abstract

This paper explores the effect of the presence of powerful CEOs on the quality of their workplace and finds that firms with powerful CEOs invest less in labor-friendly programs and that this does not significantly affect firm value. However, the effect is attenuated for firms in some industries such as those that are highly competitive, those with a high level of innovation intensity, and those with high labor bargaining power. Policies emphasizing friendliness toward employees in highly competitive industries, in innovation-intensive industries, and in union-intensive industries are found to enhance firm value. Our study thus underscores the importance of industry heterogeneity in understanding the relationship between CEO power and labor-friendly policy.

Suggested Citation

  • Bristy, Humyra Jabeen & Han, Jianlei & Tian, Gary Gang, 2022. "CEO power and labor-friendly policy," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:pacfin:v:71:y:2022:i:c:s0927538x21002067
    DOI: 10.1016/j.pacfin.2021.101699
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    3. Zhang, Zhe & Zhang, Linlang & Chan, Kam C., 2022. "Can a decentralized power structure affect executive compensation? Evidence from Chinese business groups," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Powerful CEOs; Employee-friendly workplace; Competition; Innovation; Bargaining power of labor;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G30 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - General
    • J23 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Demand
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J53 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - Labor-Management Relations; Industrial Jurisprudence

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