IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eme/qrfmpp/qrfm-08-2016-0024.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Behavior of fund managers in Malaysian investment management industry

Author

Listed:
  • Zamri Ahmad
  • Haslindar Ibrahim
  • Jasman Tuyon

Abstract

Purpose - This paper aims to explore the relevance of bounded rationality to the practice of institutional investors in Malaysia. Understanding institutional investor behavior is important, as it can determine the asset prices and consequently the market behavior. Design/methodology/approach - A set of questionnaires is used to solicit information regarding the understanding and practical application of behavioral finance theories and strategies among fund managers in the Malaysian investment management practice. In the process, bounded rational theory is aimed to be validated. Fund managers’ possible bounded rational behavior is assessed with reference to their investment management approaches and strategies right from individual beliefs and acquisition of information, as well as investment management and strategies used. Findings - The findings lend support to the notion that institutional investors too, being normal human beings, are expected to think and behave in a boundedly rational manner as postulated in bounded rational theory. The sources of bounded rationality are individual, institutional and social forces. Thus, portfolio trading and investment management strategies are exposed to wide varieties of behavioral risks. Despite the notions that behavioral risks are real and the impact on fund performance could be pervasive, fund managers’ self-awareness regarding control and institutional readiness to govern behavioral risks in investment practices is still low. Research limitations/implications - Empirical evidence drawn in the current paper is subjected to small sample size and specific focus on Malaysian context. Despite this limitation, the sample is statistically sufficient and provides a fair representation, as well as quality opinions, of fund manager’s investment management behavior in Malaysia. This research provides valuable implications to practitioners (fund managers) and regulators (investment management and capital market policymakers). In practice, the current study draws some practical ideas, especially for buy-side institutional investors, on the source and impact of behavioral biases on fund management practices and performance. For regulators, this research highlighted the needs and possible ways to regulate these behavioral risks. Originality/value - The current paper provides new insights on the theory and practice of the institutional investor. In theory, this research provides evidence of bounded rationality of institutional investor behavior, practicing in the asset management industry in the emerging markets of Malaysia. This evidence lends support to the validity of the bounded rationality theory in explaining institutional investor behavior. In practice, thisresearch provides new insights on the relevance of behavioral finance perspectives and strategies in the asset management industry practice and policy.

Suggested Citation

  • Zamri Ahmad & Haslindar Ibrahim & Jasman Tuyon, 2017. "Behavior of fund managers in Malaysian investment management industry," Qualitative Research in Financial Markets, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 9(3), pages 205-239, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:eme:qrfmpp:qrfm-08-2016-0024
    DOI: 10.1108/QRFM-08-2016-0024
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/QRFM-08-2016-0024/full/html?utm_source=repec&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=repec
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers

    File URL: https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/QRFM-08-2016-0024/full/pdf?utm_source=repec&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=repec
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1108/QRFM-08-2016-0024?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kourtidis, Dimitrios & Šević, Željko & Chatzoglou, Prodromos, 2011. "Investors’ trading activity: A behavioural perspective and empirical results," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 40(5), pages 548-557.
    2. George A. Akerlof, 2009. "How Human Psychology Drives the Economy and Why It Matters," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 91(5), pages 1175-1175.
    3. Megumi Suto & Masashi Toshino, 2005. "Behavioural Biases of Japanese Institutional Investors: fund management and corporate governance," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 13(4), pages 466-477, July.
    4. Summers, Barbara & Duxbury, Darren, 2012. "Decision-dependent emotions and behavioral anomalies," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 118(2), pages 226-238.
    5. Marina Nikiforow, 2010. "Does training on behavioural finance influence fund managers' perception and behaviour?," Applied Financial Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(7), pages 515-528.
    6. Cronqvist, Henrik & Siegel, Stephan, 2014. "The genetics of investment biases," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 113(2), pages 215-234.
    7. Siegel, Frederick W & Hoban, James P, Jr, 1982. "Relative Risk Aversion Revisited," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 64(3), pages 481-487, August.
    8. Karyn L. Neuhauser, 2007. "Survey research in finance," International Journal of Managerial Finance, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 3(1), pages 5-10, January.
    9. Nelson Maina Waweru & Evelyne Munyoki & Enrico Uliana, 2008. "The effects of behavioural factors in investment decision-making: a survey of institutional investors operating at the Nairobi Stock Exchange," International Journal of Business and Emerging Markets, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 1(1), pages 24-41.
    10. Torben Lutje, 2009. "To be good or to be better: asset managers' attitudes towards herding," Applied Financial Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(10), pages 825-839.
    11. Jasman Tuyon & Zamri Ahmada, 2016. "Behavioural finance perspectives on Malaysian stock market efficiency," Borsa Istanbul Review, Research and Business Development Department, Borsa Istanbul, vol. 16(1), pages 43-61, March.
    12. Herbert A. Simon, 1955. "A Behavioral Model of Rational Choice," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 69(1), pages 99-118.
    13. Wong, Michael Chak-sham & Cheung, Yan-Leung, 1999. "The practice of investment management in Hong Kong: market forecasting and stock selection," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 27(4), pages 451-465, August.
    14. De Bondt, Werner F. M., 1998. "A portrait of the individual investor," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 42(3-5), pages 831-844, May.
    15. Daniel Kahneman & Amos Tversky, 2013. "Prospect Theory: An Analysis of Decision Under Risk," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Leonard C MacLean & William T Ziemba (ed.), HANDBOOK OF THE FUNDAMENTALS OF FINANCIAL DECISION MAKING Part I, chapter 6, pages 99-127, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    16. Coleman, Les, 2014. "Why finance theory fails to survive contact with the real world: A fund manager perspective," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 25(3), pages 226-236.
    17. Brian M. Lucey & Michael Dowling, 2005. "The Role of Feelings in Investor Decision‐Making," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 19(2), pages 211-237, April.
    18. Lucy F. Ackert & Bryan K. Church & Richard Deaves, 2003. "Emotion and financial markets," Economic Review, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, vol. 88(Q2), pages 33-41.
    19. Daniel Kahneman, 2003. "Maps of Bounded Rationality: Psychology for Behavioral Economics," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 93(5), pages 1449-1475, December.
    20. Menkhoff, Lukas & Nikiforow, Marina, 2009. "Professionals' endorsement of behavioral finance: Does it impact their perception of markets and themselves?," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 71(2), pages 318-329, August.
    21. Shefrin, Hersh & Statman, Meir, 2000. "Behavioral Portfolio Theory," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 35(2), pages 127-151, June.
    22. Bernheim, B. Douglas & Garrett, Daniel M., 2003. "The effects of financial education in the workplace: evidence from a survey of households," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(7-8), pages 1487-1519, August.
    23. Sias, Richard W & Starks, Laura T & Tinic, Seha M, 2001. "Is Noise Trader Risk Priced?," Journal of Financial Research, Southern Finance Association;Southwestern Finance Association, vol. 24(3), pages 311-329, Fall.
    24. Mark Loewenstein & Gregory A. Willard, 2006. "The Limits of Investor Behavior," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 61(1), pages 231-258, February.
    25. Gärling, Tommy & Kirchler, Erich & Lewis, Alan & van Raaij, Fred, 2009. "Psychology, Financial Decision Making, and Financial Crises," Sustainable Investment and Corporate Governance Working Papers 2009/7, Sustainable Investment Research Platform.
    26. Gerhard van de Venter & David Michayluk, 2008. "An Insight into Overconfidence in the Forecasting Abilities of Financial Advisors," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 32(3), pages 545-557, March.
    27. Al-Abdulqader, K.A. & Hannah, G. & Power, D.M., 2007. "The appraisal of ordinary shares by Saudi investors," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 21(1), pages 69-86, January.
    28. Anderson, Christopher W. & Fedenia, Mark & Hirschey, Mark & Skiba, Hilla, 2011. "Cultural influences on home bias and international diversification by institutional investors," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 35(4), pages 916-934, April.
    29. Kim, Kenneth A. & Nofsinger, John R., 2008. "Behavioral finance in Asia," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 16(1-2), pages 1-7, January.
    30. Fama, Eugene F., 1998. "Market efficiency, long-term returns, and behavioral finance," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 49(3), pages 283-306, September.
    31. Cuthbertson, Keith & Nitzsche, Dirk & O'Sullivan, Niall, 2016. "A review of behavioural and management effects in mutual fund performance," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 162-176.
    32. Richard W. Sias & Laura T. Starks & Seha M. Tiniç, 2001. "Is Noise Trader Risk Priced?," Journal of Financial Research, Southern Finance Association;Southwestern Finance Association, vol. 24(3), pages 311-329, September.
    33. Eric Gonnard & Eun Jung Kim & Isabelle Ynesta, 2009. "Recent trends in institutional investors statistics," OECD Journal: Financial Market Trends, OECD Publishing, vol. 2008(2), pages 1-22.
    34. Dimitrios Kourtidis & Željko Ševi? & Prodromos Chatzoglou, 2011. "Investors' trading activity, a behavioural perspective: professionals vs. individuals," International Journal of Behavioural Accounting and Finance, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 2(3/4), pages 346-366.
    35. Sheila C. Dow, 2011. "Cognition, market sentiment and financial instability," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 35(2), pages 233-249.
    36. McCannon, Bryan C., 2014. "Finance education and social preferences: Experimental evidence," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 4(C), pages 57-62.
    37. Samsukri Glanville bin Mohamad Glanville bin Mohamad & Chad Perry, 2015. "How fund managers in Malaysia make decisions," Qualitative Research in Financial Markets, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 7(1), pages 72-87, February.
    38. Ellison, Glenn & Fudenberg, Drew, 1993. "Rules of Thumb for Social Learning," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 101(4), pages 612-643, August.
    39. Clatworthy, Mark & Jones, Michael John, 2008. "Overseas equity analysis by UK analysts and fund managers," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 40(4), pages 337-355.
    40. Kuhnen, Camelia M. & Knutson, Brian, 2011. "The Influence of Affect on Beliefs, Preferences, and Financial Decisions," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 46(3), pages 605-626, June.
    41. Daniel, Kent & Hirshleifer, David & Teoh, Siew Hong, 2002. "Investor psychology in capital markets: evidence and policy implications," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 49(1), pages 139-209, January.
    42. Menkhoff, Lukas, 2010. "The use of technical analysis by fund managers: International evidence," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 34(11), pages 2573-2586, November.
    43. Claessens, Stijn & Yurtoglu, B. Burcin, 2013. "Corporate governance in emerging markets: A survey," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 15(C), pages 1-33.
    44. Durand, Robert B. & Limkriangkrai, Manapon & Fung, Lucia, 2014. "The behavioral basis of sell-side analysts’ herding," Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 10(3), pages 176-190.
    45. Beracha, Eli & Fedenia, Mark & Skiba, Hilla, 2014. "Culture's impact on institutional investors' trading frequency," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 34-47.
    46. Les Coleman, 2015. "Facing up to fund managers," Qualitative Research in Financial Markets, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 7(2), pages 111-135, May.
    47. C. Agostinelli, 2002. "Robust stepwise regression," Journal of Applied Statistics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(6), pages 825-840.
    48. Halko, Marja-Liisa & Kaustia, Markku & Alanko, Elias, 2012. "The gender effect in risky asset holdings," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 83(1), pages 66-81.
    49. Fasano, Antonio & Galloppo, Giuseppe, 2016. "Emerging market active managers: Skilled or stubborn?," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 9(C), pages 132-135.
    50. Richardson, Scott & Tuna, Irem & Wysocki, Peter, 2010. "Accounting anomalies and fundamental analysis: A review of recent research advances," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(2-3), pages 410-454, December.
    51. Dan Kaczynski & Michelle Salmona & Tom Smith, 2014. "Qualitative research in finance," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 39(1), pages 127-135, February.
    52. Nguyen, Nhut H. & Truong, Cameron, 2013. "The information content of stock markets around the world: A cultural explanation," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 26(C), pages 1-29.
    53. Shiller, 021Robert J. & Pound, John, 1989. "Survey evidence on diffusion of interest and information among investors," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 12(1), pages 47-66, August.
    54. Tversky, Amos & Kahneman, Daniel, 1986. "Rational Choice and the Framing of Decisions," The Journal of Business, University of Chicago Press, vol. 59(4), pages 251-278, October.
    55. Zamri Ahmad & Haslindar Ibrahim & Jasman Tuyon, 2017. "Institutional investor behavioral biases: syntheses of theory and evidence," Management Research Review, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 40(5), pages 578-603, May.
    56. Lukas Menkhoff, 2002. "Institutional Investors: The External Costs of a Successful Innovation," Journal of Economic Issues, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(4), pages 907-933, December.
    57. Oliver Marnet, 2005. "Behavior and Rationality in Corporate Governance," Journal of Economic Issues, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(3), pages 613-632, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Ritika & Nawal Kishor, 2020. "Development and validation of behavioral biases scale: a SEM approach," Review of Behavioral Finance, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 14(2), pages 237-259, November.
    2. Oumayma GHARBI & Yousra TRICHILI & Mouna BOUJELBENE ABBES, 2022. "Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the relationship between uncertainty factors, investor’s behavioral biases and the stock market reaction of US Fintech companies," Journal of Academic Finance, RED research unit, university of Gabes, Tunisia, vol. 13(1), pages 101-122, June.
    3. Goodell, John W. & Kumar, Satish & Rao, Purnima & Verma, Shubhangi, 2023. "Emotions and stock market anomalies: A systematic review," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Zamri Ahmad & Haslindar Ibrahim & Jasman Tuyon, 2017. "Institutional investor behavioral biases: syntheses of theory and evidence," Management Research Review, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 40(5), pages 578-603, May.
    2. Zamri Ahmad & Haslindar Ibrahim & Jasman Tuyon, 2018. "Governance of Behavioural Biases in Asset Management Industry: Insights from Fund Managers in Malaysia," Asian Academy of Management Journal of Accounting and Finance (AAMJAF), Penerbit Universiti Sains Malaysia, vol. 14(2), pages 65-102.
    3. Jasman Tuyon & Zamri Ahmad, 2018. "Behavioural Asset Pricing Determinants in a Factor and Style Investing Framework," Capital Markets Review, Malaysian Finance Association, vol. 26(2), pages 32-52.
    4. Jasman Tuyon & Zamri Ahmad, 2021. "Dynamic risk attributes in Malaysia stock markets: Behavioural finance insights," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(4), pages 5793-5814, October.
    5. Jasman Tuyon & Zamri Ahmada, 2016. "Behavioural finance perspectives on Malaysian stock market efficiency," Borsa Istanbul Review, Research and Business Development Department, Borsa Istanbul, vol. 16(1), pages 43-61, March.
    6. Yogita Singh & Mohd. Adil & S. M. Imamul Haque, 2023. "Personality traits and behaviour biases: the moderating role of risk-tolerance," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 57(4), pages 3549-3573, August.
    7. Zeeshan Ahmed & Shahid Rasool & Qasim Saleem & Mubashir Ali Khan & Shamsa Kanwal, 2022. "Mediating Role of Risk Perception Between Behavioral Biases and Investor’s Investment Decisions," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(2), pages 21582440221, May.
    8. Altman, Morris, 2014. "Insights from behavioral economics on how labor markets work," Working Paper Series 3466, Victoria University of Wellington, School of Economics and Finance.
    9. Rui Miguel Silva & José António Filipe & Ana Costa, 2012. "Investor Behavior in Extreme Situations of Speculation and Crash: An Approach based on Iterated Prisoner’s Dilemma," International Journal of Finance, Insurance and Risk Management, International Journal of Finance, Insurance and Risk Management, vol. 2(3), pages 169-169.
    10. Víctor Alberto Pena & Alina Gómez-Mejía, 2019. "Effect of the anchoring and adjustment heuristic and optimism bias in stock market forecasts," Revista Finanzas y Politica Economica, Universidad Católica de Colombia, vol. 11(2), pages 389-409, November.
    11. Soufian, Mona & Forbes, William & Hudson, Robert, 2014. "Adapting financial rationality: Is a new paradigm emerging?," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 25(8), pages 724-742.
    12. Zain UI Abideen & Zeeshan Ahmed & Huan Qiu & Yiwei Zhao, 2023. "Do Behavioral Biases Affect Investors’ Investment Decision Making? Evidence from the Pakistani Equity Market," Risks, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-32, June.
    13. Bogliacino, Francesco & Codagnone, Cristiano, 2021. "Microfoundations, behaviour, and evolution: Evidence from experiments," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 372-385.
    14. Kothari, S.P. & Ramanna, Karthik & Skinner, Douglas J., 2010. "Implications for GAAP from an analysis of positive research in accounting," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(2-3), pages 246-286, December.
    15. Drakopoulos, Stavros A., 2022. "The Conceptual Resilience of the Atomistic Individual in Mainstream Economic Rationality," MPRA Paper 112944, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    16. Rhodes, Charles, 2012. "A Dynamic Model of Failure to Maximize Utility in the Chronic Consumer Choice to Consume Foods High in Added Sugars," 2012 Annual Meeting, August 12-14, 2012, Seattle, Washington 124693, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    17. Altman, Morris, 2014. "Insights from behavioral economics on how labor markets work," Working Paper Series 18843, Victoria University of Wellington, School of Economics and Finance.
    18. Hobman, Elizabeth V. & Frederiks, Elisha R. & Stenner, Karen & Meikle, Sarah, 2016. "Uptake and usage of cost-reflective electricity pricing: Insights from psychology and behavioural economics," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 455-467.
    19. Ardalan, Kavous, 2018. "Neurofinance versus the efficient markets hypothesis," Global Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 170-176.
    20. Bashir Ahmad Joo & Kokab Durri, 2015. "Comprehensive Review of Literature on Behavioural Finance," Indian Journal of Commerce and Management Studies, Educational Research Multimedia & Publications,India, vol. 6(2), pages 11-19, May.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eme:qrfmpp:qrfm-08-2016-0024. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Emerald Support (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.