IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/ecanpo/v88y2025icp1789-1818.html

Judicial independence and corporate ESG performance

Author

Listed:
  • Zhang, Yufei
  • Ye, Guanhong

Abstract

This study examines the impact of judicial independence on corporate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance in China. Taking the staggered provincial implementation of the judicial independence reform that centralized judicial personnel and financial management as a natural experiment, we employ the difference-in-differences approach using a comprehensive panel dataset of A-share listed firms from 2009 to 2023. The findings indicate that enhanced judicial independence significantly improves corporate ESG performance, and this result survives several robustness tests. The mechanisms linking judicial independence reform and improved ESG performance include improved legal enforcement, corporate governance, and green innovation. Heterogeneity analyses reveal that the reform’s positive effects are more significant in private-owned firms, politically unconnected firms, and those located in regions with lower marketization and weaker legal environments. The findings provide valuable implications for policymakers in China and other emerging economies, suggesting that strengthening judicial independence can serve as an effective institutional lever to promote the firm’s ESG adoption and sustainable development.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhang, Yufei & Ye, Guanhong, 2025. "Judicial independence and corporate ESG performance," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 1789-1818.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecanpo:v:88:y:2025:i:c:p:1789-1818
    DOI: 10.1016/j.eap.2025.11.001
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0313592625004503
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.eap.2025.11.001?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

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Thomas Berry & Joan Junkus, 2013. "Socially Responsible Investing: An Investor Perspective," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 112(4), pages 707-720, February.
    2. Robert E. Hall & Charles I. Jones, 1999. "Why do Some Countries Produce So Much More Output Per Worker than Others?," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 114(1), pages 83-116.
    3. Horbach, Jens & Rammer, Christian & Rennings, Klaus, 2012. "Determinants of eco-innovations by type of environmental impact — The role of regulatory push/pull, technology push and market pull," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 112-122.
    4. Andrei Shleifer & Florencio Lopez-de-Silanes & Rafael La Porta, 2008. "The Economic Consequences of Legal Origins," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 46(2), pages 285-332, June.
    5. Fan, Zhangmei & Chen, Ying & Mo, Yifan, 2024. "Management myopia and corporate ESG performance," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    6. He, Yu & Zhao, Xiaoling & Zheng, Huan, 2023. "How does the environmental protection tax law affect firm ESG? Evidence from the Chinese stock markets," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 127(PA).
    7. Zhang, Jiawei & Li, Yuan & Xu, Hanwen & Ding, Yi, 2023. "Can ESG ratings mitigate managerial myopia? Evidence from Chinese listed companies," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    8. Jiang, Yahan & Wang, Cai & Li, Sha & Wan, Jing, 2022. "Do institutional investors' corporate site visits improve ESG performance? Evidence from China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    9. Yu Ping Zhao & Xi Chen & Xiao-Hong Miao & Ying-Ran Tan & Xiao-Yu Song, 2021. "Never Forget Where You Started: To Prevent Pre-Retirement Corruption at China’s State-Owned Enterprises," Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 57(5), pages 1380-1398, April.
    10. Lin, Justin Yifu & Cai, Fang & Li, Zhou, 1998. "Competition, Policy Burdens, and State-Owned Enterprise Reform," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 88(2), pages 422-427, May.
    11. Klapper, Leora F. & Love, Inessa, 2004. "Corporate governance, investor protection, and performance in emerging markets," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 10(5), pages 703-728, November.
    12. Lai, Shaojie & Yang, Laifeng & Wang, Qing & Anderson, Hamish D., 2023. "Judicial independence and corporate innovation: Evidence from the establishment of circuit courts," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    13. Lulu Huang & Qiannan Liu, 2024. "The Impact of Natural Disasters on Corporate ESG Performance: Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(12), pages 1-14, June.
    14. Qingmin Yin & Nan Su & Chenhui Ding, 2024. "The Nonlinear Effects of Digital Finance on Corporate ESG Performance: Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-27, September.
    15. Timothy Besley & Torsten Persson, 2011. "Pillars of Prosperity: The Political Economics of Development Clusters," Economics Books, Princeton University Press, edition 1, number 9624, December.
    16. Jinchi Liu & Xiong Xiong & Ya Gao & Jin Zhang, 2023. "The impact of institutional investors on ESG: Evidence from China," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 63(S2), pages 2801-2826, June.
    17. Le Yang & Jiahao Zhang & Yufeng Zhang, 2021. "Environmental Regulations and Corporate Green Innovation in China: The Role of City Leaders’ Promotion Pressure," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(15), pages 1-21, July.
    18. La Porta, Rafael & Lopez-de-Silanes, Florencio & Shleifer, Andrei & Vishny, Robert, 2000. "Investor protection and corporate governance," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 58(1-2), pages 3-27.
    19. Chen, Fei & Liu, Yue-hu & Chen, Xue-zhao, 2024. "ESG performance and business risk—Empirical evidence from China's listed companies," Innovation and Green Development, Elsevier, vol. 3(3).
    20. Lily H. Fang & Josh Lerner & Chaopeng Wu, 2017. "Intellectual Property Rights Protection, Ownership, and Innovation: Evidence from China," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 30(7), pages 2446-2477.
    21. Yang, Laifeng & Wang, Qing Sophie & Lai, Shaojie, 2023. "Fair and square: The impact of judicial independence on entrepreneurship," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 55(PB).
    22. Kirill Borusyak & Xavier Jaravel & Jann Spiess, 2024. "Revisiting Event-Study Designs: Robust and Efficient Estimation," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 91(6), pages 3253-3285.
    23. Lin, Chen & Lin, Ping & Song, Frank, 2010. "Property rights protection and corporate R&D: Evidence from China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(1), pages 49-62, September.
    24. Fan, Joseph P.H. & Wong, T.J. & Zhang, Tianyu, 2007. "Politically connected CEOs, corporate governance, and Post-IPO performance of China's newly partially privatized firms," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(2), pages 330-357, May.
    25. La Porta, Rafael & Florencio Lopez-de-Silanes & Andrei Shleifer & Robert W. Vishny, 1997. "Legal Determinants of External Finance," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 52(3), pages 1131-1150, July.
    26. Rafael La Porta & Florencio Lopez-de-Silanes & Cristian Pop-Eleches & Andrei Shleifer, 2004. "Judicial Checks and Balances," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 112(2), pages 445-470, April.
    27. Shleifer, Andrei & Vishny, Robert W, 1997. "A Survey of Corporate Governance," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 52(2), pages 737-783, June.
    28. Chong-En Bai & Jiangyong Lu & Zhigang Tao, 2006. "The Multitask Theory of State Enterprise Reform: Empirical Evidence from China," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 96(2), pages 353-357, May.
    29. Deshuai Hou & Junnan Yan & Qiong Sun & Ying Chen, 2024. "Short-selling and corporate ESG performance: evidence from China," Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 16(2), pages 443-483, December.
    30. Li, Hongbin & Meng, Lingsheng & Wang, Qian & Zhou, Li-An, 2008. "Political connections, financing and firm performance: Evidence from Chinese private firms," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(2), pages 283-299, October.
    31. Cull, Robert & Xu, Lixin Colin, 2005. "Institutions, ownership, and finance: the determinants of profit reinvestment among Chinese firms," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 77(1), pages 117-146, July.
    32. Li, Weibin & Huang, Yingling & Zhou, Hongyong & Liu, Xin, 2024. "CEO power, internal control quality, and entrepreneurial innovation spirit in family enterprises," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 95(PA).
    33. Bo Li & Jacopo Ponticelli, 2022. "Going Bankrupt in China [The politics of foreclosures]," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 26(3), pages 449-486.
    34. Tan, Yongxian & Tian, Xuan & Zhang, Xinde & Zhao, Hailong, 2020. "The real effect of partial privatization on corporate innovation: Evidence from China's split share structure reform," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    35. Liu, Xiaojing & Huang, Ningren & Su, Wunhong & Zhou, Haiyan, 2024. "Green innovation and corporate ESG performance: Evidence from Chinese listed companies," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    36. Tan, Yong-sheng, 2023. "Internal control and bank liquidity creation: Evidence from China," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    37. Wenfeng Wu & Chongfeng Wu & Oliver M. Rui, 2012. "Ownership and the Value of Political Connections: Evidence from China," European Financial Management, European Financial Management Association, vol. 18(4), pages 695-729, September.
    38. Patten, Dennis M., 2002. "The relation between environmental performance and environmental disclosure: a research note," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 27(8), pages 763-773, November.
    39. Bhagat, Sanjai & Romano, Roberta, 2007. "Empirical Studies of Corporate Law," Handbook of Law and Economics, in: A. Mitchell Polinsky & Steven Shavell (ed.), Handbook of Law and Economics, edition 1, volume 2, chapter 13, pages 945-1012, Elsevier.
    40. Zhang, Weike & Luo, Qian & Liu, Shiyuan, 2022. "Is government regulation a push for corporate environmental performance? Evidence from China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 105-121.
    41. Feld, Lars P. & Voigt, Stefan, 2003. "Economic growth and judicial independence: cross-country evidence using a new set of indicators," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 19(3), pages 497-527, September.
    42. David L. Deephouse & Suzanne M. Carter, 2005. "An Examination of Differences Between Organizational Legitimacy and Organizational Reputation," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(2), pages 329-360, March.
    43. Tian, Lichuan & Sun, Kai & Yang, Jie & Zhao, Yang, 2024. "Does digital economy affect corporate ESG performance? New insights from China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 93(PB), pages 964-980.
    44. Qiang Cheng & Beng Wee Goh & Jae B. Kim, 2018. "Internal Control and Operational Efficiency," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 35(2), pages 1102-1139, June.
    45. James S. Ang & Yingmei Cheng & Chaopeng Wu, 2014. "Does Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights Matter in China? Evidence from Financing and Investment Choices in the High-Tech Industry," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 96(2), pages 332-348, May.
    46. Zhang, Yumeng & Xiong, Xiong & Gao, Ya, 2024. "Green fund investors and ESG performance: Evidence from China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    47. Wang, Kai & Chen, Xi & Wang, Chenye, 2023. "The impact of sustainable development planning in resource-based cities on corporate ESG–Evidence from China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 127(PA).
    48. Hay, Jonathan R & Shleifer, Andrei, 1998. "Private Enforcement of Public Laws: A Theory of Legal Reform," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 88(2), pages 398-403, May.
    49. Jeremy C. Stein, 1989. "Efficient Capital Markets, Inefficient Firms: A Model of Myopic Corporate Behavior," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 104(4), pages 655-669.
    50. Zhang, Xiaoqian & Yu, Mingqiang & Chen, Gaoquan, 2020. "Does mixed-ownership reform improve SOEs' innovation? Evidence from state ownership," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    51. Robert G. Eccles & Ioannis Ioannou & George Serafeim, 2014. "The Impact of Corporate Sustainability on Organizational Processes and Performance," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 60(11), pages 2835-2857, November.
    52. Sun, Liyang & Abraham, Sarah, 2021. "Estimating dynamic treatment effects in event studies with heterogeneous treatment effects," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 225(2), pages 175-199.
    53. Karpoff, Jonathan M. & Lee, D. Scott & Martin, Gerald S., 2008. "The Cost to Firms of Cooking the Books," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 43(3), pages 581-611, September.
    54. Jeffrey R. Cohen & Lori Holder†Webb & David J. Sharp & Laurie W. Pant, 2007. "The Effects of Perceived Fairness on Opportunistic Behavior," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 24(4), pages 1119-1138, December.
    55. Ding, Shujun & Jia, Chunxin & Wu, Zhenyu & Zhang, Xiaoqing, 2014. "Executive political connections and firm performance: Comparative evidence from privately-controlled and state-owned enterprises," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 153-167.
    56. Ma, Dan & He, Yuhang & Zeng, Linggang, 2024. "Can green finance improve the ESG performance? Evidence from green credit policy in China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    57. Vincenzo Pezone, 2023. "The Real Effects of Judicial Enforcement," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 27(3), pages 889-933.
    58. Murad Harasheh & Roberta Provasi, 2023. "A need for assurance: Do internal control systems integrate environmental, social, and governance factors?," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(1), pages 384-401, January.
    59. Huixiang Zeng & Xuemei Li & Qiong Zhou & Lin Wang, 2022. "Local government environmental regulatory pressures and corporate environmental strategies: Evidence from natural resource accountability audits in China," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(7), pages 3060-3082, November.
    60. Chenggang Xu, 2011. "The Fundamental Institutions of China's Reforms and Development," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 49(4), pages 1076-1151, December.
    61. He, Feng & Du, Hanyu & Yu, Bo, 2022. "Corporate ESG performance and manager misconduct: Evidence from China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    62. Shi Liang & Xinjian Huang, 2024. "Parent‒Child Cogovernance and Corporate ESG Performance: Evidence from China," Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 60(15), pages 3574-3597, December.
    63. Zhang, Yufei & Liu, Deqiang, 2024. "China's mixed-ownership reform and SOE profitability," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 496-520.
    64. Zhao, Da & Yu, Ao & Guo, Jingyuan, 2022. "Judicial institutions, local protection and market segmentation: Evidence from the establishment of interprovincial circuit tribunals in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    65. Goodman-Bacon, Andrew, 2021. "Difference-in-differences with variation in treatment timing," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 225(2), pages 254-277.
    66. Dechow, Patricia & Ge, Weili & Schrand, Catherine, 2010. "Understanding earnings quality: A review of the proxies, their determinants and their consequences," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(2-3), pages 344-401, December.
    67. Mara Faccio, 2006. "Politically Connected Firms," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 96(1), pages 369-386, March.
    68. Michael Firth & Oliver M. Rui & Wenfeng Wu, 2011. "The Effects of Political Connections and State Ownership on Corporate Litigation in China," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 54(3), pages 573-607.
    69. Chen, Gongmeng & Firth, Michael & Gao, Daniel N. & Rui, Oliver M., 2006. "Ownership structure, corporate governance, and fraud: Evidence from China," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 12(3), pages 424-448, June.
    70. Fuxiu Jiang & Kenneth A Kim, 2020. "Corporate Governance in China: A Survey [The role of boards of directors in corporate governance: a conceptual framework and survey]," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 24(4), pages 733-772.
    71. Hu, Albert Guangzhou & Jefferson, Gary H., 2009. "A great wall of patents: What is behind China's recent patent explosion?," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 90(1), pages 57-68, September.
    72. Aiyesha Dey, 2008. "Corporate Governance and Agency Conflicts," Journal of Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 46(5), pages 1143-1181, December.
    73. Ammann, Manuel & Oesch, David & Schmid, Markus M., 2011. "Corporate governance and firm value: International evidence," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 18(1), pages 36-55, January.
    74. Zheng, Zhigang & Li, Jiarong & Ren, Xingzi & Guo, Jie Michael, 2023. "Does corporate ESG create value? New evidence from M&As in China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    75. Ding, Jinxiu & Li, Lingxue & Zhao, Jinsong, 2024. "How does fintech prompt corporations toward ESG sustainable development? Evidence from China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    76. Bao, Shuming & Chang, Gene Hsin & Sachs, Jeffrey D. & Woo, Wing Thye, 2002. "Geographic factors and China's regional development under market reforms, 1978-1998," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 13(1), pages 89-111.
    77. Joel Hellman & Mark Schankerman, 2000. "Intervention, Corruption and Capture: The Nexus between Enterprises and the State," The Economics of Transition, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, vol. 8(3), pages 545-576, November.
    78. Li, Yiping & Zheng, Lanxing & Xie, Chang & Fang, Jiming, 2024. "Big data development and enterprise ESG performance: Empirical evidence from China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 93(PB), pages 742-755.
    79. Antonio Peyrache & Angelo Zago, 2024. "The inefficiency of courts of justice: industry structure, capacity and misallocation," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 62(2), pages 217-238, October.
    80. Yin, Zhichao & Li, Xinqi & Si, Dengkui & Li, Xiaolin, 2023. "China stock market liberalization and company ESG performance: The mediating effect of investor attention," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 1396-1414.
    81. Zhao, Panting & Yao, Xin & Shen, Rui, 2024. "Capital market internationalization and firms' ESG performance: Evidence from the inclusion of China A-shares in the MSCI Emerging Market Index," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    82. repec:eme:aaaj00:09513570310492335 is not listed on IDEAS
    83. Baoshan Ge & Yibing Yang & Dake Jiang & Yang Gao & Xiaomin Du & Tingting Zhou, 2018. "An Empirical Study on Green Innovation Strategy and Sustainable Competitive Advantages: Path and Boundary," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-18, October.
    84. Chen, Kevin C.W. & Chen, Zhihong & Wei, K.C. John, 2009. "Legal protection of investors, corporate governance, and the cost of equity capital," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 15(3), pages 273-289, June.
    85. Mark L. Defond & Mingyi Hung, 2004. "Investor Protection and Corporate Governance: Evidence from Worldwide CEO Turnover," Journal of Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 42(2), pages 269-312, May.
    86. Senlin Miao & Gary Gang Tian & Fenghua Wen & Jinli Xiao, 2024. "The Independence of Judges and Corporate Social Responsibility," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 193(3), pages 633-653, September.
    87. Michael E. Porter & Claas van der Linde, 1995. "Toward a New Conception of the Environment-Competitiveness Relationship," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 9(4), pages 97-118, Fall.
    88. Shah, Attaullah & Shah, Hamid Ali & Smith, Jason M. & Labianca, Giuseppe (Joe), 2017. "Judicial efficiency and capital structure: An international study," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 255-274.
    89. Zhang, Hua & Lai, Jie, 2024. "Greening through ESG: Do ESG ratings improve corporate environmental performance in China?," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 96(PC).
    90. Daron Acemoglu & Simon Johnson, 2005. "Unbundling Institutions," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 113(5), pages 949-995, October.
    91. Fang, Mingyue & Nie, Huihua & Shen, Xinyi, 2023. "Can enterprise digitization improve ESG performance?," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    92. Patrick Velte, 2023. "The link between corporate governance and corporate financial misconduct. A review of archival studies and implications for future research," Management Review Quarterly, Springer, vol. 73(1), pages 353-411, February.
    93. Jialin Yan & Haibo Hu & Yiruo Hu, 2024. "Does internal control improve enterprise environmental, social, and governance information disclosure? Evidence from China," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(5), pages 4980-4994, September.
    94. Liu, Ruiming & Si, Haiping & Miao, Miao, 2022. "One false step can make a great difference: Does corporate litigation cause the exit of the controlling shareholder?," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    95. Raymond J. Burby & Robert G. Paterson, 1993. "Improving compliance with state environmental regulations," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 12(4), pages 753-772.
    96. Ren, Xiaohang & Zeng, Gudian & Zhao, Yang, 2023. "Digital finance and corporate ESG performance: Empirical evidence from listed companies in China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    97. Xiao, Gang & Shen, Sichen, 2022. "To pollute or not to pollute: Political connections and corporate environmental performance," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    98. Laura F. Spira & Michael Page, 2003. "Risk management: The reinvention of internal control and the changing role of internal audit," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 16(4), pages 640-661, October.
    99. Xixiong Xu & Maochuan Wang, 2024. "Confucianism and employee treatment: Evidence from China," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(4), pages 2649-2669, July.
    100. Chen, Carl R. & Li, Yingqi & Luo, Danglun & Zhang, Ting, 2017. "Helping hands or grabbing hands? An analysis of political connections and firm value," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 71-89.
    101. Tingying Chen & Haitian Lu & Rong Chen & Lina Wu, 2021. "The Impact of Marketization on Sustainable Economic Growth—Evidence from West China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-24, March.
    102. Xiaofeng Liu & Zhi Wang & Shichi Ren, 2024. "Investor–Firm Interactions and Corporate ESG Performance: Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-33, December.
    103. Callaway, Brantly & Sant’Anna, Pedro H.C., 2021. "Difference-in-Differences with multiple time periods," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 225(2), pages 200-230.
    104. Huang, Xuanhao & Zhu, Linping & Yang, Qiuyi & Xiong, Xuemei, 2024. "Enterprise digital transformation and employee treatment: Evidence from China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 96(PC).
    105. Renneboog, Luc & Ter Horst, Jenke & Zhang, Chendi, 2008. "Socially responsible investments: Institutional aspects, performance, and investor behavior," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 32(9), pages 1723-1742, September.
    106. Pascual Berrone & Andrea Fosfuri & Liliana Gelabert & Luis R. Gomez‐Mejia, 2013. "Necessity as the mother of ‘green’ inventions: Institutional pressures and environmental innovations," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(8), pages 891-909, August.
    107. Liu, Hongxun & Zhang, Zihan, 2023. "The impact of managerial myopia on environmental, social and governance (ESG) engagement: Evidence from Chinese firms," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Zhang, Yufei & Wang, Li & Wang, Qing, 2026. "Can nationalization improve firm profitability? Empirical evidence from China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    2. Zhiwu Chen & Yan Chen & Yan Han & Meiting Lu & Yaowen Shan, 2026. "Justice’s financial footprint: Judicial independence and the cost of debt," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 51(1), pages 174-210, February.
    3. Wan, Liyang & Wan, Qian & Yang, Zichao & Zhao, Ying, 2026. "Judicial institution and innovation: Evidence from China's intellectual property courts reform," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    4. Fang, Xubing & Liu, Maotao, 2024. "Regional judicial capacity and corporate total factor productivity: Evidence from the establishment of circuit courts," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 465-489.
    5. Firth, Michael & Gong, Stephen X. & Shan, Liwei, 2013. "Cost of government and firm value," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 21(C), pages 136-152.
    6. Zhang, Yufei & Liu, Deqiang, 2024. "China's mixed-ownership reform and SOE profitability," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 496-520.
    7. Cui, Huan-yu & Cao, Yue-qun, 2025. "Environmental justice, ethical transformation: Environmental courts and corporate ESG performance," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    8. Zhang, Yufei & Wang, Li, 2025. "Is mixed-ownership a profitable ownership structure?—Empirical evidence from China," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    9. Zhang, Yufei & Yu, Yijun & Zhang, Yimeng & He, Tengjiao, 2026. "The impact of judicial independence on the corporate debt financing cost − Empirical evidence from China," Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 22(1).
    10. Ellen Jin Jiang & Xiao Jia, 2025. "Judicial independence and earnings management," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 65(2), pages 1811-1836, June.
    11. Qiao, Jingyuan & Wu, Kai & Li, Donghui, 2026. "Judicial fairness perception and corporate innovation: Evidence from entrepreneur survey in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    12. Liu, Xutang & Boubaker, Sabri & Liao, Jing & Yao, Shouyu, 2025. "The rise of common state ownership and corporate environmental performance," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 57(5).
    13. Jian Zhang, 2018. "Public Governance and Corporate Fraud: Evidence from the Recent Anti-corruption Campaign in China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 148(2), pages 375-396, March.
    14. Ye, Yongwei & Kong, Dongmin & Li, Renzhi & Li, Xiaofan & Tao, Yunqing, 2024. "Online judicial auction, loan availability, and corporate investment in China," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 56(6).
    15. Claessens, Stijn & Yurtoglu, B. Burcin, 2013. "Corporate governance in emerging markets: A survey," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 15(C), pages 1-33.
    16. Cull, Robert & Li, Wei & Sun, Bo & Xu, Lixin Colin, 2015. "Government connections and financial constraints: Evidence from a large representative sample of Chinese firms," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 32(C), pages 271-294.
    17. Banerjee, Rajabrata & Gupta, Kartick & Krishnamurti, Chandrasekhar, 2022. "Does corrupt practice increase the implied cost of equity?," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    18. Fuxiu Jiang & Kenneth A Kim, 2020. "Corporate Governance in China: A Survey [The role of boards of directors in corporate governance: a conceptual framework and survey]," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 24(4), pages 733-772.
    19. Luo, Lianfa & Cheng, Zhiming & Ye, Qingqing & Cheng, Yanjun & Smyth, Russell & Yang, Zhiqing & Zhang, Le, 2024. "Nonmonetary awards and innovation: Evidence from winning China's Top Brand Contest," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    20. Zhang, Yufei & Wang, Li & He, Tengjiao, 2024. "Can IP tribunals increase firm patent applications?—Empirical evidence from China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;

    JEL classification:

    • D22 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Empirical Analysis
    • O43 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Institutions and Growth
    • G38 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Government Policy and Regulation

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:eee:ecanpo:v:88:y:2025:i:c:p:1789-1818. 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: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/economic-analysis-and-policy .

    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.