IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/ememar/v65y2025ics1566014125000093.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Political control, corporate governance and stock-price crash risk: Evidence from China

Author

Listed:
  • San, Ziyao
  • Wang, Shuai
  • Xiu, Zongfeng
  • Zhou, Ling
  • Zhou, Zejiang

Abstract

We find that Chinese state-owned enterprise (SOEs) with Disciplinary Commission members on the board experience lower stock price crash risk than their counterparts. This effect is less pronounced for SOEs with more shares held by non-state large shareholders. The results are robust after addressing potential endogeneity issues related to the appointment of the board of directors. Additional analysis suggests that the inclusion of Disciplinary Commission members on the board of directors reduces crash risk by mitigating agency costs, curtailing overinvestment, and improving financial reporting transparency. Collectively, our findings support the notion that the presence of Disciplinary Commission members on the board of directors strengthens the governance of SOEs.

Suggested Citation

  • San, Ziyao & Wang, Shuai & Xiu, Zongfeng & Zhou, Ling & Zhou, Zejiang, 2025. "Political control, corporate governance and stock-price crash risk: Evidence from China," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:ememar:v:65:y:2025:i:c:s1566014125000093
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ememar.2025.101260
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1566014125000093
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.ememar.2025.101260?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. Jia, Ning, 2018. "Corporate innovation strategy and stock price crash risk," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 155-173.
    2. Chen, Joseph & Hong, Harrison & Stein, Jeremy C., 2001. "Forecasting crashes: trading volume, past returns, and conditional skewness in stock prices," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 61(3), pages 345-381, September.
    3. Xiaping Cao & Michael Lemmon & Xiaofei Pan & Meijun Qian & Gary Tian, 2019. "Political Promotion, CEO Incentives, and the Relationship Between Pay and Performance," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 65(7), pages 2947-2965, July.
    4. Inder K. Khurana & Raynolde Pereira & Eliza (Xia) Zhang, 2018. "Is Real Earnings Smoothing Harmful? Evidence from Firm‐Specific Stock Price Crash Risk," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 35(1), pages 558-587, March.
    5. Xie, Sujuan & Lin, Bingxuan & Li, Jingjing, 2022. "Political Control, Corporate Governance and Firm Value: The Case of China," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    6. Thomas R. Kubick & G. Brandon Lockhart, 2016. "Proximity to the SEC and Stock Price Crash Risk," Financial Management, Financial Management Association International, vol. 45(2), pages 341-367, May.
    7. Renee B. Adams & Benjamin E. Hermalin & Michael S. Weisbach, 2010. "The Role of Boards of Directors in Corporate Governance: A Conceptual Framework and Survey," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 48(1), pages 58-107, March.
    8. Zaman, Rashid & Atawnah, Nader & Haseeb, Muhammad & Nadeem, Muhammad & Irfan, Saadia, 2021. "Does corporate eco-innovation affect stock price crash risk?," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 53(5).
    9. Hutton, Amy P. & Marcus, Alan J. & Tehranian, Hassan, 2009. "Opaque financial reports, R2, and crash risk," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(1), pages 67-86, October.
    10. Alexander Bleck & Xuewen Liu, 2007. "Market Transparency and the Accounting Regime," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(2), pages 229-256, May.
    11. 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.
    12. Shleifer, Andrei & Vishny, Robert W, 1997. "A Survey of Corporate Governance," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 52(2), pages 737-783, June.
    13. Panayiotis C. Andreou & Christodoulos Louca & Andreas P. Petrou, 2017. "CEO Age and Stock Price Crash Risk," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 21(3), pages 1287-1325.
    14. Hyun A. Hong & Jeong‐Bon Kim & Michael Welker, 2017. "Divergence of Cash Flow and Voting Rights, Opacity, and Stock Price Crash Risk: International Evidence," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 55(5), pages 1167-1212, December.
    15. 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.
    16. Xiaorong Li & Kam C. Chan & Haitao Ma, 2020. "Communist party direct control and corporate investment efficiency: evidence from China," Asia-Pacific Journal of Accounting & Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(2), pages 195-217, March.
    17. Li, Xiaorong & Chan, Kam C., 2016. "Communist party control and stock price crash risk: Evidence from China," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 5-7.
    18. Kim, Yongtae & Li, Haidan & Li, Siqi, 2014. "Corporate social responsibility and stock price crash risk," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 1-13.
    19. Ran Duchin & Zhenyu Gao & Haibing Shu & David Denis, 2020. "The Role of Government in Firm Outcomes," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 33(12), pages 5555-5593.
    20. Habib, Ahsan & Hasan, Mostafa Monzur, 2017. "Managerial ability, investment efficiency and stock price crash risk," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 262-274.
    21. Jin, Li & Myers, Stewart C., 2006. "R2 around the world: New theory and new tests," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 79(2), pages 257-292, February.
    22. Panayiotis C. Andreou & Constantinos Antoniou & Joanne Horton & Christodoulos Louca, 2016. "Corporate Governance and Firm†specific Stock Price Crashes," European Financial Management, European Financial Management Association, vol. 22(5), pages 916-956, November.
    23. Qiaoling Su & Xunchang Zhang & Jianming Ye, 2021. "Power Distance, Political Uncertainty, and Stock Price Crash Risk: International Evidence," The International Journal of Accounting (TIJA), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 56(04), pages 1-35, December.
    24. Jensen, Michael C. & Meckling, William H., 1976. "Theory of the firm: Managerial behavior, agency costs and ownership structure," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 3(4), pages 305-360, October.
    25. Chen, Yunsen & Xie, Yuan & You, Hong & Zhang, Yanan, 2018. "Does crackdown on corruption reduce stock price crash risk? Evidence from China," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 125-141.
    26. Haiyang Li & Yan Zhang, 2007. "The role of managers' political networking and functional experience in new venture performance: Evidence from China's transition economy," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(8), pages 791-804, August.
    27. Kim, Jeong-Bon & Li, Yinghua & Zhang, Liandong, 2011. "CFOs versus CEOs: Equity incentives and crashes," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 101(3), pages 713-730, September.
    28. James S. Ang & Rebel A. Cole & James Wuh Lin, 2000. "Agency Costs and Ownership Structure," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 55(1), pages 81-106, February.
    29. Bhattacharya, Utpal & Daouk, Hazem & Welker, Michael, 2003. "The World Price of Earnings Opacity," Working Papers 127185, Cornell University, Department of Applied Economics and Management.
    30. Kim, Jeong-Bon & Li, Leye & Lu, Louise Yi & Yu, Yangxin, 2016. "Financial statement comparability and expected crash risk," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 61(2), pages 294-312.
    31. Ahsan Habib & Mostafa Monzur Hasan & Haiyan Jiang, 2018. "Stock price crash risk: review of the empirical literature," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 58(S1), pages 211-251, November.
    32. Efraim Benmelech & Eugene Kandel & Pietro Veronesi, 2010. "Stock-Based Compensation and CEO (Dis)Incentives," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 125(4), pages 1769-1820.
    33. Hu, Jinshuai & Li, Siqi & Taboada, Alvaro G. & Zhang, Feida, 2020. "Corporate board reforms around the world and stock price crash risk," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    34. Leuz, Christian & Nanda, Dhananjay & Wysocki, Peter D., 2003. "Earnings management and investor protection: an international comparison," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(3), pages 505-527, September.
    35. Jun Chen & Kam C. Chan & Wang Dong & Feida (Frank) Zhang, 2017. "Internal Control and Stock Price Crash Risk: Evidence from China," European Accounting Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(1), pages 125-152, January.
    36. Xu, Nianhang & Li, Xiaorong & Yuan, Qingbo & Chan, Kam C., 2014. "Excess perks and stock price crash risk: Evidence from China," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 25(C), pages 419-434.
    37. S. P. Kothari & Susan Shu & Peter D. Wysocki, 2009. "Do Managers Withhold Bad News?," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(1), pages 241-276, March.
    38. Bengt Holmström, 1999. "Managerial Incentive Problems: A Dynamic Perspective," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 66(1), pages 169-182.
    39. Fama, Eugene F, 1980. "Agency Problems and the Theory of the Firm," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 88(2), pages 288-307, April.
    40. Benjamin E. Hermalin & Michael S. Weisbach, 2003. "Boards of directors as an endogenously determined institution: a survey of the economic literature," Economic Policy Review, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, vol. 9(Apr), pages 7-26.
    41. Min Zhang & Lu Xie & Haoran Xu, 2016. "Corporate Philanthropy and Stock Price Crash Risk: Evidence from China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 139(3), pages 595-617, December.
    42. Chang, Xin & Chen, Yangyang & Zolotoy, Leon, 2017. "Stock Liquidity and Stock Price Crash Risk," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 52(4), pages 1605-1637, August.
    43. Ben-Nasr, Hamdi & Ghouma, Hatem, 2018. "Employee welfare and stock price crash risk," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 700-725.
    44. Callen, Jeffrey L. & Fang, Xiaohua, 2015. "Religion and Stock Price Crash Risk," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 50(1-2), pages 169-195, April.
    45. Weisbach, Michael S., 1988. "Outside directors and CEO turnover," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 20(1-2), pages 431-460, January.
    46. Chen, Changling & Kim, Jeong-Bon & Yao, Li, 2017. "Earnings smoothing: Does it exacerbate or constrain stock price crash risk?," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 36-54.
    47. Callen, Jeffrey L. & Fang, Xiaohua, 2013. "Institutional investor stability and crash risk: Monitoring versus short-termism?," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(8), pages 3047-3063.
    48. Rodney D. Boehme & Anthony D. May, 2016. "Multinational Corporations and Stock Price Crash Risk," International Journal of Finance & Banking Studies, Center for the Strategic Studies in Business and Finance, vol. 5(4), pages 39-63, July.
    49. Jeong†Bon Kim & Zheng Wang & Liandong Zhang, 2016. "CEO Overconfidence and Stock Price Crash Risk," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 33(4), pages 1720-1749, December.
    50. Zhe An & Zhian Chen & Donghui Li & Lu Xing, 2018. "Individualism and stock price crash risk," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 49(9), pages 1208-1236, December.
    51. An, Heng & Zhang, Ting, 2013. "Stock price synchronicity, crash risk, and institutional investors," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 21(C), pages 1-15.
    52. Yuan, Rongli & Sun, Jian & Cao, Feng, 2016. "Directors' and officers' liability insurance and stock price crash risk," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 173-192.
    53. Callen, Jeffrey L. & Fang, Xiaohua, 2015. "Short interest and stock price crash risk," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 181-194.
    54. Li, Xiaorong & Wang, Steven Shuye & Wang, Xue, 2017. "Trust and stock price crash risk: Evidence from China," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 74-91.
    55. Wei Zhu, 2016. "Accruals and price crashes," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 21(2), pages 349-399, June.
    56. Kim, Jeong-Bon & Li, Yinghua & Zhang, Liandong, 2011. "Corporate tax avoidance and stock price crash risk: Firm-level analysis," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 100(3), pages 639-662, June.
    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. Yong Shi & Tongsheng Yao, 2025. "ESG Rating Divergence: Existence, Driving Factors, and Impact Effects," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-26, May.

    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. Chen, Yangyang & Fan, Qingliang & Yang, Xin & Zolotoy, Leon, 2021. "CEO early-life disaster experience and stock price crash risk," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    2. Xiaoling Chu & Yongheng Deng & Desmond Tsang, 2025. "Firm Leverage and Stock Price Crash Risk: The Chinese Real Estate Market and Three-Red-Lines Policy," The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, Springer, vol. 70(3), pages 544-582, April.
    3. Eugster, Nicolas & Wang, Qingxia, 2023. "Large blockholders and stock price crash risk: An international study," Global Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 55(C).
    4. Jin, Hong-min & Su, Zhong-qin & Wang, Lu & Xiao, Zuoping, 2022. "Do academic independent directors matter? Evidence from stock price crash risk," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 1129-1148.
    5. Richardson, Grant & Obaydin, Ivan & Liu, Chelsea, 2022. "The effect of accounting fraud on future stock price crash risk," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 117(C).
    6. Hossain, Ashrafee T. & Masum, Abdullah-Al & Xu, Jian, 2023. "COVID-19, a blessing in disguise for the Tech sector: Evidence from stock price crash risk," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    7. Das, Kuntal K. & Yaghoubi, Mona, 2024. "Migration fear and stock price crash risk," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    8. Chung, Chune Young & Thi Ngoc Dung, Pham & Liu, Chang, 2024. "Institutional blockholder monitoring and stock price crash risk," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    9. Meng, Yongqiang & Shen, Dehua & Xiong, Xiong, 2023. "When stock price crash risk meets fundamentals," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    10. Balachandran, Balasingham & Duong, Huu Nhan & Luong, Hoang & Nguyen, Lily, 2020. "Does takeover activity affect stock price crash risk? Evidence from international M&A laws," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    11. Liao, Lin & Sharma, Divesh & Yang, Yitang (Jenny) & Zhao, Rui, 2023. "Adoption and content of key audit matters and stock price crash risk," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    12. Choi, Young Mok & Park, Kunsu, 2022. "Zero-leverage policy and stock price crash risk: Evidence from Korea," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    13. Zaman, Rashid & Atawnah, Nader & Haseeb, Muhammad & Nadeem, Muhammad & Irfan, Saadia, 2021. "Does corporate eco-innovation affect stock price crash risk?," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 53(5).
    14. Jebran, Khalil & Chen, Shihua & Zhang, Ruibin, 2020. "Board diversity and stock price crash risk," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 51(C).
    15. Zhou, Jingting & Li, Wanli & Yan, Ziqiao & Lyu, Huaili, 2021. "Controlling shareholder share pledging and stock price crash risk: Evidence from China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    16. Yang, Chang & Chen, Xin & Chen, Xian, 2021. "Vertical interlock and stock price crash risk," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    17. Gaganis, Chrysovalantis & Leledakis, George N. & Pasiouras, Fotios & Pyrgiotakis, Emmanouil G., 2024. "Social Capital and Stock Price Crash Risk: Cross-Country Evidence," MPRA Paper 122896, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    18. Zhuo, Qianru & Lin, Yuanfeng & Qiu, Yajie & Shen, Zhe & Wang, Zhiqiang, 2024. "Employment protection and stock price crash risk: Evidence from China’s introduction of the labor contract law," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    19. Harper, Joel & Johnson, Grace & Sun, Li, 2020. "Stock price crash risk and CEO power: Firm-level analysis," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 51(C).
    20. Hu, Gang & Liu, Yiye & Wang, Jacqueline Wenjie & Zhou, Gaoguang & Zhu, Xindong, 2022. "Insider ownership and stock price crash risk around the globe," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).

    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:ememar:v:65:y:2025:i:c:s1566014125000093. 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.elsevier.com/locate/inca/620356 .

    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.