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Foreign corporations and the culture of transparency: Evidence from Russian administrative data

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  • Braguinsky, Serguey
  • Mityakov, Sergey

Abstract

Firms from developed countries carry a culture of transparency in business transactions that is opposite to the culture of hiding and insider dealing in developing and transition economies. We employ Russian administrative data on reported earnings and market values of cars to measure wage misreporting for individual employees of domestic firms in Moscow. We show that closer ties to multinationals lead to improved transparency of wage reporting in private Russian companies. Employees located closest to movers from multinationals in the job quality space experience the largest gains in transparency. We find a robust correlation between wage misreporting and accounting fraud.

Suggested Citation

  • Braguinsky, Serguey & Mityakov, Sergey, 2015. "Foreign corporations and the culture of transparency: Evidence from Russian administrative data," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 117(1), pages 139-164.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jfinec:v:117:y:2015:i:1:p:139-164
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jfineco.2013.02.016
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    2. Benjamin Hammer & Heiko Hinrichs & Bernhard Schwetzler, 2018. "Does culture affect the performance of private equity buyouts?," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 88(3), pages 393-469, May.
    3. 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.
    4. Mironov, Maxim, 2015. "Should one hire a corrupt CEO in a corrupt country?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 117(1), pages 29-42.
    5. Serguey Braguinsky & Sergey Mityakov & Andrey Liscovich, 2014. "Direct Estimation of Hidden Earnings: Evidence from Russian Administrative Data," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 57(2), pages 281-319.
    6. Vincent Montenero, 2018. "Russia’s Integration to the Globalized Automotive System: Solutions Adopted by Multinationals and Impact on the Local Industrial Environment," European Journal of Business Science and Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Faculty of Business and Economics, vol. 4(1), pages 31-47, July.
    7. Lei Chen & Zhi Jin & Yongqiang Ma & Hui Xu, 2019. "Confucianism, openness to the West, and corporate investment efficiency," European Financial Management, European Financial Management Association, vol. 25(3), pages 554-590, June.
    8. Andrzej Cieślik & Łukasz Goczek, 2015. "Percepcja korupcji na poziomie przedsiębiorstw w krajach postkomunistycznych," Gospodarka Narodowa. The Polish Journal of Economics, Warsaw School of Economics, issue 2, pages 55-77.
    9. Francesco Saverio Stentella Lopes & Franco Fiordelisi & Ornella Ricci, 2019. "Corporate Culture and Merger Success," Working Papers 19013, Bangor Business School, Prifysgol Bangor University (Cymru / Wales).
    10. Chernykh, Lucy & Mityakov, Sergey, 2017. "Offshore schemes and tax evasion: The role of banks," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 126(3), pages 516-542.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Culture; Transparency; Foreign corporations; Diffusion; Foreign direct investment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • K42 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior - - - Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law
    • P37 - Economic Systems - - Socialist Institutions and Their Transitions - - - Legal

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