IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jjrfmx/v14y2021i10p501-d659165.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Assessing Institutional Dynamics of Governance Compliance in Emerging Markets: The GCC Real Estate Sector

Author

Listed:
  • Rekha Pillai

    (Faculty of Business and Law, The British University in Dubai, Dubai P.O. Box 345015, United Arab Emirates)

  • Husam-Aldin N. Al-Malkawi

    (Faculty of Business and Law, The British University in Dubai, Dubai P.O. Box 345015, United Arab Emirates)

  • M. Ishaq Bhatti

    (La Trobe Business School, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3083, Australia)

Abstract

The real estate sector has emerged as the bedrock of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) economies, and it has remained resilient despite the various unprecedented micro- and macro-economic shocks devouring the world’s economies. However, wavering investor attitudes and minimal exposure to real estate investment vehicles, coupled with weak regulatory frameworks, have led to dramatic downturns in the sector. Transparency about what is happening in real estate is imperative if the success of high-profile initiatives is to continue and much depends on good corporate governance (CG) in the sector. Using the most recent data from 2019, the current study applies the CG Index (CGI) and CG Deviation Index (CGDI) constructs to the real estate (RE) sector in the GCC in an effort to develop vital indicators for future RE investment decisions in the GCC region. The results indicate that the highest CG adherence levels are being achieved in Dubai, followed by Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia. The authors attribute these countries’ success in CG adherence to the entrepreneurial identity of them RE firms as well as to their governance capacity, their socio-cognitive capability, and the level of regulatory enforcement within the context of their dominant governance logic. It should be noted that there are variations in adherence levels throughout each region. The results also agree with prior literature that a higher CGS leads to a lower CGD score, and vice versa. At this point, encouraging more real estate investment trust (REIT) formations in the GCC could ensure value propositions, such as liquidity, to both investors and RE companies as well as solid governance fundamentals. This is strongly recommended for increasing the RE presence and its contribution to the GDP of each country.

Suggested Citation

  • Rekha Pillai & Husam-Aldin N. Al-Malkawi & M. Ishaq Bhatti, 2021. "Assessing Institutional Dynamics of Governance Compliance in Emerging Markets: The GCC Real Estate Sector," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-18, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jjrfmx:v:14:y:2021:i:10:p:501-:d:659165
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1911-8074/14/10/501/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1911-8074/14/10/501/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Michael Halling & Jin Yu & Josef Zechner, 2020. "How Did COVID-19 Affect Firms’ Access to Public Capital Markets?," The Review of Corporate Finance Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 9(3), pages 501-533.
    2. Michael Halling & Jin Yu & Josef Zechner, 0. "How Did COVID-19 Affect Firms’ Access to Public Capital Markets?," Review of Corporate Finance Studies, Oxford University Press, vol. 9(3), pages 501-533.
    3. Mostafa Kamal Hassan, 2012. "A disclosure index to measure the extent of corporate governance reporting by UAE listed corporations," Journal of Financial Reporting and Accounting, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 10(1), pages 4-33, June.
    4. Susanne Ethridge Cannon & Stephen C. Vogt, 1995. "REITs and Their Management: An Analysis of Organizational Structure, Performance, and Management Compensation," Journal of Real Estate Research, American Real Estate Society, vol. 10(3), pages 297-318.
    5. Nguyen, Cuong C. & Bhatti, M. Ishaq, 2012. "Copula model dependency between oil prices and stock markets: Evidence from China and Vietnam," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 22(4), pages 758-773.
    6. Lei Li & Philip E. Strahan & Song Zhang, 2020. "Banks as Lenders of First Resort: Evidence from the COVID-19 Crisis," NBER Working Papers 27256, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    7. Viral V Acharya & Sascha Steffen, 0. "The Risk of Being a Fallen Angel and the Corporate Dash for Cash in the Midst of COVID," Review of Corporate Finance Studies, Oxford University Press, vol. 9(3), pages 430-471.
    8. Rob Bauer & Piet Eichholtz & Nils Kok, 2010. "Corporate Governance and Performance: The REIT Effect," Real Estate Economics, American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association, vol. 38(1), pages 1-29, March.
    9. Brent W. Ambrose & Peter Linneman, 2001. "Reit Organizational Structure and Operating Characteristics," Journal of Real Estate Research, American Real Estate Society, vol. 21(3), pages 141-162.
    10. Patrick Lecomte & Joseph Ooi, 2013. "Corporate Governance and Performance of Externally Managed Singapore Reits," The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, Springer, vol. 46(4), pages 664-684, May.
    11. Lei Li & Philip E Strahan & Song Zhang, 2020. "Banks as Lenders of First Resort: Evidence from the COVID-19 Crisis," The Review of Corporate Finance Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 9(3), pages 472-500.
    12. Bing Han, 2006. "Insider Ownership and Firm Value: Evidence from Real Estate Investment Trusts," The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, Springer, vol. 32(4), pages 471-493, June.
    13. Al-Malkawi, Husam-Aldin Nizar & Ishaq Bhatti, M., 2020. "Are tests of dividend policy robust to estimation techniques: The case of an emerging economy?," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 541(C).
    14. Viral V Acharya & Sascha Steffen, 2020. "The Risk of Being a Fallen Angel and the Corporate Dash for Cash in the Midst of COVID," The Review of Corporate Finance Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 9(3), pages 430-471.
    15. Al-Malkawi, Husam-Aldin N. & Pillai, Rekha & Bhatti, M.I., 2014. "Corporate governance practices in emerging markets: The case of GCC countries," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 133-141.
    16. Faridah Najuna Misman & M. Ishaq Bhatti, 2020. "The Determinants of Credit Risk: An Evidence from ASEAN and GCC Islamic Banks," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-22, May.
    17. Lei Li & Philip E Strahan & Song Zhang, 0. "Banks as Lenders of First Resort: Evidence from the COVID-19 Crisis," Review of Corporate Finance Studies, Oxford University Press, vol. 9(3), pages 472-500.
    18. Hui-Ching Hsieh & Viona Claresta & Thi Minh Ngoc Bui, 2020. "Green Building, Cost of Equity Capital and Corporate Governance: Evidence from US Real Estate Investment Trusts," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-21, May.
    19. Jay C. Hartzell & Libo Sun & Sheridan Titman, 2006. "The Effect of Corporate Governance on Investment: Evidence from Real Estate Investment Trusts," Real Estate Economics, American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association, vol. 34(3), pages 343-376, September.
    20. Al Rahahleh, Naseem & Bhatti, M. Ishaq & Adeinat, Iman, 2017. "Tail dependence and information flow: Evidence from international equity markets," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 474(C), pages 319-329.
    21. Haroon ur Rashid Khan & Waqas Bin Khidmat & Osama Al Hares & Naeem Muhammad & Kashif Saleem, 2020. "Corporate Governance Quality, Ownership Structure, Agency Costs and Firm Performance. Evidence from an Emerging Economy," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-35, July.
    22. Piet Eichholtz & Nils Kok, 2008. "How Does the Market for Corporate Control Function for Property Companies?," The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, Springer, vol. 36(2), pages 141-163, February.
    23. Najam Iqbal & Muhammad Saqib Manzoor & Muhammad Ishaq Bhatti, 2021. "Asymmetry and Leverage with News Impact Curve Perspective in Australian Stock Returns’ Volatility during COVID-19," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-15, July.
    24. Bader Al-Shammari, 2014. "An Investigation of the Impact of Corporate Governance Mechanisms on Level of Corporate Risk Disclosure: Evidence from Kuwait," International Journal of Business and Social Research, MIR Center for Socio-Economic Research, vol. 4(6), pages 51-70, June.
    25. Tien Foo Sing & C. F. Sirmans, 2007. "Does Real Estate Ownership Matter in Corporate Governance?," Journal of Property Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(1), pages 23-43, September.
    26. Rekha R. Pillai & Husam-Aldin Nizar Al-Malkawi, 2016. "Corporate governance in the GCC countries: Empirical assessment using conventional and non-conventional indices," Journal of Developing Areas, Tennessee State University, College of Business, vol. 50(6), pages 69-88, Special I.
    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. Quang Linh Huynh & Mohammad Enamul Hoque & Perengki Susanto & Waqas Ahmad Watto & Maryam Ashraf, 2022. "Does Financial Leverage Mediates Corporate Governance and Firm Performance?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-20, October.

    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. Bo Becker & Efraim Benmelech, 2021. "The Resilience of the U.S. Corporate Bond Market During Financial Crises," NBER Working Papers 28868, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Gopalakrishnan, Balagopal & Jacob, Joshy & Mohapatra, Sanket, 2021. "Government responses, business continuity, and management sentiment: Impact on debt financing during COVID-19," IIMA Working Papers WP 2021-04-03, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, Research and Publication Department.
    3. Rahman, Md Lutfur & Al Mamun, Mohammed Abdullah, 2021. "How resilient are the Asia Pacific financial markets against a global pandemic?," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    4. Ali Gungoraydinoglu & Ilke Öztekin & Özde Öztekin, 2021. "The Impact of COVID-19 and Its Policy Responses on Local Economy and Health Conditions," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-27, May.
    5. Kaboski, Joseph & Huneeus, Federico & Larrain, Mauricio & Schmukler, Sergio & Vera, Mario, 2022. "The Distribution of Crisis Credit: Effects on Firm Indebtedness and Aggregate Risk," CEPR Discussion Papers 17061, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    6. Kevin F. Kiernan & Vladimir Yankov & Filip Zikes, 2021. "Liquidity Provision and Co-insurance in Bank Syndicates," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2021-060, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    7. Lei Li & Philip Strahan, 2020. "Who Supplies PPP Loans (And Does it Matter)? Banks, Relationships and the COVID Crisis," NBER Working Papers 28286, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    8. Hasan, Iftekhar & Politsidis, Panagiotis N. & Sharma, Zenu, 2021. "Global syndicated lending during the COVID-19 pandemic," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    9. Paul Anglin & Robert Edelstein & Yanmin Gao & Desmond Tsang, 2013. "What is the Relationship Between REIT Governance and Earnings Management?," The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, Springer, vol. 47(3), pages 538-563, October.
    10. Duncan, Elizabeth & Horvath, Akos & Iercosan, Diana & Loudis, Bert & Maddrey, Alice & Martinez, Francis & Mooney, Timothy & Ranish, Ben & Wang, Ke & Warusawitharana, Missaka & Wix, Carlo, 2022. "COVID-19 as a stress test: Assessing the bank regulatory framework," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    11. Michal Bernardelli & Zbigniew Korzeb & Pawel Niedziolka, 2021. "The banking sector as the absorber of the COVID-19 crisis’ economic consequences: perception of WSE investors," Oeconomia Copernicana, Institute of Economic Research, vol. 12(2), pages 335-374, June.
    12. Chodorow-Reich, Gabriel & Darmouni, Olivier & Luck, Stephan & Plosser, Matthew, 2022. "Bank liquidity provision across the firm size distribution," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 144(3), pages 908-932.
    13. Honda, Tomohito & Uesugi, Iichiro, 2021. "COVID-19 and Precautionary Corporate Cash Holdings: Evidence from Japan," RCESR Discussion Paper Series DP21-2, Research Center for Economic and Social Risks, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    14. Özlem Dursun-de Neef, H. & Schandlbauer, Alexander, 2021. "COVID-19 and lending responses of European banks," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    15. Berger, Allen N. & Demirgüç-Kunt, Asli, 2021. "Banking research in the time of COVID-19," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).
    16. Massimiliano Affinito & Raffaele Santioni, 2021. "When the panic broke out: COVID-19 and investment funds' portfolio rebalancing around the world," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 1342, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    17. Li, Xiang, 2022. "The role of state-owned banks in crises: Evidence from German banks during COVID-19," IWH Discussion Papers 6/2022, Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH), revised 2022.
    18. Anatoli Segura & Alonso Villacorta, 2021. "Firm-bank linkages and optimal policies in a lockdown," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 1343, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    19. Isil Erel & Jack Liebersohn, 2020. "Does FinTech Substitute for Banks? Evidence from the Paycheck Protection Program," NBER Working Papers 27659, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    20. Kazakov, Aleksandr & Koetter, Michael & Titze, Mirko & Tonzer, Lena, 2022. "Firm subsidies, financial intermediation, and bank risk," IWH Discussion Papers 2/2022, Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH).

    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:gam:jjrfmx:v:14:y:2021:i:10:p:501-:d:659165. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.