IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/rqfnac/v59y2022i2d10.1007_s11156-022-01058-8.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Non-executive employee ownership and financial reporting quality: evidence from Europe

Author

Listed:
  • Sami Adwan

    (University of Sussex Business School, University of Sussex)

  • Alaa Alhaj-Ismail

    (Coventry University)

  • Ranko Jelic

    (University of Sussex Business School, University of Sussex)

Abstract

This paper examines the association between non-executive employee shareholding and financial reporting quality. The analysis is conducted using a sample of non-financial firms listed in eleven European countries between 2006 and 2017. We find a positive association between non-executive employee ownership and financial reporting quality. Furthermore, we find this positive association to be more pronounced for firms operating in the following settings: higher labour union density, more industry peer firms and more flexible labour market regulations. Overall, these findings support the view that employee shareholding enhances the quality of financial reporting by aligning the interests of employees with those of shareholders through two channels: reduced agency problems and enhanced employee retention. Our study contributes to the research on the impact of ownership characteristics on financial reporting incentives. It underscores the role non-executive employee ownership can play in improving a firm’s corporate governance and therefore the quality of financial reporting.

Suggested Citation

  • Sami Adwan & Alaa Alhaj-Ismail & Ranko Jelic, 2022. "Non-executive employee ownership and financial reporting quality: evidence from Europe," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 59(2), pages 793-823, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:rqfnac:v:59:y:2022:i:2:d:10.1007_s11156-022-01058-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s11156-022-01058-8
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11156-022-01058-8
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11156-022-01058-8?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. Francis, Jennifer & LaFond, Ryan & Olsson, Per & Schipper, Katherine, 2005. "The market pricing of accruals quality," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 39(2), pages 295-327, June.
    2. Yeongjoon Yoon & Sukanya Sengupta, 2019. "The effect of employee share ownership on employee commitment and turnover: comparing the cases in Britain and South Korea and the role of the economy," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 50(5-6), pages 486-516, November.
    3. Lauren A. Cooper & Jimmy F. Downes & Ramesh P. Rao, 2018. "Short term real earnings management prior to stock repurchases," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 50(1), pages 95-128, January.
    4. Dunli Zhang & Ting Zhang & Guanghua Ma, 2020. "Can non‐executive equity incentives reduce internal control ineffectiveness? Evidence from China," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 60(5), pages 4467-4496, December.
    5. Fama, Eugene F & Jensen, Michael C, 1983. "Separation of Ownership and Control," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 26(2), pages 301-325, June.
    6. Aubert, Nicolas & Garnotel, Guillaume & Lapied, André & Rousseau, Patrick, 2014. "Employee ownership: A theoretical and empirical investigation of management entrenchment vs. reward management," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 423-434.
    7. Garvey, Gerald T. & Swan, Peter L., 1994. "The economics of corporate governance: Beyond the Marshallian firm," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 1(2), pages 139-174, August.
    8. Richard B. Freeman & Joseph R. Blasi & Douglas L. Kruse, 2010. "Introduction to "Shared Capitalism at Work: Employee Ownership, Profit and Gain Sharing, and Broad-based Stock Options"," NBER Chapters, in: Shared Capitalism at Work: Employee Ownership, Profit and Gain Sharing, and Broad-based Stock Options, pages 1-37, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    9. Mary E. Barth & Wayne R. Landsman & Mark H. Lang, 2008. "International Accounting Standards and Accounting Quality," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(3), pages 467-498, June.
    10. Andrew M. Robinson & Nicholas Wilson, 2006. "Employee Financial Participation and Productivity: An Empirical Reappraisal," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 44(1), pages 31-50, March.
    11. Richard B. Freeman & Douglas L. Kruse & Joseph R. Blasi, 2010. "Worker Responses to Shirking under Shared Capitalism," NBER Chapters, in: Shared Capitalism at Work: Employee Ownership, Profit and Gain Sharing, and Broad-based Stock Options, pages 77-103, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    12. John, Kose & Knyazeva, Anzhela & Knyazeva, Diana, 2015. "Employee rights and acquisitions," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 118(1), pages 49-69.
    13. Dou, Yiwei & Khan, Mozaffar & Zou, Youli, 2016. "Labor unemployment insurance and earnings management," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 61(1), pages 166-184.
    14. Tito Boeri & Jan van Ours, 2013. "The Economics of Imperfect Labor Markets: Second Edition," Economics Books, Princeton University Press, edition 1, number 10142.
    15. Joseph Blasi & Richard Freeman & Douglas Kruse, 2016. "Do Broad-based Employee Ownership, Profit Sharing and Stock Options Help the Best Firms Do Even Better?," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 54(1), pages 55-82, March.
    16. Velury, Uma & Jenkins, David S., 2006. "Institutional ownership and the quality of earnings," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 59(9), pages 1043-1051, September.
    17. Roychowdhury, Sugata, 2006. "Earnings management through real activities manipulation," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(3), pages 335-370, December.
    18. Gao, Huasheng & Luo, Juan & Tang, Tilan, 2015. "Effects of managerial labor market on executive compensation: Evidence from job-hopping," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 59(2), pages 203-220.
    19. Heckman, James, 2013. "Sample selection bias as a specification error," Applied Econometrics, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), vol. 31(3), pages 129-137.
    20. 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.
    21. Gorm Gabrielsen & Jeffrey D. Gramlich & Thomas Plenborg, 2002. "Managerial Ownership, Information Content of Earnings, and Discretionary Accruals in a Non-US Setting," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(7&8), pages 967-988.
    22. DeFond, Mark L. & Jiambalvo, James, 1994. "Debt covenant violation and manipulation of accruals," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 17(1-2), pages 145-176, January.
    23. Faleye, Olubunmi & Mehrotra, Vikas & Morck, Randall, 2006. "When Labor Has a Voice in Corporate Governance," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 41(3), pages 489-510, September.
    24. Ansgar Richter & Susanne Schrader, 2017. "Levels of Employee Share Ownership and the Performance of Listed Companies in Europe," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 55(2), pages 396-420, June.
    25. Douglas L. Kruse & Joseph R. Blasi & Rhokeun Park, 2010. "Shared Capitalism in the U.S. Economy: Prevalence, Characteristics, and Employee Views of Financial Participation in Enterprises," NBER Chapters, in: Shared Capitalism at Work: Employee Ownership, Profit and Gain Sharing, and Broad-based Stock Options, pages 41-75, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    26. Klasa, Sandy & Maxwell, William F. & Ortiz-Molina, Hernán, 2009. "The strategic use of corporate cash holdings in collective bargaining with labor unions," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(3), pages 421-442, June.
    27. Holmstrom, Bengt & Milgrom, Paul, 1991. "Multitask Principal-Agent Analyses: Incentive Contracts, Asset Ownership, and Job Design," The Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, Oxford University Press, vol. 7(0), pages 24-52, Special I.
    28. Ye, Dezhu & Deng, Jie & Liu, Yi & Szewczyk, Samuel H. & Chen, Xiao, 2019. "Does board gender diversity increase dividend payouts? Analysis of global evidence," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 1-26.
    29. Aloke Ghosh & Doocheol Moon, 2010. "The effect of CEO ownership on the information content of reported earnings," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 35(4), pages 393-410, November.
    30. James A. Brickley & Kathleen T. Hevert, 1991. "Direct Employee Stock Ownership: An Empirical Investigation," Financial Management, Financial Management Association, vol. 20(2), Summer.
    31. Gorm Gabrielsen & Jeffrey D. Gramlich & Thomas Plenborg, 2002. "Managerial Ownership, Information Content of Earnings, and Discretionary Accruals in a Non–US Setting," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(7‐8), pages 967-988.
    32. Gilles Hilary, 2006. "Organized Labor and Information Asymmetry in the Financial Markets," Post-Print hal-00482326, HAL.
    33. Douglas Staiger & James H. Stock, 1997. "Instrumental Variables Regression with Weak Instruments," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 65(3), pages 557-586, May.
    34. García Lara, Juan Manuel & García Osma, Beatriz & Mora, Araceli & Scapin, Mariano, 2017. "The monitoring role of female directors over accounting quality," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 651-668.
    35. Sangsoo Park & Moon H. Song, 1995. "Employee Stock Ownership Plans, Firm Performance, and Monitoring by Outside Blockholders," Financial Management, Financial Management Association, vol. 24(4), Winter.
    36. Liona Lai & Henry Tam, 2017. "Corporate governance, ownership structure and managing earnings to meet critical thresholds among Chinese listed firms," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 48(3), pages 789-818, April.
    37. Yiwei Dou & Ole‐Kristian Hope & Wayne B. Thomas & Youli Zou, 2018. "Blockholder Exit Threats and Financial Reporting Quality," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 35(2), pages 1004-1028, June.
    38. Pornsit Jiraporn & Jang‐Chul Kim & Young Sang Kim, 2011. "Dividend Payouts and Corporate Governance Quality: An Empirical Investigation," The Financial Review, Eastern Finance Association, vol. 46(2), pages 251-279, May.
    39. Henry He Huang & Weimin Wang & Jian Zhou, 2013. "Shareholder Rights, Insider Ownership and Earnings Management," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 49(1), pages 46-73, March.
    40. Aaron A. Buchko, 1993. "The Effects Of Employee Ownership On Employee Attitudes: An Integrated Causal Model And Path Analysis," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(4), pages 633-657, July.
    41. Verrecchia, Robert E., 2001. "Essays on disclosure," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(1-3), pages 97-180, December.
    42. Jones, Jj, 1991. "Earnings Management During Import Relief Investigations," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(2), pages 193-228.
    43. Chen, Jun & King, Tao-Hsien Dolly & Wen, Min-Ming, 2020. "Non-executive ownership and private loan pricing," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    44. Francesco Bova, 2013. "Labor Unions and Management’s Incentive to Signal a Negative Outlook," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(1), pages 14-41, March.
    45. Douglas L. Kruse & Richard B. Freeman & Joseph R. Blasi, 2010. "Shared Capitalism at Work: Employee Ownership, Profit and Gain Sharing, and Broad-based Stock Options," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number krus08-1, March.
    46. Kim, Kyoung Yong & Patel, Pankaj C., 2017. "Employee ownership and firm performance: A variance decomposition analysis of European firms," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 248-254.
    47. Kruse, Douglas L. & Freeman, Richard B. & Blasi, Joseph R. (ed.), 2010. "Shared Capitalism at Work," National Bureau of Economic Research Books, University of Chicago Press, number 9780226056951, December.
    48. Chang, Xin & Fu, Kangkang & Low, Angie & Zhang, Wenrui, 2015. "Non-executive employee stock options and corporate innovation," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 115(1), pages 168-188.
    49. Edoardo Di Porto & Leandro Elia & Cristina Tealdi, 2017. "Informal work in a flexible labour market," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 69(1), pages 143-164.
    50. Halabi, Hussein & Alshehabi, Ahmad & Zakaria, Idlan, 2019. "Informal institutions and managers’ earnings management choices: Evidence from IFRS-adopting countries," Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 15(3).
    51. Aldatmaz, Serdar & Ouimet, Paige & Van Wesep, Edward D, 2018. "The option to quit: The effect of employee stock options on turnover," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 127(1), pages 136-151.
    52. Harris, Milton & Raviv, Artur, 1979. "Optimal incentive contracts with imperfect information," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 20(2), pages 231-259, April.
    53. Kyoung Yong Kim & Pankaj C. Patel, 2020. "Broad‐Based Employee Ownership and Labour Productivity During the 2008 Recession: Evidence from Public Firms in Europe," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 58(2), pages 396-423, June.
    54. Alhaj-Ismail, Alaa & Adwan, Sami & Stittle, John, 2019. "Share-option based compensation expense, shareholder returns and financial crisis," Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 15(1), pages 20-35.
    55. Burgstahler, David & Dichev, Ilia, 1997. "Earnings management to avoid earnings decreases and losses," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 24(1), pages 99-126, December.
    56. Cohen, Daniel A. & Zarowin, Paul, 2010. "Accrual-based and real earnings management activities around seasoned equity offerings," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(1), pages 2-19, May.
    57. Adwan, Sami & Alhaj-Ismail, Alaa & Girardone, Claudia, 2020. "Fair value accounting and value relevance of equity book value and net income for European financial firms during the crisis," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 39(C).
    58. Armstrong, Christopher S. & Guay, Wayne R. & Weber, Joseph P., 2010. "The role of information and financial reporting in corporate governance and debt contracting," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(2-3), pages 179-234, December.
    59. Sophia J. W. Hamm & Boochun Jung & Woo‐Jong Lee, 2018. "Labor Unions and Income Smoothing," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 35(3), pages 1201-1228, September.
    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. Chang, Kiyoung & Kim, Young Sang & Li, Ying & Park, Jong Chool, 2022. "Labor unions and real earnings management," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    2. Chyz, James A. & Eulerich, Marc & Fligge, Benjamin & Romney, Miles A., 2023. "Codetermination and aggressive reporting: Audit committee employee representation, tax aggressiveness, and earnings management," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 51(C).
    3. Chantziaras, Antonios & Dedoulis, Emmanouil & Leventis, Stergios, 2020. "The impact of labor unionization on monitoring costs," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 38(2), pages 288-307.
    4. Park, Heejin & Noh, Jung-Hee & Pedersen, Melissa & Lee, Sora, 2022. "What are the determinants and managerial motivations for employee ownership in retirement pension plans?," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    5. Nicolas Aubert & Alexander Kern & Xavier Hollandts, 2017. "Employee stock ownership and the cost of capital," Post-Print halshs-01502001, HAL.
    6. 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.
    7. Chen, Jun & King, Tao-Hsien Dolly & Wen, Min-Ming, 2020. "Non-executive ownership and private loan pricing," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    8. Johannes Thesing & Patrick Velte, 2021. "Do fair value measurements affect accounting-based earnings quality? A literature review with a focus on corporate governance as moderator," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 91(7), pages 965-1004, September.
    9. Abdelnour Joseph & Aubert Nicolas & Campa Domenico, 2022. "Does employee ownership decrease agency costs? Evidence from French listed companies [L'actionnariat salarié réduit-il les coûts d'agence? Le cas des entreprises françaises cotées]," Post-Print hal-03723164, HAL.
    10. Aase, Øivind André Strand, 2022. "Effects of Voluntary Audit on Accounting Quality in Small Private Firms," Discussion Papers 2022/1, Norwegian School of Economics, Department of Business and Management Science.
    11. Nooraisah Katmon & Omar Al Farooque, 2017. "Exploring the Impact of Internal Corporate Governance on the Relation Between Disclosure Quality and Earnings Management in the UK Listed Companies," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 142(2), pages 345-367, May.
    12. Alexandre Garel & Arthur Petit-Romec, 2021. "Engaging Employees for the Long Run: Long-Term Investors and Employee-Related CSR," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 174(1), pages 35-63, November.
    13. Trinh, Quoc Dat & Haddad, Christian & Salameh, Elie, 2023. "Financial institutional blockholders and earnings quality: Do blockholders contestability and countries' institutions matter?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    14. Xing, Xuejing & Yan, Shan, 2018. "Labor unions and information asymmetry among investors," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 174-187.
    15. Godsell, David & Huang, Kelly & Lao, Brent, 2023. "Managers’ rank & file employee coordination costs and real activities manipulation," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    16. Nguyen Thi Hoa Hong & Nguyen Thai Anh & Nguyen Tran Viet Hoang & Do Nhat Minh, 2023. "Corporate governance, external financing, and earnings management: new evidence from an emerging market," Future Business Journal, Springer, vol. 9(1), pages 1-22, December.
    17. Roychowdhury, Sugata & Shroff, Nemit & Verdi, Rodrigo S., 2019. "The effects of financial reporting and disclosure on corporate investment: A review," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(2).
    18. Jesus Sáenz González & Emma García-Meca, 2014. "Does Corporate Governance Influence Earnings Management in Latin American Markets?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 121(3), pages 419-440, May.
    19. Huasheng Gao & Huai Zhang & Jin Zhang, 2018. "Employee turnover likelihood and earnings management: evidence from the inevitable disclosure doctrine," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 23(4), pages 1424-1470, December.
    20. Kyoung Yong Kim & Pankaj C. Patel, 2021. "A Multilevel Contingency Model of Employee Ownership and Firm Productivity: The Moderating Roles of Industry Growth and Instability," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 32(3), pages 625-648, May.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Financial reporting quality; Earnings management; Employee ownership; Rank and file employees;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • M41 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - Accounting
    • J01 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - Labor Economics: General
    • J54 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - Producer Cooperatives; Labor Managed Firms

    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:kap:rqfnac:v:59:y:2022:i:2:d:10.1007_s11156-022-01058-8. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://springer.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.