IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/reaccs/v29y2024i4d10.1007_s11142-023-09783-8.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The impact of foreign laws on U.S. firms: evidence from the U.K. Bribery Act

Author

Listed:
  • Amanda Sanseverino

    (Manhattan College)

Abstract

In recent years, a number of countries have strengthened their anti-corruption laws. Some of these laws apply to foreign firms, including those based in the United States. Considering, however, that the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) is regarded as the most powerful anti-corruption regime in the world, a key question arises: Do foreign anti-corruption laws affect US firms? Using US multinational firms’ differential exposure to the extraterritorial jurisdiction of the 2010 United Kingdom Bribery Act (UKBA), this study provides evidence suggesting that they do. Following the UKBA’s adoption, US firms subject to its jurisdiction curb their business in high-corruption-risk countries, relative to their unexposed US peers. This result is more pronounced for firms with greater bribery exposure and enforcement risk and passes a battery of placebo and robustness tests. These findings suggest that foreign anti-corruption laws produce incremental regulatory costs for US firms by raising the potential for multijurisdictional enforcement. As policymakers worldwide deliberate on approaches to reduce cross-border corruption, this evidence aligns with the view that enacting extraterritorial laws can enhance the effectiveness of anti-corruption regulation in the global economy.

Suggested Citation

  • Amanda Sanseverino, 2024. "The impact of foreign laws on U.S. firms: evidence from the U.K. Bribery Act," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 29(4), pages 3369-3412, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:reaccs:v:29:y:2024:i:4:d:10.1007_s11142-023-09783-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s11142-023-09783-8
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11142-023-09783-8
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11142-023-09783-8?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. Hainmueller, Jens, 2012. "Entropy Balancing for Causal Effects: A Multivariate Reweighting Method to Produce Balanced Samples in Observational Studies," Political Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 20(1), pages 25-46, January.
    2. Vijay S. Sampath & Naomi A. Gardberg & Noushi Rahman, 2018. "Corporate Reputation’s Invisible Hand: Bribery, Rational Choice, and Market Penalties," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 151(3), pages 743-760, September.
    3. Masako Darrough, 2010. "The FCPA and the OECD Convention: Some Lessons from the U.S. Experience," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 93(2), pages 255-276, May.
    4. Scott D. Dyreng & Bradley P. Lindsey, 2009. "Using Financial Accounting Data to Examine the Effect of Foreign Operations Located in Tax Havens and Other Countries on U.S. Multinational Firms' Tax Rates," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(5), pages 1283-1316, December.
    5. Lamont, Owen & Polk, Christopher & Saa-Requejo, Jesus, 2001. "Financial Constraints and Stock Returns," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 14(2), pages 529-554.
    6. Thomas Rauter, 2020. "The Effect of Mandatory Extraction Payment Disclosures on Corporate Payment and Investment Policies Abroad," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 58(5), pages 1075-1116, December.
    7. Barassi, Marco R. & Zhou, Ying, 2012. "The effect of corruption on FDI: A parametric and non-parametric analysis," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 28(3), pages 302-312.
    8. Roger Silvers, 2016. "The Valuation Impact of SEC Enforcement Actions on Nontarget Foreign Firms," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(1), pages 187-234, March.
    9. Gerard Hoberg & Gordon Phillips, 2016. "Text-Based Network Industries and Endogenous Product Differentiation," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 124(5), pages 1423-1465.
    10. Stephen J. Choi & Kevin E. Davis, 2014. "Foreign Affairs and Enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act," Journal of Empirical Legal Studies, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 11(3), pages 409-445, September.
    11. Silvers, Roger, 2020. "Cross-border cooperation between securities regulators," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(2).
    12. Christian Leuz & Peter D. Wysocki, 2016. "The Economics of Disclosure and Financial Reporting Regulation: Evidence and Suggestions for Future Research," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(2), pages 525-622, May.
    13. Anna D’Souza & Daniel Kaufmann, 2013. "Who bribes in public contracting and why: worldwide evidence from firms," Economics of Governance, Springer, vol. 14(4), pages 333-367, November.
    14. Shang-Jin Wei, 2000. "How Taxing is Corruption on International Investors?," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 82(1), pages 1-11, February.
    15. Ahmed Al-Hadi & Grantley Taylor & Grant Richardson, 2022. "Are corruption and corporate tax avoidance in the United States related?," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 27(1), pages 344-389, March.
    16. John L Graham, 1984. "The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act: A New Perspective," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 15(3), pages 107-121, September.
    17. James R. Hines, Jr., 1995. "Forbidden Payment: Foreign Bribery and American Business After 1977," NBER Working Papers 5266, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    18. Alvaro Cuervo-Cazurra, 2008. "The effectiveness of laws against bribery abroad," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 39(4), pages 634-651, June.
    19. Luzi Hail & Ahmed Tahoun & Clare Wang, 2018. "Corporate Scandals and Regulation," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 56(2), pages 617-671, May.
    20. Yan-Leung Cheung & P. Raghavendra Rau & Aris Stouraitis, 2021. "What Determines the Return to Bribery? Evidence from Corruption Cases Worldwide," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 67(10), pages 6235-6265, October.
    21. John M. Griffin & Clark Liu & Tao Shu, 2022. "Is the Chinese Anticorruption Campaign Authentic? Evidence from Corporate Investigations," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 68(10), pages 7248-7273, October.
    22. Stefan Zeume, 2017. "Bribes and Firm Value," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 30(5), pages 1457-1489.
    23. Lang, Mark & Maffett, Mark & Omartian, James D. & Silvers, Roger, 2020. "Regulatory cooperation and foreign portfolio investment," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 138(1), pages 138-158.
    24. Herita Akamah & Ole-Kristian Hope & Wayne B Thomas, 2018. "Tax havens and disclosure aggregation," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 49(1), pages 49-69, January.
    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. Du, Qingjie & Heo, Yuna, 2022. "Political corruption, Dodd–Frank whistleblowing, and corporate investment," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    2. Weishi Jia & Shuo Li & Jingran Zhao, 2022. "Kicking back against kickbacks: An examination of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and US foreign investment," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 53(2), pages 326-343, March.
    3. Yan-Leung Cheung & P. Raghavendra Rau & Aris Stouraitis, 2021. "What Determines the Return to Bribery? Evidence from Corruption Cases Worldwide," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 67(10), pages 6235-6265, October.
    4. Seung-Hyun Lee & Jisun Yu & Jinsil Kim, 2025. "Regulatory actions and reputation spillovers: investor reactions to Foreign Corrupt Practices Act violations," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 56(1), pages 105-125, February.
    5. Suhee Kim & William Rees & Vathunyoo Sila, 2020. "Do anti‐bribery laws reduce the cost of equity? Evidence from the UK Bribery Act 2010," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(3-4), pages 438-455, March.
    6. Jan Hanousek & Anastasiya Shamshur & Jan Svejnar & Jiri Tresl, 2021. "Corruption level and uncertainty, FDI and domestic investment," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 52(9), pages 1750-1774, December.
    7. Hanousek, Jan & Shamshur, Anastasiya & Tresl, Jiri, 2019. "Firm efficiency, foreign ownership and CEO gender in corrupt environments," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 344-360.
    8. Darendeli, Alper & Fiechter, Peter & Hitz, Jörg-Markus & Lehmann, Nico, 2022. "The role of corporate social responsibility (CSR) information in supply-chain contracting: Evidence from the expansion of CSR rating coverage," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(2).
    9. Couttenier, Mathieu & Toubal, Farid, 2017. "Corruption for sales," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 45(1), pages 56-66.
    10. Ferris, Stephen P. & Hanousek, Jan & Tresl, Jiri, 2021. "Corporate profitability and the global persistence of corruption," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    11. Slutzky, Pablo, 2021. "The hidden costs of being public: Evidence from multinational firms operating in an emerging market," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 139(2), pages 606-626.
    12. Ayca, Tekin-Koru, 2012. "Cross-border M&As vs. Greenfield Investments: Does Corruption Make a Difference?," MPRA Paper 42857, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    13. Gaygysyz Ashyrov & Jaan Masso, 2020. "Does corruption affect local and foreign-owned companies differently? Evidence from the BEEPS survey," Post-Communist Economies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(3), pages 306-329, April.
    14. Dasgupta, Sudipto & Banerjee, Shantanu & SHI, RUI & Yan, Jiali, 2021. "Information Complementarities and the Dynamics of Transparency Shock Spillovers," CEPR Discussion Papers 15658, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    15. Romero-Martínez, Ana M. & García-Muiña, Fernando E., 2021. "Digitalization level, corruptive practices, and location choice in the hotel industry," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 176-185.
    16. Ram Mudambi & Pietro Navarra & Andrew Delios, 2013. "Government regulation, corruption, and FDI," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 30(2), pages 487-511, June.
    17. Olczak, Wioleta, 2021. "The foreign corrupt practices act: How investors respond when violation severity and corresponding penalty (mis)match," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    18. Christensen, Hans B. & Maffett, Mark & Rauter, Thomas, 2020. "Reversing the Resource Curse: Foreign Corruption Regulation and Economic Development," Working Papers 304, The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, George J. Stigler Center for the Study of the Economy and the State.
    19. Krifa-Schneider, Hadjila & Matei, Iuliana & Sattar, Abdul, 2022. "FDI, corruption and financial development around the world: A panel non-linear approach," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    20. Saskia Kohlhase & Jochen Pierk, 2020. "The effect of a worldwide tax system on tax management of foreign subsidiaries," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(8), pages 1312-1330, October.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Anti-corruption laws; Bribery; Corruption; Extraterritoriality; Multinational firms; Regulatory globalization;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F23 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Multinational Firms; International Business
    • F60 - International Economics - - Economic Impacts of Globalization - - - General
    • K20 - Law and Economics - - Regulation and Business Law - - - General
    • K33 - Law and Economics - - Other Substantive Areas of Law - - - International Law
    • K40 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior - - - General
    • L51 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy - - - Economics of Regulation
    • M14 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - Corporate Culture; Diversity; Social Responsibility
    • M41 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - Accounting

    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:spr:reaccs:v:29:y:2024:i:4:d:10.1007_s11142-023-09783-8. 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://www.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.